August - Travel News Digest
Transcription
August - Travel News Digest
Volume III l Issue 18 INDIA 10 Pages 32 asia 18 www.travelnewsdigest.in oceania 20 Ministry of Tourism promotes films as niche tourism product P# 10 Tourism Malaysia promotes Tier II cities in North Indian market P# 18 New Zealand emerges as an incentive destination for Indians P# 20 Oman promotes itself as an ideal wedding destination for Indians P# 22 Romania: Significant increase in river, cruise and beach tourism P# 24 Mexico Tourism repackages popular destinations P# 26 ` 50 / us $5 middle east 22 europe 24 T he festival of Diwali marks one of the high seasons for leisure travel for domestic, outbound as well as inbound sectors. As the festival is closely followed by the winter season and the New Year period, there are multiple opportunities for Indian travellers to take a break, ranging from the long haul, to short haul, and even weekend gateways. The period is also peak season for inbound travellers, helped by pleasant climatic conditions, and the overall festive atmosphere. The season thus acts as a great boon for travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, airlines, and the entire travel and tourism industry. This is all the more applicable in the high-potential western India markets. Besides a plethora of fairs and festivals, the period from September to January is also marked by a large number of events, like national and international trade fairs, conferences, seminars, roadshows, incentive tours, AGMs, etc. making it a busy time for the MICE segment. To cap it all is the settling down of the political scenario and the resultant uptick in business and industry. Thus, as TTF, India’s oldest and the largest travel show network, is set to embark on its west India tour, it expects an upbeat Diwali and winter vacation season. To cater to this huge demand, TTF covers major Diwali and winter vacation travel markets in western India covering Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai and Pune, and the hinterland areas served by these metros. With participation by National TTF&OTM is the undisputed leader in travel trade shows in India. It is not only the oldest and the largest, but it is the only show which has a pan-India network of events in ten cities. Competitive Landscape Market Share in 2013 - 2014 8% 3% TTF / OTM 48% 15% SATTE IITM MISC P# 29 africa 28 caribbean 29 events 30 If you are in Travel Business do not miss... Ahmedabad 22, 23, 24 August Gujarat University Exhibition Hall Surat 29, 30, 31 August Surat International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Sarsana Mumbai 5, 6, 7 September Nehru Centre Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli Pune 12, 13, 14 September Ishanya, Opp. Golf Course Yerawada TTF is the only place where you can meet hundreds of travel companies along with National and State tourism boards from all over India and abroad, wanting to discuss business with you. Come, get a first-hand insight of the travel & tourism market place, see trends and clinch deals. Make sure you are there! Attractive combined exhibition space packages available for travel agents, tour operators, hotels and resorts. www.ttfotm.com For space booking contact - Rajarshi-9007780788, Tarique-9831075090, Mahesh-9880676884 Tourism Organisations as well as the State Tourism Boards, along with a host of travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, online travel agencies, cruise liners and resorts, TTF is the most cost-effective and comprehensive networking and marketing opportunity for the travel industry. The series provides exhibitors a platform to network with the travel trade in the respective locations, to inform them about their upcoming packages and offerings, and to strike deals going forward, including contracting and deal-making for even the summer season ahead. For the tourists it is an opportunity to see what destinations and options are being showcased by the exhibitors, and make spot bookings for best deals and packages. TTF Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai and Pune are set back-to-back over four consecutive weekends in August and September, providing the travel industry a power-packed and action filled marketing month! Exhibition space in the series is sold out, and exhibitors are looking forward to woo the travel trade and general visitors at the House-Full shows! TTF&OTM: The Undisputed Market Leader, MoT Confirms Participation in 10 Cities 9% Caribbean Tourism bounces back on track with new goals Americas 26 TTF West Series to help tap upbeat market for Diwali & Winter Vacations Seychelles Tourism conducts its first ever roadshow in India P# 28 01-15 august 2014 17% as on April 25, 2014 IITT, Mumbai IITB, New Delhi According to a recent study, it commands 48% of the market share; compared to 17% by the number two (see infographics). This year TTF is celebrating completion of 25 years of successful leadership. With participation of more than 2,500 exhibitors from 70 countries and 36 Indian States and Union Territories, TTF&OTM is the most trusted market leader in the country. This month, the TTF pre-Diwali series will start in lucrative Western India markets of Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai and Pune. The grand finale will be the OTM Mumbai and Delhi in February 2015. Dozens of countries and states have already confirmed participation in these. On the sides of OTM Mumbai will be held International Tourism Summit and Travel Industry’s Top Producers Awards, building up on the success of the Most Influential Person Awards organised this year. A brand-new hosted buyer program has been also launched recently, for the accredited buyers to visit the OTM. For more details, visit www.otm.co.in 2 • COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 TTF completes 25 years of pioneering leadership TTF 2014-15 series added a new city to its network, Guwahati. It is now organised in 10 cities in India, annually. With consistent support from MoT, state tourism boards, national tourist offices and hundreds of private exhibitors, TTF is the undisputed leader in the tourism market of India. Here is a recap of recently concluded Guwahati, Kolkata and Hyderabad shows celebrating 25 years of glorious success. TTF Guwahati The new 2014-15 series saw the launch of TTF Guwahati at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre. Dhruba Hazarika, Secretary to the Government of Assam, Department of Tourism inaugurated the show having over 100 stalls from 20 Indian states. He commended TTF as an appropriate platform to send the message to the Indian and global tourism markets that Assam is a safe destination like any other destination in the world. As per the policy announcements of the new government at the centre, special emphasis is being laid on improving the intra-regional connectivity and border infrastructure in the northeast, especially to promote tourism. It is noteworthy that this part of India comprising the seven sister states and Sikkim can boast of unique attractions for the tourist. Apart from world’s richest biodiversity, the region also has some of the most holy shrines for Hindus and Buddhists. The formation of North East India Tourism Confederation (NEITC) is a welcome step in this direction, considering that the states in the region have a shared future, as far as tourism is concerned. The members of NEITC from entire northeast India assembled at the TTF to discuss in depth what are the challenges and strategies to promote tourism in the region. products in the consumer markets which is equally important, as the trade sells what the consumers demand,” said Sanjiv Agarwal, Founder & CEO of Fairfest Media, the organiser of the show. Participants from all over India and abroad came together to celebrate TTF’s completion of 25 successful years and do effective business networking by showcasing their best destinations and related travel products to the travel industry and tourists of this region. TTF Kolkata Attractive pavilions were put up by Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir and many other states, to cater to the local tourists. China Tourism participated as the Feature Country. Assam Tourism, as the Host State, also had a large pavilion. The city of joy hosted TTF at the Netaji Indoor Stadium and Khudiram Anushilan Kendra as always. It was during the perfect time in Kolkata, when the travel loving people would be planning their vacations for the Puja holidays ahead. “Back in 1989, it all started here in Kolkata (Calcutta then), with hardly a few participants and visitors. TTF is now organised in 10 cities in India annually, with hundreds of participants and thousands of trade and general visitors. It is widely recognised as the most effective platform for business interaction among the travel trade. TTFs also act as an effective promotional opportunity to introduce travel Editorial Marketing Production Administration Editor & Publisher Sanjiv Agarwal Advisor Abraham John Associate Directors Rajarshi De Raj Kapoor Singh R Mahesh Tarique Ebrahim Nitin Telang General Manager Fatima D’Costa Deputy General Manager Shruti Aggarwal Project Managers Kavita Kalra Pratiksha Rajapure Purbita Dutta YC Anil Shreyas Jain Assistant Project Managers Philomena D’Souza Deepti V Murthy Shiv Shankar Dutta Ramesh Chauhan Kanika Singh Media Director June Mukherjee Joint Managing Director Rajiv Agarwal Design Team Dilip Manna Ritam Maity Hirak Roy Suman Pramanik Executive Director Harsh Agarwal Editorial Director Gazanfar Ibrahim Content Team Srimati Mitra Shaoni Banerjee Priyanka Bangera Web Team Mrityunjay Kumar Apurv Bhagat Chief Technology Officer Rudradeb Mitra Senior Manager - Accounts & Finance Uma Sureka With over 300 stalls from 9 countries and 28 Indian States & Union Territories, the three-day travel trade show brought together state tourism boards, national tourist offices, hoteliers, airlines, tour operators and travel agents, online travel companies, railways and cruise lines under one roof. The domestic tourism sector, backbone of the country’s tourism industry, was strongly represented at TTF Kolkata, with participation from Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Odisha, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu. One of Kolkata’s all-time favourites, Uttarakhand had to pull out at the last moment last year due to the emergency situations, but this year the state was back with a bang. Their pavilion at TTF was the largest, humming with brisk business being done this year by tens of hoteliers and operators within the pavilion. Their dynamic Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai was in the city to lead the delegation and woo Kolkatans to visit Uttarakhand. West Bengal Tourism, the Host State, not only did put up a large pavilion but also went all out to make TTF Kolkata a grand success. From Travel News Digest (TND) is printed and published by Sanjiv Kumar Agarwal on behalf of Fairfest Media Ltd. Printed at International Print -o-pac Ltd, C-4 to C-11, Hosiery complex, Phase-II, Extension, Noida - 201 301, Distt. G. B. Nagar, UP. Published at 216A/1Gautam Nagar, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi-110 049 Editor Sanjiv Kumar Agarwal No responsibility will be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts and photos received. Despite careful selection of sources, no responsibility can be taken for accuracy. The Publishers and the Editors do not necessarily individually or collectively identify themselves with the views expressed by respective writers and contributors in this journal. The views expressed are those of the authors only. The magazine assumes no liability or responsibility of any kind in connection with the information thereof. All right reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Fairfest Media Limited (CIN - U74140WB1988PLC045101) Head Office 216A/1, Gautam Nagar, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi - 110 049 Tel: (91)(11) 26866874 Registered Office 25C/ 1, Belvedere Road, Alipur, Kolkata 700 027 Tel : (91)(33) 24790010-14 Branch Offices MUMBAI (91) (22) 26372883 / 95 HYDERABAD (91) (49) 27896149 BANGALORE (91) (80) 26761598 AHMEDABAD (91) (79) 2791 1177 ….………………………………………… Volume III - Issue 18 For feedback and information, write in at info@travelnewsdigest.in Web : www.travelnewsdigest.in COVER STORY • TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 conducting a road show for the visiting travel and media, to hosting dinner, from promoting Beautiful Bengal to promoting new MICE venue Eco-Park, West Bengal Tourism did not miss any opportunity to aggressively promote West Bengal. The Tourism Minister of West Bengal Bratya Basu inaugurated the show and outlined the policy of his department to promote tourism in the state. A special section branded as the Outbound Village had participants offering International travel. The participants in this section were Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Oman, Switzerland, Thailand and UAE, all looking for the right kind of opportunity to tap the thriving India outbound market. Oman made its debut in Kolkata TTF. According to data from the Indian Government sources there are some half a million outbound tourists directly taking foreign travel from Kolkata. 3 There must be many more outbound tourists from the city flying via more popular international airports of Mumbai and New Delhi. To enhance and showcase their respective offerings, aside from attractive and elegant stalls, participating states and countries at TTF Kolkata presented daily cultural events and marketing presentations to trade visitors and the media. TTF Hyderabad TTF Hyderabad 2014 took place at HITEX Exhibition Centre at a historic time when the newly born Telangana state is shaping its future. This is the first time Telangana Tourism participated in any trade show. A beautiful pavilion with Telangana’s maiden campaign ‘It’s all in it’ had been set up side by side Andhra Pradesh Tourism’s gorgeous pavilion with its latest theme ‘Everything’s Possible’. 200 participants from 11 countries and 19 Indian States and Union Territories were there to showcase their destinations to the travel industry and tourists from this part of the country. There were colourful displays by Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Delhi, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Become an Ireland Specialist! WIN A SPOT ON A MEGA FAM TO IRELAND IN 2015! Complete all modules by 30th September and 5 lucky Gold and Silver Specialists stand a chance to win an Apple Ipad Mini! Register at www.irelandspecialists.com Tourism Ireland No. 52 Grants Building Annexure, Next to Strand Cinema, Colaba, Mumbai - 400 005. India Tel: +91 22 3296 1624 / +91 22 3296 1725. 4 • COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Guwahati is a big city in northeast India and also a very important source market for China. China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines also joined us to come here to promote China Tourism. I think you have done very good preparations. And I do hope in future TTF will grow here and I am grateful for your support for China Tourism. Li Qiangua Director China National Tourist Office (New Delhi) Assam showcases new tourism offerings One of the most vibrant and resourceful states, Assam has been blessed with all the charms of nature. Tourism in the state has all the properties and qualities to cater to the needs of visiting tourists. A roadshow on Assam Tourism was held at TTF Kolkata on July 5, 2014. Dhrubo Hazarika, Secretary to the Government of Assam, Department of Tourism said, “Ever since 2000, there has been an increase in footfall in Assam. Earlier there was a fear-psychosis, but those days are gone. There is a new understanding of where Assam is heading both industrially and non-industrially. And non-industrially means tourism will remain a focus.” He further explained that the state is promoting 5 types of tourism that includes wildlife tourism, religious tourism, golf tourism, river tourism and cultural and historical tourism. Wildlife tourism includes the five national parks, including the UNESCO World Heritage Sites designated Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, and twenty wildlife sanctuaries. Popular for its tea across the globe, there are more than 750 large tea gardens and some of them have 9 to 18 hold golf courses, such as the Thengal Manor of Jorhat, the Wild Mahseer of Balipara, the Kaziranga Golf Resort of Changsua, etc. The 8th century old door-jambs of Da Parbatia (Tezpur), caves and votive stupas of Shree Surya Pahar, The Royal Palace of Gargaon, and many others are finest examples of Historical tourism in Assam. The massive river Brahmaputra boosts up the river cruising activities in the state with luxury cruise vessels like, Jolporee, M.V. Charaideo and Mahababu. Assam Government also holds the famous Ambubachi Mela and other religious festivals. Assam Government has also taken up initiatives for infrastructure development and other basic amenities. Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal and others. Sri Lanka Tourism participated as the Partner Country. Malaysia, Thailand and Oman were present as Feature Countries. Among other countries, UAE, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Nepal and Cambodia were also represented. Encouraged by last year’s response, Visit Malaysia, in partnership with Malaysian Airlines, offered unbelievable prices: per person 2N/3D package for as low as `26,999/- and 4N/5D package for `30,999/-. The packages cover destinations like Kuala Lumpur, Genting, Johor Bohru and Penang, and include airfare, accommodation, breakfast, airport transfers Very encouraging news for tourism industry in northeast, when we heard TTF is coming to Guwahati. This kind of fair can help people travelling from northeast to outside northeast and also those who are already in the business. The North East India Tourism Confederation (NEITC) conference held in TTF Guwahati was an eye opener. It is the starting of marketing efforts and strategies that can be adopted by the northeast. E B Blah President North East India Tourism Confederation (NEITC) T TF is an appropriate platform to send the message to the Indian and global tourism markets that Assam is a safe destination like any other destination in the world. I definitely feel that TTF is a sound platform to offer myriad destinations to intending tourists from Assam for visiting the other parts of the world. Dhruba Hazarika Secretary, Department of Tourism Government of Assam TTF is indeed a very good platform for showcasing our potential and tourism products. It is really a privilege to be a part of this great event at Guwahati. Since long time we have been associated with TTF and Guwahati is a good source market for Odisha. M R Patnaik Director-cum-Additional Secretary Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha Managing Director, OTDC NEITC focuses on tourism promotion in northeast India The formation of the North East India Tourism Confederation (NEITC) by tourism stakeholders of northeast India has been a welcoming step, keeping in mind that the states in the region share a common future in tourism. The confederation consists of different Tourism & related associations from the 8 states of North East India. The Confederation deals with the challenges and strategies related to the tourism sector and works toward making tourism an important vehicle for the economic development in the region. Highlighting the problems faced by the tourism industry in northeast India and then finding solutions to such issues are few of the objectives of NEITC. Recently, a seminar entitled “Challenges faced by Tourism in North East Region and Marketing North East as a Tourism Destination” was held on June 28, 2014 during the TTF, Guwahati. The seminar identified various problems related to the tourism industry of the northeast India and also suggested related solutions. The members of North East India Tourism Confederation (NEITC) from the entire region assembled to participate in the seminar. The seminar urged the importance of employment generation and economic development of the diverse, beautiful, cultured, simple, happy, peace loving citizens of northeast India. COVER STORY • TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 West Bengal offers the complete tourism package West Bengal roadshow took place on July 5, 2014 as a part of TTF Kolkata at Eco-Park, New Town offering a detailed insight about the tourism products that are offered by the state. West Bengal divides its tourism products into five sub-sectors- Darjeeling Himalayas, Forest & Tea Gardens, Heritage Bengal, Mega City Kolkata, and Beaches & Mangroves. Darjeeling, one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world, is the land of breathtaking scenic beauty, adorned by the majestic Himalayas. Moving on to Forest and Tea garden Tourism, laying in the Himalayan foothills in North Bengal, Dooars offers lush green tea gardens and wildliferich tropical forests. Wasef Manzil in Murshidabad, Dakhil Darwaza in Gaur, Adina Mosque in Pandua, Jhargram Rajbari, Shantiniketan, etc.