As the TAAI turns 60 instyle, Turkey is poisedto emerge as one of

the favourite destinations forthe outbound market in India.

With Istanbul playing theperfect host, the DiamondJubilee Convention of TAAIkickstarts today at The HotelGreen Park, Pendik. TheDiamond Jubilee conventionof TAAI is also coinciding withthe 60th year of Turkish-Indian friendship, that’s a stepforward to strengthen the rela-tions and business betweenthese two countries. AndTurkey has left no stoneunturned in promoting thedestination. With Dr BurakAkcapar, Turkish Ambassadorto India announcing free visasfor all delegates travelling toIstanbul, TAAI is expecting arecord turnout of more than1,000 at the convention.

According to IqbalMulla, Chairman, ConventionCommittee and President,TAAI, Turkey is a potentiallystrong destination for Indiafrom the inbound and out-bound perspective. TheDiamond Jubilee Conventionof TAAI in Istanbul will alsogo a long way in helpingincreased travel between thetwo destinations in thefuture, he added.

Ozgur Ayturk, Culture& Tourism Counsellor toIndia, Turkish Embassy, said,“The convention is an oppor-tunity to showcase the desti-nation and its products to thetravel trade in India. The del-egates attending the conven-tion are getting an opportu-nity to see other destinationssuch as Izmir, Antalya, and

Cappadocia as part of thepost-convention tours.”

On the sidelines of the‘Involve to Evolve: A NewBeginning’ themed conven-tion, TAAI is also organisingan exhibition with the partic-ipation of over 50 travel part-ners from Indiawho will show-case their prod-ucts and desti-nations. Thiswill also exposethe Turkishtravel trade toIndia and itsofferings andget them to

boost the number of Turkishvisitors to India.

Istanbul’s location on thewater made it a much covetedsite as a commercial shippingport and military lookout, andas capital of the RomanEmpire. Constantinople, as itwas known, became veryimportant as a centre of worldtrade, until Mehmet, theConqueror claimed it for theOttoman Empire in 1453 andit became the imperial seat ofthe sultans. The capital is now Ankara, but Istanbul still remains the commercial,historical and cultural heart of Turkey.

For South Asians travel-ling to Western Europe andbeyond, a two to three daystopover at Istanbul can be amemorable and fascinatingexperience. With its superbcuisine, friendly hospitablepeople and superbly interest-ing location, Istanbul is amagnetic destination.

TAAI Diamond Jubilee Convention starts at The Hotel Green Park, Pendik. TAAI is also organisingan exhibition with the participation of over 50 travel partners from India. gives details.

TAAI Conventionwith a difference

ME G H A PAU L

COVER STORY TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1 TRAVTALK 1

‘They can becausethey think theycan.’

The quote by Virgil bestdescribes the motive ofTravel Agents Association ofIndia (TAAI) zeroing in on‘Evolve to Involve’ theme forthe 60th Indian TravelCongress & Exhibition inIstanbul, Turkey. This year, the convention will leadits members forward to innovative business modules,involving in new strategiesand evolving them in today’s world and age oftourism industry.

According to IqbalMulla, President, TAAI; thetheme for this year isextremely apt and very topical at this point. He said,“Over the years, TAAI has

worked towards making trav-el agents believe in positivechange, educate them aboutevolving from ticketingagents to travel consultants.But now it’s time for agentsto involve with global

trends and evolve as per the needs of advancing travellers’ demands.”

According to Mulla,from last few years; the asso-ciation is holding its annualconvention at destinationswhich are popular amongIndian travellers but this

year, it opted for an emergingdestination.

Mulla said, “Our mainidea is to make our membersaware of the potential des-tinations and educate themabout its products. We arelooking at mutual touristtraffic in both Turkey andIndia to further enhance ourtrade relations.” The associ-ation will have fruitful busi-ness sessions with worldrenowned speakers givinginsights on the topic to thedelegates. The focus thisyear will be on internationaltravel and tourism trends,adapting to technology togrow business and movingahead with new changes.The managing committeewill work on a review reportfor business sessions (lastyear, conclusion documentswere prepared) to bring outthe feedback and action plan for the future.

