Volume VI l Issue 2
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INDIA 12
asia 16
middle east 18
europe 20
Americas 21
africa 22
oceania 24
global 25
events 28
technology 29
responsible tourism 30
BLTM records spectacular success in its very first show
Dates announced for 2017 editions of BLTM to be held across Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi NCR
B
usiness & Luxury Travel Mart (BLTM) at Hyatt
Regency Gurgaon on 24-25 October 2016 has set
a new milestone for MICE-focused travel shows
in India. BLTM was very well received as India’s first
full-fledged travel mart focused on specialised Business, MICE and Luxury Travel Sellers from all over
the world.
For the first-time ever in a B2B travel mart, over
150 qualified and fully Hosted Buyers from corporate companies and travel organisations from all over
India were fully hosted with airfare, accommodation
and all meals at the venue hotel. In addition, international Buyers were also extended similar host hospitalities from South Africa, Thailand, USA, Taiwan, France
and Malaysia.
In the two-day trade show, 152 Seller delegates from
94 exhibiting companies met with over 144 Hosted Buyers and 146 Trade Invitees.
Global destination representations in the inaugural BLTM included Nepal, Taiwan, Korea, China, Fiji,
Dubai, South Africa, Liberia, Thailand, Turkey, United
Kingdom and Russia.
Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Jammu &
Kashmir participated at full throttle along with several private sector companies from all parts of India
showcasing India at its best as a Business, MICE and
Luxury destination.
Premium hotel chains at BLTM included FRHI
Hotels & Resorts showcasing Fairmont, Raffles and
Swissotel, Royal Orchid Hotels, InterContinental
Hotels Group and Hyatt Hotels. Other leading hotel
brands like Shanti Maurice- A Nira Resort, Royal
Orchid Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Blu Hotels,
Lemon Tree & Red Fox Hotels, Banyan Tree Hotels &
Resorts, Clark & 1589 Group of Hotels, The Ambassador Group of Hotels, The Pride Group of Hotels, DS
Group of Hotels, Mahindra Hotels, The Chancery
Hotels, The Tamara Coorg, Minor Group, TGB Banquets & Hotels, Vythiri Village Resort were present.
The 1:1 Hosted Buyer to Seller ratio at BLTM was in
line with global standards. Each Buyer and Seller managed at least 30 business meetings at the mart, resulting in a total of 4,700 appointments between Sellers and
Buyers on the two days of BLTM.
The online meeting diary of BLTM for making
appointments between the Buyers and Sellers before
the show registered over 2200 confirmed appointments show. On-site 2500 additional meetings were
scheduled.
Major sponsor of BLTM 2016, Bengal Tourism
hosted the networking lunches and dinners for the
Buyers and Sellers. A great exposure was given to the
branding of Beautiful Bengal throughout the exhibition halls.
Hyatt Regency Gurgaon was the Venue Partner for
BLTM with several Hyatt properties on prominent display at a corporate pavilion at the BLTM.
In addition to the Hosted Buyers, there were an
equal number of invitees from travel trade associations like Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE)
India, Outbound Tour Operators Association of India
(OTOAI), Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA),
Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel
Agents Association of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Enterprising Travel Agent’s
Association (ETAA), Association of Domestic Tour
Operators of India (ADTOI) and members of the media.
Akbar Holidays was the official Travel Partner of
BLTM and Eco Rent A Car was the Transportation
Partner.
Institutional Partners included SITE, OTOAI,
NIMA, IATO, TAAI, TAFI, ETAA, ADTOI, The Film &
Television Producers Guild of India Ltd and WedWise.
In another first, the MICE CLUB was launched at
BLTM, with an objective to facilitate focused interaction and networking among a community of Buyers
and Sellers from the specialised Business Travel and
MICE segments. The missions and objectives of the
club include organising the Buyer and Seller communities serving the Business Travel and MICE markets
in India, facilitating ongoing interaction and networking, sharing knowledge and creating standards and
accreditations.
In addition to buying and selling opportunities at
the show floor, there was an equally interesting line up
of Panel Discussions conducted on the sidelines of the
exhibition. The eminent panelists at the sessions deliberated on the latest issues related to Incentive Travel,
MICE, Luxury, Destination Weddings, and destination
promotion through film shoots.
The session on Incentive Travel was organised by
SITE, followed by that on MICE by NIMA. Back-toback discussions were conducted on the emerging
opportunities and destinations for weddings by WedWise. Another interesting session was dedicated to
destination promotions through film shoots, curated
by The Film & Television Producers Guild of India.
“BLTM filled a vacuum in the evolution of travel
trade shows in India, by introducing a sustainable
large-format show focused on Business Travel and
MICE Buyers in a format where fully Hosted Buyers
meet Sellers based on pre scheduled appointments,”
remarked Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman of Fairfest
Media Ltd.
Based on overwhelming positive feedback from both
buyers and sellers, BLTM will be expanded to three cities in 2017 - Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi NCR, to
cater to the West, South and North India markets of
business travel and MICE.
The dates for BLTM in 2017 are as follows: Mumbai
(21-23 February), Hyderabad (14-15 July) and Delhi NCR
(26-27 October). The Mumbai edition of BLTM will be
held side-by-side OTM - India’s largest travel trade
show, with participation from more than 50 countries
every year.
2
• COVER STORY
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
Buyer-seller speed
networking, a huge
success at BLTM
A
s a first-of-its-kind show, BLTM (Business and
Luxury Travel Mart) hosted around 150 corporate
organisations as qualified buyers at Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, from all over India and abroad. An online meeting
diary, created to arrange pre-fixed meetings, registered
over 2200 confirmed appointments between sellers and
buyers. Each buyer had to conduct a minimum of 30
meetings with sellers per day, maintaining a 1:1 ratio, in
tandem with the global standards. In addition, an onsite seller-meet-buyer appointment request session was
also held on both the days to fill up existing appointment
slots. Buyers were seated by their company names while
sellers were given 45 minutes to meet and schedule fresh
appointments with buyers at the show floor. Over 2500
meetings were scheduled on-site.
Editor & Publisher
Sanjiv Agarwal
Executive Editor
Sulagna Ghosh
Content
Chirajit Nath
Design
Dilip Manna
Ritam Maity
Managing Directors
Gazanfar Ibrahim
Rajiv Agarwal
Directors
Harsh Agarwal
Amit Nag
Vijay Adhikari
Associate Directors
Rajarshi De
Raj Kapoor Singh
R Mahesh
Tarique Ebrahim
K Shankar​
Hema Manghnani
Advisors
Abraham John
Sheila Leong
Managers
Fatima D’Costa
Uma Sureka
Pratiksha Rajapure
Shreyas Jain
YC Anil
Philomena D’Souza
Deepti V Murthy
Tania Das
Ramesh Chauhan
Sugandhi Varma
Sanjeev Gupta
Travel News Digest (TND) is
printed and published by
Sanjiv Kumar Agarwal on
behalf of Fairfest Media Ltd.
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Extension, Noida - 201 301,
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Published at 216A/1Gautam
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Editor
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No responsibility will be
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received. Despite careful
selection of sources, no
responsibility can be taken
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The Publishers and the Editors
do not necessarily individually
or collectively identify
themselves with the views
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and contributors in this journal.
The views expressed are those
of the authors only. The
magazine assumes no liability
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Reproduction in whole or in
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Volume VI • Issue 2
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4
• COVER STORY
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
Sellers continue to repose their rock-solid confidence at BLTM
BLTM is a focused show with a very good mix of B2B buyers from
the corporate as well as agents. The good part is that we came
here with a lot of pre-fixed meetings and that has helped us optimise our time. In terms of organising, everything had been fine
and it was easy to move around for people and locate the stalls.
We have more expectations from BLTM and we definitely plan to
come back next year also.
RAJESH NAMBIAR
Executive Vice President
Otilla International
We heard a growing demand for luxury travel in India and BLTM
is the perfect place for us. We also had a lot of interactive meetings
with the buyers who came from the MICE and luxury industry,
wedding planners and event organisers. MICE and luxury industry
is growing in the world and with the launch of this kind of event, it
surely is an added benefit for us. We are very likely to participate
in the coming BLTMs also.
KONSTANTIN SMIRNOV
Chief Commercial Officer
Running on Waves Ltd
BLTM was a very good show. We’ve had some very meaningful
discussions with a good combination of the corporate buyers
as well as the travel partners. I think the blend was good and
hopefully this should translate into business very soon. The
contacts made have been very good and the buyers are very well
filtered. The online meeting diary as well as the BLTM app was
very useful for us.
BLTM was an excellent show and we are honoured that the
organisers of BLTM collaborated with us. I am glad that we could
put up this great show together. I was also able to be a part of
the panel discussion on destination weddings because India as a
destination really needs to be promoted and we all need to work
together on a common platform to get it to the next level. We look
forward to organising BLTM next year as well.
SUMAN JULKA
Director of Sales & Marketing
Hyatt Regency Gurgaon
TEKLA MAIRA
Director Global Sales – India
FRHI Hotels & Resorts
Getting all the corporate, tour operators to meet the hoteliers
of India is a very novel idea. I think this first show of BLTM was
definitely a success and if it happens again next year it would
definitely be a roaring success. In two-days, we did over 50
meetings with the high-quality buyers here.
JITENDRA K MOHANTY
Chairman & Managing Director
Swosti Group
BLTM is a great platform where we met a lot of clients who
wants to do business with us. The quality of the buyers here are
also quite satisfactory and we did some good meetings with them.
We feel that corporate travel is emerging in this exhibition and we
would like to continue to participate in BLTM in the coming
year also.
NITHEESH KRISHNAN
Chief Brand Officer
Akbar Holidays
BLTM is a focused and very nice platform to showcase tourism
products. I found BLTM to have exceeded my expectations as
we got around 80-90% appointments that were fixed earlier
and very encouraging response about Nepal. The quality of the
buyers was really good and the meetings I did with them were
really fruitful. Keep up the good work and we will definitely come
back next year also..
DEEPAK RAJ JOSHI
Chief Executive Officer
Nepal Tourism Board
BLTM gave a deep impression as it was a very professional
show and very efficiently organised with high-quality buyers.
The meetings I had with the buyers were very useful. BLTM was a
very good platform to promote China Tourism as the organisers
have arranged so many high-quality buyers so I think this show
is also very helpful for tourism promotion.
TIAN XIN
Director
China National Tourist Office-New Delhi
I was very impressed with BLTM. Not only is the venue good,
but the quality of the event as well as that of the attendees
who came from different parts of India was great. At BLTM, I
got the opportunity to meet corporate, wedding specialists
and tour operators doing business travel. Overall, BLTM
turned out to be a good show.
CARL VAZ
Director
Dubai Tourism
We got a fabulous response here in BLTM and I have been
associated with Fairfest Media since 1999. We had great
experience meeting the buyers who were from different
industries including wedding planners. BLTM was a focused
show and we were very glad to be there. Next year we will be
participating for sure.
MANISH KUMAR
General Manager- Sales & Marketing
Manu Maharani Hotels Ltd
This was the first fair I attended in terms of back to back
meetings which were quite fruitful. The start for BLTM was really
amazing and buyers there were quite satisfactory. We did more
than 42 meetings and out of this 85% were really fruitful meetings.
BLTM was an amazing show and it will go a long way. We would
surely come back to BLTM again next year.
NOEL SAXENA
Country Head
Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Representation Office in India
The format of BLTM was really nice and useful and gave us the
opportunity to reach out to a wider audience. The entire stall set
up allowed every seller to showcase their products to the buyers
there. The format was beautifully organised and there were really
good quality buyers. I met a lot of people who showed definitive
interest in Fiji and I am sure that this will gain some good results
for us. I really look forward to participate in the next BLTM as well.
As the first edition of BLTM, it was a fantastic show. I actually
crossed the amount of meetings that I had planned initially.
The quality of the buyers was fabulous. BLTM had a very good
mix of buyers for those who are looking at films, there were
corporate also and agents doing leisure and MICE. The amount
of information shared both ways was really valuable. With this
success, I definitely plan to come back next year.
ALPA JANI
Manager- Trade Relations
South African Tourism
As a first show, I am fairly satisfied with the event. The organisers
have pulled together a good collection of buyers as well as sellers.
We completed 90% of our scheduled meetings and we also had a
lot of walk-ins at our stall. Our overall appointments were double
than what we had foreseen in our online meeting schedule. We
would definitely like to see BLTM happening in other cities so that
we can participate there also.
SANDEEP DUTTA
Marketing Manager - India
Korea Tourism Organisation
VAIJAYANTHI KARI
India Representative
Tourism Fiji
COVER STORY •
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
5
BLTM is itself an innovation and this will be a big platform in
near future. BLTM got a very good response in its first edition and I
am quite hopeful that this will be a big platform for MICE and golf
industry in near future. We received some serious visitors coming
to our stall and with this success I wish BLTM all the luck for the
coming years also.
FAROOQ A SHAH, IAS
Secretary Tourism
Government of Jammu & Kashmir
On behalf of all the associations I am associated with, I would
like to congratulate Fairfest Media for organising the BLTM show.
