TTF Chennai and Bengaluru 2018 boost tourism marketing efforts in the South

Transcription

1 Volume VIi Issue 9 Pages 40 `50 / us $5 march 16-31, 2018 Posted at NDPSO, New Delhi on 5/6 & 20/21 of every month Date of Publication 01/02 &15/16 every month Postal Registration No. DL(S) - 01/3404/ RNI No. DELENG/2011/40217 INDIA 14 business & mice 22 technology 23 asia 24 europe 26 africa 28 middle east 30 Americas 31 global 32 caribbean 33 film tourism 34 oceania 35 responsible tourism 36 events 38 TTF Chennai and Bengaluru 2018 boost tourism marketing efforts in the South Facilitating the trade to meet and market their products since 29 years, TTF - the biggest travel show network in India, recently provided the much-needed opportunity to the travel industry from across India to connect and conduct business in Chennai and Bengaluru. Chennai edition of TTF garners accolades The opening event of TTF 2018 series, India s biggest travel show network, recently concluded its first leg in Chennai on an optimistic note. The three-day travel show attracted excellent response with more than 1,500 trade visitors and over 6,000 walk-in visitors conducting business with close to 150 exhibitors from 8 countries and 21 Indian states and union territories (UTs). The show had official participation from the state tourism boards of Andaman and Nicobar, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. Many other Indian states and UTs such as Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal were represented by travel suppliers. Apart from the National Tourist Organisations (NTOs) of India and Nepal, other countries such as China, Dubai, Iran, Maldives, Singapore and Thailand were represented by travel operators and hotel brands. Placing their best foot forward with a good presence were exhibitors like Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), Showcase Munnar Association For Responsible Tourism, JMD Heritage Lawns (Sadda Pind), Southern Travels, Vythiri Village, The Tamara, The Royal Adventure Ladakh, Yeti Airlines Domestic, etc. TTF Chennai 2018 was inaugurated by Shreevats Sanjay, Regional Director (South), India Tourism Chennai Office, along with Ashok Kumar Singh, IAS, Director Tourism, Government of Bihar. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Sanjay said, Fairfest Media made the right decision to prefer the travel hub of Chennai as the city to start off with the TTF 2018 series. Diverse travel trade suppliers from across India as well as foreign countries ensured their presence at the recent edition. The trust and support of exhibitors reflect that TTF is the most effective and countrywide platform for marketing and promotion of travel products and services. Highlighting the role of the Host State, he stated, The state of Tamil Nadu is ultimately going to be the (L) Shreevats Sanjay, Regional Director (South), India Tourism Chennai Office & (3rd from Left) Ashok Kumar Singh, IAS, Director Tourism, Government of Bihar lighting the lamp at the inaugural of TTF Chennai 2018 biggest beneficiary of TTF Chennai. India s biggest travel show network - TTF not only connected the dots among travel buyers and suppliers, but it also played a key role in showcasing the capital city to the travel trade. Good networking and business were capitalised at this edition and these business tie-ups will go a long way in bringing mutual benefits for all travel destinations. Overall, I found TTF Chennai to be a great success and wish good luck to Fairfest Media. Simultaneously, Singh also shared that TTF Chennai served as an ideal platform to exchange business ideas, trade news, and keeping abreast with recent travel trends. The travel show also provided an excellent promotional opportunity for marketing different travel products. It is only at TTF that we get an opportunity to interact with travel agents, tour operators and also, officials from other states. This knowledge sharing in turn brings awareness about good practices and success formulas that can be adopted going forward. Nepal was the Partner Country at TTF Chennai 2018 and since years, TTF has been a very important travel exhibition for them. Khem Raj Timalsena, Officer, Tourism Marketing and Promotion, Nepal Tourism Board remarked, The Nepal Tourism Board has been associated solely with TTF for a very long time now. We don t participate in any other trade show as TTF serves all our objectives and is value for money. TTF has been the biggest trade fair in India which makes it all the more important platform for Nepal Tourism. In the future as well, TTF will continue to remain a must-exhibit travel show for us. In a first, Google Premier Partner joined hands with TTF Chennai to educate the travel trade on how digital can assist in scaling up business and enhance visibility to digital consumers at the key moments of their purchase decision. O3M Directional Marketing (Google Premier Partner) saw an overwhelming response to their workshop. Contd on page 2 Diverse travel trade suppliers from across India as well as foreign countries ensured their presence at TTF Chennai. The trust and support of exhibitors reflect that TTF is the most effective and countrywide platform for marketing and promotion of travel products and services. Overall, I found TTF Chennai to be a great success. Shreevats Sanjay Regional Director (South) India Tourism Chennai Office TTF Chennai served as an ideal platform to exchange business ideas, trade news, and keeping abreast with recent travel trends. It also provided an excellent promotional opportunity for marketing different travel products. The knowledge sharing at TTFs in turn brings awareness about good practices and success formulas that can be adopted going forward. Ashok Kumar Singh, IAS Director Tourism Government of Bihar

2 2 COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 Contd from page 1 TTF Bengaluru receives excellent turnout at Palace Grounds The second leg of TTF 2018 series in Bengaluru also concluded on a positive note at the Palace Grounds. The three-day travel show welcomed over 1,400 trade visitors and more than 6,500 walk-in visitors over a period of three days who networked with over 180 exhibitors from 8 countries and 21 Indian states and union territories. The State Tourism Boards which had big participation at TTF Bengaluru 2018 were - Andaman and Nicobar, Bihar, Chandigarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. Other Indian states and UTs such as Delhi, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal were represented by travel suppliers. The NTOs of India and Nepal participated at TTF Bengaluru while other countries such as Bhutan, China, Dubai, Singapore, Thailand and Uzbekistan were represented by travel companies and hotel brands. Exhibitors such as Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Southern Travels, Ezeego One Travel & Tours, Swosti Group, JMD Heritage Lawns (Sadda Pind), Showcase Munnar Association For Responsible Tourism, Hotel The Zen Ladakh, The Royal Adventure Ladakh, Yeti Airlines Domestic, One Bhutan Adventure, Bergamont Group of Hotels, etc. placed their best foot forward with a good presence. Supported by the Ministry of Tourism as well as trade associations, the three-day travel show was inaugurated by Roshan Baig, Minister for Urban Development, Government of Karnataka, in the presence of Kumar Pushkar, IFS, Managing Director, Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC). Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of TTF Bengaluru 2018, Pushkar said, Tourism promotion is all about networking between buyers and sellers which is most effective when all the stakeholders come under the same roof. In this regard, TTF provides the best opportunity in India for the travel trade to connect and conduct business in all major target markets. Over the years, TTF has grown from strength to strength. This travel show is a major platform for the local and budding travel suppliers to showcase their travel products and market them among TTF provides the best opportunity in India for the travel trade to connect and conduct business in all major target markets. Over the years, TTF has grown from strength to strength. This travel show is a major platform for the local and budding travel suppliers to showcase their travel products and market them among the buyers coming down from across India. Kumar Pushkar, IFS Managing Director, Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (C) Roshan Baig, Minister for Urban Development, Government of Karnataka lighting the lamp at TTF Bengaluru 2018 the buyers coming down from across India. I congratulate Fairfest Media on such an eventful show in Bengaluru. Google Premier Partner - Capillary Technologies collaborated with TTF Bengaluru 2018 to conduct a workshop on How digital is shaping the travel industry. The workshop educated the travel trade on how to utilise the digital platform to their advantage and boost the business revenues using digital means. Since years, TTF has been a significant travel show for Nepal Tourism. This year Nepal was the Partner Country at TTF Bengaluru. TTF is the best and most popular travel trade show network in India and it s an honour for us to ensure presence at TTF, said Gobinda Raj Oli, Manager, Nepal Tourism Board. He further added, The Nepal Tourism Board along with the local suppliers always looks forward to participating in TTF. This year we had 13 sellers from Nepal who participated at TTF Bengaluru We are very satisfied with the response in Bengaluru. South India is one of the main source markets for Nepal Tourism and Fairfest Media did an excellent job in executing the travel show. No doubt, they are the No. 1 travel show organisers in India. Himachal Pradesh has been exhibiting at TTF for more than two decades. With 10 local suppliers, Himachal Pradesh was the Partner State at TTF Bengaluru During the three days, we received a number of queries from the travel agents and tour operators as well as general visitors. TTF is a great marketplace for the public and private players as it facilitates networking under the same roof. We will continue to participate in the upcoming events of Fairfest Media, highlighted Dinesh Guleria, Tourism Information Officer, Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Himachal Pradesh. Participation at TTF Bengaluru 2018 was also a success for the Feature State of Goa. In Bengaluru, Goa Tourism promoted many new adventure sports such as hot air balloon ride and river rafting along with the new properties across Goa. Deepak Narvekar, Senior Marketing Manager/PRO, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, outlined, We participate in almost all the major TTFs across India and it is undoubtedly the biggest platform for Goa Tourism. TTF is organised at all prominent Indian cities and Editor & Publisher Sanjiv Agarwal (editor@fairfest.in) Managing Directors Gazanfar Ibrahim Rajiv Agarwal Advisors Abraham John Sheila Leong Executive Editor Annapurna Agarwal (annapurna@fairfest.in) Directors Harsh Agarwal Raj Kapoor Singh President V Suresh Associate Directors Gunjan Dutt Rajarshi De R Mahesh Tarique Ebrahim Vicky Menezes Nitin Telang Raminder Singh Managers Fatima D Costa Uma Sureka YC Anil Philomena D Souza Tania Das Ramesh Chauhan Sanjeev Gupta Assistant Editor Akansha Pandey (akansha@fairfest.in) Sub Editor Kathryn Kannampuzha Content Shruti Dugar Darshan Baid Head of Design Bruno Peccoud Design Dilip Manna Ritam Maity Maruti More Assistant Managers Kanika Singh Shreya Bothra Shiv Shankar Dutta Executives Komal Solanki Khushbu Thakkar Priya Das Priyanka Mandal Kiran M Circulation Shiv Sagar Mishra we leave no stone unturned to showcase our tourism products and network with travel buyers. This time yet again, the organisers did an excellent job. Both the editions were supported by Incredible India, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), SKAL International and Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA). Travel News Digest was the Official Publication of the event. After reaping success at TTF Chennai and Bengaluru, the TTF 2018 series will now move to Kolkata from July 6-8 and Hyderabad from July The series will conclude with West India editions of TTF covering Ahmedabad (September 7-9), Surat (September 14-16), Pune (September 28-30) and Mumbai (October 5-7) in Fairfest Media Limited, the organiser of TTF, OTM and BLTM has strengthened its unparalleled lead as India s No. 1 Travel Show Organiser, with about half the market share. While OTM is the leading travel show in the Asia-Pacific region; BLTM is India s leading trade show on Business, MICE and Luxury travel segments. For more information visit - The Nepal Tourism Board has been associated solely with TTF for a very long time now. We don t participate in any other trade show as TTF serves all our objectives and is value for money. TTF has been the biggest trade fair in India which makes it all the more important platform for Nepal Tourism. Travel News Digest (TND) is printed and published by Sanjiv Kumar Agarwal on behalf of Fairfest Media Ltd. Printed at International Print -o-pac Ltd, C-4 to C-11, Hosiery complex, Phase-II, Extension, Noida , Distt. G. B. Nagar, UP. Published at 216A/1Gautam Nagar, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi Editor Sanjiv Agarwal No responsibility will be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts and photos received. Despite careful selection of sources, no responsibility can be taken for accuracy. Khem Raj Timalsena Officer, Tourism Marketing and Promotion Nepal Tourism Board The Publisher and the Editor do not necessarily individually or collectively identify themselves with the views expressed by respective writers and contributors in this journal. The views expressed are those of the authors only. The magazine assumes no liability or responsibility of any kind in connection with the information thereof. All right reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Fairfest Media Limited (CIN - U74140WB1988PLC045101) Head Office 216A/1, Gautam Nagar, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi Tel: (91)(11) Registered Office 25C/ 1, Belvedere Road, Alipur, Kolkata Tel : (91)(33) Branch Offices MUMBAI (91) (22) HYDERABAD (91) (40) BANGALORE (91) (80) AHMEDABAD (91) (79) Volume VII Issue 9 Web :

3 Be a pa of India's biggest travel show network. Kolkata Hyderabad July , 07 & & 14 Ahmedabad Surat Pune September , 08 & 09 14, 15 & 16 28, 29 & 30 Mumbai Bengaluru Chennai October , 06 & 07 February , 02 & 03 08, 09 & 10 DO NOT MISS BLTM Delhi : 18 & 19 January 2019 OTM Mumbai : 23, 24 & 25 January 2019 TESTIMONIALS TTF has helped Jammu & Kashmir Tourism in interacting with the potential buyers and trade exhibitors from pan India. It has also played a vital role in clearing the doubts of the buyers on travelling to J&K. Smita Sethi (KAS) Director Tourism (Jammu) Government of Jammu & Kashmir Sri Lanka Tourism took part in TTF Kolkata and Hyderabad last year. Our participation has helped us in exhibiting our travel products on a larger scale and networking with other exhibitors. Viranga Bandara Assistant Director-Marketing Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau ARK Travels has been participating in TTF for the past six years. TTF is surely one of the best trade fairs in Ahmedabad. The numbers of stalls are increasing every year and we have generated good business out of it. Khalid Gori Chief Operating Officer ARK Travels Since 1989, Fai est Media has been providing an annual marketing and networking pla orm to the travel trade industry in 9 major Indian cities. Suppo ed by Official Publication Organised by To book your vantage stand at TTF write to us at contact@fai est.in For more details, contact Raj Kapoor Singh Visit www. fotm.com TTF is a trade show, visitors below 15 years are not allowed during Trade Hours. Rights of Admission reserved with Fai est Media Ltd.