- they all showcase the rich and cultural heritage of West Bengal. The capital of the State, Kolkata is a whole tourism package and is famous for its art and culture, cuisine, music, cinema, literature, dramas and theatre, heritage sites, lively nightlife and shopping destination. The coastal strip of West Bengal presents some beautiful options in sea resort, such as Digha, Shankarpur, Mandarmoni, etc. while the Sunderbans is the largest single block of tidal, halophytic mangrove forests in the world. Apart from these, West Bengal also offers Cultural Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Golf Tourism, Rural Tourism, Monasteries Tourism and Religious Tourism. The roadshow was held inside a beautiful 2,800 sq ft glass house, which offers a 360° view of the Eco-Park across the lake. Spread over a massive 480 acres with a 200 acres covered with artificial lake, Eco-Park has been developed, seeking a balance between ecological regeneration, resource conservation and fulfilling the need to build a recreation urban open space. Tourism raises total employment, directly or indirectly and is a main sector of socio-economic development. That is why we should strengthen tourist infrastructure and facilities that tourists need. It is our duty to showcase the assets and tourist products so that tourists from other parts of the country and from international arena can visit our country and state in particular. We are now trying to promote Gajoldoba and Jangal Mahal for both domestic and foreign tourists. We are trying to create a wide range of promotions for our state. We are also thinking about roping in local as well as big actors/actresses as brand ambassadors of state’s tourism. I want to urge everybody to come and see our booming Bengal. Bratya Basu Umapada Chatterjee Tourism Minister Government of West Bengal Director - Tourism Government of West Bengal This year we are promoting destinations like Ko Samui, Krabi, Phuket, Chiang Mai and others. We are promoting wedding and honeymoon tourism along with the regular family vacations at TTFs and getting great response. Deepak Arora Information Officer Tourism Authority of Thailand TTF is one of the best platforms for us. It gives us an opportunity to build ourselves and aware others about Sri Lanka. People in Hyderabad are very interested about Sri Lanka and especially about the Ramayana sites. We are planning to participate next in OTM New Delhi and Mumbai. Vijay Somasundaram Manager, Royal Holidays Sri Lanka and sightseeing. These offers were only valid for bookings made at TTF Hyderabad. SpiceJet was the official airline partner of TTF Guwahati, Kolkata and Hyderabad offering special fares for the participants and visitors from different parts of the country. 5 6 • COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Andhra Pradesh Tourism plays major role in state’s development Andhra Pradesh is one of top tourist destinations in India. Offering variety of tourist attractions including beaches, hills, caves, wildlife, forests and temples, Andhra Pradesh attracts both international and domestic tourists in a large number. The government had allocated `220 crore for Andhra Pradesh for the development of tourism last year. K.S Reddy, Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Tourism has recently presented a roadshow in TTF Kolkata, announcing that the new motto of the state‘Everything is Possible’. On the topic of new Chief Minister being elected, Reddy said, “Chandrababu Naidu has a good vision for Andhra Pradesh. He has come after 10 years and will give a great boost to Andhra Pradesh.” Tirupati and Kailasa were some of the highlighted tourist hubs. Borra Caves, Araku Valley, jungle areas, tribal preserves and Kalinga patnam—the historical area, were some of the popular sites mentioned. The state also promoted its vast coastline of 972 kms, which offers some beautiful and exotic tourist destination. Andhra Pradesh also showcased full potential in Eco-Tourism, Temple Circuits, Budhhist circuits and Cruise Tourism. Nowadays tourism seems to be an industry. It provides jobs as well as it improves the economy of that state or country. Almost everybody is giving importance to tourism and travellers. Tourism sector is playing vital role in economy after agriculture sector in the country. The government had allocated `220 crore for Andhra Pradesh for the development of tourism last year, and this year also we are expecting the same. We want to develop the tourism amount to generate revenue for both Centre and State government. P Raghunatha Reddy IT & Culture Minister Government of Andhra Pradesh I think it is the correct step at this point of time to introduce TTF in Guwahati. Guwahati deserves it because the destination is also a gateway to other northeastern states apart from being a tourism destination itself. Telangana Tourism makes debut appearance in TTF The newly formed state, Telangana government is leaving no stone unturned to give a boost to tourism. Telangana offers an array of famous and exciting destinations for the tourists. The state is also building strong connections by attending and organising roadshows and other tourism events. Apart from the capital city of Hyderabad, which houses Charminar, Golconda Fort, beautiful pearls and mouth-watering biryani, the Kakatiya circuit with Warangal as the hub and the adjacent Karimnagar are also under mega tourism project. Bhuvanagiri Fort, Gadwal Fort, Warangal Fort and Qutub Shahi Tombs are other magnificent tourist destination of historic origin in Telangana. Other tourist destinations include Jinnaram near Kawal Tiger Sanctuary and the lake resorts of Kadem (Adilabad), Alisagar Lake (Nizamabad) and the beautiful temple Dichpally Ramalayam. Blessed with the best of nature, Telangana is home to numerous enchanting waterfalls, such as Gayatri, Kanakai, Kuntala and Kortikal (B) waterfalls. Other spots which come under nature tourism of Telangana are Anantagiri Hills, Laknavaram Lake, Papikondalu, Mallela theertam, and PillalaMarri. Farahabad Tiger Forest and Nehru Zoological Park take care of state’s wildlife tourism sector. Chandana Khan Special Chief Secretary Government of Andhra Pradesh Telangana, the youngest state of India, offers a number of exciting destinations for the tourists both from India and abroad. Apart from the capital city of Hyderabad, which is known for Charminar, Golconda fort, magnificent palaces, pearls and biryani, the Kakatiya circuit covering Warangal and Karimnagar, offers a flavour of the glorious heritage of the area. We are also promoting a host of lesser known places in the State, such as, Jannaram near Kawal tiger sanctuary and Kadem lake resort in Adilabad, Alisagar lake resort in Nizamabad for those interested in adventure and eco-tourism. Come… Discover Telangana! B P Acharya Principal Secretary, Planning and Tourism Government of Telangana COVER STORY • TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Uttarakhand encourages tourists to visit, declares the state as safe Uttarakhand, with its gigantic Himalayas, holy rivers, the spiritual mystery, stunning landscapes and a mesmerising flora and fauna has always remained one of the most loved tourist destinations. To promote the destination, Uttarakhand had one of the largest stalls at TTF Kolkata this year and also held a road show at the event. Dinesh Dhanai who attended the event for the first time this year said, “Even I have just become a minister recently, but coming to Kolkata was very important. Uttarakhand shares deep ties with Kolkata and West Bengal. I felt very nice coming here and got the chance to state that Uttarakhand is safe. Nainital, Mussorie, Jim Corbett are all safe.” “Tourists continue to come and the government tries to ensure safety of the visitors in spite of the rains. Government is ready with helicopters and doctors and has arranged several measures. Disaster forces are ready in case anything happens. Uttarakhand government has even made Victor Banerjee, the brand ambassador. He is popular in Bengal and has recently returned from Kedarnath. We have quoted him saying it is quite safe and thus encourage people to trust in the government. Uttarakhand’s slogan is ‘Atithi Devo Bhavo’ and we are ready to welcome all tourists who visit the state,” Dhanai added. It is very important for us to visit T TF Kolkata, as Uttarakhand has old and memorable tourism connection with the Kolkata and even whole west Bengal, and its people. We want to express that Uttarakhand is absolutely safe and open for visitors. We have given special attention towards tourists’ safety and security, along with their fooding and lodging facilities. We have also set up a number of emergency centres, helpline numbers and medical facilities. Dinesh Dhanai Tourism Minister Government of Uttarakhand TTF is a very good platform to promote one’s tourism products and build connections. Bangladesh is promoting beaches Cox’s Bazar, wildlife of Sundarban, historical sites like Paharpur and many other beautiful holiday destinations like Rangamati, etc. Like West Bengal, J&K too has a Shakti Peeth Maa Vaishno Devi Ji which is visited by more than one crore people in a year and the major chunk is from West Bengal, Gujarat and Maharastra. I would like to welcome TTF in Jammu & Kashmir also to hold an event there. Mohammad Motahar Hossain Soujanya Sharma Deputy Manager Bangladesh Tourism Board Director Tourism (Jammu) Government of Jammu & Kashmir It’s a very good step that TTF has come to Guwahati. TTF is a very good platform for tourism, airlines, etc. I have been to TTF Kolkata several times and I will attend next year as well. Owen Zhou Zengrong General Manager – India China Eastern Airlines 7 8 • COVER STORY TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 We participated at TTF Kolkata for the first time this year and were happy with the turnout at the exhibition. We wanted to enter the Kolkata market to gauge and understand the needs and requirements of the travellers residing in East India. TTF was an effective platform as it allowed us to meet both travel trade and potential customers. The event was very well organised and we appreciate the effort, the organisers took to conduct a successful trade fair. Lubaina Sheerazi We expect a lot from TTF Kolkata We have been a fairly big and loyal and in return we always get the supporter of TTF Kolkata. Like results. Bengalis are very good travellers people associate Gainwell with Kolkata, and we are getting excellent response they also support TTF with Kolkata. In from them. This year Maharasthra is promoting Kolkata, the footfall is generally very high and we wildlife, beaches, Bollywood tourism and the hill have had some good enquiries. stations. We will definitely take part in TTF Kolkata Manoj Saraf next year again. Managing Director Moushami Kose Gainwell Travel & Leisure Manager-Domestic Exhibitions, Resort Operations Maharastra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) India Representative, Oman Tourism The TTF is one of those events which It is my pleasure that we are here Gujarat Tourism participates in all today at TTF Kolkata. This year the destinations, for the reason it draws Lakshadweep tourism is promoting the the maximum buyers. I think TTF is a helicopter package. And although not very good platform for a state to sell its products, decided yet, the talks of Lakshadweep tour, from to display the tourism events, and launch the new October onwards, are currently ongoing. destinations. We are promoting the lesser known Saraswati Chowdhury products from Gujarat Tourism such as Rann Krish Tours & Travels Utsav and Saputara. Authorised Agent, Lakshadweep Tourism Sports When TTF Kolkata was opened to the general public, we had very good response. That’s why I am very happy. Whatever the expectations were from the event, it was fulfilled. Abhijit Dhar Resident Manager Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Soman S Pathy Liasion Officer, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited Everything is going right and we are having several people who are demanding new spots. So we are promoting new spots like Khara pathar, Chindi, Sangla and Chitkul. We will definitely come back next year to TTF Kolkata. It is one of the most famous fairs in tourism sector and we are getting good response from it. Since 1991 we have been participating in TTF in various destinations all over India. As usual we are getting a good response of people of Kolkata. We have our popular destinations like Shillong and Cherrapunji while Jakrem and Chandigre fall under rural tourism, which we are promoting for this year. TTF is one of our favourite exhibitions. We got a lot of response from Kolkata and we have generated a lot of business from here. We are promoting Goa as a wedding destination now, and along with that we are also showcasing eco tourism, our beaches, and white water rafting. Ravinder Sandhu Surajit Basu Rajesh Kale Asst. Manager, Marketing Office Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Liaison Officer, Tourism Department Government of Meghalaya Assistant Director & Executive Magistrate (South) Department of Tourism, Government of Goa TTF is going very good and we have generated many businesses. We are getting a very good response from people of Kolkata. We are promoting the major destinations of Punjab like Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bhatinda, etc. and also our new concept Virasat-e-Khalsa- a heritage building in Ropar. We will be definitely participating in the next TTFs and OTMs. Gursharan Singh & Hardeep Singh Tourist Officers, Department of Tourism Government of Punjab We are feeling very good and we TTF Kolkata is a very well organised have always received a good event. We get a lot of awareness by response from the crowd of Kolkata. participating in TTF Kolkata. Last year Manas National Park always gets more also we participated. The response has guests from Kolkata area. We are very satisfied been very good. TTF always satisfies our participating in TTF every year. Now we have expectations and it’s a good experience. more crowd coming in and definitely we are Sarath Sankar benefiting from the fair. Head - Sales, The Tamara Coorg Bhuma Rani Bargayary Asst. Tourist Information Officer, Department of Tourism Bodoland Territorial Council We attend all the events by TTF in We are getting a huge response from all over India. We get a very good the people of West Bengal and they opportunity to interact with all the really appreciate Sikkim. This year we are tour operators who are here. We are in promoting Namchi, Chardham and B2B business and TTF is a good platform where encouraging home stays. Kolkata TTF is always we can interact, explain, exchange products memorable event for Sikkim and we will definitely and ideas. come again next year. Madhu K G Executive Director Spiceland Holidays TTF Kolkata is very nice and we have received a great business. We will definitely come back again next year and will recommend other hoteliers and travel agents to attend the TTF. Rajiv Mishra General Manager, Sales & Marketing Pine Spring Group of Hotels This is the second time we are participating in TTF Kolkata and it has been good so far. We are satisfied and we will definitely participate again S Sadhu in the coming years. Assistant General Manager Sikkim House, Travel Division Ravi Kamesh Manager - Supplier Relations, Stayzilla.com COVER STORY • TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 9 This is the first time we are We have been working with TTF for This is electrifying, the way B2B and participating in Kolkata TTF and we the last 10 years, back to back in B2C are turning in. We got a good are getting a very good response. Our every fair. It’s a lovely forum for not only response and it’s hugely crowded in TTF company Evoque Hotel Marketing is interaction, but I think TTF is doing a Kolkata. This is the first time that we are new and we are feeling good. We were not great job promoting tourism in India. The quality participating and every this has gone right for us; expecting to receive so many visitors and this of products that TTF has, none of the other it’s just according to our expectations. experience is beyond our expectation. competitors have. TTF has evolved and Swarnavo Paul understood the need of travellers, hoteliers, and Gita Chaudhry Representative, The Traveller travel agents. And with changes every year TTF Partner, Evoque Hotel Marketing is meeting the greater satisfaction level of people and that goes for me also. TTF Kolkata is great platform for I am participating in TTF Kolkata for Vijendra Singh Kumpawat travel agents, hoteliers and budget the first time to promote my General Manager hotels. I have come here to interact with property. I think it’s a wonderful Fort Rajwada, Jaisalmer the travel agents- big or small. experience. I am meeting a whole lot of new people and making new contacts. Vivek Thakur Sales Manager, Amritara Sona Bhattacharjee Senior Sales & Marketing Manager The Manu Maharani, Nainital Munmun Mandal TTF Kolkata is a nice fair. Travellers CMO as well as the tour operators and Deepalay Guest House, Kolkata We receive lovely responses from hoteliers are getting help out of this TTF Kolkata. The event gives a This is my second visit to TTF Kolkata forum. So we should continue this platform to interact with several travel and my best experience. I am agents and promote our products. TTF every year. looking for many business tie-ups and Ashis Roy connects people of all region and we encourage state participation. I came here from Senior Reviewer, Destination Expert all to visit Nainital. Durgapur to further promote the exhibition that TripAdvisor Pawan Kumar we organise there. TTF is doing very good because Business Development Manager, Nature Fresh Hospitality Kolkata never has such a big travel TTF Kolkata is very good event and trade fair like the TTF organised by it’s a core place to meet all the This is the first time I am attending Fairfest. Lot of hoteliers, travel agencies, hoteliers and