It was a very good initiative and the choice of venue was also very
good as it was near all the corporate houses. I am sure in the years
to come it would become very successful and will be an important
event in the tourism fairs and exhibitions of northern India.
BLTM was a great show and the quality of work shows that it
was managed by the professionally qualified people. The quality
of the buyers was also fantastic and we did some fruitful meetings
with them. We are looking forward to making new partnerships
with the clients that we have met here. I am looking forward to
participate in BLTM next year also and some more partnership
with Fairfest Media in near future.
TEJPREET SINGH
Manager– Passenger Sales & Marketing (India)
Korean Air
BLTM was a fantastic initiative. It is extremely important that
we have a B2B show because when people come and invest for
two-three days, they really look at some tangible benefits to carry
and then convert them into business. In two days, we met more
than 20-25 top decision makers. I will be very happy if they can
keep on doing this every year and look at getting more and more
of qualified buyers.
TRIDIB GHOSH
Vice President Sales and Marketing
Pride Hotels & Resorts
In BLTM, the quality of meetings that we had done was very
fruitful and we were able to do 35 meetings a day. The best part
of BLTM was the balance between the corporate and the travel
fraternity. Everything was done in a very planned and efficient
manner. I think it made absolute sense for a company like us to
be here and we will keep on participating in BLTM for sure.
BLTM was a fantastic show while getting the business and the
luxury set of customers at the same platform. The buyers were
rightly chosen by the BLTM team and I had a great feedback from
my team. The BLTM app was a very good initiative and it really
helped us in terms of getting the right set of buyers, fixing up the
appointments. Next year surely we are coming back.
BARUN GUPTA
Account Director- Starwood Sales Organisation
Marriott International
NAVEEN SHARMA
Director- National Sales
Clarks Group of Hotels
SUBHASH GOYAL
Chairman
STIC Travel Group
BLTM was a great show with exceptional quality of planning,
meetings calendar and the BLTM app was also very useful. I think
this show was very developed and I have not seen anything similar
in any other events in India. It made it very easy for the sellers to
connect with the buyers. I hope BLTM grows from strength to
strength and we would continue to participate.
ADITYA LOOMBA
Director
Eco Rent A Car
BLTM was a very good initiative and probably the first of its type.
We met very good travel agents and corporate. The forum was
much focused and we were very happy with the feedback and the
positive response. The online meeting diary was also very useful.
The buyers I received were very good quality and relevant people
who are the decision makers of the company. We look forward to
participate in the coming BLTM also.
SUNEEL RAWAT
BLTM was a very good platform to showcase our product for
the first time to the buyers directly. The quality of the buyers was
excellent. Direct decision makers were there with whom we were
closing the deal directly. We met with more than 20 corporate
and event planners and out of that we already materialised few
leads. BLTM was a very good event and it should continue for long
term basis.
PRAMOD KULKARNI
We got a very encouraging response in BLTM and we were very
happy to be there. The way it was organised, the layout of the show,
everything was very suitable for sensible business discussions. We
did very fruitful meetings with the handpicked buyers who were
from the leisure and luxury segment. We will be participating next
time again.
MANAS SINHA
Director- India Sales Associates
GSA-Banyan Tree & Angsana Hotels
Corporate Vice President
The Ambassador Group of Hotels
I was pleasantly surprised with the structure of the show
and had some very good meetings with the highquality
buyers here in BLTM. We had some interesting discussions
and the opportunity to meet directly the corporate has also
helped us a lot. We really look forward to participate in BLTM
next year also.
SHANNON CREADO
Regional Director of Sales- India
Minor Hotels
General Manager- Sales & Marketing
White Meadows by Mahindra Holidays
BLTM brought something very different to the industry and the
fraternity because it was a mix of business and luxury travel which
covered the segment that I was looking for. BLTM provided me
with everything under one roof. I got to meet the buyers who are
the decision makers. The sessions were also very interesting. It
was a positive experience so I really look forward to the coming
editions of BLTM.
BETTY REMEDIOS
Director of Sales & Marketing
Grand Hyatt Goa
The experience at BLTM was fantastic and we got more than satisfactory response. Our appointments were very good and we were jam-packed
with meetings. All the appointments we got were potential clients and I had never seen something like this where the buyers have been so well filtered.
For next year we have already given our confirmation and we are open to partnering with BLTM on a long term basis.
NILAY SARAN
Group Director of Sales and Marketing
The Chancery Hotels
6
• COVER STORY
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
Panel Discussion 1: How to make an Incentive Program a Luxury Incentive Program
Panellists: Tonia Sehan, Account Director, Outbound Marketing; Sharad Mathur, Director, EMG Events
Moderator: Nitin Sachdeva, Executive Director, Venture Marketing
Luxury is not merely about the product delivered. It is about an experience that keeps redefining itself to suit the mindset of the client. Red level service; personalised, tailor
made products; and communication to understand the nuances in the corporate client’s needs were key to delivering luxury incentive program. The panellists also harped on
abstinence from role-playing by maintaining a healthy chain between the hotelier, travel planner and the client to ensure quality service delivery.
BLTM is an excellent initiative, especially for MICE, incentive
groups and from the corporate perspective. I think we have not
had this kind of an event before. For suppliers like us from the hotel
and travel industry, this was an important platform to network and
to understand as to how we could take this forward.
TONIA SEHAN
Account Director
Outbound Marketing
BLTM is a brilliant concept where buyers got a great
opportunity to meet sellers from different destinations, hotels
or tourism boards. I would like to thank BLTM for inviting me as
one of the panellists. Such interactions, new innovative ideas and
feedbacks will definitely help the industry to evolve. I hope BLTM
turns out to be a 360 degree provider for the buyers in future.
SHARAD MATHUR
Director
EMG Hospitality Pvt Ltd
BLTM was focused on the segment it intended to and being
the first edition was good, however a change in the venue
would really name a difference to the attendance. We will surely
consider participating based on the next dates and venue along
with the buyer database, so that we can take the approvals from
our principals accordingly.
NITIN SACHDEVA
Executive Director
Venture Marketing
Panel Discussion 2: MICE @ Emerging Markets
Panellists: Farooq Ahmad Shah (IAS), Secretary Tourism, Government of J&K; Gopinath Nair, Founder & CEO, Tourism DNA; Gajesh
Girdhar, National Coordinator, Network of Indian MICE Agents; Manika Jain, Regional Vice President, Hyatt Sales Force; Arun Varma, CEO,
Allways Travels
Moderator: Shagun Dhawan, Head- Sales & Marketing, Krisia Holidays
Speaking on the emerging markets for MICE, the panellists voiced a clear consensus about the importance of looking at not only newer destinations but also offering
unique experience through them. Conventional destinations on the other hand can
be reinvented and re-presented to the millennial. What is crucial is the demand of
the end-user that the providers should effectively cater to.
BLTM is a very good initiative. MICE is an industry that really
needs to be nurtured and in terms of activities that coordinate
MICE movements and education for upgrading skills in MICE. BLTM
turned out to be a very good platform.
GOPINATH NAIR
Founder & CEO
Tourism DNA
The MICE industry in India is growing at a very fast pace. I
expect this industry to be the fastest growing industry in the
travel segment. The MICE session at BLTM was a very wellthoughout session. I would like to congratulate the organisers and I think
BLTM is heading the right way.
ARUN VARMA
CEO
Allways Travels
BLTM is a very important endeavour being undertaken by
Fairfest Media, the organisers of the show. This kind of a show
concentrating on MICE was required in the market. The panel discussion was also very insightful where we focused on the emerging markets for MICE.
GAJESH GIRDHAR
National Coordinator, NIMA
BLTM was a brilliant opportunity and we are happy that it was
on home ground. We saw some great relevant conversations
as well as good participation from the industry. We met some good
corporate buyers at BLTM. This is definitely a show to watch out for
the future.
MANIKA JAIN
Regional Vice President
Hyatt Sales Force
The panel discussion on MICE at BLTM was really interesting. The
speakers had good inputs to share and the audience was equally
engaging. BLTM turned out as a very well managed show and we really
wish it success for the coming years.
SHAGUN DHAWAN
Head- Sales & Marketing
Krisia Holidays
Panel Discussion 3: Destination Weddings
Panellists: Carl Vaz, Director- India, Dubai Tourism; Parvin Dabas, Managing Director, Monsoon Weddings; Suman Julka, Director- Sales &
Marketing, Hyatt Regency Gurgaon; Gayatri Sekhri, Creative– Head, Pomegranate Events
Moderator: Ginny Kohli, Founder & CEO, WedWise
BLTM has nailed how business travel, MICE and weddings come
Three consecutive sessions dedicated to this ever growing, recession-proof industry put forward insights of experts on destination weddings. Through an engaging
discussion, the speakers threw light on the key factors that should be taken into
account for destination weddings. This was followed by a session on the emerging destinations and opportunities that reflected on the do’s and dont’s for venues
to avoid going out of fashion. Panelists also spoke about the evolving role of the
wedding planner in adding value in the planning process of a wedding.
It didn’t seem like BLTM was being organised for the first time. The event
was really well organised, well laid out and well thought of. I hope you
keep having this year after year and the show will keep doing a great job.
PARVIN DABAS
Managing Director
Monsoon Weddings
together. An event like BLTM really makes a lot of sense in the
market because a hotelier would want to position himself in MICE as
well as in events. BLTM has come out at the right time as the wedding
season is kicking in. The panel discussions were also very insightful
and we were able to garner insights of how venues and destinations
play a vital role in promotional activities.
GINNY KOHLI
Founder & CEO
WedWise
I really enjoyed the session at BLTM where I got to network with
people from the same industry. It was very educational for me. BLTM
was a great event because it brought a lot of the industry players together.
GAYATRI SEKHRI
Creative – Head
Pomegranate Events
COVER STORY •
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
7
Panel Discussion 4: Emerging Destinations and Opportunities in Weddings
Panellists: Karan Kachru, Sr. Account Manager-Sales, Marriott International; Tridib Ghosh, VP- Sales & Marketing, Pride Group of Hotels;
Kunal Laungani, Director, Chapter II Events; Varun Mehrotra, Director of Sales and Marketing, Fairmont Jaipur
Moderator: Ginny Kohli, Founder & CEO, WedWise
BLTM really impressed me with its turnout of corporate buyers.
Having 1:1 buyer-seller ratio was a fantastic opportunity because
one got to meet so many more people. We had good discussions
and understood and engaged with the market better. Now that we
are one the biggest companies in hospitality, we need to reach out to
everybody and this was a really good platform for us to reach out to
people. We hope to see a bigger event next time as well.
KARAN KACHRU
Senior Account Manager-Sales
Marriott International
BLTM was a unique show. It was a good platform for people
to meet, connect and network and at the same time create a
win-win situation where we can actually do business. There was an
interesting line up of exhibitors at the show. BLTM seems promising.
KUNAL LAUNGANI
Director
Chapter II Events
Panel Discussion 5: How Wedding Planners can make a difference to a Destination
Panellists: Amrish Pershad, Director, AP Designs; Gunjan Bansal, CEO, L’amore Weddings, Nimit Mehta, Founder/Director, R2S events; Shweta
Acharya, Founder & CEO, Baraati Inc; Aditya Loomba, Director, Eco Rent A Car
Moderator: Ginny Kohli, Founder & CEO, WedWise
BLTM was a fantastic platform for all the wedding planners and for
the entire industry to come together and make better plans and
serve the market better. The panel discussion was also very insightful.
Congratulations to BLTM!
AMRISH PERSHAD
Director
AP Designs
BLTM is a great platform where hotels, tourism boards and wedding
planners are coming together. This is a big step for all of us to start
streamlining the whole wedding business and get to meet each other
because once you know each other; there is a repertoire which definitely
helps to deliver a better product.
SHWETA ACHARYA
Founder & CEO
Baraati Inc
I was quite impressed with BLTM for its setup and the brands that
were present here. The good thing is of course that it was spiced
up by some knowledge sessions which even made it better because
knowledge imparting and trade happening simultaneously is interesting.
NIMIT MEHTA
Founder/Director
R2S Events
To organise the wedding industry, we need such kind of shows
where a lot of people come together, interact and share their
insights. At BLTM, I met a lot of hoteliers, people from the wedding
industry and was also part of a very interactive panel session.
Overall, it was a very good initiative.
GUNJAN BANSAL
Panel Discussion 6: Destination
Promotion through film shoots
Panellist: Kulmeet Makkar, CEO, Film & Television Producers Guild
of India
Moderator: Abhijeet Patil, Chairman, Raja Rani Travels
It makes so much of sense for film shoots to interact with the
different stakeholders which were part of BLTM. It was not
only about the tourism board but also about service providers.
There was tremendous showcasing by different partners at BLTM.
I met many people at the show and we will see how films can
collaborate with the hotels, travel agencies, which is an obvious
synergy between the two.
KULMEET MAKKAR
CEO
The Film and Television Producers Guild of India Ltd
BLTM has actually brought it down to a niche
vertical for three segments, namely Business, Luxury
and MICE, which enabled us to have a more detailed
interaction with the industry players. This initiative
is really commendable. Our unconditional support is
always there with the organisers of the show.
