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Vol. XXIX Issue 20; October 2nd fortnight issue 2017 A DDP PUBLICATION Pages : 48+28 Pages Supplement-Experiential Talk ` 50/-
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Happy Diwali
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 1 13-10-2017 18:56:15
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 2 13-10-2017 18:56:18
MOT envisages a ‘Swachh’ India
Lack of cleanliness is a major deterrent for foreign tourists coming into
India. With renewed optimism, the Ministry of Tourism has taken the
initiative for a clean India, making sure the country sheds this image.
NIKHIL ANAND message to the entire na- urged everyone to contribute all over the country during the
tion. Speaking about the to make the country clean period which was kick-started
C leanliness and hygiene
have always been major
deterrents for foreign tourists
need for this initiative, he
expressed, “The holiest thing
any Indian can do is to keep
and welcoming for tour-
ists. He also administered a
at Mumbai’s Juhu beach on
September 15.
coming into India. In lieu of the their neighbourhood clean
‘Swachhta hi Sewa’ (Cleanli-
ness is service) campaign
for themselves and help
present India in a better light
The holiest thing any Indian can do is
initiated by Prime Minister to the world. This is the mes- to keep their neighbourhood clean for
Narendra Modi, the Ministry
of Tourism organised a nation-
sage we are trying to advo-
cate which requires an effort
themselves and help present India in a
wide campaign called ‘Swach- on a daily basis by not only better light to the world.
hta Pakhwada’ from Septem- the government but each and
ber 16 to October 2, 2017. every person.” K.J. Alphons
Under this campaign, MOT Minister of State (IC) for Tourism
organised cleanliness drives at The Minister volun-
various tourist and pilgrimage teered for various cleanliness
destinations across the coun- activities at India Gate on ‘Swachhta’ pledge to all par- The cleanliness drive also
try through its India Tourism of- September 17, at Janpath ticipants at these places. laid foundation for the ‘Adopt a
fices. All educational institutes market on the World Tour- Heritage’ project whereby the
under the Ministry of Tourism ism Day (September 27) and Apart from major clean- tourism industry will help make
adopted at least one tourist at Smith Village, Shillong, up activities across India, the monuments and surrounding
Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons lending a helping hand at Janpath market in
place to maintain cleanliness in Meghalaya on September campaign also witnessed areas more tourist habitable. New Delhi on World Tourism Day
a sustainable way. 30. Officers of the Ministry of pledge swearing, awareness The Minister informed that
Tourism as well as students activities, essay competition, MOT, in close collaboration their cultural importance, in a of access for tourists, signage,
K.J. Alphons, Minister from the Institutes of Hotel street theatre and the release with Ministry of Culture and planned and phased manner. etc. and advanced amenities
of State (IC) for Tourism led Management (IHM) were of a film on ‘Swachhta’, to instil Archaeological Survey of In- The project focuses on provid- like cafeterias, surveillance
from the front in this initia- also present. The minister cleanliness in the public. The dia, envisages developing her- ing basic amenities such as system, tourist facilitation cen-
tive by cleaning various sites interacted with the visitors campaign had been organ- itage sites and making them cleanliness, public conven- tre, illumination in and around
to send out a more resonant as well as shopkeepers and ised at more than 80 places tourist friendly to enhance iences, drinking water, ease the monuments.
Bringing laurels to the travel trade
The National Tourism Awards, held on September 27, 2017, acknowledged the importance of tourism in the
country and honoured those who strive hard to make India travel experiences truly incredible. TRAVTALK finds out
from winners how this accolade inspires them to ensure inclusive tourism as well as economic development.
TT BUREAU We have received the National Tour- I am honoured to receive such a
ism Award for the fourth time now, but huge recognition from the President of
Receiving the National Award is the it’s the first time we got the first prize India for the Corporation’s innovative
greatest recognition. It is rather hum- under Category I. To be recognised by initiative. GTDC has worked in the right
bling to join the list of awardees who the highest body in tourism is another direction and has given a new face to
have in the past been recipients of this feather in our cap. We went back to the Goa Tourism. The ‘Most Innovative Use
award. Being a regional operator, we basics in terms of showcasing incred- of Information Technology’ award was
rely on the support from our partner ible India to the world. We rekindled for a campaign for the tourists and by
agents and it is that confidence in us partnerships with our existing partners the tourists which aimed at building
which has led to this. Over the years Vikram Madhok and refreshed our packages to offer Nilesh Cabral the longest running digital testimonial
we have been working on tapping the India Travel Award winner and Chairman, Goa Tourism
MD, Abercrombie & Kent
more experiential products. We tried Development Corporation
campaign for a travel brand. The Best
Suresh Periwal potential of adventure tourism which to plug the gaps in the demographic State/UT Award recognises Goa as a
India Travel Award winner and is now bearing fruits. The National
MD, Clubside Tours & Travels
of our source markets to add another layer to the type of mar- dream destination for all tourists and highlights Goa as a beach
Awards are the ultimate recognition of kets we catered to. This award helps us to get recognised for our destination along with other tourism facets.
these efforts and it has renewed our faith in what we do. work and is an added advantage on a global platform. Contd. on page 9
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 3 13-10-2017 18:56:21
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 4 13-10-2017 18:56:23
BULLETIN
MPTM 2017 set to foster tourism
The fourth edition of Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart is all set to host buyers
and exhibitors in constructive B2B sessions from October 27-29, 2017,
that will help showcase the state as a year-round tourism destination.