travel agents and travellers TTF. I have come from Delhi to visit etc. And many people all come under one roof, can also witness a variety of destinations TTF Kolkata. It’s a good platform for interacting, exchanging cards and getting to to choose from for their next trip. I am enjoying people who are in the hospitality showcase their products. It’s a great attempt by being here, and I make it compulsory to visit TTF industry and i am having a great experience here. Fairfest for organising the fair all this while. every year. Indira Maitra Seema Thakur Representative, Balaji Travels Representative, Global Connections Representative, Sai Sana di-ge Hospitality I have come from West Sikkim and feeling great to be a part of this event. I have been sent by Sikkim Government. TTF Kolkata is the right place where every trade partner can visit to share their ideas and promote their products. TTF is the best place for me. TTF Kolkata is extremely good and doing well. We have lots of suppliers and buyers here. I have come from Kerala to promote my products in TTF Gauri Chhetri Amit Kumar Managing Director, Hitaishi Homestay All India Sales Head, Make India Journey Pawan Kejriwal TTF Kolkata experience is very good TTF is a great platform for because it’s a good business connecting and interacting with platform. We come to know about travel agents, where we can receive many agents and it’s very fruitful for the good references upon participating. business. TTF is a good platform for networking. Visiting TTF Kolkata every year is a must and I feel something is missing if I miss the event. Sonali Mondal Representative, The Himalayas 360° Debdut Chatterjee Partner, Simana Chhariye with us. We came from Bangladesh and we found out that TTF Kolkata is really good. In TTF we can build connections and also invite them to come and work Kolkata. Sheeba K R Director of Sales, Thomas Hotels and Resorts Many congratulations to the team of TTF for completing 25 years. The event is going on fine and we are really enjoying it. We are getting good response here and really liking the ambience. All the very best to all of you. Tanzeem Khan Representative, Sales & Business Development Daiwik Hotels As always TTF is a very good TTF is a beautiful platform for the platform for travel agents and travel agents, participated by so hoteliers, from abroad and India. So we many state tourism, international have come in from Delhi and it has been tourism boards, individuals, and travela nice experience. tour related companies. Mohammad Nuruddin Bhuiyan (Nasim) Shreshtha Singh Mustak Khan Representative, Shams Bhuiyan Pvt.Ltd Head - Revenue & System Control, Travgenie.com Tour Executive, Emeralds Holidays INDIA TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • 10 Ministry of Tourism promotes films as niche tourism product The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture & Tourism Shripad Yesso Naik announced that the tourism ministry is considering films as one of the significant tools to promote tourism in India. Several steps have been taken during the past years to promote Film Tourism as an important Niche Tourism product. The Ministry of Tourism has developed guidelines to financially aid various State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations to promote Film Tourism. Further, Ministry of Tourism had also entered in a MoU with Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in 2012 to promote Cinema of India as a sub brand of “Incredible India” globally. During the same time, various State Governments/ Administrators of various UT Administrations were urged to realise the potential of Film Tourism in India and develop special bodies/departments for a better filming process in the States/Union Territories. PATA India, Ministry of Tourism conduct U.S. roadshow PATA India Chapter and Ministry of Tourism, conducted the U.S. roadshow in four cities – New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The roadshow witnessed participation from about 21 sellers and a turnout of 50-60 tour operators at each location. Vikram Madhok, Vice Chairman, PATA India Chapter said, “The focus of the roadshow is to promote inbound tourism from the largest source market for India.” “PATA India is excited to host the roadshow in the U.S. as we go back to the U.S. after five years. Also, we introduced a new format of buyerseller interaction this year. The conventional method is where the sellers sit on a table and buyers move around the room. This time the buyers sat and sellers moved from table to table. The motto is that each seller should get to meet each buyer. We had about 21 sellers embarking on this roadshow,” Madhok added. Indian Railways to offer Office on Wheels for business travellers The Government of India is planning to introduce a new measure for business travellers, known as the “Office on Wheels”. On a pilot basis, the Railways Ministry will soon set up cabins equipped with computers, printers, internet and refreshments in a few selected trains along with some AC Express trains to provide work related amenities for corporates on the move. A step like this will help the MICE and business travellers to a great extent. However, railways are planning to charge the travellers who opt for “Office on Wheels” facility, a substantial amount over the basic fare. The Ministry of Tourism also launched a National Tourism Award ceremony in 2012 for “Most Film Promotion Friendly State/UT”. Additionally, Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have recently participated in the Cannes Film Festival & Market, International Film Festival of India (IFFI), and Goa and Film Bazaar, Goa. “A proposal of the State Government of Chhattisgarh namely ‘Producing Tourism Documentary Film and TV Commercials’ has been prioritised by the Ministry of Tourism for grant of Central Financial Assistance (CFA) during the financial year 2014-15,” said Naik. India’s Visa on Arrivals increase by 99% in June 2014 India’s Visa on Arrival scheme saw a record increase of 98.9% in June. During June 2014, a total of 2,112 Visa on Arrivals (VoA) were issued as compared to 1,062 VoAs in June 2013. The nationals of the 12 countries for whom the VoAs were issued are South Korea (663), Singapore (410), Japan (261), the Philippines (228), Indonesia (217), New Zealand (214), Finland (51), Myanmar (27), Vietnam (20), Cambodia (14) Laos (4) and Luxembourg (3). A major part of the Visa on Arrival scheme has attracted mostly business travellers from South Korea, Japan and Singapore. During the first six months of 2014, the highest number of VoAs were issued at New Delhi airport (5,542) followed by Mumbai (2,428), Chennai (1,607), Bengaluru (820), Kolkata (782), Kochi (346), Hyderabad (305) and Trivandrum (123). Ministry of Tourism promotes Bed and Breakfast / Homestay Establishments The Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, New Delhi is promoting “Incredible India Bed and Breakfast / Homestay Establishments” with an aim to provide a wholesome Indian ethnic experience to the tourists. Travellers can avail comfortable home stay, local culture, cuisine, customs & traditions with good standards of facilities & services at an affordable cost. The focus is to make their stay a memorable one and also supplement the availability of accommodation. As part of 100 days plan, India Tourism jointly with Maharashtra Tourism have organised a sensitisation workshop on August 5, 2014 to promote the “Incredible India Bed and Breakfast / Homestay Establishments” scheme. The workshop was well attended by the travel trade and hotel associations, tourist guides and already running Bread and Breakfast owners who shared their experience. It was presided over by Dr. Jagdish Patil, Managing Director and Satish Soni, Joint Managing Director of Maharastra Tourism Development Corporation. The workshop was aimed to sensitise the people to come up and offer their extra rooms to the tourist, which will help to meet the shortage of hotel rooms in the country. INDIA • 11 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Key features of Union Budget 2014-15 to boost tourism • Project on Ganges called “Jal Marg Vikas’ to be developed between Allahabad and Haldia • Scheme for development of new airports in Tier I and Tier II cities to be launched • `100 crore is provided for construction of a war memorial in the Princes Park, which will be supplemented by a War Museum • `50 crores provided for construction of National Police Memorial • `200 crore provided to build the Statue of unity (National project) •Facility of Electronic Travel Authorisation (e-Visa) to be introduced in phased manner at nine airports in India • Countries to which the Electronic Travel authorisation facility would be extended would be identified in a phased manner • `500 crore provided for developing 5 tourist circuits around specific themes • `100 crore provided for National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) • `200 crore provided for National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) • `100 crore provided for Archaeological sites preservation •Sarnath-Gaya-Varanasi Buddhist circuit to be developed with world class tourist amenities to attract tourists from all over the world • `100 crore provided for Detailed Project Reports for linking of rivers • `2037 crores provided for Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission “NAMAMI GANGE” • `100 crore provided for Ghat development and beautification at Kedarnath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Patna and Delhi • NRI Fund for Ganga will be set up • `1000 crore provided for development of rail connectivity in the North Eastern Region • Duty free entitlement for import of trimmings, embellishments and other specified items increased from three percent to five percent of the value of their export, for readymade garments. • For passenger facilitation, free baggage allowance increased from `35,000 to ` 45,000 •Withdraw concessional excise duty (two percent without Cenvat benefit and six percent with Cenvat benefit) on smart cards and a uniform excise duty at 12% •Services by air-conditioned contract carriages and technical testing of newly developed drugs on human participants brought under service tax •Services provided by Indian tour operators to foreign tourists in relation to a tour wholly conducted outside India to be taken out of the tax net and Cenvat credit for services of renta-cab and tour operators to be allowed to promote tourism • 24X7 customs clearance facility extended to 13 more airports in respect of all export goods and to 14 more sea ports in respect of specified import and export goods to facilitate cargo clearance This is the best ever budget for the tourism industry in the history of India. We are grateful to the Ministry for considering our long-pending demand for E-Visa. With this, international tourist arrivals to India will grow by 30-40% on a yearly basis and also generate additional employment for 50 million people and substantial increase in Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs). A lot of other hopes from the Budget have also been met like streamlining of taxation system, exemption of Service Tax on some services, CENVAT Credit allowed to tour operators, to create five tourist circuits across the country, and to enhance rail connectivity to the North East. Subhash Goyal President, IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) The Union Budget 2014-15, has set a landmark precedent for our industry with two firsts. Within the first ten minutes of his speech the FM mentioned the tourism industry and how E-visa implementation would stimulate it further, the first ever time tourism has been mentioned upfront. Second, the amount of print space given to tourism in this budget would probably be one of the highest ever in any recallable budgets. TAAI is happy that one of its important representations to the Ministries has borne fruit - availment of CENVAT Credit of service tax paid by renta-cab operators and tour operators. Harmandeep Singh Anand Secretary General, TAAI (Travel Agents Association of India) FHRAI welcomes the announcement regarding implementation of the ETA/E-Visa policy and the allocation of `500 crore for the development of five theme-based tourist circuits. We endorse the strong emphasis that the Finance Minister has laid on leveraging PPP mode for executing key infrastructure projects. We applaud the initiative to set up an `10,000 crore fund to provide equity, soft loans and other forms of risk capital for start-up companies. FHRAI had recommended in our pre-budget memorandum that we must focus on institutional mechanisms aimed at transforming our youth from being job-seekers to job-creators. S M Shervani President, FHRAI (Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India) for more information Call :+91 11 41589538 / 48 +91 11 41570538 +91 9818329911 / 9818349911 EMail :ritu@spicevacation.com Web :http://www.spicevacation.com Value Products Spicevacations offer A - Z travel solutions and will make sure that your tour lasts in your mind forever. Hospitality is a word synonymous with us; hence you can never be uncomfortable with our service. We offer you affordable and wonderful tour packages which will mesmerize you. Choose your favorite destinations and have a happy holiday. Air Tickets | Helicopter Services | Travel Insurance | Western Union Money Transfer | Group & Incentive Tours | Hotel Reservations Worldwide | Cruises | Visa Assistance | Deluxe Coaches | Air Ambulance 12 • india TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Odisha: Sand Art Park to be developed in Puri To promote the tourism and art on a larger scale, Odisha Government has urged for the establishment of a Sand Art Park at Puri, Odisha. Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra and Tourism & Culture Secretary Dr Arabinda Padhee have been working over the various prospects and developing it as tourism project. Discussions have been held related to the formation of an institutional base for the project in shape of a society. It has been decided that the land required for the park, which is about 2-3 acres, will be provided to the department free of premium. The project has been initiated not only to attract more tourists to Puri, but also to educate and train the budding sand art artists and encourage amateurs into this field. In near future, the project is also planning to provide services including regular sand art training classes, short term course for tourists, creation of a sand sculpture gallery of international standard, establishment of a sand art photo gallery and sand animation studio. Chief Secretary Mohapatra further wants the support of internationally known Odia sand artist Sudarshan Pattanaik in the planning and implementation of the project. Assam promotes several tourism sectors to diversify the industry Assam Tourism Minister, Chandan Brahma announced that although rhino is one of the most important tourist attractions of the state, it is not the only attraction and Assam has many other important offerings for the tourists. “The rhino is an internationally-known tourist attraction, but at the same time the vast natural resources of Assam, greenery, diverse culture and religions, heritage sites etc., are also some other tourist hotspots,” he said. Brahma further explained that river tourism in Assam is yet to bloom to its full potential and special focus has been given to make the Brahmaputra River a tourist hub. Karnataka promotes river rafting while searches for brand ambassador This monsoon season, Karnataka is offering a splendid opportunity of river rafting for the adventure seekers. Three major rivers are offering the thrill of rafting, one of the most popular sports of Karnataka. Travellers can enjoy river rafting and other water sports in Karnataka at Bhadra River, Cauvery River, Sita River and Vanivilas Sagar Dam. To further boost the tourism of the state and generate more investments, Karnataka Government wants to appoint a brand ambassador for the state’s tourism. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has showed interest in the proposal as he wants to project Karnataka globally. “It would be apt to appoint a well-known face from the state as its brand ambassador to showcase Karnataka to investors as well as tourists. One has to follow the trend of the times. A final decision would be taken after consultation with experts and professionals in various sectors,” Siddaramaiah said. “This is in line with the government’s plans to attract overseas investors and tourists through the Global Investors’ Meet, international trade shows and tourism promotion campaigns,” Siddaramaiah added. World Bank to fund Punjab’s tourism projects The World Bank has expressed keen interest in Punjab as a global tourist destination and has offered to fund projects for the promotion of religious, heritage, health and ethnic tourism in the state. For the procedure, Punjab will soon send a detailed proposal of different tourism projects in need to be developed through financial aid from the World Bank. Recently, a four-member team of senior WB officials, led by Onno Ruhl, Country Director, World Bank, conducted a meeting with Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, and asked the state government to work further on this concept. Additionally Brahma has also asked his officials to submit a proposal to make Kulsi a tourist hotspot involving the Gangetic river dolphin. Apart from that, Assam Government is also encouraging golf tourism in the state. Supporting the initiative, Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi is urging to boost the sector and major investment has also been made. Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, cinema halls, museums, parks, good restaurants etc., can act as important attractions for the promotion of urban tourism in Assam. Big hotel chains like the Marriot, the Taj etc., are also coming to Guwahati to establish their hotels. Rajasthan: `97.50 crore approved for tourism projects, VAT slashed Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of the Union Tourism Ministry, nine tourism infrastructure projects worth `97.50 crore have been approved by the Centre for Rajasthan, prioritised for 2014-15. Among these projects are the development of a Mega Desert Circuit (JaisalmerJo d h p u r -B i k a n e r - S a m b har-Pali-Mount Abu), Sawai Madhopur-Karauli, Sahelion ki Baoli at Udaipur and Hadoti Circuit by connecting Jhalawar-Baran-Bundi. Other projects include the development of Dholpur as a tourist destination, light and sound programme at Machkund, development of Talab Shahi and a cruise in the Chambla River. “The Centre has also sanctioned `50 lakh for the organisation of festivals,” said Sanjay Pande, Additional Director, Department of Tourism. For further boost in tourism Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje announced that several heritage hotels in Rajasthan will pay less valueadded tax (VAT) this summer season. Guesthouses and hostels with fewer than five rooms will also benefit from this tax reduction scheme. Raje has further cut down the VAT on turbine fuel from 20% to five percent, citing that the move will attract more flights to the state. 