ABHIJEET PATIL
Chairman
Raja Rani Travels
CEO
L’amore Weddings
8
• COVER STORY
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
Around 150 Hosted Buyers from all over India attended BLTM
BLTM has been beneficial for us especially for our employees
who travel a lot as the quality of hotel chains represented was
very good. The event covered everything from big hotel chains to
MICE segment to inbound operators, so it met all our requirements.
We got a fair idea about the market from this event and would
definitely recommend it to others.
AJAY KUMAR SHARMA
Head – Travel Management
Adani Group
We have attended a lot of trade fairs but BLTM was unique
since it was specifically designed for luxury travel. The crowd
here consisted of serious buyers and sellers which would definitely be
helpful for our business. Overall the event has been very fruitful for us.
BLTM was a great platform to meet a lot of travel agents,
hoteliers, film commissions and representatives of various
countries. So it was a very good experience as we got to meet
everybody under one roof and interact with them. The organising
team did a great job and I would definitely recommend it others.
PADAM BHUSHAN
Executive Producer
Yash Raj Films
This was my first visit to such kind of an event. BLTM was a very
well organised show. It was very well represented by all sectors
of service providers and for us as film producers, it was a great
opportunity to connect with them one on one basis and establish a
relationship which we hope to leverage in the future. We were very
happy to be a part of such a show like BLTM.
PARTH DHOLAKIA
Dharma Productions Pvt Ltd
BLTM has been very beneficial as it has provided the perfect
platform for us to interact with sellers face to face. It was
one of the finest travel marts that I attended and would definitely
recommend it to others since it was a genuine luxury travel mart.
BLTM has surpassed my expectations.
RAJEEV RAWAT
Director
Prime Link Travels
BLTM was a great event where I got a chance to meet people
from the industry. The Fairfest Media team did an excellent job
of organising this and I hope BLTM grows to be a bigger show next
year with more buyers and sellers.
PREM UPADHYAY
Director Sales & Marketing Delhi – NCR
Ananta Hotels and Resorts
BLTM was a great platform to do business with all the good
quality sellers. This show will definitely help to improve the
business of the travel agents and the associations. The meetings were
very fruitful as there was a good mix of national and international
sellers. As a first show, BLTM was an amazing platform and I will surely
recommend this to others as well.
GITESH KANJOLIA
Director
Club Vacation
The atmosphere and the environment of BLTM was very
positive and the sellers were very supportive in providing
all the necessary information. The show was able to meet all my
requirements. I am very thankful to Fairfest Media for its continuous
support and look forward to more of BLTM in the future.
AJINKYA DHUMMA
CEO
Nilex Holidays
BLTM has done a good job setting itself apart from other
similar shows. The footfall had been really good and the
sellers surpassed my expectations. It was nice to see senior officials
attending the event, as we got to interact face to face. I am confident
that the connection that I have made in BLTM would definitely be
beneficial for our company.
BURJIS MEHTA
CEO
Skyworld Tours and Travels Pvt Ltd
BLTM was the first of a kind show, where I saw such a prominent
focus on MICE and the quality of sellers that I have met has
been really good. The interactions were really positive and with few
we were able to finalise a couple of major deals. BLTM was a good
initiative and I believe with time the show will grow to be even better.
VIVEK NAIDU
Managing Director
Youdian Business Solutions Pvt Ltd
BLTM has been really beneficial for me and has met my
expectation above and beyond. The interactions with the
sellers were very positive and the meetings have been really useful.
Overall, the quality of BLTM was far better than any other show that
I have attended and would definitely visit again next year.
ARCHANA GANDHI
Manager – Travel Desk
Pioneer Investcorp
BLTM was pretty beneficial for us as we got to discuss some
serious business during the event. I think what you were trying
with the new format was very professional and overall I thought BLTM
provided a great platform for the one on one interaction. I would
definitely recommend BLTM to anyone looking to talk business.
ROHAN GANDHI
Sr. Strategist – Client Relations
Starclinch
I would like to thank BLTM for inviting me as a hosted buyer.
We do a lot of conferences and events so this was a very nice
opportunity for us to interact with all the different businesses,
hoteliers and tourism departments. Our interactions with the sellers
have been really positive and hopefully we can convert them into
business deals.
DR TUSHAR PATEL
M.D. (Chest) F.C.C.P., M.C.A.I
Ashrai Associates
As a first edition of BLTM, the show has been very promising
and we have been able to meet a lot of interesting partners
with whom we have been able to set up great meetings out here.
These meetings will be very much beneficial for us. The quality of the
sellers was great and it did meet all my expectations. BLTM is great
opportunity to take benefit from and overall was a fantastic show.
EKTA KAPOOR
National Marketing Manager
Lonely Planet India Pvt Ltd
There were a lot of tourism boards in BLTM, along with a
number of luxury hotels. So it was the perfect platform for me to
conduct the one on one meeting. I did around 35 meetings in one day.
Overall I think BLTM has been very fruitful for us and would definitely
recommend to anyone looking for serious B2B integrations.
VINEET SARNA
CEO
STHI Holidays India Pvt Ltd
The platform we are getting in BLTM is really nice where we get
to know so many high quality sellers. It is a common platform
where the buyers can meet the sellers and do fruitful meetings. The
meeting diary and the onsite meetings was also a great experience
for me. Overall the response was very good and I am happy to be here.
ANKIT SHETH
Senior Manager- HR & Administration
APAR Industries Ltd
As I came to BLTM I learned a lot and got a very good response.
This was one of the best experiences as I got the opportunity
to interact one to one with the sellers. I will earn a lot from this learning
and I am very happy to be here.
SUNIL AGRAWAL
Consultant
Yashoda Tours & Travels
I would like to thank BLTM for inviting me as a hosted buyer.
The event was very useful for us as we got to directly meet the
corporate buyers, hoteliers and other suppliers, ll under one roof. The
meetings were very ruitful and hopefully would be beneficial for us
in the long run. I wish all the best to BLTM and its organising team.
BHAVESH P SHAH
Vice President – Public Relations Corporate
Sterling Hospitals
BLTM has been a real eye opener for me. I would have missed
out on a good show if I had not attended. The quality of sellers
was really good and I was able to achieve what I set out for. It was a
first of kind show in India, so I appreciate the efforts of the organisers
for putting on such a great show.
KIRAN D KUMAR
Head – Workplace Service
Lifestyle
BLTM was a good experience for me and was quite different from
other trade fairs because we got plenty of time to discuss the
different products in a much more focused manner. The sellers met my
expectation and the meetings were very productive. Overall BLTM was
a good platform and I would surely like to visit again.
KAUSHIK VYAS
Director
Vyas Holidays
NAEEM KHAN
Director
Mulberry Tours Pvt Ltd
10 • COVER STORY
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
BLTM was a really good event for the inbound tourism market
and I got to meet a number of hoteliers and travel agents. There
were a lot of domestic buyers which was really good. The organisers
did a commendable job to bring the show in fruition and I was really
impressed with the format, which I had not seen in any other similar
shows before.
JAYESH ASHAR
Managing Director
Pearl Travels
BLTM brought together a lot of destinations and service
providers under one umbrella. I met a lot of hoteliers and was
quite impressed with the quality of the sellers. We are already in talks
for closing some important deals. I would definitely recommend
BLTM to other people.
ATUL PISAL
Managing Director
Assets Infotech
I had a wonderful experience at BLTM. This was my first visit to
such kind of a show. The meetings over the two days proved to
be very beneficial to me.
ABHIJIT HUNGUND
Shreeram Travels
BLTM was quite beneficial. I could meet a lot of suppliers at the
show. This was just the beginning for BLTM and I know it will
only grow with time. We had very fruitful meetings at the event. BLTM
can look at being conducted in major metro cities, especially Mumbai
BLTM proved to be a good platform for networking. We
could gather a lot of information about the market. We also
got introduced to some unique products. The sellers were very
accommodating and open to collating information for us.
JASWINDER PABBLA
Production Department
Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
I had a nice experience at BLTM. I had very interesting meetings
with the sellers at the event. The sellers were quite cordial and
friendly and offered unique packages. I wish good luck to BLTM.
GUYOT JEAN PIERRE
Circuit Privé En Inde, France
My visit to BLTM paid off as I met a lot of new vendors and DMCs
which will in turn help us in our growth. I received very valuable
information from the sellers, especially in terms of revenue. I am sure
BLTM will grow and be more beneficial for buyers like us. BLTM could
be hosted in the four major metropolitans.
ASGAR ALI
Chairman
Universal Express Travel and Tours Pvt Ltd
BLTM was a pretty good experience and the participation
is encouraging. The sellers did meet our expectations, the
meetings were quite effective. The format of the on-site appointment
request session was the right thing to do. Besides, the arrangement
and hospitality was impressive. BLTM was a good platform and I
would definitely recommend it to others.
DEBASISH MAITRA
Director
Dream Vacation
BLTM is a very good initiative by Fairfest Media. I met a lot
of corporate, wedding planners and some prominent travel
agents at BLTM. I also had some very meaningful interactions. The
quality of the sellers met my expectations to a large extent. Some of
them do have the potential to promote my destination.
DENCY MATHEW
Manager- Corporate Communications
Oman Tourism
BLTM was an excellent opportunity and I am happy that I
participated in the show. Over the two days, we had good,
productive meetings with the sellers, without any interference or
deviation. People at the show were quite serious and were looking
forward to proper business.
SUDHIR PATIL
Founder and Director
Veena World
BLTM had been great for me as I got to meet a number of sellers
from this event. It has provided me the exposure that I wouldn’t
have got anywhere else and the interaction that I had with travel
agents, hoteliers and the tourism departments was invaluable.
I extend my best wishes to the BLTM team and look forward to
attending the show next year.
USHA KUMTHEKAR
Admin Manager – Pan India
D-Link India Ltd
This was my first time attending a show like BLTM, which I found
was very focused in providing the different types of products.
The quality of the sellers was very good and was quiet comfortable
for us to find the products that we were looking for. I definitely
recommend BLTM to others especially for those who are looking for
the MICE market and the leisure market.
GOH HOCK GIN
Managing Director
Bel Travel and Tours
I want to thank the organising team of BLTM for inviting me
to this event. During these two days I was able to conduct
numerous meetings which were beneficial to me. The sellers that
I met were excellent and were very cooperative in providing me
with opportunities based on my requirements. I would definitely
recommend BLTM to other as it’s a great platform for serious B2B
interactions.
SAKET KUMAR
Deputy GM – Mktg. Services
Alkem
The organising team has done a great job with BLTM. The
sellers that I interacted with were fantastic and I got to meet the
domestic hotels, international airlines and the tourism department
all in one place. I was very impressed with the way BLTM conducted
its sessions and would definitely recommend it to others.
P S MANI
Manager – Administration
Gammon Infrastructure Projects Ltd
BLTM was beneficial for us because we got a chance to meet a
number of sellers from different brands. I think the show was a
great platform for MICE and leisure businesses. It was something
unique which I have not found in any other events or travel shows,
so I am looking forward to this event again in the future.
VIKRANT WADHERA
Director, Global Accounts
Globalcynergies
BLTM was a very good event and we got to meet a lot of luxury
hotel chains and good car rental companies, which we have
not been able to meet in past events, so we are very satisfied. The
meeting were very fruitful as we got to spent more time with the
sellers thus it was very productive for us. It’s been a good show and
we expect more sellers in BLTM next year.
SAPNEAL RAO
CEO
SSR Holidays
BLTM was a very good networking platform where we got
DMCs, luxury hotels and tourism developments. The quality
of sellers we meet were very good and the format of the show
allowed us plenty of time to interact with them. Overall it was very
productive event for us and would definitely recommend the show
to my colleagues.
SANJEEV SHARMA
Director
Tour Organiser
BLTM was a very interesting show, which was very helpful for
us because we got to meet a lot of properties that we were not
familiar with before. The quality of exhibitors was very good and
they were very helpful in providing all the necessary information.
Overall I think the organisers did great job of conducting the show
in a professional manner.
SANDHYA LOKHANDE
Travel Management
Volkswagen
The organisers did a good job with the first edition of BLTM and I
got to meet a number of the hoteliers and DMCs during this two
day event. It was a good platform where I also got chance to interact
with the peers from the MICE industry. Overall BLTM was a great event
and I would recommend it all corporate buyers.
RICHARD CHACKO
Sr. Manager
Essar
BLTM was good event for me as I got a chance to interact with
domestic hotels and travels agents. The quality of sellers was
really good and I was quite impressed. Overall this was a well organised
event where I was able to do a lot for networking. I thank the organisers
for such a smooth show and look forward to the next edition of BLTM.
PETER FERNANDES
Deputy GM – Operation & Travels
Radio City 91.1 FM
CHAITANYA THAKKKER
Assistant VP- Travel Management
Reliance
INDIA
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
India participates as Premier Partner
in World Travel Market London 2016
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India participated as the Official Premier Partner at WTM London 2016. At this year’s World Travel Market, Dr
Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent
charge) for Tourism and for Culture inaugurated the
World Travel Market along with Simon Press, Executive Director, WTM London and Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism.