TRIPTI MEHTA the state’s presence on the
tourism map of the country This year, the government has
M adhya Pradesh Tourism
Board (MPTB), a nodal
and the world, as the event
is looking to receive a large formed an advisory committee
body formed for undertaking number of attendees. that will manage the entire event,
all tourism promotion activi-
ties for the state of Madhya This year’s event will see a model ideated on the lines of
Pradesh and representing in attendance over 200 na- Kerala Travel Mart.
the interests of all stakehold- tional and international buy-
ers, is organising Madhya ers and close to 100 domestic Hari Ranjan Rao
Pradesh Travel Mart 2017 exhibitors. With B2B sessions Secretary-Tourism
(MPTM) from October 27-29 scheduled over two days, that Government of Madhya Pradesh
at Hotel Lake View, Bhopal. is, October 28 and 29, partici-
The fourth edition of the mart pants will have the opportunity
seeks to portray the state as to form successful collabora-
a year-round tourism destina- tions and network with indus-
tion, with a focus on both do- try players that would include explored destinations that the Supported by various
mestic and inbound tourism. airlines, accommodation pro- state has to offer. trade organisations that in-
viders, destination manage- clude ADTOI, ATTOI, IATO,
Madhya Pradesh is ment companies, heritage Hari Ranjan Rao, FAITH, TAAI and TAFI, this
soaked in heritage that few hotels, wildlife resorts, etc. Secretary-Tourism, Govern- year’s mart will see participa-
are aware of. This central ment of Madhya Pradesh, tion from international players
Indian state has always Keeping in line with the states that this year, the govern- from European countries of
brought to the fore innovative theme for the convention, ‘Dis- ment has formed an advisory Spain, Netherlands, Germa-
concepts such as Jal Mahot- cover-Seek-Explore’, MPTB committee that will manage ny, Norway, Poland, Austria
sav that has only gained pop- will also organise post-conven- the entire event, a model ide- and Southeast Asian coun-
ularity since its commence- tion tours to showcase a world ated on the lines of Kerala tries of Singapore and Thai-
ment. MPTM 2017 will further of innovative products and un- Travel Mart. land among many others.
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 5 13-10-2017 18:56:26
GUESTCOLUMN
The rise of cruising in India
With an increase in desire to cruise, Indians are also looking at it as a venue
VIEWPOINT for events. Peter Kollar, Head of International Training & Development, Cruise
Lines International Association (CLIA), outlines the evolving cruise market.
Small destinations L ast month we released our
CLIA Asia Cruise Trends
cruising, and an upward spiral
begins which historically can
passengers have increased
quite dramatically this year.
sis, rather it seems that fami-
lies (which would lower the
pack a big punch report for 2017 which out-
lined important cruise data
extracted from the Asian
be seen in other strong mar-
kets like Australia which cur-
rently has one in 20 cruising,
The cruise industry has
come to Asia stronger than
average age because of the
children included) are popu-
lar groups wanting to cruise.
market from 2016, includ- unlike a decade earlier when ever before, and 2017 is an-
I ndia and China are considered booming
markets currently, and international tourism
boards are making sure that they get the
ing a sub-section on Indian
cruise statistics. Although
most front-line retail travel
it was in a similar position to
India today.
other record year of deploy-
ment in the area. 66 ships
are based in Asia this year
It is an exciting time for
cruising in Asia, and the po-
tential of India is tremendous
share of the pie as well. Indians are travelling agents don’t really engage in Fly-cruise still popular for six months or more, call- – we are right at the point
statistics, graphs, and num- Of course, fly-cruise ing into 293 destinations over where an increased volume
to all the major destinations around the world,
bers, it can provide valuable is still a popular option for 18 countries. Given that Indi- and interest of cruising is
and most of the popular countries already insight. Let us have a closer Indians, and the increase ans are more likely to utilise about to take off, but not all
have a tourism office in India to take care of look at the findings and what of Indians using the major the hub of Singapore over business falls into your lap
promotions, marketing and sales. However, they mean. cruise hub of Singapore is a options in Beijing and Shang- just because it is at your
positive story. About 1,20,596 hai, the news is also posi- doorstep – you must actively
even smaller standalone destinations, as India will host 128 cruise Indians cruised last year, tive in that Singapore is also work to get this business and
well as individual regional tourism boards, calls in 2017, which is up by and though an increase from hosting more itineraries and it starts with education.
are making their presence felt in the country. one-third from last year. This first research conducted in ships in 2017, meaning your
Whether it’s long haul destinations like Peru is great for the local economy 2012 (49,442 pax) has a client has never had so many
as more passengers visit- 25 per cent compound an- choices than before, whether (The views expressed
or Eastern European countries like Georgia ing means more spending nual growth rate, over the it is about their budget, type are solely of the author.
and even Azerbaijan, everyone is meeting the ashore. But when we take a last three years, these num- of cruising, itinerary and The publication may or may
trade, reaching out to the media and making deeper look into this figure, it bers have only increased by brand options. not subscribe to the same.)
efforts to offer Indians exclusive experiences tells us that India only hosted less than 10,000 passen-
12 turnaround calls this year gers (including 2,000 pax As cruise lines come,
that they excel in. Alternatively, these countries – definitely a number that is increase from 2015 to 2016). they also bring advertis-
fill the gap for travel agents looking for new too low considering India has Considering the vast amount ing, so more exposure to
destinations to reach out to the well-travelled five major ports. Having cruise of potential India has, it is the public will also become
client, who has already been to the popular lines use a local port as the progressive, but the potential evident in this market over
start and end of the cruise is is immense. the next few years. So if you
tourist destinations. Another advantage with much more attractive to lo- haven’t started your educa-
travelling to such countries is the fact that cals, and an increase in this When these figures first tion around this sector you
they offer unique, virgin spots, which suit number would mean more In- came out, I approached some could be behind the standard
the seasoned travellers and the millennials, dians are cruising. If more In- of the leading cruise lines in very quickly. Also, your client
dians cruise, then cruise lines Asia to ask about the Indian will be quite young – India
who are looking for new experiences without start looking at India further as market and whether the stag- has one of the lowest aver-
burning a hole in the pocket. an option to place more ships nant figures have continued age age of passengers (36) Peter Kollar
in the area as a turnaround into 2017. The response was than any other region in the Head of International Training
option, and this again results a positive one. They indicated world, though this should not & Development, Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA)
Festivities galore in an increase of local people that sales of Indian cruise be taken on a per person ba-
T Making India Incredible once more
he Ministry of Tourism is celebrating a 20-
day Paryatan Parv with an array of events
planned at monuments across the country.