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Organised By Endorsing and Supporting Associations Supported By Host Country Official Media Media Affiliates Contributing Media Official Airline Official Venue 14 • india TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Maharashtra Tourism launches first-ever international office in Japan In order to promote inbound tourism in the region, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has opened its first-ever international office in Tokyo, Japan. Wakayama Prefecture has provided MTDC approximately 80 sq. ft. of its office space to support in the promotion of Maharashtra tourism in Japan. Last year, Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had signed a partnership with the Governor of Wakayama Prefecture in Mumbai to further explore the commonalities between the country and attain mutual benefit. The partnership has paved the way to acquire financial support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Phase-III development of Ajanta-Ellora caves, signing of MoU between Ajanta Visitor Center and Wakayama World Heritage Centre and exchange of office space between MTDC and Wakayama Tourism. A team from Maharashtra Government has recently visited Japan to develop both sustainable business and tourism opportunities between the two countries. MTDC has also asked the centre to increase its tourism funds to `1000 millions from the usual `700- 800 millions. West Bengal to develop 12 new mega tourism projects West Bengal has attracted 12 lakh foreign visitors last year, and the state has now undertaken the development of 12 new mega tourism projects and the work of upgrading infrastructure to attract more domestic and international tourists. Bratya Basu, Tourism Minister, West Bengal, said, “The government was laying top priority on upgrading tourism infrastructure by improving facilities like roads, water supply and power.” He further informed that they are also constructing new tourist lodges and renovating the existing ones. “The government was keen on promoting the state’s tourism sector through aggressive marketing, and hoped that the number of tourists would increase substantially once the infrastructure plans were implemented,” Basu added. The projects at Gajoldoba and Buxa-Jayanti circuits in the Dooars, Jharkhali Island in the Sundarbans forest, and the Jungal Mahal circuit in the western districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, all come under these mega projects. Besides improving the overall infrastructure in Gangasagar, the government will also refurbish the Sagarika tourist lodge in Diamond Harbour and Gangasagar tourist lodge in Gangasagar. Additionally, the government is working on the final phase of developing Henry Island in South 24 Parganas district. Andhra Pradesh to promote Vishakhapatnam as tourism hub The Andhra Pradesh government is planning to develop Vishakhapatnam and the district as a tourism hub. HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao explained that heritage-rich Vishakhapatnam city has a lot of potential to be developed like Singapore. “The district has Buddhist centres, the picturesque Araku valley, Borra caves and Erramatti Dibbalu (red sand dunes) which could be developed as tourist destination,” Rao said. “The State Government had already started work to develop beaches between Bheemili and Visakhapatnam at a cost of `50 crore, which will be completed soon,” the minister added. He further flagged off the ‘leisure night package tour’ bus launched by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). The bus covers places like Submarine Museum, Rishikonda, Kailasagiri Hill and Shilparamam Jatara in the city. Kerala Tourism to showcase state’s water adventure sports Kerala Tourism has decided to showcase water adventure sports to meet the growing tourists’ demands and cover newer tourism programmes and projects. Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar announced that water sports like whitewater kayaking, para-sailing, seaplanes, mini-cruise ships and development of adventure sports in the state with water scooters can be explored more. He further stated that they are preparing to launch para-sailing in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. The Kerala tourism department is particularly interested in developing the hilly district of Wayanad as an adventure water sports destination and has already put in `4 million. Additionally, the tourism department’s seaplane services will be launched during the coming Onam festival season in September. “All hitches have been cleared and this is going to change the face of Kerala tourism as tourists can depart from major destinations like Kollam, Alapuzha, Bekal and Bolgatty,” Kumar said. “The tourism and ports departments have jointly worked out a new product by launching a luxury minicruise ship which will be open for service on the sea between Kochi and Vizhinjam, near Kovalam, in September,” he added. INDIA • 15 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Gujarat Tourism to facilitate J&K takes steps to boost tourism, attract high-end visitors private tour operators Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) has allowed the private tour operators from across the country to register themselves with Gujarat Tourism as certified operators. Furthermore, TCGL will also be offering the facility of online booking of private hotels that will be registered with it. Moreover, private operators can now showcase their own packages on Gujarat Tourism website, said Kamlesh Patel, Chairman, TCGL. Gujarat is filled with variety of destinations which would cater to all types of tourism sectors, such as beach, wildlife, eco, heritage, archaeological, religion, Gandhi circuit, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced that initiatives have been taken to develop the tourism in the region and make it more attractive for the investors. “Pilgrim, adventure, sport and other related tourism is being encouraged to develop along with the growth of conventional tourism,” he said. He further added that steps are also being taken to attract more high- end tourists. He stated that as the tourist arrivals have increased significantly with over one million tourists coming to Kashmir valley during the last three years.“Tourism has been of a great economic resource for the people and the State since times immemorial,” Buddhist sites, etc. Gujarat will be hosting a series of events and festivals over the next few months attract many more travellers. The Monsoon Festival is set to take place from August 16 to September 13, 2014, the Tarnetar Fair will be held during August 29-31, 2014, the Navratri Festival will take place from September 25 to October 3, 2014, the Rann Utsav will be celebrated during December 1, 2014 to March 18, 2015, and the International Kite festival will be celebrated on January 14, 2015. The gross tourist flow in the state during the year 2013-14 was 287.88 lakh, which is 13.30% higher that the flow in 2012-13. Omar added. “Nature has bestowed us with plenty of tourist attractions and every one of us has the responsibility to protect and preserve the scenic beauty of Jammu and Kashmir for the generations to come. While departments concerning tourism have special responsibility of preservation and conservation of tourist resorts, the stakeholders in the sector are equally responsible in this regard besides general people,” he stated. The much awaited train from Udhampur to Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, was recently flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is expected to act as a huge step in boosting pilgrim tourism. IndiGo to introduce the free of charge Advance Pass service IndiGo becomes the first airline in India to introduce the ‘Advance Pass’ service. A free of charge service, it allows the passenger to check-in and receive the boarding pass in their mail inbox 48 hours prior to the departure. The passenger will then have to simply print the boarding pass before arriving at the airport and embark on a smooth hassle free journey. In any case, if they are unable to print the pass, they can always collect the boarding pass from the airport by following a regular queue. Aditya Ghosh, President, IndiGo said, “The objective behind this initiative is to make the journey of www.businesstravelmice.com INDIA’S PIONEERING TRADE SHOW FOCUSED ON BUSINESS TRAVEL AND MICE Mumbai India’s Biggest Travel Market 4, 5, 6 February 2015 Co-located with passengers more hassle free by reducing the waiting time for check-in.” India is the fastest growing business travel market in the world. Mumbai is the business hub of India harbouring major commercial organisations, leading corporations including multi-nationals, with huge business travel and MICE spending. BTM will provide you guaranteed access to hundreds of business travel and MICE buyers from top companies in the region. To make your visit more effective, you can register and schedule appointments via www.businesstravelmice.com/visitor-registration mail: visitbtm@fairfest.com dial: (91) (22) 2637 2883 / (91) (22) 2637 2895 Member Supported by Official Trade Publication Organised by 16 • india TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Foreign airlines plan to increase business class seats in India Foreign carriers are introducing more business class seats in their flights in India because of the recent surge in demand along with the positive growth in India’s economy. German flag carrier Lufthansa has launched its new Boeing 747-800 on the Mumbai-Frankfurt route, currently on which it operates the 747-400. The decision has resulted in an increase in the number of business class seats to 80 from 66. The total capacity per flight has been increased 10% to 386 seats. Singapore Airlines is also planning to bring full business class upper decks on its Airbus A380 flights to India. Replacing its Boeing 777s, the airline has increased the number of business class seats to 60 from 38. The airline is planning to introduce an exclusively business class upper deck aboard the A380 in India, after it did the same in U.S. “There is a huge demand for business, especially in Mumbai. Even with 60 seats, it gets a little full, especially on weekends. They want more and we are not in the business of disappointing our customers,” said David Lau, General Manager India, Singapore Airlines. Further, Emirates will also introduce the A380 jumbo jet on Indian routes, increasing the number of business class seats by 45% to 76 seats. Madhya Pradesh wins CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards 2014 The result of the CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards 2014, presented by Madhya Pradesh (MP) Tourism, has been announced, in which Madhya Pradesh (MP) bagged the maximum awards. MP won the award for ‘Best Managed Tourist Destination’ and ‘Best Travel State’. Tourism Minister Surendra Patwa said, “The state has been developing in the field of tourism as more than 5 crore people visited the state in a year which was only 1 crore a few years ago.” “We have developed various tourist spots in the State and also working to develop more places. We have various places for water sports and tourism in our state is blended with cultural, religious and spiritual flavours,” Patwa added. MP Tourism MD Raghvendra Singh said that the department has been planning to develop various tourism places through PPP model. “Due to Sardar Sarovar Dam, we have many big islands in our region and now, we are planning to develop resorts and other facilities on them. We are also working for developing Golf Tourism and we have selected about 180 acre land in Sanchi for the cause as well,” Singh added. SpiceJet adds new flights on four existing routes SpiceJet has recently added new flight services on its four existing sectors namely BengaluruMangalore, Chennai-Madurai, Bengaluru-Hyderabad and Delhi-Lucknow. The decision has been taken keeping in mind the increasing demand from the passengers. All the new flights will be served with a 189-seater Boeing 737 aircraft. A daily new flight has been added on Bengaluru-Mangalore route, as well as on ChennaiMadurai-Chennai sector. A new flight on Delhi-Lucknow route is being introduced that will operate daily except Saturdays. Further, another additional New aviation project involves developing airports in 50 cities flight has been deployed on Saturdays on the BengaluruHyderabad route. As Dubai airport renovation is now complete, SpiceJet has again started its flight operations back to normal. It has assumed daily flights to Dubai, from Delhi, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Madurai, and Mumbai along with the return flights. Jet Airways announces second MumbaiColombo flight from November Jet Airways will start a second direct flight from Mumbai to Colombo from November 5, 2014, thus enabling the facility of ‘same day return’, especially for the business travellers. Jet Airways flight 9W 252 will depart Mumbai at 1805 hrs and arrive into Colombo at 2035 hrs (local time). The return flight 9W 251 will then depart Colombo at 2135 hrs (LT) and arrive Mumbai at 0015 hrs. Moreover, the airline has introduced an attractive return fare of `17,000, inclusive of taxes, with sale validity until August 31, 2014. Gaurang Shetty, Senior Vice-President, Commercial, Jet Airways said, “This flight will enhance seamless connectivity to Europe, North America, Gulf and Domestic India along with our code share and interline partners.” GM Siddeshwara, Minister of State for Civil Aviation announced that the government has selected as many as 50 locations to develop new airports in smaller cities and towns across the country. During the next 20 years, the government has further planned to build 200 lowcost airports to connect TierII and Tier-III cities. The locations for the new airports include Kadapa, Tirupati, Vijayawada and Warangal (Andhra Pradesh), Daparizo, Pasighat and Tezu (Arunachal Pradesh), Jorhat, Rupsi and Silchar (Assam), Gaya and Raxaul (Bihar), Bilaspur and Raigarh (Chattisgarh), Daman and Diu (Daman & Diu), Bhawanagar, Jamnagar, Kandla and Keshod (Gujarat), Hisar and Karnal (Haryana), Kishtwar (Jammu & Kashmir), Deoghar and Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Belgaum and Hubli (Karnataka), Gwalior, Jabalpur and Rewa (Madhya Pradesh), Akola, Amravati, Jalgaon, Kolhapur and Solapur (Maharashtra), Jharsuguda (Odisha), Ludhiana (Punjab), Kishangarh, Bikaner and Kota (Rajasthan), Thanjavore (Tamil Nadu), Allahabad, Bareilly, Faizabad, Kanpur, Meerut, Moradabad and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh). INDIA • 17 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 The Fern launches hotels, resorts across 18 Indian sites The Fern Hotels & Resorts is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in India with 1149 rooms and suites under management across 18 locations. With the facilities like responsible hospitality, sustainable tourism, excellent guest service and environmental measures, The Fern Hotels & Resorts has won over 30 Indian and international awards. The Fern is the luxury badge for hotels & resorts with a 5-star & above classification. It is a full-service product with premium accommodation and services, whereas The Fern Residency is a midtiered badge for hotels & resorts in the 3 & 4-star categories. It is a full-service product with upmarket accommodation and services. The Fern has several hotels and resorts in Gujarat including The Fern, Gujarat; The Fern, Ahmedabad;The Fern Residency, Rajkot; The Fern India’s Only Global Travel Trade Newspaper info@travelnewsdigest.in Residency, Vadodara and The Fern, Gir Forest Resort. Tourists can also find The Fern Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Dapoli, Ganpatipule, Gurgaon, Jodhpur, Mahabaleshwar, Palolem, Benaulim and Tezpur. Additionally, The Fern will make its debut in Bhuj, Chennai, Kolkata, Tirupur, Asansol, Belgaum, Dwarka, Lonavala, Mahabalipuran, Somnath Saputara and Solapur. Service Tax presentation for TAAI Goa Chapter TAAI Goa Chapter that was held in Taj Vivanta, Panjim Goa was quite a success as the members attended the interactive session on Service Tax Presentation. The attendees included owners, managers, accountants and agency staff. Even the Non-Members were given an opportunity to attend this presentation. The topics that were covered in the presentation included in-depth explanations on service tax payable of tickets sourced from airline as well as from consolidators if any. Topics that were touched on also included how to calculate service tax based on basic fare vs service charge, how the airlines and consolidators have switched service tax payable from the beginning of the financial year and how agents can do the same, along with how travel agents can claim refund from airlines for service tax etc formed a foundation to other topics related to service tax. The programme lasted for three and half hours with a delicious spread allowing informal interaction between the members who were already impressed by the presentation as it made the topic of service tax much more interesting and easy. ASIA TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • Tourism Malaysia promotes Tier II cities in North Indian market Tourism Malaysia, along with Malindo Air is showcasing Malaysia’s tier two cities to the North Indian market through a familiarisation trip for 10 selected travel agents. Malindo Air on their part is sponsoring the air tickets for both international and domestic sectors. “The travel agents are members of the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) and have been selling travel packages for Malaysia,” said Tourism Malaysia Director-Delhi Amran Abdul Rahman. Rahman further stated that the FAM trip will highlight destinations like Langkawi, Kuantan, Kuala Lumpur, Genting, Penang, Legoland, Melaka, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. “The East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia has been earmarked as a key sector to attract more tourists from North India,” he said. This year, Tourism Malaysia is expecting between 780,000 and 800,000 tourists from India, the sixth top tourist generating market for Malaysia. Singapore Airlines introduces special discounts for Indians Singapore Airlines has announced special fares and discounts for the Indian travellers, which are available through selected travel agents, on minimum booking requirement of two people. All Suites Class passengers travelling from Mumbai and New Delhi on the Airbus A380 will receive 10% discount on base fare for travel from September 11-25, 2014. Economy Class passengers travelling on Singapore Airlines or SilkAir from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Vizag and Trivandrum will receive 15% discount on base fare for travel from September 11-25, 2014. This year Singapore Airlines has signed an agreement with the Formula One Group to be the Title Sponsor of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, thus naming the event as 2014 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix. The event is set to take place from September 19-21, 2014 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Korea Tourism launches new logo and slogan Imagine Your Korea Byeon Chu-seok, CEO, Korea Tourism Organisation along with K-pop group B1A4 has launched Korea Tourism Organization’s new logo and slogan “Imagine your Korea.” The new slogan promotes Korea’s diverse nature, historical and cultural aspects while the new logo showcases the traditional Korean design aspects. The logo is of vibrant colours on the letter ‘K’ and is derived from seakdong, the colourful stripes seen on hanbok (traditional Korean clothes). Furthermore, Korea Tourism Organisation is advertising their new logo and slogan via promotional videos featuring the popular K-pop group Big Bang, the honorary ambassadors for Korea Tourism. “Korea is well known because of Industrial image but there are many options for tourists too. Our new Brand Logo “Imagine your Korea” will establish a unique image about Korea as Tourist Destination. I am very confident that Korea will fulfil all your imagination towards the peer Leisure Destinations,” said Byungsun Lee, Director, Korea Tourism Organization in India. 