The inaugural of World Travel Market London
was followed by the inauguration of the Incredible
India Pavilion, which represented the theme of IndiaThe Land of Eternal Heritage. At the inaugural of the
pavilion, classical dance performances followed by
yoga demonstrations. The Minister also launched a
website for a new Incredible India Global Tourism
Mart in New Delhi next February.
Sharma highlighted the sheer variety of experiences, including UNESCO heritage sites, luxury
travel, ecotourism, medical tourism, religious travel,
undiscovered regions such as north-east India and
wildlife. He added that in the last 18 months, India’s
government has invested more than $400 million
in developing tourism infrastructure around the
country. He said the government was expanding its
e-Visa scheme to make it easier for overseas visitors
to travel to India and is tackling issues of safety and
cleanliness.
Zutshi delivered presentation briefing the media
about various strategies being obtained by Ministry
of Tourism, Government of India to promote tourism in source markets and with particular reference
to the European market. He also briefed the gathering on Governments focus areas such as infrastructure development, promotion of niche areas, such
as medical, golf, cruise, MICE etc. While informing
about the ease of travel to India, he emphasised the
importance of the e-Visa and its positive results on
increased number of tourist arrivals. He added that
tourists can now receive information and help 24x7
by dialling a toll-free number while in India.
Costa Cruises celebrates upcoming
Mumbai sailings
Costa Cruises together with the Consulate General of
Italy in Mumbai welcomed guests onboard the Costa
Luminosa for a celebration of Italian hospitality and
entertainment. The Costa Luminosa, which is sailing
around the world in 98 days, docked at the Mumbai port
as part of its itinerary.
The event saw the launch of Festa Italiana 2016 in
Mumbai and celebrated the upcoming homeporting of
the Costa neoClassica in Mumbai from December 2016.
For the first time, Indians can embark on a cruise
liner from Mumbai and travel to destinations within
India such as Goa and Cochin and also to Maldives
and Colombo. Costa neoClassica would perform a
series of weekly sailings from December 16, 2016 to
March 18, 2017.
Speaking about the launch, Buhdy Bok, President of
Costa Group Asia, said, “We are delighted to bring cruising to Indians at their doorstep. For many travellers,
the holiday often starts after some sort of a long journey. Now like never before, Indians will have the opportunity to start holidaying — right from their door-step,
from India’s largest metropolis, Mumbai.”
Commenting on the home porting of Costa neoClassica in Mumbai Port, Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman
of Mumbai Port, said, “It is a proud moment for us to
have Costa neoClassica to be homeported at India’s premier Mumbai Port. The Mumbai Port has long been the
principal gateway to India, playing a crucial role in sea
trade and the development of the national economy,
trade & commerce and the prosperity of Mumbai city
in particular.”
Costa neoClassica would be the very first large cruise
ship that cruises between Mumbai and the Maldives.
This classic cruise ship would have a total of 654 cabins
(with a capacity for 1700 passengers), including sea view
cabins and suites with private balconies. Fully-equipped
with a Casino, Theatre, Disco, Ballroom, Grand Bar, it
aims to provide plenty in entertainment.
Nalini Gupta, Managing Director, Lotus Destinations (GSA of Costa Cruises India) feels that the modern
Indian traveller is now seeking a different kind of thrill
and cruise holidays are now featuring on the Indian traveller’s ‘must-experience’ list. She further adds, “The fact
that Indians can now embark directly from Mumbai, not
only makes the process hassle-free and visa-free, but
also saves the traveller costs and time.”
12
Ministry of Tourism appoints PM
Modi as the mascot for its
Incredible India campaign
Ministry of Tourism, doing away with the longstanding trend, has decided to appoint Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the mascot for its ‘Incredible
India’ campaign.
The move was previously endorsed by Tourism
Minster Mahesh Sharma who had called PM Modi
the ‘best face’ to promote Incredible India campaign.
Adding that ministry was not in need of a celebrity to promote India, Sharma had said “The perception about India has changed significantly in the last
two years, with Prime Minister Modi visiting a host
of countries during the period. So, who else could
be the better face for Indian tourism than our Prime
Minister.”
The ministry has plans to release a video of the
PM speaking on tourism, in India and abroad, in the
past two and a half years. The campaign is set to also
include elements of radio, audio releases and videos
where he has spoken on the nation’s uniqueness and
diversity. The campaign is expected to be released in
the coming days, with the modalities currently being
looked into.
Interestingly, footfalls into India from countries
visited by the Prime Minister have actually seen
upward growth. Inflows from countries like the U.S.,
Germany, Fiji, Brazil, UK, Myanmar and Australia
among others, has seen a significant jump following
PM Modi’s visit to these nations.
Given the PM’s standing and India’s positive
image, this move is expected to boost the nation’s
attempt for augmenting international tourist
numbers.
Cabinet approves exchanging
of land for widening of road at
Biju Patnaiak Airport
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, has approved the exchanging of Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) land measuring 1.6
acres with an equivalent land area of 1.6 acres offered
by the Odisha Government.
The state government has offered 1.6 acres of land
in lieu of 1.6 acres land of AAI and agreed to undertake and relocate all the existing infrastructure of
AAI on the subject land on its own cost. Further, the
land offered by the state government is contiguous
to existing airport and it will be used by AAI for the
construction of Parallel Taxi Track. The exchange
of land is not only beneficial to the state government
and AAI but also to the people.
Odisha Government wants to widen the state government road near Bhubaneswar Airport (known
as Ekamara Marg/Palashpalli Road) for streamlining the security arrangements of the VIP movements
and creating a buffer zone for public use. For this
purpose requires 1.6 acres land of AAI is required
by the state government.
14 • india
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016
Indian Railways adds mobile
charging points on trains
Gujarat signs MoU with
Stayzilla to promote
homestays in the state
Indian Railways has accelerated the roll-out of power
sockets on its trains, in order to allow passengers to
charge up their mobile devices.
According to reports, the number of charging
points per carriage would be more-than-doubled, to
cater for rising demand from passengers. So far, 7,977
sleeper coaches and 4,634 general coaches have been
equipped with 18 charging points.
“Earlier, there were only eight mobile charging
points in a coach. However, in keeping pace with
the changing times, we have decided to increase the
number of sockets to 18 as the use of mobile phone
and laptop have gone up considerably,” a senior Railway Ministry official was quoted saying.
The additional power sockets are part of a drive to
modernise Indian rail network, with Wi-Fi services
now also available at many key stations.
Stayzilla.com and Tourism Corporation of Gujarat
Limited (TCGL) has signed a MoU to jointly promote
and market homestays and alternate stays in Gujarat.
The MoU was signed and exchanged by S J Haider
(IAS), Principal Secretary (Tourism) of Gujarat
Tourism in the presence of Union Minister of State
for Tourism and Culture, Dr Mahesh Sharma and
Tourism Secretary, Vinod Zutshi, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
As per the agreement, Stayzilla and Gujarat Tourism would share the current base of homestays on
each other’s digital platforms in order to bring more
awareness on homestays in Gujarat. Stayzilla would
also assist in the verification procedures and jointly
promote the concept of homestays. All TCGL registered homestays would receive technological and
operational support to run.
Commenting on the announcement, Ankit Rastogi, Vice President, Marketplace, Stayzilla said,
“Gujarat has emerged as one of the most popular
states in the country for travel, thus playing a significant role in India’s tourism potential. This MoU, like
the others, will help in building a vibrant ecosystem
for Homestays in Gujarat.”
Andhra Pradesh Tourism woos global
travel market in the UK
The sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh beckoned
international tourists to come and experience the
hospitality of the state. Andhra Pradesh, with its
favourable tourism policy in practice and a business friendly approach, also made an appeal to the
investors for taking part in the tourism infrastructure development projects. Apart from various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, the state also assured
investors of full-fledged support and co-operation.
Dr Srikant Nagulapalli, Secretary, Culture &
Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said,
“Our endeavour is to develop Andhra Pradesh as the
most preferred destination and under the dynamic
leadership of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N
Chandrababu Naidu we are taking progressive steps
in that direction. Our vision is to create an all-round
tourist friendly environment in the state which
ensures a memorable experience for each and every
guest every time they visit Andhra Pradesh.”
Andhra Pradesh government is working on a mission approach to promote the state as India’s most
preferred tourist destination and position as a global
tourism brand by providing world class tourism
products and services while preserving the culture,
heritage, environmental balance and natural beauty
of the state.
In line with this goal, Andhra Pradesh also plans
to identify and partner groups which would operate as key partners for promoting inbound tourism in the state and act as state partners for national
and international tourism road shows, expos and
events. With this focused approach the state has in
place the APEX scheme – Andhra Pradesh EXperts
(APEX) on tourism to promote the state nationally
and internationally.
Participating in WTM London as a co-exhibitor at the India Pavilion, Andhra Pradesh hosted a
press conference and a roadshow for tour operators
& travel service providers of UK. The agenda for the
roadshow was to give a high-level overview of the
state’s culture, destinations, and incentives to promote tourism in the Sunrise State.
Cox & Kings unveils tours to lesser
known destinations in India
Cox & Kings, in an effort to catalyse tourism development across India, has added a number of new
tour packages to make travellers familiar with lesser
known destinations in India. The packages include
destinations like Bhuj, Tadoba, Pachmarhi, Assam,
Tawang and Pushkar.
The one night ‘Rann Utsav’ package takes travellers through Kutch in Gujarat. It is a land of art,
crafts, music, dance, people and nature. Rann Mahotsav is a three-day festive brimming with hospitality,
vigour and traditional flavour of the area.
‘Instant Tadoba’ is a family package gives which
gives the travellers an opportunity to visit Tadoba
Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district of
Maharashtra. It is dominated by teak and bamboo,
with a magical landscape of rugged cliffs, marshes
and lakes.
‘Instant Pachmarhi’ is a package for families who
wish to explore this beautiful hill station in Madhya
Pradesh. This place is surrounded by serene waterfalls, cave shelters, temples and forest range of Satpura Tiger Reserve offering a wide variety of things
to do for visitors of all age groups.
‘Super Saver Assam with Kaziranga’ is a group
tour that includes a visit to the capital city of Assam,
IndiGo enhances
connectivity
across India
IndiGo has decided to further enhance its customer experience with the launch of 28 new flights
on its existing domestic network. The new schedule would see maiden flights on the Guwahati-Lucknow, Lucknow-Ahmedabad, Bengaluru-Indore
and Raipur-Patna sectors. With the new flights
and frequencies along with induction of two new
Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline’s frequency would
increase to 890 daily.
Guwahati, which lies between the banks of the Brahmaputra River and the foothills of the Shillong plateau. It covers visits to heritage sites, ancient temples,
museums, historical monuments, archaeological
sites, lakes and ponds. Also included in the package
is the Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary, a World Heritage
Site, which hosts two-thirds of the world’s great onehorned rhinoceroses.
These flights, which became effective from
November 2016, would provide enhanced connectivity on the key sectors hence strengthening IndiGo’s existing network within India. With 890 daily
flights connecting 41 destinations, these new flights
would enable both corporate and leisure travellers
to experience IndiGo’s on-time performance.
Speaking about the latest network expansion,
Aditya Ghosh, President and Whole Time Director, IndiGo, said, “We are absolutely delighted to
announce 6E’s new flights connecting the metro
cities with the regional destinations. In the exciting times for Indian aviation, we are hopeful that
these flights will prove to be popular among our
customers.”
ASIA
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
Thailand organises four-city
luxury roadshow in India
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently conducted the ‘Amazing Thailand Luxury Roadshow’
in India covering Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi and
Kolkata. TAT is targeting the high end travellers from
Tier-I Indian cities who are big spenders. The delegation at the roadshow included hoteliers, Thai Airways,
Bangkok Airways and few DMCs.
The Delhi event commenced with an exclusive networking B2B session within the setup of a Thai modern
lanna style theme.
Isra Stapanaseth, Director, TAT New Delhi, mentioned that Thailand has been accredited as one of the
world’s most luxurious destination as it has an abundance of luxurious offerings and experiences. He gave
a brief presentation that included the insightful market information on luxury tourism in Thailand covering new destinations, products and trends.
“This year, for the fourth edition of roadshow in
India, we have strived to make it even more successful
by bringing the delegation of Hotels, DMCs, Airlines
and tourist attractions related to luxury tourism in
Thailand to meet the high profile travel agents in India
and to explore market possibilities of high spending
Indian travellers,” he said.
Pinki Arora, Marketing Representative, TAT New
Delhi, said, “Thailand has plenty to offer to the high
end travellers. We have range of five-star and fourstar hotels and resorts around Thailand. At present
high end travellers constitute 15-20% of the total Indian
travellers.”
Thailand welcomed 1.06 million Indian travellers in
2015. For 2016, the target is 1.1 million – a figure that the
destination looks like it is on track to achieve having hit
over 700,000 Indian arrivals by August.
Magical Moments in Singapore for cast of Dear Zindagi
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) joined hands with Red
Chillies Entertainment, Dharma Productions & Hope
Productions as part of the launch of the Alia Bhatt-Shah
Rukh Khan starrer ‘Dear Zindagi’, which was released
in India recently. At an event hosted by STB in Mumbai,
Alia shared her experience of shooting for Dear Zindagi
in Singapore.