Officials from MOT are making efforts to involve Even as India’s global ranking (World Economic Forum) has improved, the country has
the common people as well as the trade to be
a part of the celebrations. It is certainly an a huge scope for enhancing its tourism products. Incredible India 2.0 campaign brings a
innovative way to promote and emphasise on new zeal among the trade as MOT aims to engage the millennials through social media.
the tourism products in the country. By offering
the monuments for adoption to corporates, Most improved countries in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017
MOT has taken a new step forward towards
maintenance of our heritage and culture. With Rank Country Global Rank Change in Rank Country Global Rank Change in
programmes like Swachhta Pakhwada, the performance score performance score
(%) since 2015 (%) since 2015
Ministry is trying to spruce up India's image.
1 Japan 4 6.18 9 Korea, Rep. 19 4.33
Despite these efforts, it was disheartening to
2 Azerbaijan 71 5.98 of
know that the Army was reportedly asked to
3 Tajikistan 107 5.01 10 Egypt 74 4.32
clear the garbage on mountains leading to
the Everest and other pilgrimage sites in the 4 Vietnam 67 4.80 11 Peru 51 3.93
Himalayas. While the debate is on whether it is 5 Israel 61 4.79 12 India 40 3.86
the army's job to clean the garbage left behind 6 Algeria 118 4.68 13 Mexico 22 3.86
by pilgrims or not, there is a need to sensitise 7 Bhutan 78 4.52 14 Chad 135 3.83
the citizenry of being responsible and civilised 15 Albania 98 3.81
8 Gabon 119 4.47
first, be it in India or abroad.
Source: World Economic Forum, The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017
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AGENTS OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 TRAVTALK 7
Millennials to bring change in tourism
Thomas Cook India recently held the second edition of its India Travel Summit in New Delhi, which according to
Madhavan Menon, Chairman and Managing Director, Thomas Cook India (TCI), is the perfect platform to discuss
and deliberate on issues affecting the travel and tourism industry.
TT B UREAU What are the new forex and TC travel. We are a erations and early this year, What are your ing, I think this is the time that
What are your thoughts
Q developments taking
place at Thomas Cook
holding company and wher-
ever we see an opportunity,
we acquired their destina-
tion management busi-
Q thoughts on tourism in
and out of India currently?
the industry is going to see
a lot more growth. One of the
Q on the second edition
of India Travel Summit?
India Group and what are
your plans for the future?
we will acquire companies as
we go forward.
nesses in 18 countries. As a
policy, we never merge
Both inbound and out-
bound tourism in India have
key drivers of this growth is the
e-visa that was instituted three
We wanted to build a plat- TCI started a journey companies and retain ex- seen spectacular growth. Also, years ago. It has evolved and
form where stakeholders in four years ago when we be- How have things isting managements, and our airport infrastructure and we are seeing the benefits to-
the travel industry could come
and use it to discuss various
came a holding company for
Fairfax. We have since done
Q changed for Thomas
Cook India after the
we keep these companies
as separate because we
the infrastructure within the
country is improving. The in-
day with more tourists coming
in the country. As the millenni-
issues. We thought this space five acquisitions, the latest acquisition of Kuoni? believe that managements come levels are growing, so als become increasingly aspi-
which existed in the market being the acquisition of TATA We took over Kuoni’s are good and they are that people can travel abroad. rational and inquisitive, we will
didn’t get addressed. Thus, we Capital’s two subsidiaries- TC India and Hong Kong op- sustainable. With all these things happen- see tourism only growing.
Madhavan Menon
Chairman and Managing Director
Thomas Cook India (TCI)
We went houseful
before we even started
the summit. Such a
UHVSRQVHUHÁHFWVWZR
things- acceptance
that TCI is a large
player in this space
and that this as a plat-
form where important
issues are discussed
did it last year in Mumbai and
this year, we have done it in in
Delhi. We hope that we will be
able to do this as an annual
event with a focus on travel-
related issues. The theme of
the second instalment of India
Travel Summit is Challenges
of New Age Travel. The focus
is on outbound and inbound
business, visa protocols as
well as the new age technol-
ogy and the way it was impact-
ing business. Thus, we’ve cho-
sen and curated subjects that
are important to us.
What has changed in
Q the second version
from what you did
last year?
Firstly, the attendance
has grown. We had a house-
ful, half-an-hour before we
even started the summit.
Such a response reflects two
things—acceptance that TCI
Group is a large player in this
space and can be seen as a
sponsor and creator of such
incredible events. Secondly,
people also see this as a plat-
form where issues that chal-
lenge the industry are being
discussed as well as new
trends are being examined
and analysed.
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 7 13-10-2017 18:56:27
8 TRAVTALK OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 QUICKBYTES
Is India all set to play host to MICE?
The industry needs to look at why India hasn’t been able to reverse the MICE traffic and bring in more and
more events to India. Six stakeholders speak their mind on this issue and suggest ways to improve the same.
H AZEL J AIN
India is most certainly MICE-ready Yes, India is definitely ready for
MICE in India is going to be the next but conditions do apply - as long as MICE! Our excellent connectivity from
big thing as convention centres, exhibi- the MICE movement is not a large major international hubs, presence of
tion venues and on-ground expos are number of people, within some repeti- hotel brands and unparalleled hospi-
generating a high degree of response. tive cities and in a handful of cities that tality makes us a good candidate for
Currently, India is ready for MICE at are well connected by air. These are, MICE. But our MICE infrastructure has
select destinations only. However, for however, limited and technological in- a long way to go if we compare it with
smaller groups of around 250-300, frastructure is yet not state-of-the-art. other contenders. India’s location and
we have adequate facilities across the All infrastructural upgrades require connectivity with all major international
country to suffice the basic require- huge investments with payback peri- Birju Gariba hubs is our main strength. But lack of Mukesh Makhijani
ments. Of course, India lacks world- Sandeep Ramakrishnan ods ranging beyond a decade. Hence, CEO and Executive Director options for large venues. The govern- Director
Stimulus Hospitality
Platinum World Group
class facility in terms of space, project Director corporate partnerships with govern- ment needs to create a MICE-specific
Consumer Links Marketing ment are the need of the hour. This campaign, ease permissions to make things easier for organis-
facilities, and logistics, etc. Only a few
cities have noteworthy convention facilities like Hyderabad, along with some attractive incentives may help the next level ers and create convention venues which can host big events.