18 TAT, MasterCard collaborate for MasterCard Thailand Shopping Paradise Taking their collaboration further, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and MasterCard recently introduced the MasterCard Thailand Shopping Paradise. The venture is in the form of a partnership with 17 offline and online retailers in Thailand, which will provide exclusive privileges to the shoppers from July 1 to September 30, 2014. The MasterCard Thailand Shopping Paradise offers savings and privileges to encourage the inbound travellers and domestic shoppers to spend more at the local retailers and online merchants. Some of the Antonio Corro, Country Manager for Thailand and Myanmar, MasterCard, said, “We have collaborated with online merchants as we strive to meet the needs of Thai consumers who are leading a more digital lifestyle and demand new shopping experiences. MasterCard is continuing to lead the transition to digital payments and deliver solutions that are simple, smart and secure.” Vilaiwan Twichasri, Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business of the Tourism Authority of Thailand said, “Our partner- exclusive offers include great savings; voucher giveaways, reward points, and MasterCard cardholders can win a trip to the south of Thailand or Italy. ship with MasterCard helps us promote Thailand as a top tourist destination for shopping, providing great value, and a memorable experience.” Philippines witnesses a growth in Indian tourist arrivals One of the important contributors of international visitors to the Philippines, the Indian market generated 24,525 tourists during the first half of 2014, marking an increase of five percent as compared to the same period of 2013. In total, 2,061,135 international travellers visited the country during Jan-May 2014, a growth of 2.47% as compared to the same months in 2013. The Philippines has always recognised India as one of the fastest growing outbound travel markets in the world and expects international visitor arrivals to reach 5.5 million this year. The Philippines has further set the target of 10 million arrivals by 2016. Engaged in aggressive marketing campaign for quite some time now, Department of Tourism, Philippines (DOT) and the Philippines Tourism Marketing Office, India, have been participating in various Indian trade events and organising roadshows across India to promote the destination. Additionally, the Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT) has further launched the next phase of their tourism campaign ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’. DoT has introduced three new commercials highlighting Davao, Manila and Cebu, adding to the Boracay commercial, which was launched earlier this year and described the destination as Asia’s 24/7 island. asia • 19 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Nepal: Indians claim the top position in tourist arrivals The increasing visits of Indians to Nepal have made India the top source-country of tourists during the last year and made up 23% of all tourists visiting Nepal in that period. India also bagged the top place in the list of foreign visitors coming to Nepal by air, with arrivals standing at 18,720. The reason for Indians visiting Nepal is mainly religious tourism. Second among the top tourist source-countries for Nepal is China, making up 19.2% of all tourists visiting Nepal, coming third is Sri Lanka with 7.5%, followed by U.S. with 7.3% and UK with 4.7%. To boost more tourism, construction has been started for the Visitor Information Center and an administrative building under the Lumbini Development Master plan. Along with that, construction of road and green-belts are also taking place. Further, the Great Himalayan Trail is being showcased Sri Lanka Tourism earns $901.8 million during first half of 2014 The first five months of 2014 witnessed earnings of $901.8 million, a massive 35.8% rise over the same period last year. During the first six months of this year, a total of 727,353 tourists arrived in the island country, marking a 24.6% growth increase over the previous tourist arrivals of 583,573 in the corresponding period of 2013. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) stated that most of the tourist arrivals were from Western Europe with 223, 810 tourists visiting in the first six months of this year, which is an increase of 17% year on year. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has seen a surge in recent years and in 2013 tourist arrivals reached over 1.2 million with earnings marking $1.7 billion. By 2016, Sri Lanka aims to attract 2.5 million tourists. in both domestic and international levels, and to uplift the image of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the government has ordered two Airbus 320-200 narrow-body aircraft for international flights. Indonesia targets 12 million foreign tourist arrivals by 2019 Indonesia is targeting to achieve a 25% increase in international visitor arrivals over the next five years. While launching the latest five-year development plan, Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy announced the efforts to welcome 12.7 million overseas visitors in 2019. The development plan will focus on attracting more visitors from 15 key source markets, namely Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, U.S., UK, India, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia. However, the Ministry’s Director General for Marketing, Esthy Reko Astuti said that Middle East can be turned into an important source market for Indonesia as well. She further announced that number of foreign tourists in the last five years has increased by an impressive 35% and it is expected to reach 9.5 million in 2014. Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Marie Elka Pangestu said, “In the first five months this year the nation saw 3.7 million foreign tourists, or 9.96% over last year’s tourist numbers registered in the corresponding period, which stood at 3.364 million people.” To attract more foreign tourists, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has asked Garuda Indonesia to set the ‘Wonderful Indonesia’ logo on the airlines’ 22 planes serving international flights to 17 countries across the world. Macau expects largest number of tourist arrivals this August Hong Kong holds travel mission in Indian cities It is expected that the largest number of visitor arrivals ever in Macau will be registered in August. Statistics and Census Bureau stated that during the period of January to April, the number of tourist arrivals increased nine percent to 10.3 million. GGRAsia revealed during the month of May, a total of 727,356 mainlanders visited Macau on their own, marking an increase of 21% year-on-year while Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) tourist numbers increased by 20.9% year-on-year. “The number of tourists in Macau will continue to grow,” Glenn McCartney, Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Gaming Management at the University of Macau, said. “There are many reasons but as Macau is improving its The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is organising a trade mission to four Indian cities – Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi – from August 18-22, 2014, in order to harness the growth potential of the Indian outbound market to Hong Kong. A delegation of over 30 Hong Kong trade members, which include Hong Kong land operators, cruise companies, hoteliers and popular tourism attractions of Hong Kong are expected to be a part of the business sessions in the mentioned Indian cities. “In line with our continuing marketing initiatives to build win-win partnerships, we are focusing on creating value through added offerings for our trade partners. Taking accessibility more people will visit the territory.” “Macau is perceived as an attractive destination for the gaming industry, of course. But there are more reasons behind it. It all goes back to what the region has to offer and in the last years the non-gaming offer to tourists, such as shopping, has been developing at a fast pace,” he added. Macau will further host the third edition of the Global Tourism Forum in late October, while the 45th APEC Tourism Working Group Meeting (TWG45) and the 8th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting (TMM8) will be held from September 9-11, 2014, and September 12-13, 2014, respectively. advantage of the improvements in the Indian economy, especially improved consumer travel sentiment, we will leverage the travel mission platform to facilitate information and business exchange between our Hong Kong and Indian trade partners,” said Peter Hoslin, the HKTB’s Regional Director of Europe & New Markets. A significant focus point of this trade mission is the growing MICE segment, promoting the top venues in Hong Kong for Indian meetings and incentive groups. Indian visitor arrivals to Hong Kong reached 203,989 during the first five months of 2014, marking an increase of 14% over the same period in 2013. OCEANIA TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • New Zealand emerges as an incentive destination for Indians Tourism New Zealand and Cox & Kings Ltd. recently hosted an event in Bengaluru to promote New Zealand as an incentive destination. A similar event will take place in New Delhi in August. The event was attended by about 20 Indian corporate travellers, such as Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd., Schneider Electric India Private Limited, Ashirvad Pipes Pvt. Ltd., and Micro Lab. Sushila Shinde, General Manager, National Sales Coordinator, Neha Bhola, Country Manager – India, Tourism New Zealand, and Hayden Rodrick, Technical Advisor, Immigration New Zealand/Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment were also present during the event. The event highlighted the growing trend of incentive travel among Indian corporate and the emergence of New Zealand as one of the preferred destinations for incentive tourism purpose. Tourism Australia to use Virtual Reality technology for promotion Tourism Australia CMO, Nick Baker, and CIO, Dave Rumsey announced that they have upgraded and redesigned the Australia website “to bring in news-style content and make greater use of social media.” Further, they also used the upcoming virtual reality headmounted display, Oculus Rift and showed interest in how to use virtual reality (VR) technology to promote Australia across the world. “Virtual reality could be a future tool for telling stories about Australia and attracting tourism, the two continued. Tourism Australia signed up for the Oculus Rift developer programme and recently has tested two of the VR headsets,” said Rumsey. “Tourism Australia wants to be the nation’s storyteller,” said Baker. “If we can make our story more compelling, if we can give [the media] more visuals to make it great, and if we can give them already well-written content that they can shape and form and understand a story, maybe they’ll write about it.” “If I can show people a little bit about Australia, if I can get them to feel this country and see the enormity of experiences and feel like they’re part of it, I think that will help get the message over,” he added. Australia launches Specialist Programme for travel and tour operators Tourism Australia along with eight State and Territory Tourism Organisations has recently launched the Aussie Specialist Programme especially for the travel agents and tour operators. The programme has been designed to provide them all the knowledge and skills needed to sell Australia more effectively to the customers. The innovative online programme asks to complete 19 core modules in order to qualify as an Aussie Specialist. After that, one has to score 85% or more in the quiz questions and he/she qualifies as an Aussie Specialist. Being flexible in nature, the online learning environment allows a person to take the course in their own time and pace. After qualifying, the programme-taker will be invited to continue the online training by completing the Advanced Modules on niche modules. Along with earning the status of an Aussie specialist, the programme-taker can avail many other personal and professional benefits. While it is great way to boost one’s career, Tourism Australia’s Travel Club offers a range of special deals and exclusive rates to the programme. Along with that, a specialist will be given Travel Club Membership, which provides special advantages on deals from Australian Tourism, a wide range of marketing tools and resources, invitation to attend exclusive events, additional training modules, e-newsletter to keep clients updated etc. 20 Fiji Tourism and Fiji Airways to promote Bula Festival Fiji is all set to introduce a new theme at the Digicel Bula Festival to attract tourists from all across the globe. “One of the themes for the evening programmes would be dedicated to the tourism industry. We will focus on the tourism industry, particularly the hoteliers in Fiji. We will look at how we can promote Fiji and Nadi as a tourist destination and we will show tourists how they can involve themselves with charitable events while in Fiji,” said Nadi Bula Festival Association President Mohammed Hafiz. Meanwhile, Fiji Airways has increased its capacity to Australia and New Zealand with the arrival of a new ATR 72. The arrival has freed more B737s to be operated across the region. Fiji Airways has added two additional weekly flights to Melbourne, thus making the service daily. The airline also added two extra overnight services from Nadi to Auckland and two early morning departures from Auckland to Nadi. Further, direct services between Nadi and Honiara have been started since early July. More frequencies will be added during peak periods, i.e. July, October, December, January to Sydney and Christchurch. South Australia promotes Adelaide among Indians through cricket As Indians continue to visit the region in large numbers, the South Australian Government has decided to expand the scope of the 10-year South AustraliaIndia Engagement Strategy to include tourism, sports, art and culture. Thus, Leon Bignell, Minister of Tourism and Minister of Sports, Government of South Australia is currently leveraging on India-Pakistan World Cup cricket match, scheduled to take place on February 15 in Adelaide to promote the destination in India. Talking about their plans to promote the destination in India, Bignell said, “We will invite a high level delegation of 30-40 businessmen from India for a business round table forum on a four-five day package around the World Cup. The programme will consist of networking event, tour of the region and business meetings with counterpart in South Australia. This will give an opportunity to build relationship and invest in tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and commercial projects.” He further added, “We will also undertake promotional activities around the ‘Restaurant Australia’ tourism marketing campaign.” “Although, VFR and students constitute a major chunk of Indian traffic to South Australia, with new convention centre opening by the end of this year, we are looking at attracting MICE travellers from India besides leisure travellers. Our key focus markets will be Delhi and Mumbai. We will look at conducting road show and events to educate the Indian travel trade about the destination and the product offerings,” he concluded. Register Now for WTM 2014 Registration is now open for to World Travel Market 2014, the leading global event for the travel industry. WTM 2014, which takes place between Monday 3 – Thursday 6 November, is the 35th World Travel Market and is poised to be the biggest and best yet. WTM 2013 saw more than 50,000 participants, including 8,500 buyers conducting business worth more than £2.2 billion. Furthermore, WTM 2014 sees the event’s opening hours extended to start at 9am (previously 10am) to help facilitate even more industry business. Furthermore, Wednesday will open until 8pm with a raft of exhibitors hosting ‘WTM Festivals’ from 6pm to celebrate WTM’s 35th event. The final day of WTM 2014 will see WTM Blogger Speed Networking introduced, while WTM will also host industry charity The Family Holiday Association’s annual conference. Furthermore, two hugely successful initiatives introduced at WTM 2013 will continue this year. ■ The Travel Technology Show, which became a stand-alone event last year for the first time, will be a further 25% bigger. Meaning it has doubled its size in the past four years. It will take place alongside WTM for all four days (3-6 November). ■ A Taste of ILTM at WTM, in association with fellow Reed Travel Exhibition’s event International Luxury Travel Market, will take place on Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 November. It will see 60 luxury buyers from the UK meet with 60 global luxury exhibitors. WTM 2014 Events Programme includes the new Spa & Wellness Programme, which will sit alongside the established Responsible Tourism, Technology, Social Media, Blogging, Aviation and Hotels programmes. In total more than 100 sessions will take place at WTM 2014. WTM 2013 saw more than 16,000 delegates (8,482 unique people) attend its events programme. 4,903 exhibitors WTM Means business ® 3 – 6 November 2014 ExCeL London Register now wtmlondon.com Official Media Partner MORE THAN Official Partner PARTICIPANTS middle east TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • 22 Oman promotes itself as an ideal wedding destination for Indians Oman is promoting itself in Indian market as an ideal wedding destination, offering serene beaches, picturesque mountains and golden desert sands. An excellent blend of modern infrastructure and old world charm, Oman is also close to India not only geographically but also culturally. Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Oman says, “As per industry estimates, the wedding market in India is about $25 billion and is growing at 25% to 30% annually. Indians are constantly on the lookout for new wedding destinations to conduct lavish weddings which has become a trend now. We feel Oman has great potential to become a wedding destination and the feedback we got from some wedding planners after they visited the country was very encouraging and positive.” To understand the Indian wedding industry more meticulously, Oman has conducted exclusive wedding planners FAM in 2013 and 2014, receiving a huge positive response from the wedding planners. Additionally, Oman also participated for the first time at The Experiential Planner 2014 in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. “Through the nascent steps we undertook in the last one year, we have received some good wedding enquiries. Muscat will soon witness two largescale Indian weddings comprising of 700 and 1000 people taking place in November and early next year respectively,” adds Sheerazi. Some world-class hotels and resorts where one can organise Indian weddings include Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Al Nahda Resort and Spa, Millennium Resort and Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Morocco sets the goal of attracting 20 million tourists by 2020 Morocco is eyeing to reach the goal of 20 million tourists by the year 2020 with the help of the Wessal Capital, a joint venture investment created by Morocco and four Gulf States, namely the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and KSA. The investment fund is for financing large scale infrastructure projects and spur Morocco’s tourism resources. In 2013, tourist arrivals reached 10 million tourists for the first time and the tourism sector of the nation represented a major 8.6% of the Moroccan GDP. The sector also helped the country to attract $9.5 billion of tourist receipts. Recently, Morocco’s Tourism Observatory launched a tourist satisfactory report of 2013, which indicates that 25% of tourists visiting the nation were “very satisfied,” and 45% were “satisfied”. About 87% of total number of tourists said that they either “really want to’’ or “want to’’ visit Morocco again. Marrakesh and Rabat are the favourite cities of tourists, followed by Agadir. Additionally, Moroccan National Tourist Office reported that Morocco is welcoming more number of Spanish travellers than ever before. Morocco received more than 680,000 visitors from Spain in 2013 and in 2014 it expects to welcome 745,000 Spanish tourists. “Morocco is targeting new international tourism markets such as the Gulf countries, Eastern Europe and Latin America, by diversifying and consolidating the infrastructure sector, which represents 8.5% of the GDP,” Minister of Tourism, Lahcen Haddad said. Dubai-based Astamb Holidays celebrates 15 years of success in travel sector Astamb Holidays, based in Dubai, is celebrating 15 successful years in the travel and hospitality sector. As a sign of appreciation, the group will be presenting the 15th Anniversary Package, effective from September 1, 2014 at special rates. The city of Dubai has transformed into a Global Trade Capital and is equipped with latest infrastructure and new projects. Dubai is also the host for the World Expo 2020, a major event that is to bring together millions of tourists and businessmen to the city and thus help it in advancing as a globally renowned tourist destination. The World Expo 2020 will without a doubt be the next big attraction and has the potential to develop Dubai as an upcoming Global Business and Tourist Destination. Keeping this in mind, the Destination Marketing Company in Dubai has been launched by the group, aiming at offering special rates to all the travel partners with collaborative packages from five star hotels to fully-furnished family apartments. All rooms and restaurants have been upgraded and refurbished and restaurants with upscale facilities provided for better customer satisfaction. Etihad Airways continues with the next phase of India growth plan The major upgrade in Etihad Airways services to Kochi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kozhikode and Hyderabad will soon provide travellers with more connections between India, the UAE and other key markets around the world. Due to the rising demand from passengers, especially from business and leisure travellers, a double-daily frequency will be introduced to Bengaluru, Chennai and Kozhikode, and Hyderabad from October 1. Therefore, guests can now choose from daytime or overnight flights, and improved connections between India and key markets in the GCC, Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America are expected to form. Double-daily frequencies were also introduced to Kochi, Mumbai and New Delhi routes within the last few months, supporting a long-term development plan in India. James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said, “As one of the largest, fastest-growing and most exciting travel markets in the world, India continues to QMICE: Qatar’s one stop solution for event planners and organisers Qatar Airways has introduced QMICE, a new and easy one-stop solution for meeting and incentive planners and conference organisers. Through QMICE, planners can arrange meetings and incentives, manage events for 20 to 300 passengers, and block seats at pre-agreed fares by submitting a group fare request online. Planners will also benefit from flexible booking conditions, including bookings from multiple points of origins for less than 10 passengers per departure across multiple flights and dates, receiving event quotes more than 12 months ahead of departure. Additionally, conference and exhibition organisers who play an important role in our growth plans. Last year alone, more than 885,000 people flew on our Indian services, a substantial increase of 20% on the previous year.” Furthermore, Etihad Airways has also announced expansion of its first flight operations to North-East India with the launch of a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Kolkata, commencing on February 15, 2015. “The launch of our new Kolkata services demonstrates our enduring commitment to serve the Indian market and people, whether in India or overseas. We are confident that this new service, our first to north eastern India, will boost travel and trade between the UAE and India, further strengthen our presence in India, and connect key strategic cities with Abu Dhabi,” Hogan added. are managing events with more than 300 participants, along with international associations and their appointed travel agents, may take advantage of attractive discounts by using the Preferred Airline function offered through QMICE. Discounts include providing attendees, who book online or through an appointed travel agent, discounts of up to 25% on Qatar Airways and Oneworld feeder flights. Organisers may also enjoy the same discounts for their site inspection trips to the event destination and earn incentives in the form of Qmiles through their attendees’ travel. QMICE also allows organisers the convenience of booking Al Maha Meet and Greet, Doha Stopovers, Doha City Tours, and visa arrangements for Qatar through Qatar Airways Holidays. middle east • 23 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Egypt: VoA for Indians travelling via Egyptian agents Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have initiated the facility of Visa on Arrival (VoA) to Indian tourists, who are travelling through an Egyptian travel agent/supplier. In an official statement by the Egyptian Tourism Office in Mumbai, it was stated that those Indian travellers who cannot opt to travel via an Egyptian travel agent/supplier will have to apply for visa at the Delhi Embassy or Mumbai Consulate. Bahrain relaxes visa rules for Indians Bahrain is mulling the implementation of a new visa policy, under which nationals from 64 countries will be provided a one-month visa on arrival, it was revealed by the Bahrain Economic Development (EDB). The policy, expected to be implemented in January 2015, also allows for the visa to be renewed for an additional three months. India, Pakistan, South Africa, European nations such as Romania, Portugal and Poland and South American nations feature on the list of the new nations, EDB confirmed. The policy has the potential to affect over 2.5 billion people, and is aimed at enabling Egypt Air to launch three weekly direct flights to Delhi EgyptAir has announced thriceweekly flights between New Delhi and Cairo in October 2014. Apart from this newly launched service, there is already an existing four-times-weekly service to Mumbai. Egypt’s Tourism Minister Hisham Za’zou commented, “The ministry is now seeking to open new tourism markets like India to boost cultural tourism.” Adel El Masry, Director, Egyptian Tourism Office in India, said, “In 2010, about 170,000 Indian tourists visited Egypt while the 2013 count was 90,000. In 2014, Egypt expects about 100,000 Indian visitors.” Tasneem Sharafally, Director, Mumbai-based Global Destinations, added,“I expect about 25% growth in 2015 with the help of these additional flights, if the destination is politically stable.” expatriates who do business in Bahrain to easily travel to boost its tourism industry. A similar visa policy is already in place for nationals from 38 countries, and once implemented, it will be available to 102 countries in total, EDB stated. The new policy was presented in a cabinet meeting earlier this week by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s first deputy PM and Chairman of the EDB. He emphasised that “reforms such as this, which support the business environment in the Kingdom, will help to continue to attract inward investment and drive forward economic growth and job creation.” Kamal bin Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and acting CEO of the EDB, said: “Throughout history, Bahrain’s economic progress has been built on a tradition of openness, based around its role as an established hub for trade and investment.” “The new visa policy – one of the most flexible visa policies in the region – follows that tradition, enabling citizens from more than 100 countries to enjoy easier and quicker access to the Middle East’s most open economy, as ranked by the Heritage Foundation’s 2014 Index of Economic Freedom,” he added. Saudi Arabia’s foreign tourist arrivals reach 14 million Hamad Al-Sheikh, Vice President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) for Marketing and Programs, announced that foreign tourist arrivals in Saudi Arabia during a year have reached 14 million. The recently held tourism information meeting in Riyadh, AL-Sheikh further revealed that about half of the foreign travellers are visitors of the Two Holy Mosques and other half has been travelling to the Kingdom for business, tourism or visiting friends and family. Jordan connects with tourists via A World of Stories Royal Jordanian (RJ) has launched a brand campaign, ‘A World of Stories’, focussing on passengers’ experience of flying on the airline. The multi-platform campaign has been launched with an aim to reflect the travel experience, starting from the moment the tickets are purchased to the moment the passengers land; it covers everything in between, such as planning to travel, seat booking and issuing the boarding pass — all through the RJ website, which can be accessed anywhere in the world — airport services, including the Crown lounge at Queen Alia International Airport, board the aircraft and travel in Crown and Economy Class. The campaign urges passengers to treasure their very own travel experience and narrate the details of their flight and share its excitement to family and friends. And in return, through A World of Stories, RJ narrates its own story of five decades. Further, Jordan Tourism Board also started its Online Specialist Programme to increase the travel trade’s knowledge, capability, and sales of Jordan as a destination. The Jordan Specialist certificate will be awarded to those individuals who successfully complete the online programme. After the completion, these travel and tour agents will be encouraged to utilise the knowledge gained about Jordan in promoting the nation. The programme covers all the basic information about Jordan, such as flights, things to do, currencies, visas, weather, etc. Abu Dhabi witnesses a record hike in tourism figures Data from Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority stated that about 1,435,932 guests stayed in Abu Dhabi’s 155 hotels and hotel apartments during the first five months of this year, marking a 30% growth as compared to the same period in 2013. Meanwhile, the guest nights reached 4,375,395, up 22% year-on-year, while the hotel revenues rose by 14% to AED 2,675 billion, with food and beverage income climbing by 12% to just over AED 1 billion. Internationally India is now the top source market for the emirate, marking a growth of 38% year-on-year. The UK is the emirate’s second strongest market with 85,956 British citizens staying in Abu Dhabi, a 28% rise on 2013. Russians remain Abu Dhabi’s longest stayers, averaging 6.22 nights each in the emirate. “Overall the performance makes for good reading. Abu Dhabi constantly produces more compelling reasons to visit and to stay longer,” said HE Jasem Al Darmaki, Deputy Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi. “We are poised to achieve our 2014 guest arrivals target of 3.2 million and anticipate increased business from Australia and Italy with Etihad Airways’ planned launch of new routes from Perth and Rome,” added Al Darmaki. Further, passenger traffic at the airport witnessed an increase by 27.4% in May as around 1.63 million passengers passed through the airport in that month, compared with 1.28 million a year ago. europe TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • Romania: Significant increase in river, cruise and beach tourism Romania’s Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority (ARBDD) released a data which stated that a total of 16,400 tourists visited the Danube Delta during the first half of 2014, out of which 10,000 were foreigners, marking an increase of 17.6% year on year. ARBDD further informs that in June alone, 63% of tourists that checked-in in the Danube Delta were foreigners. The number of cruising tourists coming to Romania will record an increase of approximately 20% in 2014. If in 2013 approximately 54,000 passengers visited the harbour of Constanta, in 2014 up to this date, there have been almost 64,500 passengers. The increase is due to the efforts of CN Administratia Porturilor Maritime Constanta, Asociatia Litora – Delta Dunarii and the local authorities. Corina Martin, Chairwoman of the Litoral – Delta Dunarii Association further stated that the number of foreign tourists spending their holiday on the Romanian seaside, like Mamaia, is witnessing a significant boost. Keeping in mind the rising demands of beach tourists, more numbers of hotels on the Romanian seashore have adopted all-inclusive services over the past two years. 24 Monaco attracts Indians via culinary tourism and nightlife Famous for the variety and inventiveness of its cooking and delicious cuisines, Monaco is the perfect meeting place of two cultures. Monaco cuisine inclines towards the French and Italian due to the past influences. The principality has over 170 fine dining restaurants and finest chefs to cater to the taste buds of Indians, with Seafood and fish being the prominent elements of the cuisine. The famous restaurant Nobu at Hotel Fairmont Monte Carlo, the famous and historical Cafe de Paris, the Le Louis XV, which is also wellknown for its collection of old rare wines, Elsa restaurant, situated at the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel, Le Vistamar and Yoshi, all are famous for its cuisine of exceptional quality. For Indian food lovers, Monaco not only offers nonvegetarian, but also offers the best of vegetarian cuisines. Along with the best food, Monaco has a diverse nighttime entertainment menu. The palatial casinos and glitzy clubs of the famous Monte Carlo area are worthwhile if you are looking for a high glamour factor. Pubs, plazas, bars, cafes, and live music clubs are also found in Monaco. These venues give the destination a wellrounded after-dark scene that offers something for everyone, no matter what their taste is. Places, such as Casino de Monte Carlo, Sun Casino, Casino La Rascasse, Jimmy’z, Alang Bar, NI Box Night Club, and many more make Monaco the favourite place for party lovers. Switzerland eyes tourist arrivals from India and other BRIC nations Research and Markets, world’s largest market research store, announced the release of the “Travel and Tourism in Switzerland to 2018” report. The report revealed that during the next four years, i.e. from 20142018 Switzerland is expected to witness a rising number of inbound travellers from BRIC nations- Brazil, Russia, India and China. Among the BRIC areas, Indian travellers are visiting Switzerland more than others due to region’s excellent facilities. India has always remained one of the major source markets as the tourism board of Switzerland organises consumer programmes and training workshops for the travel agents in various Indian cities. Switzerland tourism strongly believes that Zurich is emerging as the new business tourism hub. With the completion of the large scale airport real estate “The Circle” project at Zurich airport by 2017, the area will attract more business travellers. The Swiss tourism board also wants to strengthen the luxury traveller base. Switzerland is further showcasing itself as a perfect destination for adventures, seniors, honeymooners and gourmet holidays. Eden Incoming, DMC Italy appoint Global Destinations as India Representative Eden Incoming and DMC Italy have appointed Global Destinations as their Sales and Marketing representative in India, from July 1, 2014. Global Destinations Founder, Pranav Kapadia said, “This is another feather in our cap and we are really excited to have the opportunity to promote a destination as diverse as Italy. The country that has welcomed over 250,000 Indian travellers in 2012 has become a stand – alone destination in our market with discerning travellers exploring places like Amalfi, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily apart from the ever popular Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan. We look forward to working with our trade partners on pan India basis to further develop this product.” Eden Incoming is a part of Italy’s leading Tour Operator – Eden Viaggi, which has been promoting Italy for the last 31 years. They have their own resorts and hotels across the world whereas Eden Incoming is one of Italy’s leading wholesalers of hotels and ground service products. There are over thousands of travel suppliers who make their products available to the travel agents and travel operators who would possibly innovate something interesting and new for their client. Eden Viaggi being a renowned name in the Italian Travel Industry, is known for its amazing inventory that has Spa & Luxury Resorts, Summer Holidays, Escorted Tours, City & Town Hotels, Group Programs. These are constantly scrutinised with regular quality checks. Eden Viaggi stays true to its word of being “flexible” as it allows delivery and creation of unique experiences of their offered products. With more than 500,000 people travelling in 2013, the numbers not only depict the popularity of the brand but also the passenger satisfaction, as most stated that they prefer their vacations with Eden Viaggi. Spain launches mobile version of tourism web portal Spain has launched the mobile version of the country’s official tourism portal, www.spain. info. And along with it a new app generating platform has been unveiled, named as ‘Apps in Spain’, to meet the demands of the digital tourist. The aim of this launch is to use new technologies to raise the competitiveness of Spanish tourist destinations and the quality of services they offer. A recent finding by the Tourism Ministry revealed that one in four visits to the official tourism site came from a mobile device prompt the idea of launching a mobile version of the site. Available in four languages (English, Spanish, French and German) and the mobile version comes with improved geolocation resources as well as content optimised for on-the-go travellers. Meanwhile, the ‘Apps in Spain’ tech platform focuses on developing tourism-related applications. It features accessibility tools, the possibility of incorporating user-generated content and reviews, designing postcards and creating routes. The series of apps includes specific destination guides, beach apps, apps for travelling with children and booking apps. EUROPE • 25 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Cyprus takes first step towards strengthening culinary tourism The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) has been launched a promotional campaign highlighting the Cypriot