The slice-of-life film has key opening scenes shot in
Singapore, introducing Alia Bhatt’s character as a cinematographer in the movie. The Singapore Tourism
Board, Changi Airport Group and Singapore Airlines
supported the location shoots at One Fullerton Promenade, Changi Airport and onboard a Singapore Airlines aircraft.
G B Srithar, Regional Director for South Asia, Middle East & Africa, STB, said, “Singapore has long been a
popular location for Bollywood movies, showcasing the
city as an exciting and friendly destination to the Indian
audiences. We are happy that the introduction of a lively
Kaira, Alia’s character in the movie, takes place against
Singapore’s dynamic cityscape. As a city known for yearround, action-packed excitement with top-rated attractions, vibrant retail scene, award-winning cuisine and a
16
Taiwan Tourism carries out
aggressive marketing with B2B
workshop and BLTM participation
Taiwan Tourism had recently organised an educational workshop for the travel fraternity and the
media at Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi.
The workshop was aimed at educating the travel
agents and updating their knowledge about Taiwan,
the products it has to offer, USP’s of the destination
and the how it caters to different segments of the
Indian travellers.
The event began with a B2B session between
the Indian travel agents and the stakeholders from
the Taiwanese Travel industry, which included its
National carrier China Airlines, Princess Cruise,
destination management companies Good Time
Vacations and hotels like Grand Hyatt Taipei.
The B2B session was followed by a presentation on Taiwan by Noel Saxena, Country Head, Taiwan Tourism. The presentation contained detailed
information about Taiwan, which educated the travel
agents about everything one would need to know for
visiting Taiwan.
The event was attended by a delegation from Taiwan that included Arthur Hsieh, Director, Taiwan
Tourism, Singapore Office and Richard Y.S. Chiu,
Deputy Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, India.
plethora of entertainment options, Singapore certainly
offers ‘Zindagi’s many magical moments’ for our guests.”
After almost a decade, a major Bollywood movie has
scenes shot in Singapore. In the past, Singapore had been
featured in movies like Krrish (2006) and De Dana Dhan
(2009). The movies have helped entrench Singapore as
a must-visit and repeat destination among the Indian
travellers.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Representative of
Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, India, Richard
Y.S. Chiu said, “Our new outbound policy gives priority to India over other countries. We are a welcoming and a friendly country, especially with Indians.”
As a part of ongoing B2B marketing campaign
Taiwan Tourism also exhibited at the Business and
Luxury Travel Mart (BLTM), in Gurgaon. BLTM
was a platform for Taiwan Tourism meet corporate
MNC buyers from around Delhi and National Capital Region like Godrej, Reliance, SBI, HDFC, Adani
Wilmar etc, which was a great opportunity for future
business prospects.
Tourism Malaysia promotes Johor Bahru to Indian travel trade
Tourism Malaysia and Tiger Air recently conducted a
familiarisation trip for a group of 10 travel agents from
Uttar Pradesh, which was part of their ongoing efforts
to promote the country as a destination of choice and
services of the airlines amongst the discerning Indian
travellers. Tiger Air, with a fleet of Airbus A320, flies to
40 destinations across Asia including 31 weekly flights
from India.
The five-day itinerary focused on familiarising the
group with Malaysia’s most Southern state Johor and
included some of the iconic attractions of the place. The
capital city, Johor Bahru, boasts of some of the most
premium shopping experiences in the South East
Asian region with its Johor Premium Outlets. The outlet stores, with its collection of 130 designer and name
brands, offer savings of 25% to 65% every day. The centre
is highly accessible to all traffic going to and from Johor
and Singapore, which is about an hour drive from the
city. About three hours from Kuala Lumpur and only a
short distance from Senai International Airport, Johor.
“Johor is a perfect family destination for our Indian
guests. From adventure parks, theme based hotels to
shopping and natural scenic beauty, Johor has something to cater to the likes of every member of the family.
We understand that the travel trade plays a big role in
influencing holiday destinations and hope that they will
now add Johor to their list of must-visit destinations,”
said Sulaiman Suip, Director, Tourism Malaysia.
India is a significant contributor to the Malaysian
tourism economy and was amongst the top 10 arrivals in 2015. This year, Malaysia hopes to welcome over
10,00,000 Indian visitors to the country.
Mega Maldives Airlines to offer direct non-stop flights from Delhi to Male
Mega Maldives Airlines is all set to open a new chapter
in Indian aviation with the launch of non-stop flights
between India and Maldives that began its operation
from November 15, 2016, which would connect passengers from New Delhi and Male’ three times a week.
“We are thrilled with the positive response both
in India and in Maldives to our new services to India.
The resort and hospitality community of Maldives is
clearly throwing open their doors to an excited and
dynamic Indian market,” said George Weinmann,
Founder and Chief Executive Office, Mega Maldives
Airline. “The Maldives is consistently ranked among
the world’s best tourist destinations. It is also increasingly popular with Indian tourists with over 52,000
guests arriving in 2015, and growing at almost 20% per
year in recent years.”
At a journey time of just 3Hrs 40Min (outbound) and
4Hrs and 20Min (Inbound), this would the fastest and
only non-stop connection between the two capital cities, cutting the journey times on other existing flight
options by between two to eight hours.
Mega Maldives would provide the ‘Queen of Skies’
- Boeing 737-800 for this route and it would be configured with 12 business class and 156 economy class seats.
middle east
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
Sharjah Tourism conducts four-city
promotional roadshow in India
The Sharjah Tourism board recently conducted a
tourism promotional roadshow across four Indian
cities- New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chandigarh. The aim of the shows was to increase visibility
of the emirate of Sharjah as a leisure & business destination amongst Indian travellers, policy makers and
business sector.
H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah
Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, Government of Sharjah, said, “India is a very lucrative
market and we are aware of the potential it holds in
terms of inbound visitor traffic into Sharjah. We are
happy to be tapping this important market through
our four-city roadshow. We received an overwhelming response from travel agents and stakeholders
and we look forward to doing more activities in near
future.”
Working with the Sharjah Tourism Board on this
four city promotional trip was Khalid Waleed Al
Mansoori from Overseas Promotions Department
and Sachin Nene, Regional General Manager from
Air Arabia. The delegation also spoke about cultural
legacy between both the countries and the need to
promote Sharjah as a new holiday destination.
Abu Dhabi launches a new global destination campaign
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu
Dhabi), which is developing a leading cultural landscape
to support its evolution into a world-class sustainable destination, has launched a new global promotional campaign
aimed at encouraging travellers to experience Abu Dhabi’s
‘extraordinary stories.’
The campaign highlights Abu Dhabi as an inspiring destination for those wanting to experience cultural
authenticity and diverse natural assets.
“It tells the extraordinary story of Abu Dhabi, from its
ancient past to its modern wonders, guiding audiences
through breathtaking natural environments and exhilarating experiences,” explained His Excellency Mohamed
Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, TCA Abu Dhabi. “Every
filmed moment, every photograph and word evokes the
poetic beauty and authenticity of the emirate, which invites
travellers to become a part of its story.”
“Audiences will also discover a dynamic, family-leisure entertainment destination and one which also holds
out ambitious business opportunities. The campaign will
unearth these stories and bring them to life for our potential visitors, inspiring them to journey here,” the Chairman added.
The campaign comprises of two-series television commercial dedicated to GCC and international markets which
would be broadcasted and run across TV networks, digital
channels and in-flight entertainment systems.
The production also includes five promotional videos
that highlight Abu Dhabi’s tourism, culture, MICE, events
18
Luxor hosts the 104th
session of the World
Tourism Organisation
The Ministry of Tourism and Egyptian Tourist
Authority (ETA) sponsored the 104th session of
the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council which took place in the city of Luxor,
Egypt.
Luxor also hosted the 5th UNWTO Global
Summit on City Tourism, which was attended by
representatives and participants from different
countries all over the world. The conference had
included several workshops to exchange experiences in the field of tourism and propose ways to
support and develop tourism in Luxor.
The 5th UNWTO Global Summit discussed the
tourism trends in the city that included sustainable development, spatial organisation, development and innovation in the field of city tourism,
along with cross-cultural behaviour. The gathering also discussed how the public and private
sectors can contribute to tourism development,
cultural exchange between nations, identity and
cultural heritage preservation of countries.
Yehia Rashed, Minister of Tourism, expressed
his delight for the coronation of Luxor city as the
capital of world tourism. “The Tourism Ministry
and tourism sector are keen on exerting continuous efforts to take advantage of such event, in
order to highlight the tourist attractions of this
historical city and reignite the tourism traffic
especially in Luxor and Aswan,” he stated.
Rashed added that there has been an ongoing
stream of support from the government towards
the restoration of tourism traffic in Egypt. “We
are pleased to support and sponsor such international event which affirms the effective role and
importance of both Luxor and Egypt in the tourism field and highlights the international recognition it holds,” he said.
and cruise experiences which would be available to Abu
Dhabi’s tourism stakeholders to be used in exhibitions,
road shows, and events.
According to TCA Abu Dhabi Director General, His
Excellency Saif Saeed Ghobash, the campaign has been
aligned to a go-to-market strategy of prioritising source
market channels according to their travel booking preferences and periods.
“This means it will run heavily in the U.K. and Germany
straight after New Year when travellers’ minds turn to sunshine breaks and in China, specifically to catch Chinese
New Year and the Golden Weeks. Other markets will be
addressed in a like-minded booking preference approach,”
he explained.
Dubai Tourism partners with Shah Rukh Khan to promote Dubai
Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has announced a new collaboration
with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan that would comprise of a series of short films, in which the actor would
unravel the secrets of Dubai, offering his fans a chance
to see the city through the star’s eyes.
The project aims to appeal to the fans of the actor from
across the globe, giving them the opportunity to explore
the city and its many offerings.
Shah Rukh Khan commented, “Dubai is a second
home to me... Whether I am here on vacation with my
family and friends or my many business trips here for
shoots, it’s a city that I truly relate to on so many levels driven, passionate and spirited. And I can’t wait to take
my fans and fellow travellers from around the world on
an unexpected discovery of a city that I love. This new
collaboration with Dubai Tourism is exciting and one
that I am personally very passionate about.”
The series of short films, which is slated to be released
across various Dubai Tourism channels in December,
would kick-start a year-long campaign of multiple Dubai
Tourism projects in collaboration with Bollywood.
Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said, “We
are delighted to partner with Shah Rukh Khan for this
special project, which highlights Dubai’s diverse offerings that cater to every type of traveller. We look forward to exploring Shah Rukh’s strong connection with
Dubai and sharing his unique experience with a global
audience. These upcoming collaborations with the Bollywood industry will reinforce the strong role India
has played in our city’s evolution and further fortify
our bond.”
europe
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
20
Switzerland Tourism launches two new
campaigns for Winter and Summer
Switzerland Tourism announced the launch of its
winter campaign for 2016 and ‘Nature wants you
back’ campaign for summer 2017. The winter campaign will focus on all the action and adventure that
can be explored in Switzerland, with the tagline ‘You
can...but you don’t have to’.
The summer campaign ‘Nature wants you back’,
to be led by Brand Ambassador Ranveer Singh was
also launched. The campaign tag line is the perfect
expression of how one chooses to be #INLOVEWITHSWITZERLAND, have an adventurous adrenaline filled vacation or a leisurely, relaxed trip whilst
taking in the beauty of the breath-taking nature,
scenery and serenity of the country.
The campaigns launched in presence of the tourism partners of Switzerland– Zurich, Basel, Ticino,
Matterhorn and Swiss International Air Lines, hopes
to further increase and sustain the double digit
growth of 16% seen in 2015-2016.
Claudio Zemp, Director– India, Switzerland Tourism, said, “With a versatile and energetic personality
like Ranveer Singh on board, we would like to showcase that Switzerland is not only about scenic beauty
but also has many activities and adventures to offer
to the more experiential Indian traveller. Winter is
coming up and is an absolutely beautiful time to visit
Switzerland. One can enjoy various winter activities
and explore their hidden passion for adventure with
sports such as skiing, snow-shoe trekking, tobogganing. Ranveer’s next trip is going to be in winter.”
Ritu Sharma, Deputy Director- India, Switzerland Tourism, said, “Although Indians love to go
on a vacation during the summers, we do hope for
a change after this campaign. Apart from the picturesque natural beauty, Switzerland is also a complete package for families and honeymooners who
are not only looking at a relaxing vacation but also
crave some adventure.”
Scandinavia appeals to the senses like no other European Quartet invites
Offering a melange of authentic experiences to the
Indian travellers, Scandinavia caught the attention
of guests present in its road show in New Delhi that
was held on October 3, 2016, at The Imperial Hotel.
Scandinavia comprising of Denmark, Norway and
Sweden, has a lot to offer and for all kinds of travellers. A destination that boasts of rich culture and heritage, UNESCO sites, cut-edge design, amidst a sustainable, egalitarian, gender-sensitive environment,
is a place like no other. Its easy access and connectivity across all the capitals of Scandinavia- Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen, makes it easier for the traveller to discover all the countries together. Several
international airlines like Emirates, Qatar and Turkish airlines offer direct connectivity from their hubs.