Ahmedabad and Greater Noida. A friendly tax structure is key of MICE infra boom.
to grow MICE.
India is certainly ready for MICE India is MICE-ready in a few metros
and some of the major cities have ven- or boutique resorts in popular destina-
India is partially ready for MICE. We ues to meet the needs like Hyderabad, tions like Kerala and Rajasthan. India
definitely see a large number of room Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, has the hotel inventory to cater to
nights in bigger cities to support MICE. Ahmedabad and Goa. During my inter- MICE. However, we lack sound road
However, larger convention centres actions with organisers in other coun- infrastructure and connectivity in many
and market maturity in usage and re- tries, one of the major concerns is the places that can be considered exotic
sponsiveness on MICE tools for RFP traffic and local infrastructure. The Min- or bespoke beyond Rajasthan and
evaluation needs improvement. The istry of Tourism needs to look at pro- Kerala. The Tourism Ministry along
ministry and the government need to Manish Raj moting these venues, especially some Rishabh Shah with MoEA and other relevant minis-
Board Member, Membership of the key cities at MICE forums. India Managing Partner tries should come together and look
forge joint ventures with private inves- Committee, The Infrastructure, The Grand Vacationist
Mubashar Ahmed needs to improve the infrastructure to at promoting each state as a global
tors to build large conventions and Facility, HR & Realty Associa-
Regional Category Manager give a better experience to delegates. MICE-friendly destination with respect to the facilities, beauty
market India as a destination for MICE tion (iNFHRA)
(Travel & Meetings Procure- and cultural heritage the way Europeans market themselves,
ment), Capgemini India
We must involve industry leaders to
at global forums.
promote India as a MICE destination. whilst also improving connectivity and road infrastructure.
Knotty affair @Radisson Blu Udaipur
Radisson Blu Udaipur Hotel Palace and Resort expects to witness an approximately 15 per cent
year-on-year revenue growth by the end of 2017.
TT B UREAU most importantly, our peo- tributors for inbound travellers ness for the hotel. Nair adds, contributing 40 per cent to the
ple,” she says. have been the UK, Italy and the “We offer a ballroom, meeting occupancy and revenue of
A n inventory of 245 rooms
and suites, the largest in
Udaipur, is also one of the
Nair informs that in 2017,
the hotel hosted 65 destina-
Far East market among other
markets. The other segment
of guests at the hotel includes
rooms and open spaces for
the MICE segment. We can
accommodate 600 pax in the
the hotel, it also serves as a
marketing platform to cater to
the hotel’s largest target group.
USPs of the property, be- tion weddings and many MICE MICE, leisure and FIT and cor- closed spaces while 1000 pax Besides this, participation in
lieves Poonam Nair, Direc- events which allowed the prop- porate FITs.” can be accommodated in the various trade fairs, weddings
tor of Sales, Radisson Blu erty to achieve newer heights open spaces for various MICE shows and exhibitions keeps
Udaipur Hotel, Palace and of ARRs and occupancy. She She believes that MICE activities. We also offer the city’s the management abreast of
Resort. “Though the list of explains, “We recorded an over- has been a big contributor and only all-day dining facility which market trends. The hotel works Poonam Nair
Director of Sales, Radisson Blu Udaipur
our USPs is huge, a few of all occupancy of about 75 per the demand is only increasing can accommodate 200 pax.” hand in glove with its travel
them are our grand palatial cent at the property out of which especially from markets like partners and has joined hands
structure, location, largest 40 per cent was contributed by Gujarat, Mumbai, etc. The fight The hotel plans to fo- with a few big online partners to “We offer a good commission
inventory in the city and room the weddings segment and ap- connectivity to Mumbai and cus more on developing its cope with the changing trends to our offline and online travel
size, various indoor and out- proximately 15 per cent by the Delhi has also been a blessing, prime segment of destina- of travel shifting from offline partners based on the value
door banqueting spaces and inbound guests. The major con- opening more doors for busi- tion weddings as apart from to online. Nair further adds, generated for the hotel.”
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 8 13-10-2017 18:56:30
QUICKBYTES OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 TRAVTALK 9
The crowning glory for travel agents
Contd. from page 3
We are immensely proud of the It feels good when hard work is rec- Gujarat Tourism has been under-
team and the award itself is a great ognised and I feel happier for my team taking several innovative initiatives to
and resounding acknowledgment of whose efforts have made this achieve- put Gujarat on the national and glo-
our collective efforts. At the same ment possible. This is the 10th National bal tourist map. Every year, the tour-
time, the recognition is a motiva- Tourism Award for the company and the ism department organises a variety
tion for us to pursue and reach new fourth time we have been awarded the of fairs and festivals that showcase
heights. We are committed to de- first prize. The reason for being awarded the beautiful mosaic of the state’s
livering to our clients a journey of a is the consistency of the company in pro- culture, traditions, practices, cui-
lifetime and we are going to aim to viding the highest standards of service sines, dressing styles, art and craft,
Arjun Sharma Jenu Devan
ensure we win many more awards India Travel Award winner and and venturing into the new areas to suc- Harvinder Singh Duggal etc. While the state constantly fo- Managing Director
MD, Minar Travels,
in the future too. At LPTI, we have a Chairman, Le Passage to India cessfully showcase the incredible India India Travel Award winner cused on new innovations, ideas and Gujarat Tourism
proven track record and service de- experience to foreign tourists. Prestig- initiatives, the tourism department
livery which has won us this award in the same category ious awards like this one put a seal of trust on the company which has also concentrated on the livelihood and skill development
six times of which three were for consecutive years. We re- is important in the long run for its brand value and the morale of through sustainable tourism initiatives. The award symbolis-
ally appreciate that the Ministry recognised this remarkable the team. The foreign tour operators from far and wide feel secure es its endeavours in promotion of sustainable development
achievement and inducted us into the Hall of Fame. when dealing with an award-winning organisation. through tourism.