4 4 COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 Google s workshop at TTF Chennai & Bengaluru provides digital marketing edge to travel trade In a first, TTF - India s biggest travel show network, partnered with Google India to conduct a workshop at its Chennai and Bengaluru 2018 editions. Conducted by Google Premier Partners at the respective cities, the session titled How digital is shaping the travel industry, highlighted how digital mediums are playing a significant role in targeting and personalising the promotions and in turn enhancing business revenues. Booth of O3M Directional Marketing (Google Premier Partner) at TTF Chennai 2018 Overwhelming turnout at TTF Chennai 2018 Rob Peck, Director of Client Services at O3M Directional Marketing (Google Premier Partner) conducting the workshop at TTF Chennai 2018 O3M Directional Marketing (Google Premier Partner) saw an overwhelming response to their workshop on Day 1 of TTF Chennai Rob Peck, Director-Client Services, O3M Directional Marketing (Google Premier Partner) conducted the session and showed two case studies where digital if used in a befitting way, can help grow business within a short span of time. He further outlined the paradigm shift in the behaviour of new age travellers and how they increasingly prefer online over other traditional mediums to plan and book their travel. Digital is the best way to scale and market the campaigns, said Peck while addressing the attendees. He reiterated that understanding the requirements of the online customers is critical to the growth of one s travel business. Going digital is important to increase the efficiency in the travel space. In present times, millennials get influenced and inspired by the videos and images of new destinations on social media. We need to understand our audience for effective marketing and the mindset of the new age traveller, which is changing rapidly as they are going online, more than often to plan their trips, remarked Peck. According to him, mobile travel booking went up to 230% in the year This shows the frequency and the new patterns in travel bookings. To stay relevant in the market, one needs to move with the world and have mobile-friendly websites. A whole lot of data is available which is collected, processed and analysed. Data is cheaper than ever and so are smartphones. Peck averred that everyone present in the workshop to be accessible on search apps and social media platforms. The young traveller keeps searching and reviewing throughout their travel. Once people have arrived at the destination, make sure they come to your accommodation, restaurants, nightclubs, casinos, etc. as the data supports the traveller s details. Google search has gone a long way towards personalisation. A traveller s smartphone will show his/her current location and rest can be tailor-made from the information, explained Peck. On the other two days as well, the booth of O3M Directional Marketing (Google Premier Partner) at TTF Chennai was flooded with queries from travel trade. For us, TTF Chennai has been an extraordinary experience as we saw serious engagements from travel trade stakeholders at our stall. It s good to see that trade is curious and eager to learn on the digital marketing front. All the attendees and delegates who interacted with us were more than satisfied, exclaimed Peck. Stellar response at TTF Bengaluru 2018 Google Premier Partner - Capillary Technologies highlighted the unique digital marketing techniques used by the global giants such as Airbnb, Oyo, Cox and Kings, etc. at TTF Bengaluru. The workshop conducted by Soumajit Bhowmik, Director of E-commerce and Performance Marketing, Capillary Technologies (Google Premier Partner). He outlined how digital and mobile have changed the traveller s buying journey, its implications on business, types of digital campaigns which are currently generating results for travel players and online tools that can enable digital marketing success. Speaking at the session, Bhowmik highlighted four important processes a business should keep in mind while promoting their brand online i.e. building awareness, influencing consideration, driving action and creating loyalty amongst the customers. Through the application of aforesaid four steps any organisation can create the much-needed brand awareness amongst its users and cater to the needs of thousands of users through the digital interface which can help the organisation in cutting the cost of traditional marketing, he suggested. With more than 300 million smartphone users in the country, India is one of the hotbeds for the digital marketing and is ready for a digital transformation. One of the major accomplishments of digital marketing is that it works instantly and hence new age travellers or the Soumajit Bhowmik, Director of E-commerce and Performance Marketing, Capillary Technologies (Google Premier Partner) addressing the attendees at the session in TTF Bengaluru 2018 Booth of Capillary Technologies (Google Premier Partner) at TTF Bengaluru 2018 millennials prefer going online for any suggestions, queries and bookings, Bhowmik pointed out during the session. The session also saw varied slideshows, audio-visuals and pictures on how digital marketing works and cater the needs of the travel trade. Different digital marketing strategies such as SEO, PPC, social networks, the website with a great user interface and SMS can be used by the companies to cater the needs of their customers. The participation of the travel trade was also overwhelming and they were eager to understand and learn more about new techniques to generate and convert leads into business. Capillary Technologies (Google Premier Partner) was amazed to see the participation of travel trade at TTF Bengaluru. Digital marketing is the need of the hour and travel businesses have understood its potential of late. The trade participants were very eager to know more about digital marketing and were asking related questions even after the session got over. It was really an excellent experience as we were able to reach out to an assorted mix of travel brands, asserted Bhowmik. They were able to make contact with the varied pool of state tourism boards, national tourist organisations, destination management companies and other travel trade as well. Bhowmik felt that TTF was an excellent platform not only for the travel trade but also for the digital support providers. We were very happy to find that a number of innovative travel trade visitors used diverse digital marketing techniques to lure the traffic. However, some of the participants were still using the traditional marketing approach for reaching out to the customers but they were happy to connect with us, he said.

5 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 COVER STORY 5 Networking galore at TTF Chennai and Bengaluru 2018

6 6 COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 Exhibitor Testimonials at TTF Chennai 2018 India s biggest travel show network - TTF not only connected the dots among travel buyers and suppliers, but it also played a key role in showcasing the capital city to the travel trade. Good networking and business was capitalised at this edition. The state of Tamil Nadu is ultimately going to be the biggest beneficiary of TTF Chennai. Shreevats Sanjay Regional Director (South) India Tourism Chennai Office For us, TTF Chennai has been an extraordinary experience as we saw serious engagements from travel trade stakeholders at our stall. Our booth at TTF Chennai was flooded with queries. It s good to see that trade is curious and eager to learn on the digital marketing front. All the attendees and delegates who interacted with us were more than satisfied. Rob Peck Director-Client Services O3M Directional Marketing (Google Premier Partner) TTF is the biggest travel show in India and most of the travel trade prefers TTF over other shows. For years now, TTF has been a very effective platform for us. This year as well we witnessed good trade visitors who were eager to learn about destinations beyond Shimla, Manali, etc. I congratulate Fairfest Media for such a well-organised show. Ritesh Patyal Tourist Information Officer, Department of Tourism & Civil Aviation Government of Himachal Pradesh Andaman Tourism has been participating in TTF since the past 2-3 years. We are very satisfied with the way it is marketed and managed. We also interacted with few international trade visitors at TTF Chennai and the meetings conducted there were very beneficial. After exhibiting at TTF Chennai and Bengaluru as well, we are also looking forward to TTF Kolkata in July. Krishna Kumar Assistant Manager Andaman Tourism Delhi Tourism made the right decision to exhibit at TTF Chennai We renewed the existing contacts and made some new ones with the travel agents and tour operators at the exhibition. Trade visitors were very curious to know about the new offerings around Delhi. I would like to congratulate Fairfest Media for such a well-structured and resultoriented travel show. Pankaj Gaur Assistant Manager Delhi Tourism & Transportation Development Corporation Ltd. Our participation in TTF Chennai has been incredible. It helped in generating good contacts which has boosted our business. TTF caters to large number of travel trade professionals throughout the year. The data is very helpful for us to increase our business further. The entire team of Fairfest Media did an outstanding job in the successful execution of the event. Mohammed Shaikh Manager ACF Tourism TTF Chennai served as an ideal platform to exchange business ideas, trade news, and keeping abreast with recent travel trends. The travel show also provided an excellent promotional opportunity for marketing different travel products. We meet travel trade and government officials at TTF and the knowledge-sharing in turn brings awareness about success formulas that can be adopted going forward. Ashok Kumar Singh IAS Director Tourism Government of Bihar Nepal Tourism has been associated solely with TTF for a very long time. This year Nepal was the Partner Country at TTF Chennai We don t participate in any other similar trade show as TTF serves all our objectives and is value for money. It is the biggest trade shows network in India which makes it all the more significant. Khem Raj Timalsena Officer Tourism Marketing and Promotion, Nepal Tourism Board TTF has always been a fruitful experience for us and it was no different at Chennai this year. We promoted a plethora of Kerala-based tourism products with an aim to increase the number of travellers coming in from South India. We were impressed with the variety of visitors and exhibitors as well as the way the organisers ensured smooth functioning. Shahul Hameed M Tourist Information Officer Kerala Tourism This time Goa Tourism promoted wedding travel segment in TTF Chennai and we are extremely satisfied with the overwhelming response. TTF series provides us with ample of opportunities to meet with the best of travel agents and tour operators in the tourism industry. The way in which Fairfest Media conducts its travel exhibitions goes on to show their exemplary experience. Rodlin Mascarenhas Assistant Tourist Officer Goa Tourism TTF is truly the biggest travel trade show network we have in India. Our experience at TTF Chennai and Bengaluru had been really worthwhile and rewarding. TTF is one of the best platforms where we can promote the tourist destination of Jharkhand and we are happy with the queries received and addressed. Fairfest Media organised both the editions very well. Nalin Kumar Manager Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation TTF Chennai was the perfect travel exhibition for us as it facilitated networking with serious travel agents. This really matters to us as we are seeing the meetings turning into quality business. We also met various state and country representatives and entrepreneurs and we are very satisfied with the response we received. Indeed, superb team work done by Fairfest Media. Prabina K C Senior Manager-Sales & Marketing Yeti Airlines

7 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 COVER STORY 7 Exhibitor Testimonials at TTF Chennai 2018 TTF is an ideal platform to network with the experts of travel trade and is suited for travel product promotion across India. The Tamara has been participating in TTF for a very long time now. Our overall experience this year has been meaningful too. We managed to strike good connections with key people from travel trade at Chennai. Udaya Kumar J K Manager-Corporate Sales & MICE The Tamara We have been showcasing our travel products for the last 4-5 years at TTF. Needless to say, our participation has enabled us to increase our penetration in new markets and grow the business pie. The response at Chennai was quite good. The session by Google Premier Partner was very thoughtprovoking. The team at Fairfest Media administered the event very skilfully. Vilas Kadival CEO Destination Ladakh TTF is really the biggest travel show network in India. We look at these travel exhibitions as a complete medium to market and promote our company. We started 2018 by participating in OTM, and TTF Chennai too has been a high-yielding experience. The response has been excellent at TTF Chennai and we were very impressed with the trade footfall. Balwant Singh Saini Director Balwant Tour & Travels This is our eighth year of participation in TTF in a row since TTF has proved to be a very advantageous platform for us to further increase business from South India. Both TTF Chennai and Bengaluru 2018 had been successful and we will also be participating at TTF Ahmedabad. Must say, Fairfest Media has engineered their events very strategically. Basant K. Giri CEO REN Tours & Treks (Bhutan) TTF has been outstanding over the years and the recent Chennai edition too lived up to the expectations. We got to connect and conduct business with our target audience in Chennai. The session by Google Premier Partner on how digital is shaping the travel industry was also very enriching. Overall, Fairfest Media did a remarkable job in executing the event. Aju Abraham Mathew General Manager The Tall Trees Munnar (Munnar Showcase) This is our fourth time at TTF and as always this time too, TTF s Chennai edition has been well-organised. Our point of contact right from the start to the end has been very supportive. We attracted good coverage and trade networking through TTF. Our association with Fairfest Media has been very productive and we look forward to the next edition. Prita Pereira Vice President-Admin Sales & Marketing, Casino Strike Trade Visitor Testimonials at TTF Chennai 2018 I have been attending TTF and OTM for the last 7-8 years but this was my first time at TTF Chennai. It was a quality experience at Chennai where I met new travel suppliers and learned about many new travel products in India and abroad. Overall, the travel show was organised very professionally by the team of Fairfest Media. Rahil Ahmad Sales & Marketing Peacock Holidays This time TTF Chennai comprised very good quality of exhibitors from across India and other foreign destinations. This edition of TTF 2018 has indeed created a benchmark for the other travel trade exhibitions. This was a very well-organised and productive show. The entire team of Fairfest Media did a great job in flawlessly executing the event. Srinivasan Partner ASK Polymers As a trade visitor, I feel TTF Chennai had quality suppliers and I am glad to see new ones being added each year. Visiting TTF also helps us in connecting with new ones and renewing the old contacts on a regular basis. Fairfest media did a commendable job at TTF Chennai edition and the show was executed very efficiently. Midhun Kayyil General Manager Greens Gate This was my first time at TTF and it was an eventful experience so much so that I am looking forward to exhibiting next year. Chennai and the South Indian market overall has got a lot of potential and I managed to capture some good business leads from there. I also got acquainted with so many new destinations in Chennai. Sai Pranay Maharaj Asst. Sales Manager OYO TTF is an extremely well-managed travel show network where we can meet everyone under one roof. The Chennai edition of TTF was flooded with travel trade visitors which goes on to show the trust and credibility the travel show has earned over the years. I had a fruitful experience in Chennai and I am looking forward to attending other TTFs too. Vijesh Nair Resort Manager Vasco Dagama Beach Resort The travel show network of TTF has always been a very useful platform to network with both the B2B and the B2C audience. We are happy with the response we ve received in Chennai and are looking forward to meeting more people and enhance our business opportunities. I am sure the other series of TTF will set new benchmarks like TTF Chennai. Murali Sundaram Marketing Manager Jungle Beats Resorts

8 8 COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 Participant Awards at TTF Chennai 2018 Andaman Tourism, Group Participation Award Bihar Tourism, Best Print Promotional Material Award Uttar Pradesh Tourism, Best Print Promotional Material Award Kerala Tourism, Best Print Promotional Material Award Atlas Travels Online, Most Innovative Travel Technology Award O3M Directional Marketing (P) Ltd (Premier Google Partner), Most Innovative Travel Marketing Tools Award Showcase Munnar Association for Responsible Tourism, Most Innovative Product Award Goan Recreation Clubs Pvt Ltd (Casino Strike), Most Innovative Product Award ACF Tourism (Iran), Most Promising New Destination Award Tatabye Tours and Travels Pvt Ltd, Most Exclusive Leisure Product Award The Tamara Coorg, Best Decoration Award Small Pavilion The Residency Group of Hotels, Best Decoration Award Small Pavilion JMD Heritage Lawns Pvt. Ltd. (Sadda Pind), Best Decoration Award Small Pavilion Himachal Pradesh Tourism, Best Decoration Award Medium Pavilion Goa Tourism, Best Decoration Award Medium Pavilion India Tourism, Best Decoration Award Medium Pavilion Jharkhand Tourism, Best Decoration Award Medium Pavilion Tamil Nadu Tourism, Best Decoration Award Medium Pavilion Nepal Tourism Board, Best Decoration Award Big Pavilion Tourism Corporation of Gujarat, Best Decoration Award Big Pavilion

9 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 COVER STORY 9 Participant Awards at TTF Bengaluru 2018 Himachal Pradesh Tourism, Group Participation Award Andaman Tourism, Group Participation Award Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, Group Participation Award Jharkhand Tourism, Best Print Promotional Material Award Showcase Munnar Association For Responsible Tourism, Best Print Promotional Material Award India Tourism, Most Informative Booth Award Capillary Technologies (Google Premier Partner), Most Innovative Travel Marketing Tool Award Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC), Most Innovative Product Award Country Spa Wellness Beach Resort, Most Innovative Product Award Harrisons Malayalam Limited, Most Promising New Destination Award Astamb Holidays, Best Value Leisure Product Award Goa Tourism, Best Decoration Award-Medium Pavilion Bihar Tourism, Best Decoration Award-Medium Pavilion Madhya Pradesh Tourism, Best Decoration Award-Medium Pavilion Wayanad Fort, Best Decoration Award-Medium Pavilion Nepal Tourism Board, Best Decoration Award-Big Pavilion Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, Best Decoration Award-Big Pavilion Karnataka Tourism,Best Decoration Award-Big Pavilion

10 10 COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 Exhibitor Testimonials at TTF Bengaluru 2018 TTF provides the best networking opportunity for buyers and sellers in India to connect and conduct business in all major target markets. The Bengaluru edition was also a major platform for the local and budding travel suppliers to showcase their travel products and market them to the buyers coming from across India. I congratulate Fairfest Media on such an eventful show. Kumar Pushkar, IFS Managing Director Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation TTF has always been a good platform for the buyers and sellers from the travel trade. This year we acquainted with many new destinations at TTF Bengaluru and understood their travel requirements. We are thankful to Fairfest Media for organising TTF as it provides with national and international exposure which aids in reaching out to a larger market. Gopi Vishrolia Tourism Officer Gujarat Tourism Himachal Pradesh Tourism has been exhibiting in TTF for more than two decades now and we will continue to do so. TTF is a great marketplace for the public and private players as it facilitates networking under the same roof. During the three days at TTF Bengaluru, we received a number of inquiries from the travel trade and general visitors. Dinesh Guleria Tourism Information Officer Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Himachal Pradesh The Nepal Tourism Board along with the local suppliers always looks forward to participating in TTF. This year we had 13 sellers from Nepal who are very satisfied with the response received at TTF Bengaluru South India is one of the main source markets for Nepal Tourism and Fairfest Media did an excellent job in executing the travel show. Gobinda Raj Oli Manager Nepal Tourism Board I was amazed to see the response of the travel trade at TTF Bengaluru this year. The participants from travel sector were very eager to know more about digital marketing and were asking questions even after the session got over. It was really an excellent experience as we were able to reach out to an assorted mix of travel brands. Soumajit Bhowmik Director, E-commerce and Performance Marketing Capillary Technologies (Google Premier Partner) TTF is certainly one of the important shows in the travel trade industry. As always, we witnessed a lot of curiosity among the travel trade to know about the new tourism products and services at TTF Bengaluru this year. Must say, Fairfest Media delivers each of their travel exhibitions with utmost proficiency and TTF is one such fine example. Mohamed Farouk Director India Tourism Bihar Tourism has been participating in TTF for a very long time now. The response observed from the tour operators and travel agents attending TTF Bengaluru was excellent. They showed a keen interest in the varied tourism products of Bihar and we addressed a number of inquiries from the travel trade at the Bengaluru edition. Gajendra Singh PRO Bihar Tourism We participate in almost all the major TTFs across India as it is undoubtedly the biggest platform for Goa Tourism. TTF is organised in all prominent Indian cities and we make it a point to showcase our tourism products and network with travel buyers. This time yet again, Fairfest Media organised TTF Bengaluru at par with the international standards Deepak Narvekar Senior Marketing Manager/PRO Goa Tourism Development Corporation TTF is an excellent platform for marketing and it always turns out to be a fruitful event for us. We exhibited at TTF Chennai and Bengaluru as these are one of the most important markets for Punjab Tourism. We promoted new tourism products at both the editions and received a good number of inquiries from both the trade visitors and end travellers. Pawandeep Singh Sodhi Tourist Officer Department of Tourism, Government of Punjab The three days at TTF Bengaluru were very eventful as we got to meet many quality operators from the travel trade. South India is one of the most lucrative markets for us and TTF has definitely facilitated in capturing the market. We look forward to taking part in all the upcoming events of Fairfest Media. Rajesh Samanta Corporate Deputy General Manager Swosti Group of Hotels South India is an important market for us and that is why we participated at TTF Chennai and Bengaluru. We got some potential leads from the local travel trade and few national companies as well who were interested in our products. I humbly thank Fairfest Media for organising TTFs which provides an ideal platform to boost our business. Christine He Marketing Director Shanghai Dongyu International Travel Service Co TTF is the best platform to build the muchneeded network with the travel trade players from India and the world. IRCTC has been participating in TTF for a long time and has received numerous business queries through the travel show. We are very thankful to Fairfest Media for all the support. Kishore Satya Manager-Tourism Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation

11 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 COVER STORY 11 Exhibitor Testimonials at TTF Bengaluru 2018 I have attended many TTFs but TTF Bengaluru has set the benchmark and was definitely one of the best TTFs I have ever attended. TTF gives a chance to showcase our products to our potential buyers and an opportunity to network with them. We appreciate the strong and encouraging support from Fairfest Media as well as the attendees here. Purushottam Raj Mahat Deputy Manager-Sales & Marketing Yeti Airlines TTF Bengaluru 2018 rendered an excellent platform for the travel trade to meet and network under the same roof. The buyers at this year s TTF were diverse and had the decision-making powers. Overall, TTF is a great event to showcase the tourism products. Fairfest Media organised the event very skillfully and I wish them good luck for the upcoming shows. Ramesh Prasad Ojha Tourism Entrepreneur Member, Rotary Club Kathmandu At TTF Bengaluru we networked with new as well as old giants of the travel trade and we hope this association will help us in getting more inbound tourists back to Bhutan. The Southern part of India is always our preferred market and Fairfest Media has assisted us all these years very professionally by facilitating access to this very important market. Sonam Rinchen CEO One Bhutan Adventure TTF has evolved into a bigger and better brand over the years and TTF Bengaluru was a very successful show this year. It helped us in tapping the South Indian market and we were able to network with some qualified trade buyers. Fairfest Media organised the show very tactfully and we thank them for all the support. Hitesh Shah Deputy General Manager Ezeego1 The turnout of trade visitors at TTF Bengaluru was overwhelming. A good number of them were the decision makers of their company and showed a keen interest in our products. We have got some really fruitful leads from here and thus we are hopeful of converting them into business. We applaud the efforts of Fairfest Media in conducting their travel exhibitions remarkably. Francis P George Head- Business Development Wonderla Parks and Resort TTF is definitely an excellent platform for all the stakeholders involved in the travel to connect and conduct business. Through TTF we have been able to tap all the important markets in the country as it is organised in almost all the major cities in India. We will surely participate in the upcoming travel shows of Fairfest Media. Praveen Joshi Resort- Manager Alokik Resorts Trade Visitor Testimonials at TTF Bengaluru 2018 TTF is a very renowned travel trade exhibition in the industry. It showcases varied pool of national and international participants which makes it a complete experience for trade visitors like me. This was my first time at TTF Bengaluru and it has been an enriching experience to learn about new travel products across India. I m looking forward to exhibiting next year. Vinod M Nanjappa Business Head Global Entrada TTF Bengaluru 2018 was structured very professionally. With the global participation at this year s TTF, the inflow of the crowd was just excellent. The informative session by Google Premier Partner highlighted the need to get digitally active. I congratulate the entire team of Fairfest Media for organising a productive show and look forward to other editions of TTF going forward. Ji Ganesha Business Development Manager Green Holidays We have been visiting TTF for a long time now and the travel show has evolved rapidly over the years. The quality of the show has skyrocketed in the recent past and TTF has managed to take Fairfest Media s legacy forward. This event was very useful from both business and consumer perspective and we indeed learned a lot through TTF Bengaluru. Gagan Teja N Chief Executive Officer Namo Ads & Events The travel show network of TTF provides with an opportunity to interact with the B2B as well as the B2C travel segment productively. I cracked great deals and associated with the global suppliers who had exhibited in TTF Bengaluru. I would like to applaud the entire team of Fairfest Media for executing the show so proficiently and making it a success. Ananthamurthy V Senior Vice President-Asia Pacific Sales & Marketing, Exa Thermometrics This was my first time at TTF s Bengaluru edition and I must say that the show was organised very professionally for both the exhibitors and the trade visitors. South India has very enriching tourism prospects and Fairfest Media has done a good job by organising TTF in Bengaluru which serves as a gateway to potential tourism from the southern land. Polona Kolenc Trade Visitor I have been attending TTFs for the past few years and my recent visit to TTF Bengaluru has been a delightful experience. I networked with several quality sellers from across India and have received really good business leads so much so that I am thinking of exhibiting next year. Kudos to the entire team of Fairfest Media! Ravi Kumar Trade Visitor

12 INDIA-Ministries PM launches development schemes for Daman & Diu worth INR 1,000 cr Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing at the launch of development schemes at Daman Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched development schemes worth INR 1,000 crore for Daman and Diu and inaugurated Air Odisha s flight connecting Ahmedabad to the coastal town of Diu, under the Centre s Regional Connectivity Scheme - UDAN. He also launched a helicopter service connecting Daman and Diu. The air connectivity will boost tourism as tourists who want to visit the Somnath temple, Gir Forest (in Gujarat) can now easily fly there from Diu, said Modi. Somnath temple and Gir forest are located around 80 kilometres from Diu. Ahmedabad to Diu road journey takes 12 hours and the air-connectivity reduces the travel time to just an hour. Modi said that his government has launched schemes worth around INR 1,000 crore for the development of Daman and Diu. He also laid the foundation stones for a slew of projects, including a water treatment plant, a gas pipeline, an electric sub-station, a municipal market and a foot-bridge for the union territory. Anganwadis (child care centres) and schools constructed under corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives were also inaugurated by the PM. On the occasion, he distributed e-rickshaws to women and scooters to differently-abled beneficiaries. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Inbound travel to India surges by 8.4% in January 2018 In its official statement, the Ministry of Tourism announced that India has received lakh Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during the month of January, 2018, a growth of 8.4% compared to January Last year, during the same period the figure of FTAs was 9.83 lakh. Out of the lakh FTAs, a total of 2.40 lakh foreign travellers arrived on e-tourist visa in January, 2018 as compared to 1.52 lakh during the same month previous year. The top 15 source markets for the overall increase were Bangladesh (16.36%) followed by USA (14.10%), UK (10.81%), Canada (4.63%), Russian Federation (4.49%), Australia (3.60%), France (2.76%), Germany (2.64%), Malaysia (2.63%), Sri Lanka (2.59%), China (2.27%), Japan (2.08%), Republic of Korea (1.93%), Afghanistan (1.86%) and Nepal (1.59%). The percentage share of FTAs in India during January 2018 among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (28.03%) followed by Mumbai Airport (17.47%), Haridaspur Land Check Post (7.63%), Chennai Airport (7.17%), Goa (6.19%), Bengaluru Airport (5.16%), Kolkata Airport (4.81%), Kochi Airport (3.77%), Ahmedabad Airport (3.01%), Hyderabad Airport (2.56%), Gede Rail Land Check Post (1.82%), Trivandrum Airport (1.56%), Tiruchirapalli Airport (1.25%), Ghojadanga Land Check Post (1.11%) and Amritsar Airport (1.01%). Tiger s Nest Potala Palace Kailash Mansarovar Your local DMC in Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet Be it MICE, Wedding, Cultural Tour, Pilgrimage Tour, Wellness, Adventure Tour, Special Interest Tour or anything you can dream of, we are there to customize your Holidays & Events! S-9 & 10, Manish Royal Plaza-II, Plot No.20, Sector-10, Central Market, Dwarka, New Delhi Ph.: , M: , info@orientaljouneys.in, Website:

13 2019. January 18 & 19 The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Delhi India's leading trade show on Business, MICE and Luxury Travel Sellers 250+ Hosted Buyers 11 Countries 13 Indian States 150+ sellers from 11 countries met 250+ fully hosted buyers from 30+ cities in India, by appointments made online and on-the-spot, in BLTM BLTM identifies high-value target buyers and decision makers with real buying power and helps you meet them face-to-face in the span of two days. We bring you, your customers, your peers and the media together under one roof in a world-class setting. BLTM is designed to maximise your return on investment. Pre-schedule appointments with key buyers using our state-of-the-a online tool, and meet exclusively with 500+ qualified buyers in a speed networking session. BLTM maintains a 2:1 buyer to seller ratio, benchmarking it with the best in global MICE focused shows. Some of our Pa ners & Suppo ing Organisations at BLTM 2017 Pa ner Countries Feature Countries Pa ner Airlines Feature States Pa ner Hotel Knowledge Pa ner Institutional Pa ners Official Publication Media Pa ners Organised by To book your vantage stand at BLTM write to us at contact@fai est.in For more details, contact Raj Kapoor Singh BLTM is a trade show, visitors below 15 years are not allowed during Trade Hours. Rights of Admission reserved with Fai est Media Ltd.

14 INDIA-Aviation IndiGo introduces seven additional ATR flights Focussing the tier-ii and III cities, IndiGo announced the launch of seven additional flights on its domestic network. Effective, March 25, 2018, IndiGo will operate two direct daily flights on Hyderabad-Nagpur-Hyderabad sector, three direct daily flights on Hyderabad- Mangalore-Hyderabad sector and effective May 1, 2018 two direct daily flights on Chennai-Mangalore-Chennai sector. These flights will be operated on the brand new ATR aircraft. With the introduction of these seven flights, IndiGo will strengthen its ATR operations by connecting two southern metros with tier-ii cities of Nagpur and Mangalore. Booking for these flights is open. Commenting on the expansion, IndiGo s spokesperson, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said, At IndiGo, we are continuously striving to expand deeper into the heartland with our new ATR fleet operations. These new connections will further bolster our position, reiterating our commitment to connect passengers of tier-ii and GoAir appoints Jyri Strandman as COO GoAir announced the appointment of Jyri Strandman as the Chief Operating Officer (COO). He will report to Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir and be a part of the airline s core management team. In his new role, Strandman will be responsible for strengthening GoAir s operational functions of Flight Operations, Engineering, Airport, Security and Airside Operations (ASA), Flight Safety, In-flight Services (IFS) and III cities on our 6E network. We are hopeful that these flights will provide more choices of air travel to millions of our fellow citizens. 11th Customer Loyalty and Customer Engagement Awards honours JetPrivilege JetPrivilege, Jet Airways award-winning frequent flyer and Loyalty rewards management programme, won nine key accolades at the 11th Customer Loyalty and Customer Experience Awards held at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai. The wins highlight JetPrivilege s continued success in providing all its members including the airline s frequent flyer guests with the most unique and rewarding lifestyle experiences as well as engagement opportunities. Jet Airways Crew IndiGo ATR aircraft The frequent flyer programme of the country s premier international airline was bestowed as the winner in the following categories: Best Use of Innovation in Loyalty Marketing, two Best Use of Contests/Promotions in a Loyalty Program, Best Promotional/Shopper Marketing Campaign, Best Use of Gamification to Enhance Loyalty, Best Use of Data Analytics in Predictive Modelling, Best Use of Direct Marketing in a Loyalty Program, Best Customer Experience Award of the Year: Banking and Best Use of Innovation to Enhance Customer Experience. Commenting on this occasion, Manish Dureja, Managing Director, JetPrivilege, said, At JetPrivilege, our goal is to consistently deliver a rewarding experience for our members, keeping in mind their needs and expectations. We are both humbled and proud by these recent recognitions bestowed on us at the renowned Customer Loyalty and Customer Experience Awards. These wins are a reflection of our efforts towards creating an enduring bond with our members through customised and innovative offerings. The Jury for the judging process comprised renowned business leaders from the field of customer loyalty and marketing. Nominations submitted by different companies were evaluated by the jury members with the final winner per category being adjudged basis an overall consensus. Integrated Operations Control Center (IOCC). Strandman comes with over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry. Prior to GoAir, he was associated with US-based Spirit Airlines as Director, Operations Jyri Strandman, COO, GoAir and VP, Flight Operations where he was instrumental in introducing over 70 Airbus A320 family aircraft including the NEOs into the airline fleet. Strandman has also worked with various airlines in management and training capacities including Virgin America and American Eagle Airlines. GoAir is extremely delighted to have Strandman onboard. His three decades of aviation experience will play a vital role in further enhancing our growth and enhance GoAir s operating efficiencies and profitability, said Wadia. Commenting on his appointment, Strandman exclaimed, I am excited at the prospect of making GoAir the preferred choice of airline for passengers. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Vistara bolsters presence in Kolkata; connects Delhi-Chennai non-stop Starting March 25, 2018, Vistara will offer double daily flights between Kolkata and Chennai, as well as a direct same aircraft service to Kochi via Chennai. Additionally, the airline has increased its frequencies between Kolkata and Delhi with the launch of a third daily flight to the national capital. With these additions, Vistara will connect Kolkata directly with Delhi, Chennai, Port Blair (Andamans) and Kochi. Customers from Kolkata can also connect to other destinations via Delhi. Travellers connecting to and from international flights in Delhi do so seamlessly at T3 with no need to change terminals and with through-baggage check-in available in partnership with several of Vistara s foreign airline partners. Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer, Vistara, said, The launch of these new routes and flights from Kolkata reflects the commitment Vistara has to Kolkata, and of the positive response we have received to our flights from the city. Our Kolkata flights have high loads in all classes. In mid-february, Vistara also inaugurated daily direct service between Delhi and Chennai and has doubled the frequency between the two cities from March 1, In addition, Vistara will fly daily direct between Chennai and Port Blair from March 1, 2018, and will further expand its operations from the city from March 25, 2018 with daily direct flights between Chennai and Kochi and double daily flights between Chennai and Kolkata. With the inclusion of Chennai to its expanding network, the airline now flies to all Indian metros. Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre inaugurated in Chandigarh The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in support with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), and the Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council (AASSC) of India launched a first-of-its-kind Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre (MSDC) at the Chandigarh old airport terminal building. P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, in the presence of Kirron Kher, Member of Parliament Chandigarh, and Prem Singh Chandumajra, Member of Parliament Anandpur Sahib, inaugurated the facility. Inaugurating the facility, Raju announced, This centre which will train about 2,400 youth and women in eight aviation job roles over the next three years has already received a very enthusiastic response. I hope many more such centres are opened across India. The course curriculum and assessments of the training have been structured by AASSC in accordance with the National Skill Qualification Framework. The centre will leverage AAI s existing infrastructure and upon successful completion of the skill training, the candidates will be certified by NSDC through the AASSC. It has been authorised that with an outlay of INR 5.25 crore, this CSR activity in collaboration with the training provider - Bird Education Society for Travel and Tourism (BESTT) will ensure job placement in the aviation and allied fields to at least 70% of the successfully trained candidates. P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister of Civil Aviation inaugrating the facility