breakfast as an integral part of a wider plan to strengthen the island’s tourism potential. The project is based on a study which showed that tourists are always seeking authentic tastes offered by the local cuisine. CTO announced that this is the first step in a wider strategic plan to develop culinary tourism in Cyprus. The Cypriot Breakfast project is currently being tested in Paphos hotels, aiming to implement it islandwide within 2015. ‘‘Carob syrup, epsima (concentrated grape juice), fresh goat milk and cheese, as well as fresh herbs and smoked meats of Cyprus are all traditional products that will be used,’’ the CTO said. First integrated hotel launched in Zagreb First integrated hotel in Croatia, “ZigZag”, has been inaugurated in Zagreb in the presence of Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin. A new category by the Tourism Ministry, the integrated hotel is an accommodation to promote the system of family-run accommodation facilities, facilitate their integration and improve service quality and professionalism. New tourist services in the family-run accommodation sector include integrated and diffuse hotels, consisting three or more accommodation units and a reception. The first diffuse hotel was also recently opened in Polaca near the coastal city of Zadar. ZigZag Hotel owner Igor Kordic explained that the work system in integrated hotels has made work easier in terms of logistics. He further recommended the service to both companies and households in the tourism business. An integrated hotel can consist of three or more facilities in a town, which must have a joint reception desk, a common room and other hospitality services. Accommodation units are rooms, apartments, studio apartments and holiday houses. France presents new initiatives to attract Indian tourists On his first two- day visit to India, Laurent Fabius, Foreign Affairs & International Development Minister announced a slew of measures to attract Indian visitors to France, when he met professionals from the tourism industry, in Mumbai recently. In a bid to boost France’s image to Indian tourists as the most welcoming and beautiful destination, the Minister announced that effective from January 1, 2015 French Visas will be issued within 48 hours. Moreover, an official app called “Chalo Paris” has been designed for smart phones and tablets for Indian travellers heading to France. This will be launched in summer 2014 with an initial focus on Paris and other French destinations. Today, France is ranked as the world’s no.1 tourist destination of which Indian tourists account for nearly 300,00,00 visitors. According to the Minister “the French Government is looking at a target of 100 million foreign tourists annually” as announced at a National Conference held from November 2013 to June 2014, in efforts to mobilise all public and private players in the sector including the local government. Later at the same event, Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan was conferred the insignia “Chevalier de la legion d’Honneur” (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by Laurent Fabius. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister commended Shahrukh Khan for being a Brand Ambassador to several world leading brands. Shahrukh Khan, on receiving this recognition remembered his late mother whose birth anniversary had passed recently. He spoke with emotion of how proud his mother would have been to witness her son being honoured with France’s VisitEngland launches cycling themed tourism campaign VisitEngland has recently launched its cycling themed national marketing campaign, aimed to inspire Britons to take a cycling holiday in England this year. The campaign will focus on a wide range of cycling related tourism products and experiences with an aim to strengthen the enthusiasm for the sport. The value of cycling market after the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and events like Yorkshire’s Grand Depart is expected to be worth over £3 billion by 2015. VisitEngland Chief Executive James Berresford said, “It is wonderful to see the increasing enthusiasm for cycling continue to grow following the Olympic and Paralympic Games and amidst the excitement of events like the Grand Depart in Yorkshire this weekend. We want to continue to build on this momentum and showcase the wonderful opportunities to explore England on two wheels and the fantastic bike friendly holidays on offer.” Tourism Minister Helen Grant said, “Recent British success at Olympic and Paralympic Games and at the Tour de France inspired many to get on their bikes. Hosting the first three stages of the most famous bike race in the world will build on this further. It gives us a great opportunity to showcase Yorkshire as an outstanding tourist destination and promote cycling in England.” most prestigious title. Khan spoke a few words in French which drew applause from the audience. Further, he even complimented the Foreign Minister for pronouncing names of his Hindi films correctly. Greece’s international tourist arrivals increase by 17.1% in first half of 2014 During the first six months of 2014, international arrivals increased 17.1% or by 760,000, contributing well towards achieving the target of 19 million international arrivals in 2014, set by the Greek Tourism Enterprises Association (SETE). The target also includes road and sea arrivals. Apart from this, another 2.2 million are expected to arrive to Greece on cruise ships. According to data released by SETE, Athens continues its excellent performance with an increase of 32.8% or about 400,000 additional arrivals in the first six months of 2014, paving its way to fulfil the target of 750,000 additional arrivals in the capital. In the meantime, a large increase of over 20% has been recorded at the airports of Chania (24.1%), Santorini (26%), Kalamata (58.5%) and Samos (22.1%). americas TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • 26 Mexico Tourism repackages popular destinations Mexico’s tourism industry is showing steady progress, lately it is witnessing significant growth. Recently held Tianguis Turístico, Mexico’s largest tourism trade show in Quintana Roo, home to Cancún and the Riviera Maya. In its 39th year, several travel agents, travel wholesalers, destination agencies, hotel and airline companies, and the press participated in the show. During the inaugural speech, President Enrique Peña Nieto announced his plans to invest $13.8 million in tourism infrastructure. Also, a major development project- Maya Ka’an- which combines Mayan culture and ecotourism has been undertaken. The government agencies, eco-tourism groups and private businesses are now working together to ensure the sustainability of the Riviera Maya’s natural attributes and its Mayan communities. The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is now offering Kayaking, bird watching, nature tours and even a night-time spooky bike ride. The area protects million acres of lagoons, canals, mangroves, and reefs along a relatively undisturbed Riviera Maya coastline south of Tulum. Cirque du Soleil, on the other hand, has unveiled its new custom theatre at the Grand Mayan resort, with regular performances of “Joya”. Further, five cruise lines have returned for the 20142015 seasons, carrying an estimated 200,000 passengers. Puerto Los Cabos will receive a new Secrets resort in December 2015 while a JW Marriott is currently under construction. Canada launches the CAN+ programme for Indian travellers As the number of Indians visiting Canada continues to increase, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander has announced the CAN+ programme in India. This programme is aimed at initiating smooth and efficient processing for Indian visitors coming to Canada. “The programme is open to Indian nationals who have travelled to Canada or the U.S. within the last 10 years. They will benefit from expedited processing, which will free up visa officers to work on other cases, improving overall processing time for all Indian travellers,” Alexander said. A CAN+ pilot programme in India will witness issuance of visas within five days and with over 95% approval rate. Individuals eligible for this programme will not need to provide as many supporting documents when submitting their documents. During the launch event of the programme, Alexander met representatives of India’s business, tourism and education sectors and discussed successful government initiatives that are boosting travel to Canada from India. Brazil witnesses one million foreign tourist arrivals this World Cup season Tourism officials in Brazil have announced that a total of one million foreign travellers visited the country during the recently held football World Cup. Around 600,000 more foreign tourists entered Brazil, than the Tourism Board had originally expected. Over 60% travellers were in the country for the first time. The tourism authorities further announced that about 95% of the foreign visitors who came for the World Cup said they intend to return. Brazil was already expecting a boost in its tourism revenue after the World Cup, which will be followed by the upcoming 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The World Travel & Tourism Council stated that the nation is expecting 6.4 million international tourist arrivals in 2014, and that this number will go up to 14.2 million by 2024. “We had a strict plan in place to follow up with the construction works of stadiums. We controlled every delivery step of each ground,” said Brazil’s Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo. “We’re one of the few countries able to stage such a complex event, providing quality infrastructure and organisation, with such a wonderful people, who welcomed everyone so well,” said Luiz Alberto Figueiredo, Brazil’s Minister of External Relations. Air Canada named Best Airline in North America for fifth consecutive year Air Canada bagged the title of ‘Best Airline in North America’ in the Skytrax 2014 World Airline Awards at the Farnborough International Airshow. For the fifth consecutive year, Air Canada has been recognised as the best airline in North America. The result has been decided based on surveys of nearly 19 million global passengers, where product excellence and customer satisfaction were the key benchmarks. “We are extremely pleased that the Skytrax World Airline Awards have recognised Air Canada as the Best Airline in North America for five straight years. The North American aviation industry is highly competitive and it is therefore a source of great pride for Air Canada to consistently lead in this geography in terms of both service excellence and industry-leading products. Being the ‘Best Airline in North America’ also places Air Canada amongst the leading airlines of the world and sets the bar very high to continue improving. We are delighted to have established a leadership position in such a global industry from a Canadian base,” said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer. NYC & Company, GTA and Virgin Atlantic Airways offer FAM trip for Indian travel agents NYC & Company, along with GTA and Virgin Atlantic Airways has launched an exciting incentive programme that allows the Indian travel trade to visit New York City on a Familiarisation (FAM) trip. To avail the FAM trip, the agents should be certified NYC Specialists. Each fortnight from June 6 to August 31, 2014, one agent who makes the maximum bookings with GTA on Virgin Atlantic to New York City will be selected and the top seven agents will be invited for the FAM. “We are delighted to bring this exciting opportunity enabling the Indian travel trade to experience both Virgin Atlantic’s fabulous service and the New York City. We connect passengers seamlessly through our London hub and are witnessing a huge surge in sales from both Delhi and Mumbai on this popular route. We appreciate that the passengers today enjoy taking a break during the journey, stretching their legs and shopping in Duty Free. We are confident that leveraging the synergies of the partnership with GTA and NYC & Co will really drive up the number of passengers travelling to the Big Apple this year,” said Stephen King, General Manager, Virgin Atlantic India. americas • 27 TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 Hawaii renovates series of hotels to boost MICE tourism Hawaii is showcasing itself as one of the leading MICE destination with a series of new investments or renovations. Following a renovation of $15 million, the new 50-suite Montage Kapalua Bay has been opened on the northwest coast of Maui providing comfortable luxury, gracious service, and regionally inspired dining. Further, Outrigger Enterprises Group has announced a $100 million investment to start the renovation of Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Waikiki. The planned renovation will add a 34,000 sq ft open recreation space, enhanced swimming pools, landscaped lounging areas, open-air dining facilities, and a new tower with over 200 full-service hotel rooms. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2017 and be completed in 2019. The Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay has also started with another phase of its multi-million dollar renovation, where the rooms will feature extraordinary commissioned artwork, contemporary interiors including rosewood, leather, iron and linen furnishings. Additionally, Hilton Waikoloa Village is all set to unveil its new improved property and showcase the 235,000 sq ft of renovated meeting, convention, and outdoor function areas by September. The Kahala Hotel & Resort announced the launch of its new business center and hospitality suite, with short-term use of personal computers and printers, while the The Royal Hawaiian Theater declared the recent renovation and its availability for high-profile events including award shows and incentive trips and conferences. Peru: Internal and Business Tourism to see significant revenue growth Internal tourism in Peru records more than U.S. $7.5 billion per year. Domestic tourism is growing and changing along with the rest of the Peruvian economy. Diego Arbulu, Director of travel website Turismoi.pe, said, “Internal tourism is an industry that has been evolving over time, but lacks the digital tools to support its growth. About 77% of travellers look for information online.” “We’ve categorised more than 10,000 tourist attractions, 4,000 geolocated places on Google Maps, and that’s generating more than 140,000 monthly visits to the site,” Arbulu added. Another tourism sector which is witnessing a significant growth is the Business Tourism in Peru. According to the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur), business tourism is expected to generate U.S. $2 billion in revenues in 2014, up from the U.S. $1, 2 billion recorded last year. “Business tourism will show greater dynamism from August as more international meetings, congresses, forums and several visits for market research will take place starting that month. Business tourists will visit Peru to monitor their trading and investment activities, to visit their clients, to train their staff travelers, San Francisco Travel has completed a new campaign for spring titled “Never the same. Always San Francisco,” highlighting the fact that with every visit, the city has something, new, unique and fresh to offer to its tourists. San Francisco Travel is also embarking on several new Six Flags Great America theme park in Gurnee, Illinois has unveiled Goliath-the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world with 72 m/ hr speed and features the world’s tallest drop at of 180 feet, which is also the steepest at 85°. The roller coaster goes upside down twice making it the most extreme roller coaster of its kind in the world. It has already grabbed three world records since it opened in June. “Goliath is innovation at its best and will forever change the skyline of Six Flags Great America,” said Hank Salemi, Park President. “This park provides the most thrills for all ages at any park in the country and we are committed to bringing new and innovative rides, shows and attractions to our guests every year.” The addition of Goliath makes Six Flags Great America home to the most wooden roller coaster tracks of any theme park in the world. and to program their activities for the following year,” explained Canatur’s President Jorge Jochamowitz. He further stated that business tourists usually visit the country during September and October, in order to make schedules for next year and Chile, the United States, Brazil and Spain are the key source market for Peru. San Francisco welcomes record number of tourist arrivals The San Francisco Travel Association announced that last year San Francisco welcomed 16.9 million visitors, an increase of 2.3% from 2012, while these visitors spent $9.38 billion in 2013, citing a record growth of 5.1% from 2012. The tourism industry in the city generated $607 million in taxes, up 8.1% from the previous year. In 2013, there was an average of 134,231 visitors in San Francisco each day, while visitor spending equated to $25.7 million daily. Additionally, San Francisco Travel has booked 41 conventions at Moscone Center so far, filling 945,000 hotel rooms between 2014 and 2028. To keep San Francisco’s message in front of the leisure Goliath: Record-breaking roller coaster opens in Illinois marketing initiatives, including, a completely redesigned website in the works that is due to debut in September. New research into San Francisco’s domestic and international visitors is currently in progress and new direct marketing capabilities led by a to-be-named executive with database marketing expertise. Chicago: Tallest building to add observation deck for tourists Under a $50 million makeover project, the tallest building in west of Chicago, the U.S. Bank Tower is planning to add an outdoor observation deck and restaurant to three top floors. The refurbishment will take place on the 69th, 70th, and 71th floor. The lobby and entrances will be remodelled to keep office tenants and tourists separated. “Renovations are underway at the 72-story building is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2015, said Richard Stockton, Chief Executive Officer, Americas at Overseas Union Enterprise. “It’s a bona fide tourist attraction that would be adding to downtown. We’d expect a minimum 500,000 visitors a year.” However, the U.S. Bank Tower will soon lose its tag as the tallest building in Los Angeles, after the 73-floor Wilshire Grand Center, a $1 billion hotel-and-office complex is scheduled to open in 2017 with a “sky lobby” offering similar views. Africa TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • 28 Seychelles Tourism conducts its first ever roadshow in India Seychelles Tourism Board conducted its first ever roadshow in India at Le Méridien in New Delhi and at The Trident, in Mumbai. The roadshow enlightened the Indian travel trade community about Seychelles and encouraged to build a strong communication process between the Seychelles’ private sector and the Indian travel agents. Commenting on his trip to India, Hon. Minister of Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange said, “We are ready to claim a fair share of the very important Indian market. The roadshow is just a start. Our local business partners are ready to work with us and we are on the verge of making a big announcement that will bring to the front the new level of cooperation between India and Seychelles. We look forward to the support of the Indian travel trade community in our