At the region that promises great value-for-money,
accommodation is available to suit all kinds of budget.
Besides, Scandinavia is undergoing a culinary wave
with the New Nordic cuisine characterised with innovation and strong ties with nature. A lot of Indian restaurants are also coming up to sustain the flavour of
homely delicacies.
Following a detailed presentation on the tourist attractions of Scandinavia, Mohit Batra, Scandinavian Tourism Board, remarked, “India has
been doing very well in Scandinavia in the last
seven years. Norway will soon start capturing room
nights from India. Also, Emirates started a flight
only last year to Oslo. Last year, we saw a growth
of up to 30% in certain regions of Scandinavia.
Since we have had a year-on-year growth before,
we are hoping to land up with a growth of 10% this
year too.”
Scandinavia is majorly focusing on sustainability
now. The buildings in Scandinavia have almost
travellers from India to
Discover Central Europe
reached the carbon neutral level. A lot of infrastructure is also employing solar panels and other sustainable forms of energy for operations.
Talking about MICE opportunities in Scandinavia in the times of the evolution of the sector, Batra
said, “All the three capitals are extremely popular
for MICE, especially Copenhagen and Stockholm
because what they offer is unique along with great
accessibility. They have been rated as one of the top
MICE destinations across the world.”
A new social media initiative, ‘Explore Scandinavia’ has also been launched where online posts on the
beautiful region are shared with travellers looking for
new inspirations.
The event in New Delhi had a delegation of 25
Scandinavian partners, including National Tourist
Boards, Regional Tourist Boards, Cruise and Voyage
companies, and DMCs.
Iceland hosts film tourism conference in Chennai and Hyderabad
Embassy of Iceland, with an aim to increase tourist footfalls from India, had organised and hosted a film tourism conference for the Tamil & Telugu film industries.
The event, which took place in Chennai and Hyderabad,
saw the presence of top producers and cinematographers from the industry. Through their addresses,
H.E Thorir Ibsen, Ambassador of Iceland to India
and Kumar Sitaraman, Honorary Consul General of
Iceland in Chennai encouraged the filmmakers to shoot
in the country. They also showcased scenic locales and
enlisted benefits provided to filmmakers opting to shoot
in Iceland.
Ambassador Thorir said, “Iceland has many advantages as a filming location. One among them is the spectacular variety of landscapes and locations found within
short distances of one another. The local crews available are well experienced and well trained for producing quality films in tough conditions. Besides these, the
incentives for filming in Iceland will be increased from
the current 20% to 25% in 2017. We are looking forward
to work with many more Indian film-makers and are
hoping to see Iceland more often on the big screen.”
Sitaraman, who attended the conference in both cities added, “Iceland received 1000+ tourists from India
last year. We are hoping that the numbers of tourists
from India increases after audiences watch the many
impressive landscapes and natural beauty the country
has through the big screen.”
Taking forward a journey that commenced in
2010, the Central European destinations paid their
sixth visit to India, encouraging travel fraternity
members to ‘Discover Central Europe’ through
roadshows conducted in Mumbai followed by New
Delhi.
The cooperation under foreign national tourist organisations between V4 (European quartet)
- Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia,
dates back to 2003. “We have established this platform, ‘Discover Central Europe’ for long haul markets. We introduced us in the Indian market for the
first time in 2010. Since then, we have been coming
every year, hitting different cities. We are now concentrating on Mumbai and New Delhi as the strongest outgoing markets from India,” informed Emilia
Kubik, Chief Specialist, Department of Marketing
Instruments, Polish Tourist Organisation.
Each of the destinations highlighted their
respective tourist attractions through audio visual
presentations. The delegation comprised of Emilia
Kubik, Chief Specialist, Department of Marketing
Instruments, Polish Tourist Organisation; Robert
Vincze, Head, Slovak Convention Bureau; Mark
Kinces, International Marketing Manager, Hungarian Tourism Agency; Karina Vitkova, International Marketing Manager, Long-haul Markets,
Czech Tourism; Subhash Motwani, Managing
Director, Namaste Tourism, Mumbai; along with
Mukesh Gupta, Chairman, Tourism Committee,
PHD Chamber; Mohit Jain, Chairman, International Affairs Committee Europe, PHD Chamber;
Purrshottam Bhaggeria, Co-Chairman, International Affair Committee Europe, PHD Chamber, and Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, PHD
Chamber.
The roadshow was aimed at promoting Central
Europe as a all-year-round destination that boasts
of a tradition, culture, heritage and visual delights
way beyond its respective capital cities of Budapest,
Warsaw, Prague and Bratislava.
The presentations were followed by B2B interaction with representations from the destination.
americas
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
21
Destination DC
visits India for the
first time
Destination DC, the official destination marketing
organisation for Washington, DC, recently visited
India in its first direct effort to market the U.S. capital to the South Asian country. The delegation in partnership with Etihad Airways, Washington Dulles
International Airport and U.S. Travel Association
visited Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce,
nearly 1.13 million Indian travellers visited the country in 2015, which is forecasted to increase 25.6% by
2020, to 1.41 million visitors.
Last year Washington, DC welcomed 80,000 visitors from India, making it the sixth largest overseas
market for DC. Visitation from India to DC has grown
40% since 2013 when it ranked ninth. Capital Region
USA, the region encompassing Washington, DC,
Virginia and Maryland, tells a similar story with an
even greater rise. Indian visitation to the region has
increased 70% and rose from the ninth overseas market in 2013 to the fourth in 2015.
“India is a strong and emerging market for Washington, DC and the region with lots of potential in
terms of leisure travel and business development. In
2015, one out of every 10 Indian visitors to the U.S.
visited the capital region,” said Elliott Ferguson,
President and CEO, Destination DC.
As part of the mission, the delegation also promoted attending IPW in Washington, DC, June 3-7,
2017. Hosted by U.S. Travel Association, IPW is the
travel industry’s premier international marketplace
and the largest generator of travel to the U.S. The
five-day trade show would take place in Washington, DC for the very first time in the event’s 40-plus
year history.
TravelNevada launches new integrated marketing campaign
TravelNevada (Nevada Division of Tourism) has launched
its new Fall/Winter integrated marketing campaign,
which continues its successful outreach to millennial and
adventure travellers.
The new campaign features an enhanced digital experience on TravelNevada.com, new photography and videography featuring genuine Nevada characters, creative
executions in key markets such as Los Angeles, and a new
email marketing program that offers personalised content.
TravelNevada, since 2013, has been using a ‘Don’t Fence
Me In’ integrated PR and advertising campaign, featuring
a custom rendition of the famous cowboy song recorded
by The Killers, to market tourism.
As per Claudia Vecchio, Director of the Department of
Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the approach continues to
Windhoek
Namibia, land of endless horizons will
join the ever expanding Ethiopian network.
From October 6, 2016
www.ethiopianairlines.com
drive results for Nevada’s economy. “We use research to
inform our strategy and test our approach, and we know
that the younger audience doesn’t want ads, they want
stories,” Vecchio said. “Our studies demonstrate that the
more we focus on real characters that embrace freedom
and individuality in travel, the more our campaign resonates with our audience.”
According to Nevada’s flagship study on integrated
marketing return, TravelNevada’s goal for the current
Fall/Winter campaign is to exceed the FY16 campaign
return of 63 to one, which means that for every dollar spent
on tourism marketing, approximately $63 is returned to
the state through state and local taxes.
Africa
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
22
Tourist arrivals to
Kenya rise by 18%
As per the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, crossborder arrivals into Kenya, mostly from Tanzania and
Uganda, until September 2016 closed at 326,438 compared
to 318,689 in 2015, which is a growth of 2.4% year on year.
Data on cross-border arrivals is key as it is thought vital
in monitoring the progress made with regards to intraregional movements and seamless connectivity in the
region.
Total international arrivals for January to September
2016 by air and sea was 657,438 compared to 555,855 in
2015, showing an increase of 18.3%
JKIA arrivals grew by 17.4% to record 589,958 compared to 502,711 in 2015. Moi International Airport Mombasa (MIAM), on the other hand, welcomed 65,600
visitors, compared to 53,145 in 2015, which is a growth of
23.4%. 1,880 cruise ship arrivals were recorded until September 2016.
Consolidated arrivals for January to September 2016
are 983,876, 12.5% more than 2015 which saw 874,544
Seychelles organises appreciation evenings for key partners
The Seychelles Tourism Board recently hosted
Appreciation Evenings for its key travel trade, airline, hotel and media partners in New Delhi and
Mumbai. The tourism board also presented appreciation awards to those travel agents and tour operators
whose contribution helped significantly to increase
awareness and tourist arrivals to Seychelles from
India.
Patsy Moustache, Acting Charge de Affairs, the
Seychelles high Commission began the evening
by congratulating the tourism board team and the
travel trade partners for their support, which was
followed by a destination update presentation by
Aswini Krishna, Marketing Manager, Seychelles
Tourist Office. This was followed by an entertaining
and interactive time that included the awards ceremony, with TV and radio host Siddharth Kannan.
Seychelles Tourism Board, CEO, Sherin Francis,
who could not be present for the events, sent the following message to the partners,
“When we opened office in 2013, the biggest challenges we faced were that Seychelles was perceived
as i) just another beach destination ii) a destination
meant for the richest iii) and only for honeymooners
Last three years, our efforts have been solely
focused on breaking these myths and introducing the
diversity and the divine beauty of the islands. The
task on our hand was to showcase that Seychelles has
something for everyone. We are glad that our efforts
bore results. The presence of each one of you is a testimony of that. Your efforts have resulted into phenomenal increase in tourist arrivals from India. Though
Seychelles remains the ultimate romantic destination, we have seen several families, small MICE
groups and adventure sports enthusiasts choosing
the islands for their holiday.”
Air Seychelles announces expansion in
Europe and Indian Ocean in 2017
Air Seychelles has announced a major fleet and network expansion which would see the airline introduce a second Airbus A330 aircraft, commence nonstop services to Düsseldorf (Germany) and Durban
(South Africa), and extensively strengthen its existing regional network in early 2017.
The airline is planning to establish the air bridge
between Seychelles and Germany from March 30,
2017, by launching a twice-per-week service to Düsseldorf, in western Germany. To further strengthen
its European network, Air Seychelles would also
Reunion Island unveils
the new visual identity
The Ultimate Island
On the occasion of World Tourism Day William
Techer, Head of Marketing & Promotion India &
Indian Ocean and Vineet Gopal, Director India for
Reunion Island Tourism Board presented the new
visual identity of the Reunion Island Tourism Board.
Earlier, the Chairman of Reunion Island Tourism Board, Stéphane Fouassin and Willy Etheve,
CEO, had unveiled this new visual identity at Top
upgrade its Paris service from three to four flights per
week, with effect from March 28, 2017, giving more
travel options to holidaymakers visiting Seychelles
from France.
Effective from March 30, 2017, the national carrier
of Seychelles would also commence a twice-weekly
service to South Africa’s port city of Durban, which
would complement its existing five-a-week service
to Johannesburg.
Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said, “Air Seychelles has grown extensively
and robustly in 2016 and is now ready to embark on
the next exciting chapter of its evolution.”
The airline’s second Airbus A330 aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in the last week of March 2017
and will have a two-cabin configuration with 18 Business Class and 236 Economy Class seats.
The Airbus A330, in addition to flying to Europe,
will be used to increase capacity on the airline’s fiveper-week regional services to Johannesburg, Mauritius, and Mumbai which are currently operated on a
narrow-body A320.
arrivals over the same period time.
In terms of share of arrivals, the U.S. has overtaken the
UK to become the highest source market for Kenya. India
comes in third, followed by Uganda and China, displacing
Germany and Italy from the top five performing markets.
Ethiopian Airlines to continue
its operation in Nigeria
Ethiopian Airlines is all set to continue its scheduled
operations to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, despite
the recent withdrawal by some Airlines out of Lagos
and Abuja.
Solomon Begashaw, Country Area Manager Nigeria, remarked, “As a veteran Pan-African carrier it has
always been our source of pride to serve our beloved
continent, Africa, both in good and bad times. Our presence in Nigeria dates back to the 1960’s, same time the
Federal Republic of Nigeria got independence from foreign colonisation. Ethiopian has been part of Nigeria’s
historic growth and always considers itself as a partner in the history and growth of Nigeria as a country.
Hence, the Management of Ethiopian Airlines wishes
to clarify its stance of pursuing its operation to Nigeria and keep Nigerian travellers connected to five continents around the globe. As an indigenous Pan-African
Carrier, Ethiopian Airlines will remain with the Nigerian public in good and bad times like it has always done
in the past 50 years.”
At present, Ethiopian serves the four Airports in
Nigeria, which include Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, and Kano.
To reinforce its support to the country, it is offering to
hire Nigerian pilots for its ever growing fleet of B777,
B787, B737 and Dash 8 Q-400 Aircraft, along with training more Nigerians in its aviation academy. Besides,
Ethiopian Airlines had always served Nigeria with
the best Aircraft in its fleet like the A350 Airbus, B787
Dreamliner and the B777 wide body.