15 Tourism Authority of Thailand New Delhi: (91 11) ,

16 INDIA-State Tourism Boards Uttar Pradesh Government launches new tourism policy Bets on tourism to create five lakh jobs, attract INR 5,000 crore investment per year Bada Imambara, Lucknow The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has set an ambitious target of generating five lakh jobs every year, attracting INR 5,000 crore investment and increasing the arrival of foreign tourists by 10% in Uttar Pradesh s new tourism policy which was unveiled recently. Released by Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Tourism Minister, Uttar Pradesh, the key aspect of ensuring the safety of women tourists also found a prominent mention in the policy. Another highlight is the plan to set up to 50 heritage hotels in the country s largest state. The policy will be applicable for five years and has set a target of increasing domestic travel by 15%, and foreign tourist arrivals by 10%. The sector will generate five lakh direct or indirect jobs and attract an investment of INR 5,000 crore per International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh receives excellent turnout Organised jointly by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam and the Uttarakhand Forest Department, the 29th Annual International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh brought together nearly 2,000 participants from 94 nations around the world. Inaugurating the festival, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand attributed the growing popularity of yoga abroad to the avid promotion by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is due to the efforts of our Prime Minister that an International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on June 21 across the world. Today India is giving the message of peace to the world and has introduced the concept of a healthy world through year. The new policy targets attracting one lakh additional tourists to national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the state and also to convert 10 heritage building to heritage hotels per year. The focus will be on promotion of eco-tourism. Efforts will be made to explore local entrepreneurship avenues through execution of fairs and festivals, Joshi said. The tourism department will create a land bank for promoting tourism in the state. Investment opportunities would be offered within 20 km of all tourist sites of 10 tourism circuits including the Ramayana circuit, Krishna- Braj circuit, Buddhist circuit, Wildlife and Ecotourism circuit, Bundelkhand circuit, Mahabharata circuit, Shakti Peeth circuit, Aadhyatmik circuit, Sufi-Kabir circuit and Jain circuit. yoga, said Rawat describing it as the ancient Indian discipline of physical and spiritual well-being. Satpal Maharaj, Tourism Minister, Uttarakhand said, By giving the unique gift of yoga to the world, India has carved out a separate international identity for itself. Harak Singh Rawat, Forest Minister of Uttarakhand too added that Rishikesh is the most suitable venue for an event like this as it is hailed as the Yoga Capital of the World. The renowned band, The Beatles stayed at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh in 1968, where they wrote nearly fifty songs that soon became some of their biggest hits. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of their stay. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Kerala records over 11% rise in domestic and more than 5% increase in inbound travellers last year Exceeding the target growth mentioned in the Kerala Tourism Policy, 2017 figures revealed an increase of 15 lakh new tourists to Kerala, doubling the growth over God s own country reported 146,73,520 domestic arrivals last year, an increase of 11.39% as compared to the previous year. Domestic tourists mainly visited Alappuzha, Idukki, Wayanad, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi and Gujarat. Meanwhile, foreign tourist arrivals increased by 5.15% last year over 2016 majorly to Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Wayanad districts. On the foreign tourist arrivals front, footfalls have increased from 10,38,419 to 10,91,870. In terms of tourism revenue, total foreign exchange from the tourism sector increased by 8.29% to INR 8, crore compared to Total direct earnings from the sector grew to INR 26, crore from INR 23, crore, a growth of 12.56%. Kerala Tourism Department has recorded an increase of INR 3, crore in total revenue generated from the sector, at INR 33, crore compared with INR 29, crores last year. The total growth rate in terms of tourist arrivals in 2017 is the highest registered in the last nine years, said Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Cooperation and Devaswoms, Kerala. According to Rani George, IAS, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, The new tourism policy 2017 has set an ambitious target of increasing domestic tourist arrivals by 50% by 2021 and also in doubling the foreign tourists by this period. This would require a growth of around 9% every year for domestic tourists and around 15% for international tourists. Incredible Rajasthan woos 30 international media from 10 countries In line with the overall marketing efforts to present Rajasthan as a must-visit tourist destination for international tourists, the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan recently facilitated 30 journalists and bloggers from countries such as USA, Brazil, Spain, England, Poland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Sweden and Canada for a first-hand experience of the state tourism offerings. While 15 of the 30 members embarked on a journey across Rajasthan on the globally popular luxury train - Palace on Wheels, the other members experienced the incredible sights and sounds of places in and around Jaipur including an unforgettable view of the pink city from the sky in a hot air balloon. Dr. Subodh Agarwal (IAS), Principal Secretary of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, who met the foreign visitors said, We have been focusing on presenting Rajasthan to the world and build on the inherent strengths of stunning landscapes, unmatched heritage and distinctive culture. As a result of our ongoing efforts under the dynamic leadership of Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister, Rajasthan the vibrant state is emerging as one of the most favoured destinations of choice for tourists around the world and the visit of over 30 journalists and bloggers from 10 countries is a testimony to it. It is our every intention to harness our tourism potential for global recognition and local development.

17 INDIA-Travel Trade TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Cox & Kings celebrates 260th Anniversary with series of events and offers Akansha Pandey New Delhi Marking its 260th Anniversary, Cox and Kings, world s oldest travel company recently hosted a glitzy evening gala which saw the who s who of India s travel and hospitality fraternity, diplomats and several business leaders in New Delhi. On the momentous occasion, a special brochure was unveiled by K J Alphons, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism, the Chief Guest at the event and Peter Kerkar, Group CEO, Cox & Kings. Addressing the delegates, Alphons lauded the company for its continuous service to the tourism industry and stated that Cox & Kings is here to stay till eternity. India welcomed over 10 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) last year which generated USD 27 billion worth of Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE). Players like Cox & Kings have played a crucial role in achieving this growth. In the next three years, the Ministry of Tourism aims to double the FTAs and FEEs. In 2017, 23 million Indians travelled outbound and spent significantly on their travel, he added. Kerkar remarked, The company incepted in 1758 and is currently present in 22 countries across four continents. For years now, our brand has managed to stay relevant and has foreseen trends. Going forward, we aim to continue innovating and dominating. He also informed that the group s hybrid hotel brand Meininger will open nine more properties this year. Celebrating the 260th year, Cox & Kings Ltd., introduced new pre-planned coach tours to Morocco, Cambodia, Russia, Spain, Israel, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, Iceland and South America. The tours starting from INR 38,990, gives travellers a chance to travel with and meet people from across the globe. The tour price includes accommodation with breakfast, meals (if any), tours, transfers and guided sightseeing as specified in the tour. The leading tour operator has also come up with multiple gifts, discounts and splendid offers. All the customers booking under 260 years offer will get an assured gift and two nights domestic holiday free. On offer are 260 free holidays on booking a holiday to Dubai, Thailand, Oman or the optional tours. Thomas Cook India to showcase Wildlife Reserves Singapore Singapore Zoo Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., has entered into a three-year strategic agreement with Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), an organisation dedicated to the management of world-leading zoological institutions - Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Safari and Singapore Zoo. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Mahesh Iyer, Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Cook (India) Limited and Mike Barclay, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mandai Park Holdings (the parent company of WRS) at the Thomas Cook India Group headquarters in Mumbai. Thomas Cook India s internal data has revealed a strong and significant growth of Indians travelling to Singapore with a 20% YoY growth. Additionally, WRS reveals that India is one of the top five countries in terms of visitors across its four parks. Hence, in a focussed initiative to leverage this high potential growth segment, Thomas Cook India and WRS have entered into a strategic agreement and via this threeyear plan, both companies will focus on a multipronged engagement that includes product development, joint consumer promotions and MarCom to showcase Wildlife Reserves Singapore. Speaking on the announcement, Iyer said, We are bullish on the larger trend towards experiential holidays. Indian travellers are evolving rapidly and our research indicates growing interest in unique local experiences that include outdoor-wildlife and this MoU gives us the opportunity to create a vibrant product. Our partnership with Wildlife Reserves, Singapore also marks the start of a strong commitment to protecting biodiversity in Singapore and Southeast Asia through partnerships with like-minded partners, organisations and institutions. Commenting on the partnership, Barclay added, Over the years, valued partners like Thomas Cook have been instrumental to our growth. In 2017, we saw a 25% increase in Indian guests compared to the previous year. With this MOU we look forward further collaborations to bring the immersive wildlife experience of our parks to Indian travellers.

18 INDIA-Associations TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march NIMA members hop on Destination Showcase to Florida, USA The Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA) in support with Experience Kissimmee organised a destination showcase for 14 MICE agents of the association who explored Florida from February 4-13, Experience Kissimmee generously hosted the delegates while they were at Kissimmee. Walt Disney World Orlando in association with Experience Kissimmee hosted the delegates for a day showing around the MICE possibilities in their parks and resort hotels. The delegates participated in the exclusive B2B networking marketplace by Experience Kissimmee besides networking at MICEfriendly hotels and venues. The delegates also visited Key West, the southernmost point of the continental USA which is about three hours drive from Miami. Tours Limited, the leading receptive operator in the USA sponsored the visit of delegates to Kennedy Space Centre (NASA). The MICE Travel Trade delegation from NIMA has been one of my best groups from India and by far the largest, said Seldon Tenzing, India Representative, Experience Kissimmee. At NIMA, we believe in the cooperative and collective growth of all members with quality product training and what better way to do than to experience a destination first-hand. All the delegates to Florida paid for their air travel and made the most of the opportunity by connecting with local suppliers, said Gajesh Girdhar, National Coordinator, NIMA. NIMA makes professional website URL and address compulsory for its members Taking the lead, NIMA Executive committee decided last month to make it mandatory for all the existing and future members to have their own professional website URL and address from March 2018 onwards. All the existing members who didn t had a website or are using free utilities such as Gmail, Yahoo, etc. to communicate were requested to get the same developed latest by February end to enjoy the benefit of the network. NIMA even alerted its members that it will cease to recognise members not having their own professional website URL and addresses. We at NIMA are neither questioning any member on its model of business or the amount of business one is doing nor not teaching them how to conduct their business. However, based upon the feedback received from and anticipation of various international and domestic trade bodies/forums, we are in the process of setting some basic and essential standards for our members and will be rigid on it. We are committed to strive continuously in improving upon the relevance for our members to be associated with NIMA, but only in agreement with its philosophy, stressed the official statement by NIMA. The Vivaan Hotels and Resorts, Karnal hosts FAM trip for ADTOI members The Vivaan Hotels and Resorts, Karnal generously hosted a Familiarisation (FAM) trip for Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) members in February. 30 members of the national body of domestic tour operators along with the media explored the property and experienced their warm hospitality. On arrival, the ADTOI delegation was received by Yogesh Gupta, Managing Director, The Vivaan Hotels and Resorts, Karnal. The team later visited Karnal Lake (500 m from the hotel) and was taken around the property for an inspection visit. A musical gala night was arranged for the members in the evening followed by dinner. The delegation stayed overnight and bid adieu to the property next day after breakfast. Strategically located 130 km from Delhi on the National Highway one, The Vivaan Hotels and Resorts, Karnal exudes sophistication and style. Spanning three floors, the property features 41 well-appointed rooms and suites with all modern amenities and houses both self-parking and valet-parking options for over 350 vehicles. The Imperia with 11,500 sq ft of space is the biggest pillar-less banquet hall with mesmerising ambiance and swift service ideal for hosting social events. The guests residing at Vivaan can also experience numerous attractions in the vicinity such as the thrilling water rides at the nearby Dreamland Water Park, Kurukshetra Zoo, Brahma Sarovar - the ancient water tank in Thanesar, Kalpana Chawla Planetarium, Sangamaheshwar Mahadev Pehowa Temple, Iskcon Temple, Sheikh Chilli s Tomb, Chhachhrauli Fort, etc. Imperia pillarless banquet hall in The Vivaan Hotels and Resorts, Karnal Joys Hotels & Resorts I T.B Road I Thrissur I Kerala I India Office : Mob: I

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20 INDIA-Hospitality TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Taj Exotica Resort and Spa debuts as the first luxury resort on Andaman Islands The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) announced the opening of Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Andamans and introduced yet another iconic resort destination to its portfolio. Set in relatively undiscovered Havelock Island, the resort is located on the Radhanagar Beach, one of the finest beaches in Asia. Taj has taken great care to construct a 72 villa world-class resort in 46 acres of forest and mangroves while preserving the fragile ecosystem of the island. Speaking about the new addition to the Taj portfolio, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO, IHCL remarked, Taj Exotica Resort and Spa is a milestone launch for us. With the opening of this resort, IHCL s position of pioneering destinations and having the largest network of leisure hotels gets further strengthened. We look forward to extending the legendary Taj hospitality to our guests in the Andamans. IHCL appoints Sanjeev Pahwa as Vice President-Development Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) announced the appointment of Sanjeev Pahwa as Vice President - Development, in the Real Estate and Development function. A post-graduate diploma holder from the Oberoi School of Hotel Management, Pahwa joins IHCL from the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. He brings with him over three decades of professional experience with expertise in business development, strategic planning and execution and global sales and marketing. Suma Venkatesh, Senior Vice-President - Real Estate and Development, IHCL, pointed out, With an extensive industry network, Pahwa would be a valuable resource in our development team and will help in building a robust pipeline of hotels thereby consolidating our leadership position in the market. IHCL is renowned for pioneering several Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Andamans Sanjeev Pahwa as Vice President-Development, IHCL tourist destinations in India. I look forward to being part of this exciting growth journey of the company and expanding the group s portfolio, asserted Pahwa. Talking about the resorts unique offerings, Abnash Kumar, General Manager, Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Andamans said, From elevating the local cuisine to empowering locals through employment - the all-new Taj Exotica Resort and Spa will offer guests a culturally and environmentally uplifting experience with its exclusive villas, secluded beaches and immersive culinary experiences. Taj signs up with Genex Hotels for Vivanta Bhopal The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) announced its foray into the rapidly developing smart city, Bhopal, with the signing of a new hotel - Vivanta Bhopal, through a management contract with Genex Hotels Private Limited (Genex). Vivanta Bhopal, IHCL s first hotel in Bhopal, will be located near Van Vihar National Park, a 25-minute drive from the Bhopal International Airport with proximity to prominent corporate and tourist destinations. Spread over four acres, the hotel will comprise 150 well-appointed guest rooms and other features including multi-cuisine restaurants, recreation facilities, modern meeting spaces, well-equipped conference rooms and large banqueting facilities. Commenting on the signing, Suma Venkatesh, Senior Vice President, Real Estate & Development, IHCL said, We are delighted to partner with Genex Hotels for the Vivanta Hotel in Bhopal. Consolidating presence in key capital cities is an important pillar of our domestic expansion strategy. With rapid urbanisation and growth, Bhopal offers immense potential for both leisure and business travellers. Commenting on the partnership, the spokesperson for Genex Hotels said, Through this association with the pioneers of the Indian hospitality industry, we aim to enhance the guest experience in line with the highest international standards. Dusit International showcases impressive portfolio at India Roadshow 2018 Thailand-based Dusit International recently organised the India Roadshow 2018 as part of its newly acquired focus on India as a source market. Designed to present Dusit s growing global portfolio of distinctive properties to the Indian travel trade fraternity, the roadshow featured a one-day workshop for B2B and wedding planners held in both Mumbai and Bengaluru. Dusit executives presented the company s awardwinning properties in Thailand, Maldives, and Dubai, as well as key openings in 2018 across Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. Historically, Dusit Hotels and Resorts in Thailand have proved a popular choice for Indian weddings. Last year the hotel brand recorded 21% more business in this segment compared to 2016, and they expect to achieve even more in As evidenced by the recent opening of our new Delegates at Dusit International s India Roadshow 2018 Global Sales Office in Mumbai, India is a key market for our international properties, and this roadshow is just one of the ways we are actively promoting our brands and gracious hospitality among Indian travellers, said Prachoom Tantiprasertsuk, Vice President-Sales, Dusit International. He further added, Taking into account our own expansion, which will see our current tally of 27 properties top 80 worldwide within the next four to five years, Dusit will be well positioned to leverage the rapid growth of India s outbound market with a plethora of options for MICE and leisure travellers. As brand recognition in India increases, we will also look to tap into the lucrative domestic market, with Dusit-branded properties in key cities nationwide. Dusit International is represented in India by its Global Sales Office in Mumbai, headed by Keshwar Bhagat, Director of Sales. AccorHotels inaugurates Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort in South Goa AccorHotels launched its fourth property in Goa with the rebranding of Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort in partnership with the Alcon Victor Group. Situated in South Goa, the resort features 181 wellappointed and spacious rooms, villas and suites on the Arabian Sea coastline. Varun Albuquerque, Director, Alcon Victor Group paid tribute to the acumen and craftsmanship of the late Charles Correa who had originally conceptualised and designed the resort. He said, Dona Sylvia Resort has always resonated with old-world charm and new-world luxury. Through the rebranding of the property, as a Novotel Resort, we look forward to offering an international standard product to our guests. Jean-Michel Cassé, Chief Operating Officer, India and South Asia, AccorHotels cited, The rebranding of Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort strengthens AccorHotels presence in the Indian market. We are delighted to partner with the Alcon Victor Group and look forward to bringing our expertise in hospitality to this relationship. (L-R) Varun Albuquerque, Director, Alcon Victor Group, Vishal Khosla, GM, Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia & Jean-Michel Cassé, COO, India & South Asia, AccorHotels