For Telangana Tourism, it was This year Madhya Pradesh got 10 Kerala Tourism was awarded a
a big win with four awards in dif- awards including the Hall of Fame total of six National Tourism Awards
ferent categories. I am extremely award as the Best State for Com- including Hall of Fame Award for Most
happy with the win and we’re adopt- prehensive Development of Tourism, Innovative Use of Information Tech-
ing a different direction in terms of which we have been winning for three nology - Social Media / Mobile App
development of tourism products. years in a row. I am really delighted and was also the second runner-up in
Everyone is following the beaten on this achievement and the entire the category for Best State for Com-
track, and we are going in a dif- credit for this goes to our team which prehensive Development of Tourism.
ferent direction, including having has been working tirelessly to make It gives us immense pleasure to be
B. Venkatesham niche sector as well as festival of Hari Ranjan Rao Madhya Pradesh one of the best des- Kadakampally Surendran lauded with the prestigious Nation-
Secretary, Youth Advancement, Secretary, Tourism, Madhya tinations in the country and we look Minister for Tourism al Tourism Awards in six different
Tourism & Culture Department, our own. We don’t want to compete Pradesh State Tourism Devel- Government of Kerala
Government of Telangana with other states, but we are plan- opment Corporation
forward to build upon this and keep categories. Kerala Tourism has been
ning to complement them, by work- getting awards like this. We are set to focused on promoting the concept of ‘Responsible Tourism’
ing with them and offering extended stay for tourists visit- inaugurate the Jal Mahotsav in October which is going to be for protecting environment and conserving cultural herit-
ing those destinations. Apart from that we will be focusing an 80-day affair this time. Also, we recently held a heritage age. And, receiving award for this significant initiative of the
on Health Tourism as well. run in Orchha and there will soon be a cycling expedition in state emboldens the tourism department to keep up the posi-
Panchmari, called ‘Tour de Satpura’. tive momentum.
I am delighted to have received
national recognition after years of per-
severance and dedication in the tour-
ism industry. Within three years of the
company’s inception, we became the
largest General Sales Agent (GSA) of
leading luxury trains in India, overtak-
ing all the established players in the
tourism industry. I achieved this due
Manish Saini to the goodwill I created among the
Director, Worldwide Rail Journeys,
trade partners through my ethical and
India Travel Award winner
honest dealings and generated foreign Sanjay Jain
exchange in this segment. This award will inspire me to cross Director
new milestones and at the same time, offer my trade partners Special Holiday Travel
another reason to repose their trust on me. To receive the award of
the highest repute in our
It gives us immense pleasure to industry, that too for the
be a recipient of the National Tourism second time gives us great
Award for the fourth time. Receiving pride and honour. We are
this prestigious award, of course, has humbled that the efforts
its PR value in terms of new custom- we have been tirelessly
ers that we try to pitch to, but other than putting in to provide a holis-
that, it is also a huge motivation for our tic experience coupled with
team. Through relentless efforts, we complete satisfaction to all
have been achieving significant year-
our associates and clients,
on-year growth, both in terms of pas- Kapil Goswamy
have been given recogni-
senger numbers and overall foreign MD, Trans India Holidays,
India Travel Award winner tion by the President and
exchange earnings and it is both these
the Minister of Tourism
parameters that helped us achieve a virtual Six Sigma quality in
regards to customer satisfaction and also the national award. directly. We would like to
credit this honour to our
extremely dedicated team,
We are honoured on being con- the passion that drives us
ferred with the tourism industry’s in our daily operations and
highest accolade, the National Tour-
collative support of all our
ism Award. This is our third consec-
longstanding associations
utive win in the Best Domestic Tour
and guests from across
Operator (Rest of India) category in
the world. We intend to
the 10 years of the National Tourism
Awards’ existence. Our continuous grow from strength to
efforts at consumer engagement, strength, giving testimony
Dhruv Shringi overall user experience coupled to this award for the Best
Co-founder & CEO with consistent delivery of services Inbound Tour Operator/
Yatra.com Travel Agent.
on ground have helped us achieve
this milestone. This significant national recognition further
inspires us to work tirelessly towards delivering best in
class service to our customers. Contd. on page 10
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 9 13-10-2017 18:56:32
10 TRAVTALK OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 QUICKBYTES
And the winning streak continues...
Contd. from page 9
It is an exhilarating feeling to We are thrilled to have won the
Naturally, it gives us great joy and witness Travelite (India) being con- first prize for Best Tourist Trans-
pride to receive this commenda- ferred with the National Hall of port Operator at National Toruism
tion. It is a great recognition for the Fame Tourism Award for consist- Awards yet again. This is our third
company's pioneering efforts which ently doing well in the inbound tour- win in a row, so we have been able
is bound to get noticed by the pro- ism sector. Ultimately, it is the hard to manage a hat-trick at the National
spective markets, giving our experi- work put in by the dedicated team
Awards! This win is purely because
ential and soft adventure products, working at Travelite (India) that is
of our team’s committed dedication
tours and activities greater publicity showing consistent results. The
Sarab Jit Singh Aditya Loomba to their work, combined with our
and growth potential. Through the National Tourism Award certainly Jt. Managing Director, ECOS
India Travel Award winner and clients’ and partners’ faith in ECOS
Sanjay Basu last two decades, our company has gives Travelite (India) recognition (India) Mobility & Hospitality
MD, Travelite (India)
Managing Director and places confidence in the for- (India) Mobility & Hospitality. And if
Far Horizon Tours invested over `50 crores in devel-
eign tour operators, who may be the fact that winning a National Award wasn’t enough, re-
opment of camps, eco-lodges and
river cruise boats and ships in remote regions which has dealing with us for the first time, while, the existing tour ceiving it from the President of India also boosts the morale
opened up a vast market that is seeing a strong growth both operators feel better to be working with such reputed and of the entire company and also validates our stakeholder’s
for us and the country’s overall tourism. recognised organisation. trust in the company.