As the airline is celebrating its 70 years of existence,
it has extended free tickets to Nigerians who liked Ethiopian Airlines Nigeria Facebook page.
Resa Paris France in front of the local press and
professional.
The theme ‘The Ultimate Island’ was accompanied by forty pictograms representative of the
Reunion Island. These symbols of the island, the
modern graphics, contemporary and universal
are assets that are the strength of the destination
Reunion.
On the occasion, the Reunion Island Tourism
Board had invited Top Tour Operators (Key Partners) and Media on a Hi-Tea Networking at Hotel
Shangri-la New Delhi to meet and talk with Indian
Trade and Media in order to explore the possibilities and opportunities offered by the Reunion Island
Tourism Sector, with an aim of enhancing the visibility & Identity of the Reunion Island.
Mumbai West India : 21, 22, 23 Feb ’17
Bombay Exhibition Centre
Hyderabad South India : 14, 15 July ’17
Novotel HICC
Delhi NCR North India : 26, 27 Oct ’17
Hyatt Regency Gurgaon
India's definitive show on
Business, MICE and Luxury Travel
India is the fastest growing business travel market in the world.
Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi are major business hubs of India, with decent buyer potential of Business, MICE and
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India being a continent size country the market is huge and distributed in different geographical regions. That is the
reason why BLTM is organized in three cities in 2017, to tap the top markets of West, South and North India.
At the BLTM you will meet India's leading business, MICE and luxury travel buyers, and some of the high profile media editors. Our team is
rigorously qualifying and personally inviting up to 500 top hosted buyers from all over India and additional 500 local buyers, in the top
business travel and MICE travel markets in West, South and North India.
BLTM is brought to you by Fairfest Media Ltd, the oldest and the leading travel trade show organiser in India.
BLTM Mumbai is co-located with OTM - India's biggest travel trade show, with participation of 1,000+ sellers from 50+ countries.
BLTM South-India is co-located with TTF Hyderabad, with hundreds of buyers and sellers already committed to visit. The Delhi NCR
edition of BLTM is being repeated at the Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, after the spectacular debut in 2016.
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Tariff *
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OCEANIA
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
Auckland prepares for World Masters Games 2017
The downtown waterfront in Auckland is all set to come
alive when the 10-day World Masters Games 2017 kicks
off in April next year.
The organisers of WMG2017 have announced
Queens Wharf as the social hub of the games, which
features a diverse entertainment programme for participants and the public, stretching from arts and cultural displays, to food and wine, to comedy and music.
Chief Executive of WMG2017, Jennah Wootten said
that the festival is a huge part of every World Masters
Games.
“Athletes come to compete on a world stage against
their peers, but they also want to party, to soak up the
vibe of the host city, and meet their fellow participants
along the way,” she said.
“Queens Wharf will be the hub of the Games for both
competitors and the public. We hope the combination
of arts, performance, food and culture will showcase
Auckland at its best and build a sense of belonging to
the whole city,” Wootten added
WMG2017 is working in conjunction with Auckland Arts Festival and multi-instrumentalist, singer/
songwriter, composer, actor, performer, director and
producer Tama Waipara, who is responsible for shaping the programme for the Queens Wharf Entertainment Hub.
Waipara stated that Queens Wharf would be about
celebrating a group of people coming together to do
something exceptional.
The festivities on the wharf would begin with a weekend of welcome from April 22 and conclude with the
Games Closing Ceremony on April 30, 2017.
Sidharth Malhotra welcomes New Zealand Prime
Minister John Key to India
The Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key MP
received a warm welcome to India from Tourism New
Zealand’s brand ambassador, Sidharth Malhotra at a
press conference in New Delhi.
The event was attended by other special guests,
which included Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister
of Tourism and Culture India, former Blackcaps captain and cricketer Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand High Commissioner to India, H.E. Grahame Morton, David Craig, General Manager, Asia, Tourism New
Zealand and Steven Dixon, Regional Manager, South
and South East Asia, Tourism New Zealand.
The press conference began with a symbolic celebration of Diwali to welcome Prime Minister Key who
is also New Zealand’s Minister of Tourism followed by
him addressing the media at the event.
Steven Dixon, Regional Manager – South and South
East Asia, Tourism New Zealand, said, “India is a priority emerging market for New Zealand and we have
witnessed significant year on year growth in visitor
arrivals. While this growth is really exciting to see, we
think the Indian market has even greater potential.
We are investing to maximise the opportunity, which
includes growing the Tourism New Zealand team here
in India.”
At the press conference, Cricketer Brendon McCullum joined The Prime Minister and Sidharth Malhotra
in a candid discussion. They spoke about the commonalities between the two countries, love for movies, culture, food, adventure and sports.
Sidharth Malhotra, who had met the Prime Minister
during his visit to Wellington in New Zealand last year,
was thrilled to return the hospitality and gifted a statue
of a lion as a token of his respect and appreciation.
Qantas unveils next generation cabins for 787 Dreamliner
Qantas has unveiled the cabin designs onboard its
flagship 787-9 Dreamliner, which is expected to arrive
in a year’s time.
The Qantas Dreamliner would seat 236 passengers
across Business, Premium Economy and Economy
cabins in a layout designed to maximise comfort for
the longer distances the 787-9 is expected to fly.
The Business Suite is the next generation of the
very popular seat recently installed on Qantas’ Airbus A330 fleet, known for providing a high level of
privacy, made more flexible on the 787 with the ability
to now adjust the divider between each seat.
The suites also have a fully-flat bed and offer plenty
of space. Laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration, each suite
has direct aisle access as well as the ability to stay
reclined during take-off and landing.
Economy passengers would also have more room
including an extra inch of seat pitch compared with
the national carrier’s A380 and an all-new seat. It features a new personal device holder, USB ports, more
storage areas, a seat-back mood light designed to minimise disturbance for other passengers and a highdefinition entertainment touchscreen that is five percent larger.
The seats also feature an updated version of the
popular Qantas ‘footnet’ first introduced on the A380,
which are designed to cradle the legs during sleep.
Unveiling the Business and Economy seats in Sydney, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the interiors
had been carefully designed with longer routes and
changing passenger preferences in mind.
“The Dreamliner is an aircraft built for comfort.
The windows are bigger, it helps reduce jetlag, it’s
extremely quiet and there’s a system that smooths
out turbulence. Customers are going to love it,” said
Joyce.
“We’re planning to make the most of the 787’s
amazing range, so we’ve designed the cabin to give
Qantas passengers a better experience on long-haul
flights,” he added.
24
Phillip Island unveils top eight
reasons to visit the destination
Phillip Island is an Australian island, which lies
about 140 km south-southeast of Melbourne, Victoria. With a length of 26 km and a width of 9 km
and an area of about 100 sq km, the island has a
coastline of 97 km and is part of the Bass Coast
Shire.
The island is a very popular destination with
tourist during the summer season, so here is a look
at the top eight reasons to visit.
1. Unique Wildlife
Phillip Island is home to some of Australia’s
most unique and special wildlife, with the largest colonies of Little Penguins and Australian Fur
Seals in the whole of Australia. Seal Rocks is home
to approximately 35,000 fur seals and can be seen
through the telescopes at the Nobbies Visitor Centre and up close on an EcoBoat tour.
The Penguin Parade has many different viewing options to see the world’s smallest penguin,
including the new Penguins Plus and Underground experiences. Visitors can also see koalas
up close from the elevated boardwalks at the Koala
Conservation Centre.
2. Pristine Natural Environment
The visitors can explore many hidden secrets
of Phillip Island and natural environments on one
of the many easy walking trails. A quick ten-minute stroll will take them over the dunes to a sandy
beach and the beautiful rock formations of Forrest Caves. The Island and its surrounding regions
also provide some of the most fertile lands in Victoria and as a result, many gourmet producers have
established their operations here, giving visitors
the opportunity to sample some epicurean delights
and unique experiences.
3. Gourmet Local Produce
On the way to Phillip Island, visitors can stop in
at Bassine Specialty Cheeses for some handmade
artisan farmhouse cheeses including feta, brie,
haloumi and ricotta, with all milk sourced from
their own herd of 180 Holstein cows.
4. Dining Out
The Cape Kitchen waterfront restaurant is one
of the island’s newest eateries, which offers guests
with an indulgent menu, sourced from the harvest
of local fresh produce.
5. Wineries
The island’s climate is perfect for cool climate
wines, so the Purple Hen Vineyard and Phillip
Island Winery each grow a variety of grapes suitable to the region.
6. Breweries
Taking its name from the colour of beer, Rusty
Water Brewery and Bar is home to a selection of
small batch, hand-crafted ales like Koala Pale Ale,
Chicory Stout and Shipwreck IPA.
7. Uniquely Australian Food
At Rhyll Trout and Bush Tucker Farm visitors
can catch their own lunch and wander the 1.2km
Bush Tucker trail, showcasing 27 different species
of native foods.
8. Authentic Farm Experiences
Bimbadeen is a 340-acre farm in the heart of
Phillip Island, which offers authentic experiences
like farm tours and paddock to plate barbecues.
Visitors can even enjoy a farm retreat and stay in
their secluded eco-friendly, self-contained accommodation and participate in as much or as little of
farm life as you would like.
global
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
25
Global luxury travel market to surpass $1,154 billion by 2022
A report published by Allied Market Research has
shown that the global luxury travel market is projected
to generate $1,154 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR
of 6.4% during 2016-2022. The key factors that would
drive the market growth are the growing inclination
of people towards unique and exotic holiday experiences, rise in middle and upper middle-class spending and the increasing impact of social media on the
travel industry.
In 2015, the adventure and safari segment accounted
for about 44% of the overall luxury travel market revenue, by tour type as this has been identified as the most
popular vacation option among young and middle age
group travellers. Additionally, tours aimed at culinary
and shopping experience would see the fastest growth,
PATA welcomes
Wesgro as its newest
government member
The Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) has
welcomed Wesgro from
South Africa as its newest government member.
Wesgro is the official Tourism, Trade & Investment
Promotion Agency for
Cape Town and the Western Cape. The announcement was made by PATA
CEO Dr Mario Hardy at
the Association’s annual
Aligned Advocacy Dinner in London, UK where
the guests included Inge
Dykman, Head of Leisure Tourism and Trade,
Wesgro.
Their aim is to promote the city and it’s five
surrounding
regions
that include the Cape
West Coast, Cape Overberg, Cape Karoo, Garden
Route & Klein Karoo and
the Cape Winelands to
the domestic and international markets.
“Wesgro will surely
benefit from our in-depth
research and insights,
human capital development programmes and
our busy calendar of conferences and marts as they
look to develop a responsible, sustainable and profitable destination,” said Dr
Hardy.
Wesgro CEO Tim Harris said, “The Asian market is extremely important and valuable for
Cape Town and the Western Cape’s tourism, trade
and investment strategy.
PATA provides an excellent platform for us to
directly engage key stakeholders in this market,
learn from them and make
Cape Town and the Western Cape a more attractive
and accessible destination
for them.”
registering a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period.
A growing number of luxury travellers are
indulging in these tours, which enables travellers to
experience the local delicacies and also buy some of
the exquisite handicrafts. These trips are getting popular among travellers of all age groups, especially the
millennials (21–30 years). In 2015, approximately 70%
of millennials took a trip based on culinary interest.
Luxury travel market has a huge growth potential
and would see immense demand from the emerging
markets. Exposure to social media, growing disposable income and easy visa availability are some of the
factors which are propelling the growth of the market.
Nowadays, luxury travellers are seeking unique travelling experience, thus opting for exotic and unexplored
destinations,” says Yogiata Sharma, Research Analyst,
Consumer Goods Research at AMR.
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EVENTS
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
28
WTM London
closes on a high
Tourism Ministers, bloggers and party goers turned the
final day of the revamped three-day WTM London into a
festival of business and fun.
The UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit is one of
the highest-profile sessions of the entire event. Now in
its tenth year, more than 100 Tourism Ministers and their
aides from around the world were joined by board-level
representatives from some of the biggest travel companies.
This year’s Summit called on the industry and governments to work together to help destinations cope with the
threat of terrorism, which UNWTO Secretary-General Dr
Taleb Rifai described as ‘forces of darkness’.
Mohamed Yehia Rashed Tourism Minister Egypt
assured delegates that his country has the technology and
security measures in place to protect tourists and urged
for standard security measures to be introduced globally.
Vinod Zutshi, Secretary Tourism, Government of India
– WTM London’s Official Premier Partner, said countries
needed to be more responsible when issuing travel advisories as perception of safety in destinations is a key factor.
Zutshi’s call was echoed by Fritz Joussen, CEO, TUI
Group, who noted people’s perceptions often compound
the problems of terrorism. “The probability of being killed
by a terrorist is lower than having car accident on the way
to the airport,” he said.
At a dedicated Speed Networking event, 100 bloggers from 15 different countries talked to exhibitors interested in using this increasingly important channel. WTM
London applied its highly successful Speed Networking
ITB Berlin: New hall concept adapts to a changing market
By reorganising the hall sections and reallocating
hall space at the World’s Largest Travel Trade Show
ITB Berlin (March 8-12, 2017) has taken travel industry changes into account.