efforts to promote Seychelles.” Seychelles islands have a lot to offer making it an ideal holiday option for honeymoon, family vacation, adventure, eco-tourism and luxury. It is famous for its flora, fauna, ethnicity, architecture, cuisine, stunning beaches, traditions, festivals and activities. The islands offer excellent diving, fishing, trekking, eco-holidays, spa & wellness and golf opportunities. South Africa focuses on wooing Indian travellers South Africa is focussing on the Indian market with great interest to promote its tourism products. “With the evolving taste of the Indian travellers, South Africa is the ideal destination that has something to offer to suit every travellers needs. The focus is on highlighting the kind of different experiences an Indian family can engage in during their holiday in South Africa,” said Thulani Nzima, CEO, South African Tourism (SAT). He further stated that SAT is planning to host a number of roadshows and FAM trips in India keeping in mind the products and areas of interests of the Indian travellers. To enlighten the travellers about such events, SAT is planning to take various initiatives. “The popular travel agents will be hosted for FAM trips to South Africa through the year in association with South African suppliers. SAT will be entering into joint marketing agreements with leading travel companies in India to launch attractive travel packages for consumers,” he added. Nzima explained that Indian tourists are moving towards newer concepts like self-drive holidays or expressing interest in exploring new destinations in South Africa. Indians who visit South Africa now look for niche and unexplored destinations over the traditional ones. “Keeping this in mind, our 360 degree trade and marketing initiatives aim to build an aspiration around South Africa as an ideal holiday destination, catering to diverse interests of Indian travellers. With the Indian outbound market expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, we will continue to woo Indian audiences with our unique and innovative consumer and trade initiatives in 2014,” concluded Nzima. Tourist arrivals in Mauritius rise during first half of 2014 During the first half of 2014, the number of tourist arrivals in Mauritius rose four percent, compared with the same period last year. Official figures stated that the growth was the result of higher arrivals from Asia. Statistics Mauritius further stated that arrivals in the first six months of 2014 increased to 490,697 from 471,664 a year ago and numbers from Asia rose 26.6% to 81,193, where China acted as the key source market with 86.9% tourists. The number of tourists visiting from Europe, which accounts for two-thirds of visitors to Mauritius, rose marginally by 0.8% to 266,295. Statistics Mauritius further added that it is expected that the arrivals for the year 2014 will rise to 3.5% to 1,030,000. Also, the Bank of Mauritius is hoping for 44.4 billion Mauritius rupees ($1.49 billion) tourism earnings this year, up from 40.6 billion in 2013. Reunion Island launches Visa on Arrival facility for Indians Reunion Island has recently launched the Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility to Indians, under which the visa is valid for 15 days. Stephane Bonneau, Manager – Indian Ocean and Asian Markets, Reunion Island Tourism Board, said, “The VoA is free of charge and can be availed by Indian travellers who have booked packages (flight tickets and accommodation) through an Indian agent or tour operator working with a local DMC (Destination Management Company) in Reunion Island.’ “The introduction of the VoA facility underlines the importance and the potential of the Indian market and we expect to attract greater number of Indian visitors. India and Reunion share strong links, and almost 20% of the population on the Island are of Indian origin. While Mauritius is a popular destination among the Indian market, Reunion Island is still relatively unknown. We want Indian tourists to combine the two islands. Reunion is just 30 minutes away by flight from Mauritius, yet it is very different. Reunion Island is an exclusive and not a mass tourism destination. It is a niche destination that offers UNSECO World Heritage Sites, adventure, culture, wellness and natural beauty,” added Bonneau. Alefiya Singh, Director, Iris Reps, said,” Reunion Island, which is known as the mini Hawaii in the Indian Ocean, is a highly attractive proposition for Indians looking for a niche and experiential destination.” Nigeria promotes tourism through Nigeria, Our Heritage project Stakeholders are spreading awareness on the need to promote Nigeria’s tourism potential so as to avoid dependence on only oil and gas for revenue generation. Keeping this in mind, Fidelis Ekwunife Anosike, collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, initiated the ‘Nigeria, Our Heritage’ (NOH) project in Abuja, which is fully endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Howard University Alumni Association. The project has been started to market Nigeria as a top five world economy by 2114, through documentaries, publications, conferences, events, road shows, among others. Further, the project will also look towards showcasing Nigeria’s image abroad as an investment destination and to promote the country’s tourism potential and cultural heritage for wealth creation. The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke, said, “We shall be working with the initiators of this programme to engage in Nigeria’s global image overhaul and promote our tourism potentials and cultural heritage for the patriotic purpose of creating wealth for national development and securing international trust for foreign investment.” He further announced that the project will be adopted under the federal government’s policy on Public Private Partnership (PPP). He expressed his beliefs that NOH would support and uphold the cardinal principles of his Ministry. He further encouraged a strong partnership between Nigerian companies, the media and government in order to transform and promote Nigeria as an investment destination in the world. CAribbean TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • 29 Caribbean Tourism bounces back on track with new goals Outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Beverly Nicholson-Dotty stated that because of the recent improvement in the economy in U.S., Caribbean tourism is witnessing steady progress and a rebound in the sector. “We are finally seeing that the U.S. economy, which still remains our key market for the region, is improving, and so has our tourism numbers,” she said. “The forecast for this year is just a little under the two percent up, year over year. Revenue, in terms of room revenue, is increasing; U.S. Virgin Islands tops list of best places to visit in the Caribbean The U.S. Virgin Islands bagged the top position on the U.S. News & World Report- “Best Places to Visit in the Caribbean” list for 2014-2015. It was followed by the Cayman Islands, and third position went to St. Kitts and Nevis. “We’re proud to be recognised as the top-ranked Caribbean destination, and honoured to know that it was from the recommendations of our visitors and the U.S. News & World Report’s editorial staff,” said VI Tourism Commissioner Beverly NicholsonDoty. “This recognition further illustrates our increased focus and work with partners to provide world-class tourism offerings that create long-lasting impressions. Tourism truly is all of us, which means this honour is a testament to all of us.” U.S. News & World Report stated that the Carnival celebrations, St. John’s serenity and St. Croix’s history, as well as its prominence in the cruise industry have led this win to the U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. News and World Report Staff Editor Allison Michaels said, “Since this island trio is a major port for Caribbean-bound cruise ships, U.S. Virgin Islands’ visibility is growing – and travellers seem to like what they see.” “The timing of this recognition is perfect, aligning with our current ‘Virgin Islands Nice’ summer travel promotion,” said Nicholson-Doty. Bahamas Tourism announces rise in air arrivals Bahamas has witnessed a positive turn around in air arrivals over the first quarter of the year with overall air arrivals for the entire nation growing by 3.1%. Director of Airlift in the Ministry of Tourism Tyrone Sawyer said Grand Bahama is also experiencing an increase in airlift via the nation’s national flag carrier. “Bahamasair is operating scheduled services from May 2014 – October 2014 into Grand Bahama Island with two flights per week from six U.S. cities: Newark, New Jersey; Baltimore, Maryland; Richmond, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Birmingham Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; Columbus Ohio and Cincinnati, Ohio,” Sawyer said. Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe further gave this credit the rise in stopover arrivals to the successful marketing prgrammes. “This shows that all the work the Ministry of Tourism is doing is not in vain. We are working hard to grow the tourism industry through our promotions through the development of our niche markets like sports, religious and culinary tourism and the list goes on. Our marketing efforts are doubling through social media. We are growing, we’re going to continue to grow and take our place as the top destination in the region,” he added. St. Kitts and Nevis promote tourism through renovations The efforts for tourism development in the twin islands of St. Kitts and Nevis have been considered impressive. A new private jet terminal has been opened, officially named as ‘YU Lounge’ and offers facilities like VIP arrival service, a crew lounge, arrival and departure lounges for passengers and ground handling services. Tapping the megayacht market, the Christophe Harbour project, set to be completed in late 2015, will include an 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed golf course, restaurants, home sites, villas and several hotels set on 2,500 acres. Further, the Park Hyatt is expected to open in late 2015 while the 224-room Royal St. Kitts Hotel will complete its $20 million renovation project next year. Rosalyn Hazelle, CEO of the St. Kitts Promotion and Investment Agency (SKIPA), said, “SKIPA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Authority, is responsible for having the Federation’s Brand marketed internationally. The idea is to brand St. Kitts as a place to visit a place to live and a place to invest. And so we work hand-in-hand with the Tourism Authority.” “We do investment conferences in different areas. We just came back from an invest conference in Miami called C.H.R.I.S, which is the Caribbean Hotel Resort Investment Summit, and we were able to talk about St. Kitts and who we are as a country,” Hazelle added. spending of people coming to the region is increasing again. Those are all positive indicators for us that the economy is rebounding, but also that the region is out there collectively, and with the 30 members within the CTO, the diversity of our product makes people want to come back again and again.” She further stated that the aviation sector of the region still needs special focus and encouraged the Incoming Chair of the CTO to do so. “Inter-Caribbean travel is a significant part of the business segment for our small hotels product in the region, but overall, as well, I think we have to improve the aviation needs of our region, not just for the inter-Caribbean visitors, but for the fact that it connects families,” she added. Puerto Rico strengthens airline and cruise industries to attract tourists Puerto Rico wants to attract greater number of tourists to visit the region, and in order to succeed Puerto Rico Tourism aims to tap the markets, which are outside of the northeast U.S. Ingrid Rivera, the Government of Puerto Rico’s Head of Travel and Tourism, is focussing on improving the transport structure, such as the planes and boats that bring visitors to the region. With the goal of boosting airport arrivals from 8.4 million to 10 million annual passengers, 2014 already witnessed a 2.2% increase in passengers, for a total of 60,000 passengers. Further, government has also asked Seaborne Airlines to change its headquarters from St. Croix to Puerto Rico. Seaborne can now smoothly carry passengers from the states to small islands through its partnerships with American Airlines and JetBlue. Puerto Rico’s latest marketing campaign in TripAdvisor, where reviews are read by local celebrities and spread around social media, has also contributed in air traffic growth. Apart from airlines, another major focus for Puerto Rico’s Tourism Department is to draw greater number of cruise passengers and ships. Puerto Rico is also encouraging ships to port earlier and leave later to provide the passengers a longer stay on the ships. Jamaica Tourist Board: Paul Pennicook appointed as the Director Paul Pennicook has been appointed as the Director of Jamaica Tourist Board effective. “I’m thrilled and honoured to return to service at the Jamaica Tourist Board. In the last few years, I have gained invaluable experience in the international industry and this will be brought to bear while working on the front lines of Jamaica’s multilayered hospitality industry,” commented Pennicook. “Jamaica has always been at the forefront of Caribbean tourism and I look forward to continuing in that tradition,” he added. “Paul Pennicook is a solid choice to lead the Jamaica Tourist Board’s future,” commented Chairman Dennis Morrison. “Paul was selected for his highly accomplished, well-rounded experience as an hotelier, an airline executive and tourism director. He will hit the ground running building on the JTB’s current momentum, thus propelling Jamaica’s success to the next level.” Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Wykeham McNeil explained, “I am very satisfied with the decision of the Jamaica Tourist Board. Pennicook is a well known figure in Jamaica’s tourism industry and is highly respected at home and abroad. As we meet the challenges of modernising the operations of the Board and deepening the partnerships with industry players, I am confident that the JTB has found the right man for the job.” EVENTS TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | august 2014 • WTM extends Responsible NIMA pledges to showcase Tourism Programme, potential of Indian MICE agents highlights Wellness Tourism World Travel Market (WTM) 2014, the leading global event for the travel industry, is extending it’s Responsible Tourism Programme, which will include some of the leading names in travel including Tui, Thomas Cook, Kuoni, Virgin Holidays and ABTA. For the first time, the programme will continue for all four days. The opening event, ‘Increasing the Local Economic Impact of Tourism’ will be followed by ‘Reducing Energy and Water Consumption – Good for the Environment and Good for the bottom line’. The following debate in line will be ‘How can you use Responsible Tourism to increase sales’. Next the programme will discuss the issue of wildlife tourism’s relationship with responsibility for captive wild animals followed by issues about accessibility and opportunity at a session titled: ‘Everyone Deserves a Holiday: Social Inclusion’. This year, WTM is also highlighting Wellness Tourism. With the global market of $438 billion global market, Wellness Tourism is a travel undertaken in order to maintain or enhance one’s personal well-being. Wellness Tourism expected to grow more than nine percent per year through 2017. WTM will take place from November 3-6, 2014 and registration is open now. To showcase the potential of Indian MICE agencies who are contributing in the tourism segment, the of Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA) has been formed. Gajesh Girdhar (Paryatan) has been appointed as Patron, Founder and National Coordinator of the association while the Founder Member and Coordinator Branding is Jagdeep Bhagat (Vee Bee Tours). “The objective of NIMA is to bring together concurring people to work towards taking the MICE segment to new heights. The association believes that it is essential to form a proper and productive liaison among airlines, ITB Berlin focuses on human rights and related abuses in tourism industry hotels, transport companies, cultural organisations, boutiques and travel agents to target the MICE segment’s potential clients,” said Bhagat. “NIMA will promote both domestic and overseas destinations through educational and training sessions, roadshows, workshops, advertisements, joint promotions, trade shows and Familiarisation (FAM) trips on a panIndia basis,” Bhagat added. “It will also highlight the importance of players and agencies from Tier-II and III cities, which are developing rapidly, attracting MICE business from local networks and chapters.” NIMA will also keep its members well updated about various MICE-related events happening both in India and abroad. “The association is soliciting Hospitality and Destination Partners from among domestic/international hotels and national/international tourism boards to join them to establish the vital, transparent and effective connect with NIMA’s network members. So far, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Catalunya Convention Bureau, Catalan Tourist Board and Cyprus Convention Bureau have consented to be the Destination Partners of NIMA,” Bhagat concluded. India’s Only Global Travel Trade Publication A new study by the German Society for International Cooperation has revealed details about human rights abuses in tourism industry. This year’s, ITB Berlin Convention provided the visitors a first look at the study which deals with violations of hotel workers’ employment rights, taking place over the last ten years. The study outlines workers’ rights in the tourism industry around the world, for example, the right to information, the right to be involved in decision-making processes, appropriate working and living conditions, being protected against sexual exploitation, etc. Although there are examples of successful tourism projects that are in accordance with human rights, but figures for human rights abuses show that these goals are not met everywhere. The UN guidelines on the economy and human rights and the global code of ethics of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) are focussing on combating human rights abuses. Dr Martin Buck, Director of Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin said, “The ITB Berlin Convention is an important platform, in particular for debating compliance with human rights at tourism destinations. We can definitely say that our commitment to this topic has led to people becoming more and more aware of the problem.” ITB Berlin is a member of the Round Table on Human Rights in Tourism. www.travelnewsdigest.in For regular newsletters, email: info@travelnewsdigest.in follow us 30 2500 36 New Delhi New Delhi Posted at NDPSO, New Delhi - 110002 on 5/6 & 20/21 of every month. Date of Publication 01/02 &15/16 every month Postal Registration No. DL(S) - 01/3404/2012-14 RNI No. DELENG/2011/40217 MUMBAI - 4, 5, 6 Feb'15 OTM is India’s leading travel trade show, in the biggest travel market in India – Mumbai. With attractive add on option for New Delhi, the second largest travel market of India, OTM provides you the most effective reach to a continent size market like India Mumbai (33%) is the largest source market of Outbound and Domestic tourists, followed by New Delhi (26%). 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