It was a proud moment for us at ITC Maurya received National Samode Group of Hotels has been
the Alpcord network to be felicitated Tourism Award for Best Eco-Friendly in the hospitality industry for the past
with a national award for the third Hotel recently. ITC Maurya is a mani- 30 years and it is an honour to receive
time. The fact that it comes straight festation of ITC Hotels’ more than such a prestigious award on behalf of
from the Government of India makes three-decade old sustainable develop- the organisation. The Samode Haveli
it all the more special. The recogni- ment initiatives. It is an amalgamation is a 200-year-old heritage property
tion will definitely help us when we of world class green best practices and it has been beautifully restored
pitch for future conferences. bring- with contemporary design elements, according to modern standards. It
providing the best in luxury, in the
ing with it a sense of responsibil- is the people of Samode Haveli who
greenest possible manner with eco- Zubin Songadwala
ity towards the industry and duty to Chander Mansharamani make this experience special with their Malavika Kumar
Managing Director, Alpcord embedded products, eco-easy serv- General Manager Assistant Operations
maintain and supersede our perform- Network Travel & Conferences discreet and personalised service for Manager, Samode Hotels
ices and eco-sensitised associates. ITC Maurya
ance. As an award winning compa- Management Company the guests. Awards like the National
A role model for the global hospitality
ny, the onus will fall on us to create industry, ITC Maurya, is an epitome of the Responsible Luxury Tourism Award motivate the team to do well and at the same
a different brand for ourselves and take things to a higher ethos and is the World’s largest LEED Platinum rated hotel in time, they help us in striving harder to achieve the high stand-
level of service. the EB Category (Existing Building). ards and goals of the organisation.
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 10 13-10-2017 18:56:35FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 11 13-10-2017 18:56:37
12 TRAVTALK OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 QUICKBYTES
Ras Al Khaimah spellbinds travel trade
Ras Al Khaimah hosted the 3rd OTOAI Annual Convention where the travel trade discussed new opportuni-
ties and efficient use of technology in tourism to allow its members to implement it to grow business. Attend-
ees at the conevention share their experiences of the destination with TRAVTALK.
ANKITA SAXENA FROM RAS AL KHAIMAH The biggest achievement of the We received a very positive feed-
convention has been the theme. back for the convention. We hosted
The convention has been a con- participants from across India includ-
gregation of quality travel agents and The intention was to deliberate and
educate the association members ing the four major metros and Tier-II
tour operators from across the country,
on the new opportunities available cities of Nagpur, Jamshedpur, Kochi
discussing new opportunities for travel
to them in the market and how they and Thiruvananthapuram. The reason
professionals. I feel that with changing
times, the regular itineraries will not do can make the most of it in order to we chose Ras Al Khaimah as our con-
well as today everything is available grow their business. The convention vention venue is because this is the
online; anyone and everyone can pack- was also instrumental in allowing third emirate which has high tourism
the members to explore a new des- Rajeev Sabharwal potential apart from Dubai and Abu Gurdeep Singh Gujral
age their own tours. The key is to tap CEO, Gaurav Travels Joint Secretary, OTOAI and Co-
into newer, unexplored destinations, Shravan Bhalla tination like Ras Al Khaimah, which Dhabi, which are frequented by Indian chairman, OTOAI Convention
and Head-Finance and
where the travel agent holds monopoly General Secretary they can now learn about and add to Events, OTOAI travellers. The pristine coastline, high-
OTOAI, and CEO, High Flyers their list of products.
and also diversify the segment of travel. value tourism products along with new upcoming projects, Ras
One has to create customised, niche itineraries and venture into Al Khaimah certainly offers good value to travellers. With the
segments like events and weddings where hand holding and changing times, it is very important for the outbound tour opera-
physical presence of the agents is required to grow business. The convention was very well or- tors to explore newer sectors and create opportunities which
ganised as well as well attended. We will be beneficial for business in the long run.
OTOAI conventions have always had the opportunity to network with
been very good. This is one of the our existing partners and fellow travel
I felt that this year’s convention
serious conventions that takes place agents but more importantly we were
has been unique not only because of
every year in the tourism and hospi- able to meet members of OTOAI from
the informative sessions conducted
tality industry. This year, I feel every across the country. I loved the session
through the day, but also because of
participant has got an update about on technology as it was an eye opener.
the destination. Earlier, when the con-
the current trends in outbound mar- I have learnt how to work with a data-
vention was proposed, we were not
ket. The convention touched upon all Anjum Lokhandwala base and make use of social media.
convinced as to what Ras Al Khaimah
the challenges faced by the travel Founder and Director We have been active on Facebook
can offer us. However, after visiting the
Sujit Nair agents from across the country and Outbound Konnections and Instagram for personal purposes
Founder and Group Managing destination and listening to the desti-
have also managed to deliberate on but the sessions gave us information
Director, Akquasun Group Tejbir Singh Anand nation presentation at the convention,
the solutions and way forward, which on how we can make use of these platforms for the benefit of Founder and Managing we are happily surprised. I feel if the
has been very helpful. In the times to our business and grow them further. Director, Holiday Moods
come, mobile applications will be the future for travel. right months are chosen to travel here,
Adventures
this destination will be a bestseller.
The convention has been an in-
formative platform to gather knowledge
about the various trends in the industry.
The highlight for me was the fact that
the convention deliberated on solutions
more than on problems. The most im-
portant part is that we could listen and
discuss with senior players of the indus-
try what can be done to overcome the
Gursahib Singh Sethi challenges in business. The destination Mahendra Vakharia
&KLHI2SHUDWLQJ2IÀFHU chosen for the convention has been 0DQDJLQJ'LUHFWRU3DWKÀQGHUV
Sahibji Travels and Tours, excellent and will surely become more Holidays & Chairman-Western
India Travel Award winner Chapter, OTOAI
popular among Indian clientele.