“In recent years there has been an increase in
demand for more floor space and two-tier stands
for certain markets which up to now we have been
unable to satisfy. Several display halls already have
waiting lists. By reorganising the halls to suit the
market we are now able to meet this demand,” commented David Ruetz, Head of ITB Berlin.
The new hall concept makes it possible for the
fast-growing markets of the Arab states to enlarge
their displays. There is now a better concentration
of markets, which makes it easier for trade visitors
to plan their visit.
At ITB Berlin 2017, more than 10,000 exhibitors
from over 180 countries are expected to be in the 26
halls on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds.
The 63rd TAAI Convention at Abu Dhabi
concludes successfully
The Indian Travel Congress 2016 organised by Travel
Agents Association of India (TAAI) from October
14-16, 2016 has been a huge success. This 63rd Convention & Exhibition of TAAI was held at the ‘Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi’ and featured about 700 Delegates. The Convention was also highlighted by the
ITTE – India Travel Trade Expo offering an excellent
B2B opportunity to the visiting delegates to connect
themselves with vendors from all over.
The convention was supported by Abu Dhabi
Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA) who had
inspired TAAI to decide Abu Dhabi as their venue.
TCA played a key role in hosting the inaugural evening at the Emirates Palace; free visas to the delegates; pre-post tours to the delegates; City Tours and
extending overall support to ensure the success of
the event.
Sunil Kumar, President of TAAI remarked,
“Organising a convention of this huge magnitude in
less than 40 days strongly reflects the teamwork by
TAAI and invaluable support from our Partners in
the industry. The success of the event is a strong attribute of TAAI and its eminence.”
The Convention was inaugurated by India’s acting
Ambassador Her Excellency Neeta Bhushan, Acting
Ambassador of India to Abu Dhabi, Director General of TCA His Excellency Saif Saeed Ghobash and
Sunil Kumar, President of TAAI on October 14, at the
Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.
On October 15 & 16, TAAI held its ‘Knowledge
Sessions’ which featured subjects of relevance and
importance encouraging the delegates to embrace
change and be prepared for a fast evolving scenario
that demands newer approaches to service the
growing travellers. The Convention theme ‘Tomorrow begins NOW’ was well received and served as
an excellent focus for the debates held.
On the evening of October 15, TAAI presented
Namaste India Gala, promoting India and its significant industry contribution and leadership. The evening was based on the landmark in the history of
Indian Aviation, where JRD Tata, had flown the first
commercial flight, on October 15, 1932, from Karachi
to Mumbai. TAAI honoured the Airlines present at
this occasion for their role in making India a countryin-great-demand for the growth of Aviation.
On October 16, the Farewell Gala Dinner was held
at the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, in Yas Island and
was hosted by Yas Island.
The event brought a strong partnership between
India and Abu Dhabi through the TAAI-TCA relationship and has now inspired the Indian industry
leaders to take a closer look at Abu Dhabi for its huge
potential to attract Indians and Indian events.
concept to new verticals, with a dedicated Wellness
session.
Simon Press, Senior Director, WTM London 2016,
said, “Our decision to revamp WTM London as a threeday event was in response to our listening and responding
to our core audience of buyers, exhibitors and visitors. We
are confident we have, yet again, delivered a best-in-class
event which reconfirms our status as the leading global
event for the travel industry.”
Trending experiential
travel in focus at
ATM 2017
Experiential travel encompassing the adventure,
culture, heritage, wellness & spa and cruise tourism segments, which are currently trending globally, will be adopted as the official show theme, for
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017, taking place
at the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 24-27.
“Travellers are increasingly looking beyond
conventional leisure programmes and itineraries and actively seeking out atypical experiences
that deliver a true taste of local culture. This growing trend is now on the radar of the region’s tourism chiefs as destinations face increased competition for their share of the more traditional travel
segments and are increasingly looking to diversify their proposition into new and niche markets
which require product differentiation and innovation,” said Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM.
ATM 2017 will integrate the experiential
theme across all of the show verticals and activities, including focused seminars and roundtable events, featuring dedicated exhibitor
participation.
ATM 2017 will build on the success of this
year’s edition with the announcement of an additional hall as Reed Travel Exhibitions looks to add
to its record-breaking achievements earlier this
year.
One new feature is the Chief Information Officer Summit and ATM 2017 also welcomes back
the UNWTO & ATM Regional Ministerial Summit as well as other popular features’ such as the
Leaders Breakfast, Global Stage, Wellness and
Spa Lounge, Travel Agent Academy, Buyers Club
and the Bloggers speed networking events.
technology
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
29
TrawellTag Cover-More to extend market-reach through its
partnership with Yatra.com
medical emergencies, loss of baggage, passport or
driving license, trip delays or cancellations and
much more.”
“Our business model for Yatra.com focuses on
changing customer needs and forecasted travel
risks. The backbone of this model is a one-of-its
kind software IMPULSE, an analytics engine that
collects a feed of traveller data from the booking
platform and crunches this in real time to generate customised offers for the travellers. With ease of
integration, this cloud hosted tool customises travel
protection products with an exceptional speed of
customer data processing,” added Karvat.
TrawellTag Cover-More has announced a new partnership with Yatra.com, thus establishing itself in
the e-commerce segment, extending the company’s
reach into new markets.
Dev Karvat, TrawellTag Cover-More India
Founder & CEO, said, “We are delighted to partner
with Yatra.com to provide our unique travel insurance and global assistance services to their customers opting for both domestic and overseas travel. The
association enables us to provide customised benefits for both leisure and corporate travellers. Yatra.
com customers can now secure their travel against
all predicted risks and inconveniences including
KAYAK to implement instant search with Amadeus’ technology
Travel search engine, KAYAK, has implemented
Amadeus Master Pricer with Instant Search
technology.
This new technology delivers online search
results in milliseconds, without compromising with
accuracy. “Our users expect both speed and accuracy
from KAYAK – this is the killer combination,” said
Giorgos Zacharia, Chief Technology Officer, KAYAK.
According to Amadeus data, every one second of
improvement in search response time for consumers
can translate into a potential increase in coveted conversion rates for an online travel company.
“We are excited that our technology will help
KAYAK continue to excel as leaders in online travel.
Our solution delivers the right mix of instant and
transactional search, delivering both a new, ’instant’
user experience as well as transactional results with
the depth of content required to secure conversion,”
said Sebastien Gibergues, Head of Leisure, Online
and Travel Media at Amadeus.
Amadeus Master Pricer with Instant Search
technology uses advanced algorithms, smart cache
refresh mechanisms and live availability check in
order to deliver search results instantly without compromising bookability or quality. With access to the
most comprehensive airline inventory available, the
solution provides bookable recommendations for
both round-trip and one-way searches and access to
the cheapest fares. Amadeus’ new search technology
is available to online travel companies worldwide.
Scott Gutz, President and Chief Executive Officer for Amadeus North America added, “As a longstanding customer, KAYAK has been using Amadeus
technology for many years. Amadeus was a pioneer
in low fare search solutions and we are pleased to
now launch an ‘instant search’ offering, enabling our
online travel customers like KAYAK to continue to
serve and succeed.”
Booking.com announces pilot test
of a new platform for travel agents
Booking.com has announced the initial test pilot of Booking.com for Travel
Agents, the first iteration of a new platform which has been designed specifically with the unique needs of travel
agents in mind. The platform features a number of easy-to-use tools
that empower professionals from the
travel industry to seamlessly make and
manage accommodation reservations
for their clients via the website.
Booking.com for Travel Agents is
an extension of the company’s existing Affiliate Partner Programme and
leverages technology and infrastructure being developed for Booking.com
for Business. Travel Agents who join
the platform would be eligible for similar partner benefits as all Booking.com
affiliate partners.
“We’ve seen increasing numbers
of travel agents using Booking.com to
manage bookings for their customers,”
said Bryan Batista, Senior Director of
Global Partnerships at Booking.com.
“We’re pleased to now offer professional travel agents a platform and a
programme that has been created just
for them, with the special features they
need to easily book and manage reservations for their clients, as well as the
choice, diversity and seamless experience that they’ve come to love and rely
on from Booking.com. We’re excited to
continue innovating the platform, and
are committed to adding even more
useful features and functionality for
them over the coming months.”
The Booking.com for Travel Agents
platform enables travel agents to view
and manage all customer reservations
via one handy dashboard. In addition,
it also includes a tab of customisable
reports that fully support agents in
monitoring individual client bookings, as well as providing them with a
convenient breakdown of their earnings over time.
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Responsible Tourism
TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | december 2016 •
30
“See the sea” – 5 Cs of Chennai –A Responsible Tourism approach
towards Coastal and Community Development
Responsibly Yours- Guest Column
A Lajwanti Naidu
I
ndian spiritual belief system comprises of Panchabhutaor five elements. They are Earth –prithvi, Water
–jal, Air –Vayu, Fire –Agni, Ether -Akasham. Water –
one of the 5 elements of Panchatatva is a life giving element. Civilisations have developed on the banks of the
rivers. From Indus valley to Mespotomian civilisation,
water facilitated the growth of humanity perpetually.
Aligned with the Cape Town declaration of Responsible Tourism to ‘create better places for people to live
and tourists to visit’, the Chennai Municipality is taking keen interest and initiatives to keep the life of the
city clean. The present government has clearly understood that Responsible Tourism is not a product but it
an approach which can be used by travellers, tour operators, and planning authorities of national and regional
level. Moreover this approach involves several stakeholders to sustain it at the grass root level.
My recent visit to Chennai has brought a paradigm
shift in the good governance practices adoptedby thecity municipality.
The Indian Coast line is 7516 km with a vast potential
to promote beach tourism. The nearest European country which matches this figure is Italy- 7600 km. Apart
from this India is one of the major fish suppliers in the
world. Presently fisheries and aqua culture contributes
1.07% to the GDP. Fisheries are an important sector in
India providing employment to millions of people and
contributing to the food security of the country. With
an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 2 million sq
km and fresh water resources it enhances not only the
economic development but also provides livelihood to
several fishing communities.
There are more than 14 million people rely on fishing.
in the city participate in cleaning up which happens at
the Light House, Santhome, Broken Bridge near Elliot’s
Beach and Foreshore Estate. The volunteers manage
to collect a total of 4.65 tons of waste approximately in
every cleaning session and later on it is used in a more
productive and responsible way.
Carrying Capacity
Chennai is proud about the natural coastline. The
Community Development
The children of the fishermen community were
educated at several colleges in Chennai under the University of Madras. In all the application forms for the
admissionsthere are special provisions for ‘First Generation Learners’ where the child is the first individual
to embark on the journey towards reading, writing and
learning.
Special emphasis is given to education in sports and
extra-curricular activities which boost the confidence
and self-esteem of the child.
Corporation Initiatives
Women are employed at various parts to collect the plastic waste and keep the beach clean. A monetary benefit
for working apart from selling fish has motivated them
to take part in these initiatives. For women, sea is their
mother goddess.
A part of the waste that was collected was also segregated into plastic and biodegradable waste. The plastic waste that littered the beaches was then sent to make
some tough roads in the village of Medambakkam in
the Kacheepuram district. The village head requested
for the plastic. So after segregation it was sent to the village for use to lay the roads which was a noble initiative
of the corporation.
In Tamil Nadu alone, 2.23 lakh people depend on fishing.
In Chennai, there are 96 wholesale and retail fish markets. My visit to Nochikuppam, a fishing hamlet near
Marina beach, gave me insight into the life of more than
15,000 people from the fishermen community who were
living for over decades. Since 1985, Tamil Nadu government has been trying to relocate them to different locations as they want to develop this as tourist place. The
new locations were not convenient for the fishermen, as
they are far away from the sea and also from the city. Sivinpadaivithikuppam is another fishing village in north
Chennai. Past 100 years, 5000 people were living here.
Here, 99% of the fishermen do net fishing.
Considering the Coast line and the fishermen communityI found that the initiatives taken by the municipality has beckoned the others to follow. Following are
the five Cs to transform into Charismatic Chennai.
Coastal Development
The infrastructural Development on the coastal areas
enhanced the beauty of the city. Measures are taken to
clean the beaches by various volunteer groups. The
beach cleaning was organised as part of the Joy of Giving
to the nature led by a Non Governmental Organisation,
Bhumi. Over a thousand people from every walk of life,
from the employees of the Barclays Bank, to students of
Chennai’s Corporation schools, to volunteers from the
Chennai Trekking Club and other civic organisations
Marina Beach, The VGP Golden Beach- all of them havecertain standards which they adhere to along with the
crowd management. The sports activities are generally
scheduled in the morning or evening and tourists and
families on weekend and holidays. The citizens are also
highly sensitised about the conservation of aquatic bodies through various responsible initiatives.
Competitive Destination
Compared to another beach destination like Kanyakumari, Vishakhapatnam, Rameswarm, Cochin etc Chennai predominately stands out for the impact of the British Colonial rule. The impact of English as a medium
of communication, the simple Dravidian way of living
combined with spirituality has definitely gives Chennai
an added advantage.