21 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 INDIA-Hospitality 21 JW Marriott Jaipur Resort and Spa debuts in Rajasthan Marriott International announced the opening of the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort and Spa, marking the debut of the global luxury brand in India s fabled Pink City. Nestled among the green hills of the ancient Aravalli Range in the Indian state of Rajasthan, the fivestar JW Marriott Jaipur Resort and Spa features 200 luxurious guest rooms, villas and suites, including Royal Terrace Rooms, Royal Courtyard Rooms and Royal Pool Villas with private plunge pools, as well as 2-bedroom Palace and Presidential Suites. India is a key market for the JW Marriott brand and we are excited to be expanding into the captivating city of Jaipur, said Mitzi Gaskins, Vice President and Global Brand Leader, JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts. The opening of JW Marriott Jaipur Resort and Spa signifies the brand s steady and continued global growth. The F&B outlets comprise Mohan Mahal, the hotel s intimate fine dining restaurant, Sukh Mahal, an allday dining restaurant serving international cuisine with indoor and outdoor seating, Hawa Mahal, a rooftop restaurant, Jharokha, the hotel s bar and lounge, (L-R) Anubhav Gupta, Mukti Gupta, Raj Rana, Rajkumar Gupta & Suvo Mitra at the opening of Radisson Kolkata Niraamaya Retreats expands its footprint to Kohima Ballroom at JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa Park Plaza Kolkata Ballygunge is now Radisson Park Plaza Kolkata Ballygunge announced its rebranding to Radisson Kolkata Ballygunge. The hotel has been reinvented with a new look in several parts and features upgraded amenities to better serve its discerning guests. Strategically located in the heart of upscale South Kolkata neighbourhood Ballygunge, the hotel is within proximity of the International Airport and railway station. It features 92 well-appointed, spacious and modern rooms across Superior, Business Class, Junior and Executive Suites categories. Niraamaya Retreats, a Jupiter Capital Venture, has announced its expansion to Nagaland with its management lease of Classic Inn, a boutique property at Kohima in Nagaland. Located away from the bustle of the city, The Classic Inn Aradura now rechristened as Niraamaya Retreats Aradura, is lapped in the eastern frontiers of the Himalayan mountain range at Kohima. The property has a total of 12 keys with expansive views and eclectic décor. The suites are equipped with modern amenities and are an aesthetic fusion of tribal and contemporary design concepts. Manu Rishi Guptha, CEO, Niraamaya Retreats, highlighted, This expansion is the first in the series of much more that Niraamaya Retreats has envisaged for this year. In Aradura, we saw a perfect alignment to our philosophy of Niraamaya Retreats being a selection of bespoke experiences in the spectacular locations that our clientele expects from us. and Preet Mahal. The resort has indoor and outdoor banqueting venues of over 52,000 square feet, featuring multi-functional event spaces equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, including a 11,000 square feet pillar-less ballroom. Upgraded Business Class rooms on higher floors offer business class amenities and wooden floorings. Business travellers can also enjoy services like complimentary evening cocktails, laundry, free boardroom usage, the express check-in and check-out. All suites include a value-added complimentary airport pick-up and drop in addition to the facilities of a business classroom. The property boasts of over 9,000 square feet of flexible meetings and events space that can be split into five expansive conference and banquet areas. Ideal for weddings, socials as well as meetings and corporate cocktails, the banquets can accommodate over 1,000 guests. I am glad to welcome our first Radisson hotel in the heart of Kolkata. West Bengal is a key market for us and Kolkata remains a promising destination due to its thriving leisure and business footprint. We appreciate the investment that Mukti Group has made in upgrading this hotel and the trust they have demonstrated in the Radisson brand, said Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. We are excited about re-launching the hotel as Radisson and are confident that the new facilities and services would be greatly appreciated by our guests. We are delighted to be partnering Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group for the repositioning and are looking forward to continued association with them, said Rajkumar Gupta, Chairman, Mukti Group. Sunrise Representations now the India Rep for Nilamani Hotels Bali Sunrise Representations, a sales and marketing company for international hotels and destinations, has been appointed as the official representative for Nilamani Hotels in the Indian market. Nilamani Hotels comprises one five-star property and two four-star properties in Bali. The appointment supports Nilamani Hotels strategy to harness the potential of the Indian outbound market. Talking about her plans going forward, Nisha Shrivastava, Director, Sunrise Representations, commented, Sunrise Representation s highly experienced team is all set to enter the market and tap the target segments that each of the hotels caters to leading to increasing in market share of Nilamani Hotels. We would be engaging with travel trade on a regular basis along with MICE agents and wedding planners. Both Fran Ruano, General Manager, The Sakala Resort Bali and Greg Harrison, General Manager, The Camakila Legian and The Tanjung Benoa Beach Resort Bali, highlighted that every hotel under Nilamani umbrella is sophisticated and promises to create an experiential and memorable journey for its guests. Concept Hospitality opens Avins Beacon Hotel in Udaipur The environmentally sensitive hotel chain of Fern Hotels and Resorts added Avins Beacon Hotel, Udaipur to its portfolio. This is the seventh hotel which is managed by the company under the Beacon Hotels brand (owned by The Fern Hotels and Resorts). Located 22 kms from the Udaipur Airport, 5.5 kms from Udaipur Railway Station and 5 kms from the Udaipur Bus Stand, the hotel is situated in close proximity to all the major sightseeing attractions in town. A smart and efficient business hotel with 22 rooms, Avins Beacon Hotel offers accommodations with 19 Deluxe Rooms and three big Executive Rooms. It has a multi-cuisine restaurant - Flavours, and a banquet venue - Iris, which is perfectly designed for small conferences and social events. Suhail Kannampilly, COO, Concept Hospitality said, This is the second property which Concept Hospitality is managing in Udaipur. We already have The Fern Residency, Udaipur. With the launch of Avins Beacon, we are looking to service a different segment of clientele in Udaipur. Facade of Avins Beacon Hotel, Udaipur Mango Hotels launches boutique property in Davangere, Karnataka Intellistay Hotels Private Limited (IHPL) together with Navdeep Hotels announced the launch of Mango Hotels Naveen in Davangere, Karnataka. The 32-key property is located on Bapuji Dental College Road, opposite the reputed college. The property feature aesthetically designed rooms with modern furnishings, MoXa Café, which is an all-day dining restaurant, Xcuse Bar, Xtra Grab & Go Café, a Wi-Fi enabled banqueting hall suited for gatherings, meetings and corporate events for up to 200 guests, and a conference room. Prashanth Aroor, CEO, IHPL, said, Our ties with Navdeep Hotels will shortly grow to three hotels with the addition of Mango Hotels - Naveen in Tumakuru and i-stay Hotels in Chittradurgh. We are also exploring other hubs such as Hubli, Belgaum, Hassan, Hampi and Shimoga with Navdeep Hotels to emerge as a brand present across this industrial corridor. Besides this, we have our second hotel opening in Bengaluru next month, and two more next quarter, along with our first hotel in Mangaluru. We firmly see a total of eight operating hotels in Karnataka by the end of this year. Navdeep Hotels has been running two hotels in Karnataka. Navdeep Hotels is committed to providing value-based hospitality in our territory between Bengaluru and Hubli, along with the national highway. With the growth picking up the pace in this area, we decided to upgrade and brand our existing hotels in Tumakuru and Chittradurgh, and launch a new one in Davangere, confirmed Naveen Kottige, Director, Navdeep Hotels.

22 Business & MICE PM Modi inaugurates Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre in Itanagar Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Dorjee Khandu State Convention Centre in Itanagar aiming to strengthen the tourism potential in the north eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Urging the people to explore the land of Arunachal Pradesh, Modi averred to hold more of their meetings and conferences in Arunachal Pradesh than only focusing in Delhi or Mumbai. Featuring state-of-the-art audio/visual facility and Wi-Fi connectivity, the convention centre comprises a main auditorium with a seating capacity for 1,000 people, three mini conference halls, an exhibition hall, restaurant, administrative block, media room and an open amphitheatre including parking space for over 200 vehicles. Addressing at the launch, PM highlighted that the government has set up Dorjee Khandu State Convention TCEB s Exhibition Department promotes Exhibiz in Market campaign Akansha Pandey New Delhi The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) promoted its Exhibiz in Market campaign in the Indian market. The campaign offers financial assistance between USD 1,500 and USD 5,780 for leaders of commercial pavilions between 36 square metre and 250 square metre in size. Similarly, under the Premier Exhibition Access program, delegates can avail customised site inspection and financial subsidy, informed the TCEB officials. It also offers a chance to earn USD 100 for each trade visitor (in a minimum group size of 10) connected with three exhibitors by federations, trade associations, chambers of commerce, non-profit organisations, and industrial publications from the ASEAN-plus-six and BIMSTEC countries. In 2018, we expect to grow 10% over 2017 in Indian participants to Thai trade shows said Kanokporn Damrongkul, Director-Exhibition Department, TCEB. Talking about facility expansion, Chanida Chengpee, Manager-Exhibition Promotion, TCEB highlighted, The current 244,323 square metre of event space will see an additional boost with new MICE venues slated to launch in the coming years. Spread over 750,000 square metre, ICONSIAM will be a mixed-use development on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand and is expected to open by Q The Khonkaen International Convention and Exposition Center (KICE) will be Centre which aims to boost Arunachal Pradesh s tourism and culture. Terming the initiative as Conference Tourism, he stated that this will enable the central government to function from every part of the country. Why should meetings only be held in the national capital? We must go to all states and that is why I came to Shillong for a North Eastern Council Meeting and an important meeting related to agriculture was held in Sikkim, he opined. He also underlined the importance of running governance from all parts of the country and has already directed his government s ministers to visit northeast regularly. He added, I can tell you with great pride that ministers and officials from the centre are visiting the northeast very regularly as I have told them there should not be any week wherein any minister is not visiting any part of the northeast. adding another 17,000 square metre of space and 2,000 square metre of capacity will be added by Park Hyatt Bangkok. Last year, Thailand recorded 28,970,101 MICE travellers, an increase of 18.79% over Out of the above figure, visitors from India accounted for 7.8%. Overall, USD 81,814 million of revenue was generated from 104 events organised during the last year. India is already an active participant in Thailand s trade shows, with the majority exhibiting at events in the Food and Agriculture sector (32.32%), Health & Wellness (20.51%), and Automotive (17.60%). Since 2010, the Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of Indian participants to Thai exhibitions has grown at 58%. Thailand s MICE industry is the second biggest contributor with 11.84% to the nation s GDP growth. As of January 3, 2018, the sector generated revenue worth USD 222,712 million and job creation of 164,427. Thailand s 4.0 National Policy for New Economic Growth has identified 10 spotlight industries to leverage further. Tharadol Thongruang, Minister Counsellor (Commercial), Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi asserted, The Thailand Prime Minister s office directly looks after TCEB, this in itself reiterates the importance. Exhibition travel to Thailand plays a significant role in boosting the economic impact. Considering the magnitude, we are open to providing full support for potential business from India, he added. (L-R in centre) Tharadol Thongruang, Minister Counsellor (Commercial), Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi & Chanida Chengpee, Manager-Exhibition Promotion, TCEB TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march (L-R) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region & Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre in Itanagar MICE travel from India to Thailand grows 36% in 2017 Akansha Pandey New Delhi Nooch Homrossukhon, Director-Meetings and Incentives Department, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) recently led the 5th consecutive Thailand MICE Corporate Networking Event with Thai Airways International, New Delhi office, together with a new partner - Travel Clinic, a specialist in the MICE segment in India. Officials at the Thailand MICE Corporate Networking Event Rohit Khanna, CEO, Travel Clinic has shown continued support to the new MICE product development and has played an active role in the joint efforts to capture new clients. The event was well attended by 35 corporates, 20 of which were new accounts from insurance, pharmaceutical, direct selling, automotive, electronics and FMCG sector, brought to the event by him. Thailand received 129,717 MICE travellers from India in 2017 which is an increase of 36% over the previous year, exclaimed Homrossukhon. Nitin Sachdeva, Director-India Office, TCEB said, The objective of this event was to create a meaningful partnership to further boost the sustainable growth of meeting and incentive travel from India. This year, as per the new Thailand 4.0 National Policy for New Economic Growth, TCEB s India Office will be looking at the new industry segments. Going forward, we aim to tap the business potential of tier-ii cities in India through aggressive product training. TCEB workshops will cover five Indian cities this year and the TCEB roadshow showcasing varied suppliers will be held in Mumbai and Bengaluru in the first week of July. Thamanoon Kuprasert, General Manager - India, Thai Airways International hinted that the carrier is planning to enhance the frequency of flights from India this year. Post the event, Homrossukhon met Isra Stapanaseth, Director - Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), New Delhi to discuss potential joint marketing efforts to further boost traffic from India to Thailand. They also discussed on activities in tier-ii cities of Jaipur, Lucknow and Chandigarh, where series of TAT workshops are being held in March.

23 technology Travkart.com eyes launching corporate login this year; inbound division by 2019 To launch new franchisees in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Pune Akansha Pandey New Delhi Travkart.com, an Online Travel Agent (OTA) by Holidays by Sahibji, is aggressively planning on launching a new inbound division under Travkart.com by The name is yet to be disclosed. The inbound tour packages will be promoted by the international franchisees at a later stage. All itineraries will be live with instant confirmations, available for booking by trade partners and end travellers, revealed Manheer Singh Sethi, Cofounder, Travkart.com while speaking exclusively to Travel News Digest. Corporate login will also be available on Travkart s website from Q3 of This year the company announced the launch of their first two franchises in Delhi and Mohali. Chennai is next on the cards. Two additional franchises are being planned in Delhi and one each in Mumbai and Pune, the finalisations of which are underway. Post the summer season, the brand will also lay focus on tapping the East Indian cities of Siliguri, Guwahati and Kolkata for franchise expansion. On the international front, Travkart.com has already received queries from Dhaka and Bhutan. The OTA is identifying departure hubs from the respective cities to design fixed itineraries from the destinations along with understanding the market scenario and what kind of markets would work well from those destinations. Currently, Travkart.com is selling all departures from Ex- India hubs only. Targeting 100 franchisees in key Indian cities by 2020, we are currently in talks with the preferred trade partners and young entrepreneurs for new openings in high-potential towns. The strategic location of the franchise is being discussed for two more franchises in Delhi, and one each in Mumbai and Pune. This is of utmost importance for attracting good footfalls of the customer. With franchisee growth, Travkart.com is aiming for departures from 40 hubs in India. Simultaneously, we are laying equal attention on the quality training of franchise partners and their team, confirmed Sethi. Last year, Travkart recorded a turnover of about INR 13 crores and increased its market share in the B2B domain. The organic mobile app downloads of Travkart s app has crossed 50,000. Over 12,000 signups have been done on Travkart s website in 2017, 60% of which were by trade partners. Over 40 white labels were sold out last year to potential agents. In the 2017-second half, with the launch of supplier login of Travkart s site, a number of sellers and DMCs signed up and uploaded their own itineraries. Over and above, Travkart s appointment as PSA for Madame Tussauds has given them widespread visibility. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Travelyaari launches Maven, mobility solution for transport service providers Travelyaari, a bus booking platform by Mantis Technologies, announced the launch of Maven, its latest mobility solution for bus transport industry. It ensures the availability of last-minute bus inventory and easy bookings and cancellations for bus conductors of travellers who book on-the-go. Developed to overcome the limitations of a desktop-only service, the app facilitates greater operational digitisation for bus service providers and helps them overcome the hassles caused due to the lack of an efficient information tracking and system access to support critical processes. The Maven app has the potential to make the entire location tracking process digitised. Drivers and conductors can start the trip from the app and the same can be tracked from Travelyaari.com and the mobile app. This would narrow the dependence on GPS hardware devices considerably, thus making the process more methodical. Conductors can access the passenger chart list directly from Maven App which will have real-time data as against a standard printout which is generally taken hours before the departure of the bus. It will also help in avoiding duplication of seats if they are issued at the same time. Commenting on the launch, Aurvind Lama, Founder and CEO, Travelyaari, said, Making bus transport industry ready for Smart City vision, Maven will enable the Internet of Things (IoT) inside buses such as biometric verification of bus crew, smart-sensor based control and entertainment system, etc. The solution is designed for both intercity and intracity transport network taking bus travelling experience and security to the next level. Indulge in a striking experience, in the largest and leading onshore casino, with three oors of gaming space and exclusive services to guests travelling from across the globe STRIKE YOUR LUCK WITH BLACK JACK SIC - BO MINI FLUSH SLOTS MONEY WHEEL ROULETTE TEEN PATTI ANDAR BAHAR CASINO WAR BACCARAT AT GRAND HYATT, BAMBOLIM