The highlight of OTOAI
The convention was very informa- convention is that it is fo-
tive and offered a good platform to cused, compact and we do
meet and greet fellow travel indus- not believe in numbers but in
try peers and colleagues. Since the targeting the right audience.
convention is organised in a differ- Even the sessions have to
ent country every year, especially an be interesting, appropriate
emerging destination for outbound and interactive for the partici-
travel, we get to learn about a new pants. Presently, we are going
destination which can be tapped through interesting times in
for business. We could enlighten Adl Karim the outbound tourism indus-
ourselves with the current industry Director, Creative try. With the new regime of
trends and products as well. Tours and Travels (India) GST, all of us will have to be
ready to change our business
model and adapt. I feel this
The convention was awe-inspiring! will be a good change as it
The key focus of the convention was will create a level playing field
to address the insecurities of the in- for all and it will ensure a long
dustry members regarding the future run for those who want to do
of travel business. Various speakers ethical business. Not only the
during the sessions highlighted the Tier-II and Tier-III markets, I
challenges especially after demoneti- feel even the Tier-I market is
sation and GST and also deliberated not ready to accept technol-
on the way forward and how to cre- ogy or embrace it into the sys-
Vineet Gopal ate newer avenues for business. Ras tem. We should have adapted
Chairman-Northern
Chapter, OTOAI Al Khaimah is a new and unexplored to technology a few years ago
emirate and given the fact that tourism but we can still catch up as it
between India and the UAE is thriving, RAK can easily be an is the only way forward.
added product to the itineraries. Contd. on page 14
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 12 13-10-2017 18:56:41FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 13 13-10-2017 18:56:43
14 TRAVTALK OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 QUICKBYTES
Explore Ras Al Khaimah with OTOAI
Contd. from page 12
The convention for me was an This is my first time at OTOAI In today’s time, the world has
incredible experience. It is a known convention. For me, this is a con- become a much smaller place and
fact that the outbound travel mar- centrated platform where I can meet with technology this phenomenon
ket from India is booming and trav- all my industry partners in one shot. is taking place at lightning speed.
ellers are looking at new destina- It is a three-day affair which is very In terms of creating opportunities
tions for their holidays. In such a convenient. The accommodation and with the fast paced times, I feel
venue for the convention, Waldorf we are networking a lot more. Now
scenario, I feel Ras Al Khaimah will
Astoria, has been phenomenal with there are many shows of similar
definitely change the landscape for
its luxury offerings. The highlight of nature like the convention where
Indians who are travelling abroad. Dhruv Raj Gupta
Sajan K Gupta the convention for me is that it is we get a chance to meet the right Manish Kriplani
It will soon become a must-do Co-founder and CEO CEO, Baywatch Travels and
CEO, Vayu Seva Tours and Tripshelf a one-stop-shop where we get to kind of people for business which is
Travels & Chairman-Eastern destination for the clients who Chairman-Southern Chapter,
network and interact with the indus- a major advantage. OTOAI
Chapter, OTOAI visit Dubai.
try. It definitely fulfilled my agenda and purpose of attending
a convention.
This is the first time I’m attend- Despite 20 years of experi- This year’s convention has been
ing an OTOAI convention and it has ence in the travel industry, this is very different from its last edition in
been a learning experience. We the first time I have travelled for a Bali. I have been to the UAE multiple
had abundant interactive sessions convention. The destination chosen times but this is my first time to Ras Al
and networking opportunities with is new and in its nascent stage. Khaimah. Bali is a destination that we
fellow travel agents. It has been a Thus, it is the right time to visit it have been selling from Lucknow to the
very well-managed event and the and understand it before offering Uttar Pradesh market for a long time
location chosen for the convention–
it to the clients. In three nights we but Ras Al Khaimah has come up as
Ras Al Khaimah–has given us an
could explore Ras Al Khaimah and a new, unexplored destination. Today,
opportunity to explore a new des- Farida Attarwala S. M. A. Sheeraz
absorb the essence and also look Sangeeta Berera the clients demand off-beat locations Director
tination which can be easily com- Director
at it from various facets as clients, Founder for their holidays as they have already Sheeraz Tours
bined with Dubai, a favourite with %XWWHUÁ\HUV+ROLGD\V World of Astral
honeymooners, MICE, holidays, etc. travelled to South East Asia and Euro-
the Indian clientele for a weekend
apart from being travel agents. I could gather good prod- pean countries and I feel Ras Al Khaimah can be that next spot.
holiday. Also, the ease of visa from
India will add to the popularity of this destination in the uct knowledge and the sessions and exchange of ideas We could see that this destination serves as an apt location for
Indian market. was the need of the hour. Indian weddings, FIT travel as well as honeymooners.
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 14 13-10-2017 18:56:46FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 15 13-10-2017 18:56:51
16 TRAVTALK OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 SPECIALFEATURE
GST deliberations power up conference
Over 300 UNIGLOBE travel professionals from across South Asia gathered at Imagica, Mumbai, to Feel the
Power of valuable insights, networking and celebration of individual and collective achievements.
TT B UREAU A part of this year’s star
The annual UNIGLOBE conference is a attraction was the keynote ses- Our theme for this year, ‘Feel the Power’, was
T he recently concluded
12th Annual UNIGLOBE
g y net-
great platform to support inter-agency sion, where actor Rohit Roy let
the attendees in on his ‘mantra
chosen to inspire UNIGLOBE travel professionals
Regional Conference and working, professional devel-
vel- for success.’ Over 40 suppliers to feel the power to conquer indus-
Excellence Awards, was opment and to strengthenn from different categories in- WU\FKDOOHQJHVDQGÀQGQHZ
hosted at Imagica in Mum- cluding leisure, technology, in-
bai. Themed ‘Feel the Power’, relationships with each other
ther surance, banks, hotels, airlines ways of adding value to client
the conference attracted over and with key suppliers of the and destination management relationships through transpar-
300 UNIGLOBE travel pro- companies came together for
fessionals from South Asia. South Asian region. ‘The Supplier Showcase’ that ency, new-age tools and better
The conference saw two days
Raja Natesan
atesan
an
served as a platform for partici- use of travel content.