24 ASIA Sri Lanka pushes for dual destination packages with India Akansha Pandey New Delhi With 384,628 Indian travellers visiting Sri Lanka last year, an 8% growth over the previous year, India has retained its spot as the largest inbound source market for Sri Lanka. This increase was majorly fuelled by wedding, honeymoon and spiritual travellers from the Indian market. For 2018, the destination has targeted 440, 000 arrivals from India. We plan to have more cultural exchange and joint promotions this year to leverage the growth further. The Sri Lanka Tourism delegation called on K J Alphons, Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, Government of India and suggested promoting dual destination packages. We are awaiting the government nod to work on it, said Chitranganee Wagiswara, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is planning to invest USD 700,000 in the digital promotions to promote the unparalleled beauty of the island Officials at Sri Lanka Tourism s press conference nation in the Indian market. Joint co-ops with Mastercard will soon be rolled out followed by a campaign with Google, confirmed Sutheash Balasubramium, Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The Ramayana trail is being given a new look and HD documentaries are being shot. The trail comprises 50 sites, 25 of which are accessible by road. Simultaneously, local people are being educated on Ramayana stories. A FAM trip will be hosted by Sri Lanka Tourism for the trade later this year. Strategically expanding its footprint in India, SriLankan Airlines is keen on increasing the destinations and flight frequencies in India as the demand is constantly on the rise. We have already introduced three new destinations in 2017 namely Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and Coimbatore and commenced operations with four frequencies a week, said Chinthaka Weerasinghe, Country Manager, Srilankan Airlines. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Philippines records steady increase in MICE travel from India Akansha Pandey New Delhi India has jumped up to the 12th position and as per the Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines, the Indian arrivals between January to November 2017 have increased by 19%, with a total of 99,088 visitors. The Philippines is hopeful of reaching 100,000 Indian travellers in the last calendar year. Out of 2017 figures, MICE travel from India has Daks Fernandez Gonzales, Head, Office of Product and Market Development-India and Middle East, DOT Philippines been the biggest contributor. The destination has observed Indians first coming on business and MICE trips and later coming back as repeat visitors with families. Also, Indians living in south-east Asia also prefer the Philippines for destination weddings. Among the cruise travellers to Manila, India again ranks as the fifth largest source market. The destination is also discussing projects with Indian Producers to leverage film tourism from India. Witnessing the remarkable growth, Daks Fernandez Gonzales, Head, Office of Product and Market Development-India and Middle East, DOT Philippines revealed, Commencement of direct flights between India and Philippines will take the growth to the next level. Thus, we are in final talks for establishing direct connectivity between both the nations and will be excited to announce it in the coming time. Going forward, Philippines will be focussing on educating the trade and growing the consumer awareness by organising more roadshows, training programs, sales mission, etc. along with digital promotions. Tourism Malaysia promotes the upcoming destination of Desaru Coast Akansha Pandey New Delhi Tourism Malaysia recently promoted its most anticipated tourism development - Desaru Coast, a premium integrated destination in South-eastern Johor, Peninsular Malaysia which will be launching by end of June this year. Developed by Desaru Development Holdings, the soft opening in June 2018 will see two new hotels (Hard Rock and Westin), Desaru Coast Conference Centre featuring a capacity for 1,000 people to be managed by Westin Hotel and south-east Asia s largest water park Desaru Coast Adventure Water Park. Anantara property will debut on the coast by Q1 2019, revealed Muhammad Zainal Ashikin, CEO, Desaru Coast. For the last 17 years, India has been one of the best performing inbound source markets for Malaysia. From January to October 2017, 449,559 Indians visited this Southeast Asian country. This year, the destination is aiming to attract six million travellers from the Indian market. The destination is also planning to offer new incentive schemes for Bollywood Producers to come and shoot in Malaysia. Expansion of capacity for film tourism is also on their cards. The Indian outbound travel figure is growing and we aim to cater to the experiential travellers from India. Spread over 3,900 acres and 17 km of beachfront facing the South China Sea, Desaru Coast is our newest offering for the India travellers. Targeting the wedding, MICE and luxury travel segment, we are expecting at least 30-40% growth from the Indian market this year. We are also planning to launch India specific campaigns as well, said Datuk Seri Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Director General, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board. Desaru Coast Adventure Water Park

25 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 asia 25 Indian travellers to Indonesia surge by a whopping 30% in 2017 Shruti Dugar Kolkata Marking a new high, Indonesia accounted for a record 485,314 tourists from India in 2017, an up by 30% as per 2016 s 376,802 Indian visitors figure. Going forward, to further attract the Indian travellers to the island country, Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) India recently promoted Indonesia through a sales mission in Kolkata and Chennai. By the year-end, VITO India is hopeful of achieving the target of welcoming 700,000 Indians by planning to project Top 10 New Destination in Indonesia like Lake Toba, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Lesung, Seribu Islands, Borobudur, Bromo-Tengger-Semeru cluster, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, Wakatobi and Morotai. Speaking to Travel News Digest, Pupung Thariq Fadhillah, Deputy Director, Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia, outlined their strategy to project the country in the Indian market. He highlighted, Being an Asian neighbour, India is a very important source market for Indonesia as there are so many cultural similarities between both the nations. As more and more Indians visit Indonesia, it is becoming imperative to further enhance the bilateral ties in lieu to promote tourism between both the countries. Rizki Handayani, Acting Director of Promotion-South and Central Asia, Middle East and Africa Region, Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia, stated, As Indian arrivals are increasing to Indonesia, so are our development activities. Air trade travel between the two countries is high and we are leveraging the additional potential. With the 2017 figures, India now ranks as the third largest inbound source market to Indonesia. The sales mission witnessed pre-scheduled business meetings between the travel agents and the Indonesian suppliers. The event also hosted Balinese dance performance followed by a networking lunch and a lucky draw contest. Heritage Tour itineraries on Bali Yatra set for launch in April Indonesian Ambassador unveils Coffee table book and documentary on Bali Yatra Akansha Pandey New Delhi Rediscovering India International of Yore, an initiative of Resource Indica: Roots and Revelations, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, New Delhi, unveiled the coffee table book and a documentary titled The Pride & Glory of Bali-Yatra. The unique initiative was developed to rekindle the spirit of adventure and to make Indians realise the potential of Indian cultural connect across South- East Asia. Speaking to Travel News Digest, Sanjay Sondhi, Country Manager, VITO India, stated, This coffee table book launch will serve as a unique opportunity in bringing visibility to and beyond Bali. The Bali Yatra seeks to establish and revive the age-old connection between India and Indonesia and find the cultural roots and routes. For the Heritage Tours, Sudip Sen, Director, Resource Indica has been roped in to curate the itineraries. With this tour packages launching next month, our target group will be senior citizens as they will relate to such experiences. The itinerary will span 8-10 nights and will be promoted through social media, confirmed Sondhi. Launching the event, Sidharto Suryodipuro, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, New Delhi stated, I feel privileged to represent my country here in India - a country we believe much of our heritage and culture came from and I am happy to present this unique project that highlights Indian cultural influence in Indonesia - a name that literally means Indian Islands - and will naturally interest Indians at large. In Odisha, Bali-Yatra which translates to Voyage to Bali is a traditional farewell that used to be accorded to the brave seafarers of yore on the eve of their annual voyage to Bali. The Pride & Glory of Bali- Yatra, is the first of the Rediscovering India International of Yore series of multimedia projects. (L-R) Sanjay Sondhi, Country Manager, VITO India, Sidharto Suryodipuro, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, New Delhi & Sudip Sen, Director, Resource Indica

26 europe Visit Finland re-enters the Indian market Dr. Jukka Holappa, Trade Commissioner-India, Business Finland Last year Finland witnessed a robust growth of 42% in tourist arrivals and overnights from the Indian market in 2017, which in turn has pushed Visit Finland to re-enter the Indian market. In line, Visit Finland has appointed Sara Sodhi Juneja as the Country Head in India. She will be based in Delhi. Dr. Jukka Holappa, Trade Commissioner-India, Business Finland, shared, Sara brings a wealth of her hospitality and tourism experience to this important strategic role and we are delighted to welcome her to head Visit Finland in India. India has become one of the fastest growing outbound tourism markets given its favourable economic conditions. Aligning with the growth potential of the Indian market and our global expansion strategy, Visit Finland has decided to foray again into the potential source market. Commenting on her appointment Juneja said, The destination offers once in a lifetime experience and wonders like Aurora Borealis, Midnight Sun, Finnish Saunas, Untouched Nature, Ski resorts and the official hometown of Santa Claus. Finland was also recently chosen by Indian celebrity couple Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli as Sara Sodhi Juneja, Country Head-India, Visit Finland their honeymoon destination recently. Going forward, we will focus on promoting Finland as a year round destination for Indians. The key focus for 2018 is to educate the Indian travel trade on destination Finland through roadshows and FAM trips. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march VisitBritain s I Travel For campaign targets Buzzseeker Travellers from India Kathryn Kannampuzha Mumbai VisitBritain launched its new brand campaign I Travel For in Mumbai last month. The campaign will run across digital channels, including Facebook and website to engage with potential travellers and inspire them to book a holiday to Britain right now. The occasion was graced by Sally Balcombe, CEO, VisitBritain, Crispin Simon, Deputy High Commissioner for Mumbai and West of India and Director General Trade and Investment for South Asia and Baroness Fairhead, Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion, UK. Highlighting the new brand campaign, Balcombe averred, I Travel For campaign in India will be targeting Buzzseeker VisitBritain s I Travel For campaign launch travellers. This campaign aims to build on the strong growth we have seen in visits from India, showcasing that Britain is bursting with fun activities and adventure, exciting and contemporary culture and highlighting less-explored destinations. By promoting unexpected experiences, alongside globally renowned and iconic cultural landmarks and attractions, Visit- Britain wants to inspire more visitors from India to book a trip to Britain right now. Between January and September 2017, there were a record 436,000 inbound visits from India to the UK, up 32% compared to the same period in Visits from India spent a record 355 million between January and September 2017, up 7% on same period in Krasnodar in Russia signs Salvia Promoters as its India Representative The Russian province of Krasnodar Krai, home to 2014 Winter Olympic destination Sochi, has appointed Delhibased Salvia Promoters, a destination marketing company as its tourism representation office in India. Located along the picturesque Black Sea coast, Krasnodar Krai is in the North Caucasus and is the southernmost region of Russia bordering Georgia and Crimea. Over the last few years, Krasnodar region has emerged as Russia s biggest tourism hotspot, thanks to its wonderful climatic conditions, various historical and tourist places of interests and activities, availability of therapeutic mud and mineral rich springs, modern infrastructures and world class hotels, resorts and recreational centres. The region has today transformed into the most favoured tourist destination in the country by Russian travellers and is now increasingly finding favour with international travellers. Marina Sharapova, Head of Tourist Information Centre, said, Our countries have been the closest allies for the last over seventy years and it is high time that we took steps to bring our people closer through tourism. The appointment of Salvia Promoters is a step in that direction and to create the right buzz and awareness about Krasnodar region in what has emerged as one of the fastest growing tourism source markets of the world. According to Prashant Chaudhary, Managing Director, Salvia Promoters, Our mandate is to promote this wonderful region in the Indian market and grow Indian arrivals there. We have already put our destination promotion and marketing plan in place. Going forward, we will be aggressively showcasing the region to our trade partners all over the country through leading travel event platforms and scores of city-based B2B travel fairs. Both trade and consumers would see a lot more of Krasnodar region through B2B and consumers driven initiatives all over the country. Besides, we plan to undertake aggressive media and PR activities, destination familiarisation tour for trade and press and digital promotions, among others, in order to create awareness about the destination and drive incremental outbound travel numbers from India. Russian province of Krasnodar Krai

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28 Africa TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march The SunLux Collection Hotels in South Africa woo travellers with Indian food Darshan Baid Kolkata South Africa-based premium hotel brand - SunLux Collection by Sun International Group has four luxury properties in South Africa. All hotels have in-house Indian chefs who provide authentic Indian food, including Jain food at each of the properties in South Africa. The hotel brand also allows travel groups to bring in their own chefs. Indians are very particular when it comes to their food and SunLux Collection identified its significance well in time. We understand the importance of Indian food for the Indian travellers and are in the process to add more Indian dishes to our menu at all four properties. Due to this reason, we see increasing number of Indian visitors preferring our property over the other hotels in the region, asserted Sherene Allaman, Vice President, International Sales and Marketing, Sun International on the sidelines of the five-city South African Tourism Roadshow in Kolkata. She promoted the Group s four luxury properties in South Africa and shared why it is a must-stay for the Indian travellers. In South Africa, the SunLux Collection comprises The Table Bay which is a five-star hotel in Cape Town. The Boardwalk is the newest addition to Port Elizabeth. Overlooking the wild landscapes of the Pilansberg Nature Reserve, The Palace of the Lost City is in Sun City and The Maslow offers premier fourstar accommodation for business travellers in Sandton. The Group is also looking at opening a new property near Times Square in Pretoria, South Africa by the end of March. The Indian market is exceptionally important and definitely one of the markets showing steady growth for SunLux Hotels. Their properties in South Africa The Palace of the Lost City, Sun City Kinshasa joins flydubai s growing network in Africa from April 15 Dubai-based flydubai has announced the start of flights to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from April 15 this year. The daily flights will operate with an en route stop in nearby Entebbe and will also be available for booking through the Emirates codeshare agreement. flydubai becomes the first UAE carrier to operate flights to N djili Airport (also known as Kinshasa International Airport) and provide links from the UAE and the region to a new gateway in Central Africa. Kinshasa is one of the largest cities in Africa and a busy hub providing extensive connections to cities across the African continent and intercontinental services to Europe. The country is known for its vast natural resource wealth; it is the world s largest producer of cobalt and a major producer of copper and diamonds. Commenting on the launch, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, Africa is fast are witnessing good business as well as repeat travellers from India. In 2017, the Sun International Group observed 21,000 overnights from India and 11,000 room nights at its hotels in South Africa. This year, the hotel brand is targeting all segments of FIT, Business, MICE, groups, family and wedding travel from India. Besides, believing in providing firsthand experience of products before selling it, Allaman plans to organise two familiarisation trips of select agents and media this year in collaboration with outbound marketing and local DMCs. emerging as one of the most important markets for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and we have seen the trade relationship going from strength to strength in recent years. With the proximity to the continent and rising demand to more direct links to Africa, we see this new service to Kinshasa playing an instrumental role in further supporting the growing trade and tourism flows in the coming years. The number of African companies registered with Dubai Chamber exceeded 12,000 in 2017, which demonstrates the increased cooperation and opportunity between both sides, said Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (GCC, Subcontinent and Africa), flydubai. We are looking forward to operating this route and exploring more opportunities to expand our network in Africa in the near future while offering passengers reliable and unrivalled onboard services whether they are travelling in Business or Economy Class, he added. Talking to Travel News Digest, she also highlighted the experiential activities that guests can indulge in during their stay. At our properties, honeymoon couples can go with Executive Chefs into the forest to pick the herbs. After coming back, the guests can cook along with the chefs and enjoy their food against an amazing backdrop. Similarly, by sponsoring a Rhino immobilisation not only guests can avail a once in a lifetime experience, but can also contribute to the conservation, and furthered protection, of these amazing creatures. Marriott Golf adds Arabella Hotel and Spa in South Africa Marriott Golf, the global golf division of Marriott International, Inc., announced further global expansion, with it s first-ever managed golf resort property in South Africa, the Arabella Golf Club, located in Hermanus, near Cape Town. This expansion news comes on the heels of Marriott Golf adding resort golf facilities in Fiji, New Caledonia, Uruguay, Spain and Portugal in Marriott s Arabella Hotel and Spa in South Africa Surrounded by the magnificent Kogelberg mountain range and Bot River Lagoon and edged by wild fynbos, the picturesque Arabella Golf Course is the ideal place to pursue a passion for golf and enjoy an ideal golf holiday. The 18-hole, Par 72 Championship course has consistently been ranked in the top 10 courses in South Africa. The 8th hole has been described as one of the most beautiful par 5 s in South Africa and the 18th hole was rated one of the finest finishing holes in the country. The course was designed and built by the acclaimed South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich in Since then, many professionals and celebrities have enjoyed the Arabella Golf experience, including Jack Nicklaus, Samuel L. Jackson, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Lee Westwood, Tim Clark, and Gary Player. The newest addition to the Marriott International golf portfolio offers our Rewards members and all guests another opportunity to combine world class travel experiences with great golf, said Jim Keane, Senior Director, Golf Operations and Development Planning, Marriott International, Inc.

29 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march 2018 africa 29 South African Tourism targets 1 lakh Indian arrivals this year Kathryn Kannampuzha Mumbai In order to achieve the 2018 target growth of one lakh Indian arrivals, the 15th edition of the South African Tourism s biggest ever roadshow in India comprising a 60-member supplier delegation recently covered the potential source markets of Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Delhi and Ahmedabad in India. South Africa recorded 89,882 Indian arrivals from January to November India is currently the eighth largest inbound source market for South African Tourism and has been consistently maintaining the ranking. Last year, Mumbai contributed to the highest traffic - 37% of overall Indian arrivals while Delhi was at 22%, Gujarat at 11%, Bengaluru at 8% and West Bengal at 7%. For the period of January to September 2017, MICE contributed 32.8% of total Indian arrivals into South Africa, leisure holidays made up 26.8% while business travellers made up 16.4%. Moreover, the average length of stay from India rose from 11 to 13 nights. Portraying trends and consumer behaviour insights to help further tap into the Indian market, the roadshow highlighted that travellers from India to South Africa are greatly influenced by peer word-of-mouth. The demand for adventure activities from India was at an all-time high. Rise in self-drive holidays amongst couples and young families was also observed. Overall, Indian travellers were preferring experiences which they can take back as memories. Needless to say, the love for comfort food while travelling still persists among Indian visitors. Another significant observation was the rise in millennial travellers from India to South Africa. In the first quarter for 2017, nearly 35% of the Indian visitors comprised 35 year olds while during the second quarter of the year, this figure grew to 46%. Speaking exclusively to Travel News Digest, Hanneli Slabber, Regional General Manager, Asia/Australasia/ (L-R) Alpa Jani & Hanneli Slabber at the India Roadshow 2018 South African Tourism Roadshow 2018 in Mumbai Ethiopian Airlines to commence thrice-weekly service to Nosy-Be, Madagascar Middle East, South African Tourism remarked, Going forward, one of the key focus areas for South African Tourism is to create awareness about new destinations such as Oudtshoorn, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Port Elizabeth and the Drakensberg region. Our priority is to provide an exceptional experience in South Africa and create a recall value. We are also looking at commencing direct flights from India to South Africa. Efforts are on to increase the seat capacity on flight routes ex-india. Alpa Jani, Acting Hub-Head, Middle East/India/Southeast Asia, South Africa Tourism revealed, Our target for 2018 is about 100,000 Indian arrivals to South Africa. Indian visitors majorly travel with family, and South Africa has products to offer to every segment of travellers. To achieve the target growth, we will be promoting South Africa through roadshows, joint marketing campaigns with trade as well as electronic, print and digital mediums. Over 70 international airlines such as Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air Seychelles, Turkish Airlines, Jet Airways, etc. connect to South Africa. About Suppliers Bloukrans Bungy With a small participation of 200 Indians in 2013, Bloukrans Bungy observed about 12,000 Indians last year who jumped off the Bloukrans Bungy Bridge. This is a 10-fold increase. Currently, India ranks at number three after Germany and the US to jump off the Bloukrans Bridge. Mirchee and Weddings in Africa The micro management skills of both Mirchee and Weddings in Africa, destination management companies based in Cape Town, South Africa, are its USPs. They cater to four-star and above guests and are experts in customising as per the client s desire. Leeu Collection Luxury accommodation option by Leeu Collection was conceptualised by an Indian. With presence in Cape Town, a new property will soon be launched in UK. Highend travellers can relish its art galleries, landscaping, wellness and wine experiences. Ocean Odyssey Located in Knysna on the Garden Route, Ocean Odyssey Whale Watching offers unforgettable marine adventures. July and August are the peak months to witness. The largest aviation group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four-Star Global Airline, Ethiopian Airlines announced that it will commence the thrice-weekly service to Nosy-Be, Madagascar from March 27, The route will be operated with a Boeing , one of the youngest fleet with an average age of five years. An island off the northwest coast of Madagascar, Nosy-Be is the largest and busiest tourist resort of the island nation. Its white sandy beaches, blue-green seas and astonishing rich undersea life make it a perfect destination for diving, fishing, cruise trips and much more. Regarding the planned launch of the service, Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines, said, We are very happy to commence flights to Nosy- Be, our second gateway in Madagascar after Antananarivo. Nosy-Be is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Africa and will widen the menu of leisure destination choices for tourists from all over the world. In line with our Vision 2025, we will continue to expand and deepen our footprint in Africa with a view to supporting the growth of tourism, business, trade and investment between the continent and the rest of the world. First to connect Chicago and Africa nonstop The carrier will soon commence direct flights from Addis Ababa to Chicago effective June 9, Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines, remarked, Chicago will be our fourth destination in the US and our seventh in the Americas. It is the third biggest city in the US and one of the most important global aviation hubs. We will be filling a critical air connectivity vacuum as our flights will be the only direct service between Chicago and Africa with a Boeing 787.

30 middle east Dubai Tourism appoints Nijhawan Group to leverage its top source market Akansha Pandey New Delhi Dubai s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) appointed Nijhawan Group as their India representation office led by Priyanka Nijhawan, Director-Representations, Nijhawan Group. In 2017, India retained the top spot as the inbound source market for Dubai. Indian arrivals to Dubai recorded a landmark 16.8% growth with 2.1 million Indian travellers visiting Dubai last year. With this figure, India became the first country for Dubai to cross the two million mark in a single year, according to the latest data published by Dubai Tourism. The Be My Guest campaign which was launched last year starring Actor Shah Rukh Khan has been repositioned for this year focusing different pillars that Dubai has to offer. Our target audience from India is varied and we receive all segments of travellers from students, women, family, solo, business, MICE and luxury travel, said Actor Shah Rukh Khan in the BeMyGuest Campaign by Dubai Tourism Khalid Mansoor Alawar, Assistant Manager, Proximity Markets International Operations, Dubai Tourism. He further suggested that this year Indian visitors who want to experience real Dubai can undertake mosque tours, experience the stunning new Bulgari Resort, diverse wildlife at Dubai Safari, the picturesque Dubai Frame, XLine Dubai Marina, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, the Camel Racing Festival, Dubai Food Festival and The Opus by Zaha Hadid. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Sharjah Tourism targets 10-15% growth from India this year Akansha Pandey New Delhi The cultural hub of UAE - Sharjah observed 138,000 Indian travellers in 2017 who stayed for two to three nights on an average. This year, together with Outbound Konnections, Sharjah Tourism s India representation office is eyeing a further increase of 10-15% in the arrivals from India, said Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). Sharjah is a value for money destination for travellers looking to indulge in beaches, mountains, archaeology, museums, wildlife, etc. without any nightclubs or alcohol. This year, Sharjah Tourism will be focusing on experiential travellers along with families and students from India. We suggest the segment of travellers to witness iconic events such as Sharjah Book Fair, Sharjah Light Festival and Sharjah Formula 1 Championship, said Midfa. Komal Seth, Director, Outbound Konnections added that they soon aim to launch the online training program of Sharjah Tourism in the Indian market. We plan to commence the program from April 2018 and it will be launched pan India. Every enrolled participant will be awarded credits and be entitled to a giveaway after the successful completion of the program. The online training program seeks to educate on key insights with six modules which will cover the basics of Sharjah as a travel destination for every kind of traveller. We are focusing mainly on the tier-ii and III Indian cities which are more inclined towards exploring the mystery and culture that Sharjah has to offer. Later in the year by October, we will be conducting roadshows in tier-ii Indian cities. Fingers crossed, Sharjah is also under the process of being registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, she added. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA Air India to launch thrice weekly Delhi to Tel Aviv direct flights from March 22 Air India will begin nonstop flight operations from Delhi to Tel Aviv in Israel starting March 22 onwards. The carrier has confirmed flying thrice a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday on Boeing 787 Dreamliner which has 18 business class and 238 economy seats. This announcement has come at a time when Israel Ministry of Tourism has recorded a whopping growth of 50% in January and 25% in February, 2018 of Indian arrivals to Israel vis-àvis the same period in Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism India and Philippines said, With direct flights now from both Mumbai and Delhi by El Al and Air India respectively; this will help meet the growing demand and enable us to achieve our target of 1 lakh Indian arrivals in The aircraft will depart from Delhi at 4.50 pm and arrive in Tel Aviv at 8.25 pm. On its return leg, the plane will depart from Tel Aviv at pm and land in Delhi the next day at 9 am. With one way duration of 7 hours and 10 minutes, Air India will be the fastest nonstop flight between India and Israel taking a straight route between the two countries. In addition to Air India, Israel s national carrier El Al currently has four weekly nonstop flights from Mumbai to Tel Aviv and will soon increase its frequency furthermore. Arkia has also expressed interest to begin operations soon and introduce direct flights between Israel and India. MANALI A 5-star Luxury Property Built With An Absolute Right Blend Of Tranquility & Magnificence The Alokik Resort Is Known For Its Unparalleled Levels Of Services. The Awesome Location Of Our Resort Makes It One Of The Unique Places For Stay Amongst The Top Luxury Resorts In Manali. The Great Views From The Property Are One Of The Primary Attractions That All Guests Here Look Forward To. Shuru, Naggar Road, Manali, Himachal Pradesh T: , E: contact@alokikresort.com, W: Tel Aviv, Israel

31 americas B2B networking forum Namaste USA debuts in Mumbai and Delhi Namaste USA, the newly introduced B2B networking platform developed by Brand USA for their destination partners, made its debut in Mumbai and Delhi last month. The first edition of Namaste USA was a great success and was very well-received as a pre-summer destination business forum in the Indian market. A total of 10 companies, including Brand USA, participated this year and conducted business with eminent trade buyers in Mumbai and Delhi, thereby updating them on varied tourism products. In Mumbai, a preview of Brand USA s new bigscreen movie - America s Musical Journey, was also shown to the guests. In New Delhi, the evening showcased an exclusive screening of America Wild: National Parks Adventure at the new IMAX Theatre for senior travel trade professionals and consumer media, followed by networking cocktails and dinner. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Exclusive screening of America Wild: National Park Adventure at the new IMAX theatre for senior travel trade professional in New Delhi From L to R: Karan S Anand, Head of Relationship Cox and Kings (India) Ltd, Edgard D Kagan, Consul General US Consulate Mumbai and Sheema Vohra, Managing Director, Brand USA- India at the networking event held in Mumbai From L to R: Abraham Alapatt, President & Group Head- Marketing Service Quality, Financial Services & innovation, Thomas Cook India Ltd, Edgard D Kagan and Suzy Shepard, Senior Manager, Global Trade Development Brand USA at the Namaste USA Networking Dinner in Mumbai Shibu Mathews, Commercial Specialist US Embassy, New Delhi, Suzy Shepard, Bhavika Jariwala, Director Travel trade, Brand USA and Darrel Ching, Principal Commercial Officer- North India, Embassy of the United States of America at the Networking Dinner held in New Delhi Los Angeles World Airports reveal new digital presence Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) announced the launch of its new digital presence with three distinct websites - FlyLAX.com, iflyvny.com and LAWA. org. The three sites replace the previous version of LAWA.org. The new clean and easy-to-navigate sites allow for enhanced content and improved search functionality on all the devices. The LAX passenger-facing website com provides dynamic data real-time information for flights, parking, gates, etc. which will allow travellers to customise their journey at the airport with information that is relevant to them. Passengers can check the status on arriving and departing flights, find out how to get to LAX, where to park, how to find their way around the airport, as well as where to dine and shop before a flight. Justin Erbacci, Chief Innovation and Commercial Strategy Officer, LAWA said, The new FlyLAX.com and its sister websites are mobile-friendly, and allow users to create customisable experiences that provide real-time travel data. Daily to Cape Town 3 times daily to Johannesburg Except on sundays Starting from 25 March

32 global VFS Global opens Cyprus VAC in Panjim, Goa VFS Global announced the launch of Cyprus Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Panjim, Goa. Inaugurating the centre Demetrios A. Theophylactou, High Commissioner of Cyprus to India said, This is one out of 16 VFS Global centres serving Cyprus in India, and the 15th centre that is being formally inaugurated. In close cooperation with the Consular Section of the High Commission, Cyprus VAC will work to achieve the goal of timely and efficient issuance of visas. Vinay Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer - Middle East and South Asia, VFS Global, highlighted, VFS Global has served the Government of Cyprus in India since 2015, and the expansion of our services on their behalf to 16 cities in India reaffirms their faith in our ability to offer applicants best in class visa services. Demetrios A. Theophylactou, High Commissioner of Cyprus to India launching the VFS Cyprus VAC TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march World Dream offers 5-night Journey to the Island Gems of Japan Dream Cruises has announced the summer 2018 itineraries for World Dream, the Asian Luxury Cruise Line. On popular demand, the fivenight Journey to the Island Gems of Japan will return this summer with the port choices being the picturesque islands of Naha, the capital city of Okinawa, and Miyakojima in Japan from April 1 to November 30, Thatcher Brown, President, Dream Cruises, said, We are excited to bring World Dream, our newest cruise ship, to the beautiful islands of Okinawa, where Dream Cruises first launched sister ship Genting Dream s summer season last year. Our guests gave us resounding positive feedback on the design of our five night Japan summer itinerary with the welcome balance of two signature Okinawa ports combined with two leisurely days at sea. We are glad to be returning to cultural attractions and natural beauty of Okinawa, Japan. Guests can enjoy world-class World Dream entertainment, with a wide selection of connecting rooms, the largest Eastern and Western Spa and VR game zone at sea, 35 restaurant and bar concepts and an ideal vacation lifestyle for multi-generational families. World Dream offers the Young cruisers to thrive in Little Dreamers Program, Dream Cruises signature children program with year-round activities. RCI s Mariner of the Seas sets sail for India TIRUN Travel Marketing, the India representative of Royal Caribbean International has announced cruise sailings to and from India in the pre-monsoon season, onboard the Mariner of the Seas. The cruise line will take guests to the best of Asian destinations including Singapore, Phuket, Muscat, and Dubai as well as Goa. The cruise line has segmented its 13-night sailing into two itineraries with a six-night Singapore to Kochi sailing from April 9-15, 2018 and a seven-night Kochi to Dubai sailing from April 15-22, The Singapore to Kochi itinerary has an all-inclusive price of INR 50,649 per person for the Promenade-view room. Ratna Chadha, CEO, TIRUN Travel Marketing said, Cruise travel is becoming increasingly popular in the Indian subcontinent. We are certain that the Mariner of the Seas visit to India will further enhance the propensity of Indian holidaymakers to opt for RCI cruises.