of deliberations over GST pants to establish, renew and
CEO
and stimulating educational
UNIGLOBE Travel (South Asia))
build successful partnerships Ritika Modi
sessions on leadership, be- with their preferred suppliers Regional President, UNIGLOBE
sides the unveiling of two and gain a better understand- Travel (South Asia)
ground-breaking technology ing of their offerings.
solutions from UNIGLOBE. the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the de- ancing act in acquiring power Awards for top-level sales and learn with our fellow UNI-
velopments on GST. and learning how to use it “Individually it can be diffi- revenue growth achievements GLOBE family members
The highlight of the con- more effectively as leaders. cult to accomplish one’s objec- were given to the owners of around South Asia at the
ference was the launch of An interactive and tives, but together we can move UNIGLOBE member agencies conference. The rides and
UKonnect, an end-to-end, thought-provoking session “Our theme for this year, mountains. The annual UNI- from across the South Asia experiences at Imagica
networking and collabora- by Raja Natesan, CEO, UNI- ‘Feel the Power’, was chosen GLOBE conference is a great region. The 12th Annual Excel- Theme and Snow Parks,
tion tool that brings over 1500 GLOBE Travel (South Asia), to inspire UNIGLOBE travel platform to support inter-agency lence Awards felicitated top in- along with the ‘Dress as a
UNIGLOBE professionals on shed light on how UNIGLOBE professionals to feel the power networking, professional devel- dividual performers across 11 Toon’ and ‘Pirates’ themed
a single platform to exchange professionals can recognise to conquer industry challenges opment and to strengthen re- award categories. The awards dinners on Days 1 and 2
ideas, share knowledge and new opportunities to turn them and find new ways of adding val- lationships with each other and included recognition for Coun- of the conference, only
discuss the latest trends. Also, into stepping stones of suc- ue to client relationships through with key suppliers of the South selors, Managers, Sales, Ac- added the much welcome
unveiled at the conference cess for clients. In other ses- transparency, new-age tools Asian region,” says Natesan. counts, Leisure and Facilita- fun element to the rendez-
was an improved version of sions, Raja, revealed what it and better use of travel content tion personnel at various levels vous,” concludes Ch. Uma,
the company’s flagship agent takes to arrive at the most fa- to tailor options and experiences Top performing agencies of performance assessment. President, UNIGLOBE Fran-
booking tool, Complete Ac- vourable outcome when faced for travellers,” says Ritika Modi, were rewarded for achiev- chise Owners Association.
cess Online, and a preview of with tough business dilemmas Regional President, UNIGLOBE ing the organisation’s highest “As every year, it was
upcoming products, including and perform the ultimate bal- Travel (South Asia). standards of growth through. great to bond, interact and See pictures on page 24
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 16 13-10-2017 18:56:53NTO OCTOBER 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2017 TRAVTALK 17
Exploring the hidden gems of N. France
Even as Northern France is catching up in popularity with Indian tourists, Lucie Rousseau,
Business Manager India, Northern France Tourism, says they are working towards attracting
MICE groups as well as FITs from India to the region.
well as FITs in India, because of Indians visiting Northern “I try to go to India at least we believe that cinema is a here, visit the castle and
NISHA VERMA FROM FRANCE
people who are well travelled France should be roughly be- three times a year to meet the great medium to attract indulge in a few team
N orthern France Tourism
along with Atout France–
India recently organised a
are ready to explore a little
more because right now In-
dia is still stuck to Paris and
tween 500-1000. Our aim is
not to just develop Chantilly
and Paris, but also places like
travel agents and to take part
in some events. We also work
closely with Atout France in
Indians to the destination,”
adds Rousseau.
building activities. We try
and do personalised meals
as well. The biggest USP
familiarisation trip to show- Nice. We did receive a few Bay of Somme, which is more India for promotions, cam- Chantilly has been a for Chantilly is that it’s only
case the region’s myriad of- groups from India a couple of niche and is ready to have paigns, supplements that popular destination for groups 30 minutes from CDG air-
ferings. “Northern France is years back and had around new markets,” she shares. showcase our destination. We and also had a huge Indian port in Paris and can be-
not a famous touristic des- 5000-6000 Indian arrivals, also invite agents to explore wedding recently. “I would come the last stop for peo-
tination, but since we are at but that stopped and now we Rousseau is working in the region. The recent Bolly- like to recommend MICE ple visiting France, after
the crossroads from Paris to have more individual travel- close proximity with the In- wood film ‘Befikre’ was shot groups to come for a day trip which they can directly fly
London, many tourists cross lers. Currently, the number dian travel fraternity as well. in the region last year, and to Chantilly and have lunch back to India.”
Lucie Rousseau
Business Manager India
Northern France Tourism
We want to develop the
Indian market because
it is an emerging market
and there are more
Indians travelling out of
India. With 5 lakh tour-
ists coming to France
every year, we want to
capture a chunk of that
our region. Thus, it’s easy
for them to stop on the way
and explore beauties like
Chantilly, for example. As
the regional tourism board,
we have a strategy to ac-
cess emerging markets and
hence we started with China
five years ago and now we
have 25,000 Chinese com-
ing every year in the region.
We want to develop the In-
dian market because it is an
emerging market and there
are more Indians travelling
out of India. With 5 lakh tour-
ists coming to France every
year, we want to capture a
chunk of that number for
this region as well,” says
Lucie Rousseau.
Apart from targeting the
Indian market, Rousseau
is also working closely with
the local tourism stakehold-
ers, so that they boost their
business and make it easy
for them to manage Indian
clients, as she thinks it’s a
different market. “From Chi-
na we have a lot of groups,
but from India we get a lot
of FIT business, which does
not exist with the Chinese
so far. Hence, we are trying
to develop both groups as
FINAL_TT_October-2nd-2017.indd 17 13-10-2017 18:56:54You can also read