33 CAribbean 4.7 million inbound travellers visit Cuba in 2017 According to 2017 figures, 2017 was the most successful year for Cuba Tourism as the destination welcomed 4.7 million foreign visitors - a 16.2% increase over Out of the total arrivals, 44% were Canadian visitors in 2017 who had previously visited Cuba. Cuba remains the number one destination for Canadians in the Caribbean. Peace, health and safety remain the pillars of Cuban Tourism and, ultimately, the factors that explain our incredible growth. The unique environment allows everyone to thoroughly experience Cuba, explained Eloy Govea, Director for Canada, Cuba Tourism Board. Among the future hotel projects, the Cuban government aims to have 224 new hotels complete by These new hotel projects will add 103,000 new rooms. Therefore the number of hotel rooms will go from the current 68,000 to 171,000 in the next 12 years. These new development projects will occur in virtually all regions of Cuba including the main tourist spots such as Varadero and Havana. Coming off the heels of a successful 2017 and a growth rate of 16.2%, Cuba Tourism is hopeful of meeting its 2018 goal of welcoming 5 million foreign visitors. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Barbados Tourism curates two new events for the lean travel period Continuing to position Barbados as a formidable player in sports tourism, two new events are created for the traditionally softer period of September the Barbados Beach and Wellness Festival and the Barbados Cycling Festival. Receiving positive feedback and displaying strong potential for further development and accomplishment, Richard Sealy, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Barbados announced that the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) will once again host the two events in We are also packaging 2018 as the Year of Culinary Experiences and you will therefore see us promoting a lot of the delicious and authentic dining experiences to be had on the island, from flying fish to gourmet breadfruit bowls, revealed Sealy. Up next for the destination is the annual Connect Barbados B2B conference scheduled for May 9-12, Last year, Barbados enjoyed a record 5% increase in stay-over arrivals, an all-time high for the destination. Over the course of 2017, the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) welcomed 663,441 visitors, which was 31,308 more than Hyatt plans for Grand Hyatt Hotel and Residences in Grand Cayman Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise and related agreements with Pageant Beach Hotel for the 351-room Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Hotel & Residences. The hotel will be managed by an affiliate of Aimbridge Hospitality, an independent hotel investment and management firms in North America and the Caribbean. Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Hotel & Residences will be located on a premium 7.1-acre site on Seven Mile Beach. Situated along the southern end of West Bay Road, the hotel and residences will be located less than one mile away from George Town s city center and only 10 minutes from Owen Roberts International Airport. Additional amenities include six distinct food and beverage venues, a 9,000 square feet destination spa and fitness centre, three swimming pools, retail shops, kids club, and a state of the art screening room. The resort is planned to have 25,000 square feet of indoor meeting and event space, which will make it the largest function space in the Cayman Islands. An affiliate of Pageant Beach Hotel will offer a rental program for the residences that will allow participating owners, when not occupying their residences, to have Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman rent their residences to hotel guests.

34 film tourism Mysuru Film City project awaits government nod The Kannada film industry is keenly awaiting the launch of the Film City project in Mysuru before the state goes to the assembly poll in May. Work on the ambitious project appears to have slowed down despite the acquisition of 116 acres at Himmavu, near Mysuru, which falls under Varuna constituency, represented by the Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister, Karnataka. S V Rajendra Singh Babu, Chairman, Karnataka Film Academy said that the land is acquired and the layout design has been prepared. It s in the hands of the tourism department to expedite the project. The Kannada film industry wants the project to take off at the earliest. The Chief Minister has given all his support for realising this dream of the film fraternity, but the project has slowed down somewhere down the line. Like how Mumbai s Film City is the life of Bollywood, Mysuru s Film City should become a heart for Sandalwood in the years ahead. The project will surely bring livelihood to people from 23 filmmaking departments besides improving the quality of films, he added. He further informed that he would take a delegation from the film industry to the Chief Minister soon to urge him to direct the department concerned to speed up work on the project. Before the tenure of this government ends, the foundation stone for the project must be laid. According to film-maker Babu, Mysuru s lure is the fact that around 250 tourist destinations are within a 10 km to 15 km radius of the city, which also has an abundance of Palaces. Cult classics such as Pakeezah were shot in Mysuru. Superstar Rajinikanth also likes Mysuru for his film shoots, he stated. Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur Hotel Tapping the vast potential of film tourism in the city of Udaipur, members of the Film City Sangharsh Samiti, along with the support of local legislators and members of Parliament have urged for setting up a film city outside the periphery of Udaipur where vast tracts of unutilised land are available. The Samiti has written a letter to the Rajasthan Chief Minister to provide land parcel at a reserve price for developing the film city, which would have all amenities, including hi-tech studio, artificial sets and processing facilities. Over 150 Hindi films and over 350 ad films, serials, documentaries, Rajasthani, Tamil and Tollywood movies TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Stakeholders push for a film city in Udaipur have also been shot in the city. Udaipur has over 100 locations within a km area which makes the city suitable for setting up a film city. The air, road and rail connectivity to Mumbai also makes it conducive to the project. Udaipur has unmatched natural beauty, historical heritage, the distinct culture which are the basic requirements for a film city, pointed out Mukesh Madhwani, a Line Producer, who has been campaigning for the cause since Anil Mehta, another Producer added, If we get a full-fledged film city here, it would boost Udaipur s tourism and economy by creating huge employment opportunities. Sign Up for Trial No Obligation 2 Week Trial No payment required to start Travel ecommerce Platform for Web and Mobile Setup your Travel Portal in 3 Steps 3 Days Select Look & Feel Configure Yourself Activate Services & Suppliers Configure Rules & Branding Get No Obligation 2 week trial* on Pay as you Book for both web & mobile Model support On Pre-Integrated Suppliers ** Monthly Cost Starts from INR 5000/- pm Singapore ecare Technology Labs Pvt. Ltd. Vivek Sanghi Chennai Office: B R Complex, No 27-28, Woods Road, Chennai Noida Office: First Floor, B-76, Sector-2, Noida , Uttar Pradesh sales@ecaretechlabs.com sales@rezofy.com * Live Supplier credentials required to configure live setup, ** All brand names & trademarks are owned by their respective owners, # T&C Apply

35 OCEANIA Australia crosses 3 lakh visitor arrivals from India in 2017 Kathryn Kannampuzha Mumbai As per the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 302,200 Indians visited Australia in 2017, an increase of 15.4% over the previous year. Tourism Australia had set a target of 300,000 Indian arrivals by 2020 which has already been achieved three years ahead of the defined target date. India is currently the eighth largest source market for Australia and by 2025 will be among the top five markets, confirmed Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager-India and Gulf, Tourism Australia. India is the fastest growing market for the largest arrivals into Australia across all the Australia products that we have presence globally. Last year, Indians contributed an amount of around AUD 1.45 billion against the 2020 set target Kangaroo Island, South Australia of AUD 1.9 billion. On an average, an Indian traveller spends about AUD 5,343 and stays for approximately two weeks. Talking about connectivity from India to Australia, Kashikar highlighted, Air India is looking at increasing frequency out of India from Delhi. Air India used to fly seven flights a week and is now considering 10 flights weekly. We are in talks with Air India and Jet Airways for enhancing the direct connectivity from India. The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection extended online lodgment of visitor visa applications to all Indian nationals during mid This online application process provides a more convenient option for Indian visitors travelling to Australia and is our biggest USP currently, averred Kashikar. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Victoria s new strategy eyes attracting students from India The Victorian State Government has unveiled its India Strategy aimed at growing exports, attracting more international students and encouraging tourism from the Indian market. Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria unveiled Victoria s India Strategy: Our Shared Future in January and paid his first official visit to India and showcased Victoria s strengths as a world-class destination for international education, tourism, sports, culture and innovation. Andrews said, This blueprint is all about expanding our footprint in one of the world s leading economies, which will boost Victorian businesses and create jobs for locals. Our tourism, international education, sport and culture and innovation offerings are the envy of the world. We want India to experience for themselves the best of everything Victoria produces. We ve worked closely with leaders and industry experts from the Australian Indian community on ways we can make our state s bond with India even stronger. The strategy will create jobs and grow the Victorian economy by doubling the value of goods exports such as food and manufacturing goods to India from a five-year annual average of USD 500 million to almost USD 1 billion by It will increase the number of Indian postgraduate research students in Victoria by 25% and double the number of Victorian businesses engaged in India from 150 to 300, nearly tripling the expenditure by Indian visitors to Victoria to USD 885 million. Le Méridien Melbourne slated to open in 2020 Melbourne Marriott International announced the signing of Le Méridien Melbourne, in partnership with owner and developer Jinshan Investment Group. Slated to open in 2020, the 235-room hotel will boast the brand s distinct mid-century modern approach to design and bold Destination Unlocked positioning. Perfectly situated amidst art galleries, boutiques and bistros, Le Méridien Melbourne will be located near the city s cultural centre. The 12-storey hotel converted from an existing low-rise building will draw inspiration from both the brand and the light, airy and modern nature of the coastal capital of the south-eastern Australian state of Victoria. The intimate and residential hotel will transform the traditional lobby space into the brand s signature Le Méridien Hub, which evolves from a bright and fresh coffee house by day, to a sophisticated cocktail bar by night. Le Méridien Melbourne will also feature Cuisines, a 90-seat all-day dining restaurant; 210 square metre function space and three breakout rooms; a heated swimming pool and a large fitness centre. Tony Chau, Project Manager, Jinshan Investment Group said, We re excited to partner with Marriott International to open Le Méridien Melbourne. Le Méridien brand s focus on culture will provide a distinctive offering for visitors to Melbourne. The opening of Le Méridien Melbourne comes as part of Marriott International s commitment to open 50 hotels in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific by the end of 2021.

36 Responsible Tourism Routes and Roots A sustainable approach towards Silk Route Tourism by Uzbekistan The progressive perspective of any country depends upon the cultural and historical roots. The promotion of the country revolves around the route to reach the destination. I traversed through the route to reach the roots of Uzbek at a stupefying ambience of the vibrant Surajkund Crafts Mela 2018 with immersive cultural ethos. The location of Uzbekistan in the centre of Eurasian continent allowed it to play a key role in the trans-continental system of the Great Silk Roads. As a matter of fact, main routes of the Great Silk Roads uniting East and and the settlements and cities along them were built with well-groomed gardens and arable fields; the memory of that is stored in the ancient walls of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva. The ancient cities rich in fine architectural monuments preserve the memory of many centuries. The 33-member states participated in UNWTO Silk Route Programme which works in a collaborative manner to raise the platform of Silk Route in a sustainable and responsible way. Various measures are taken by the ministry and embassy to enhance the branding of tourism. Keeping in mind the culturally active potential of the country, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, is attaching high importance to issues of improving the effectiveness to increase the flow of foreign tourists and further aid in the development of domestic tourism, improvement and expansion of tourism services in the country. TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march Club Mahindra launches Bliss membership for senior citizens Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Limited (MHRIL) announced the launch of their special membership product, Bliss. Rolled out on pan-india basis, the product is customised to cater to the specific needs of senior citizens. Bliss is a 10 year membership product available across three categories - Bliss Classic, Bliss Premium and Bliss Signature at any of Club Mahindra s network of 53 resorts in India and abroad. Members will be assisted with special services such as holiday booking and airport transfer, among others through a dedicated helpdesk. Engaging activities at the resorts have also been designed keeping in mind their special needs. These include spa therapies, local sightseeing, yoga classes, meditation sessions, nature walks, hobby classes, etc. Speaking about the Bliss Membership, Kavinder Singh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Limited stated, Over the last few years we have observed a gradual rise in the number of senior citizens holidaying with us. While they have the enthusiasm to travel, their needs are unique. He further stated, With Bliss, we have created a customised product that will make the whole travel experience more engaging and fulfilling for these members. We are confident that through Bliss, we will be able to create special, memorable experiences for our esteemed active silvers that will last a lifetime. For promotion of Sustainable Silk Route Tourism: Cohesive branding Collaborative approach Capacity building programmes Community based tourism Showcase of culture and crafts West passed through the territory of present-day Uzbekistan, which was one of the places, where the first civilisations emerged and developed. A historic trade route was used from the second century BC through 14th century AD that went from China to the Mediterranean. The Silk Route is so named because of the popularity of trading silk during that period. This valuable fabric originated in China, which initially had a monopoly on its silk production, until the secrets of its creation spread. The Silk Route traversed China, India, Persia, Arabia, Greece and Italy. In addition to silk, the route facilitated the trade of other fabrics, spices, grains, fruits and vegetables, animal hides, wood and metal work, precious stones and other items of value. The Silk Route served as a means not only to exchange goods but also to exchange cultures. Both the travellers of the road and the residents of the cities along the route benefited from learning each other s language, religion and ideas, in addition to the increased material wealth that the trade generated. These interactions, in turn, boosted the development of science, technology, literature, the arts and other fields of study. Specifically interactions along the Silk Route helped leading to the development of the printing press and irrigation. Uzbek cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Tashkent, Termez, Urgench and Fergana served as land beacons along the Silk Road. The blossoming oasis cities growing along the Silk Road became international transshipment points and were considered the vital centre of trade, crafts, and cultural exchange. The advantageous position of the cities made them attractive. The territory of modern Uzbekistan with caravan roads were revived, To integrate the technology globally, the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan, the Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Communications will organise an international television channel with round-the-clock broadcasting, which will promote the tourism potential of Uzbekistan and transmit various interesting travel programs. Tourism season has been extended and services relating to the improvement of tourism infrastructure are on the top priority basis. The hotels are developed in such a way that their quantity is increased but at par with the quality. Importance is also given to creation of sanitary-hygienic stations along the highways. Uzbekistan has a great potential in the sphere of pilgrim tourism. For this, the Department is supporting the idea in a structured format where a Committee for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a visa-free regime has been introduced for countries such as Malaysia, Turkey and Indonesia. To conclude as Robert Frost rightly said: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference. Responsibly yours by A. Lajwanti Naidu

37 FRANKFURT MAY 2018 IT S IT S TIME TO PRESS FOR PROGRESS We re currently experiencing a seismic shift in attitudes towards gender inequality. A culture of silence and tolerance is drawing to an end. A new movement has begun No wonder then that this year International Women s Day is calling women and men to Press for progress. It s time to be proactive in making change happen. How WE are pressing for progress This year IMEX in Frankfurt is launching a new conference She Means Business. This inspiring meeting of women (and men) takes place on EduMonday, 14 May. Speakers from diverse backgrounds including science and tech, media, finance, cardiology and the UN will address the issues faced by women today. Through conversation, collaboration and learning, we believe we can shed new light on an old debate. Press for progress. Come to IMEX and She Means Business. Register today at imex-frankfurt.com #IMEX18 In partnership with tw tagungswirtschaft and supported by H-Hotels

38 EVENTS Travel Boutique Online felicitates its top travel partners Travel Boutique Online (TBO), India s leading B2B Travel Portal hosted an Awards and Networking Event in New Delhi to recognise their top travel partners from each state in India. Pleasantly, history was created with epic turnout of over 2,300 attendees from across the travel ecosystem. The event was graced by industry leaders from travel, tourism and government bodies. Esteemed names such as Kapil Bhatia, Executive Chairman of InterGlobe Enterprises; Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises; VK Duggal, Former Governor of Manipur, Amber Dubey, Partner, TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST march KPMG India etc. comprised the who s who at the gala evening. Talking about the event, Ankush Nijhawan, Cofounder, TBO Group and Managing Director, Nijhawan Group said, Hosting such events is an integral part of our business as we are able to foster, strengthen and maintain relationships with our travel partners. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year. Save The Dates EVENTS CALENDAR TAAI CONVENTION March 27-29, 2018 Srinagar, J&K WTM LATIN AMERICA April 3-5, 2018 Expo Center No e, São Paulo WTM AFRICA April 18-20, 2018 Cape Town International Convention Centre GREAT INDIAN TRAVEL BAZAAR April 22-24, 2018 JECC, Jaipur ATM DUBAI April 22-25, 2018 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre IMEX FRANKFURT May 15-17, 2018 Messe Frankfu, Germany TTF KOLKATA July 6-8, 2018 Netaji Indoor Stadium & Khudiram Anushilan Kendra TTF HYDERABAD July 13-14, 2018 Hyderabad International Convention Centre TTF AHMEDABAD September 7-9, 2018 Gujarat University Exhibition Hall PATA TRAVEL MART September 12-14, 2018 MIEC, Langkawi, Malaysia TTF SURAT September 14-16, 2018 Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay TTF PUNE September 28-30, 2018 Messe Global Seasons Mall TTF MUMBAI October 5-7, 2018 Nehru Centre IMEX AMERICA October 16-18, 2018 Sands Expo, Las Vegas, USA SKÅL WORLD CONGRESS MOMBASA 2018 October 17-21, 2018 Indoor Stadium Mombasa, Kenya ITB ASIA October 17-19, 2018 WTM LONDON November 5-7, 2018 ATTA s AdventureNEXT December 10-12, 2018 BLTM January 18-19, 2019 OTM January 23-25, 2019 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore ExCeL London Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh The Leela Ambience Bombay Exhibition Centre Convention Hotel, Delhi Mumbai