TAAI, as an association,is built on transparent anddemocratic values and thus,it’s trusted by global associ-ations like IATA and otherinternational travel compa-nies operating out of India.

TAAI, as an associa-tion, is built on transparentand democratic values and thus, it’s trusted byglobal associations like IATA and other internationaltravel companies operatingout of India. With supportfrom tourism ministry and suppliers from nationaland overseas market, Mulla is positive that TAAIwill celebrate its 100thanniversary in much biggerway with double the numberof members.

On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, TAAI establishesthe fact that learning and adopting to new products is the key to evolve and grow in travel business. Anita Jain talks to Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI.

TAAI: Involving & Evolving

AN I TA JA I N

We are looking atmutual tourist traffic in both Turkey andIndia to further enhance ourtrade relations

Iqbal MullaPresidentTAAI

Making travel agentsbelieve in positive change

Educate them aboutevolving from ticketingagents to travelconsultants.

To involve with globaltrends and evol ve as perthe needs of advancingtravellers’ demands

Adapting to technology togrow business andmoving ahead with newchanges

Work on a review repor tfor business sessions tobring out the feedback andaction plan for the future

Objectives

Constantinople, as it wasknown, became veryimportant as a centre ofworld trade, until Mehmet,the Conqueror claimed itfor the Ottoman Empire in1453 and it became theimperial seat of the sultans

Key Fact

Turkey is apotentiallystrongdestination for India from theinbound andoutboundperspective

Ozgur AyturkCulture & Tourism Counsellor to India,Turkish Embassy

The Northern Region,being the largest TAAI

chapter, has a strong voice atthe national level. Talkingabout the efforts taken up bythe TAAI Northern Region,Mayal reveals, “This year, wehad interactive meetingswith VFS. Various NTOs andtourism bodies also madepresentations and organisedroadshows.” There wereseminars on how to sellAmerica directly and whatare the avenues to makemore money, she added. “Wehave a big agenda to helpmembers overcome problems

and to be able to get morerevenues. I hope I can delivereven one fourth of what Iwant to. I would love TAAI tobe an ideal association, for itsmembers and by its mem-bers,” Mayal informed.

Interestingly, Mayal is infavour of making TAAI amore active organisation inthe form of a corporate body.Urging the members to beproactively involved in theworking of the association,she opined, “Members shouldwake up and bring a changein their association.

Going forward, theyshould now choose a commit-

tee which candeliver andshow results. Ialso think it'stime for TAAI tochange its wayof working. Weneed to changeit into a corpo-rate body, byappointing a

CEO to run it for liaisoningwith government, airlines andsuppliers.” Calling for adap-tation and evolution of TAAI,Mayal commented, “With thechange of time, the outlookhas to change. Of course, thePresident and all othersremain, but a person who isdedicated completely shouldbe running the organisation.”

Regarding the ongoingchallenges this year, Mayal highlighted,

“The main issue issurvival and theweekly payments,which are loomingon our heads. Weare trying to educate our mem-bers to the maxi-mum by holdingseminars, by clearlydefining the do’sand don’ts of han-dling business andtrying to solve theirproblems of visasand passports.”

Reiterating that theneed of the hour is to workunitedly, Mayal said, “Also,the most important factor isto give members a solution ofweekly payments by gettingthem into making the creditcards for their business trans-actions. As a Chairperson ofthe Northern Region of TAAI,I have always emphasised on

working together. I alwaysinsist that working in part-nership with each other is theneed of the hour.”

Commenting on her roleas the Chairperson of theNorthern Region of TAAI,Mayal revealed, “Since thelast two years after I becamethe Chairperson, I have givengreat emphasis on educatingmy members and am trying tosolve their problems. We arein continuous dialogues with the Embassies/Consulates/VFS for visa prob-lems. We have had Do's andDont's workshop related toproper ticketing rules in orderto avoid ADM issues withBSP/Jet Air/Kingfisher/Galileo/Amadeus/Abacus. Asthe Northern RegionChairperson, I played the mostdominant role in resolving theADM issues and also gettingthe redressal cells ready.

Talking about theConvention being held inTurkey, Mayal believed, “I

know that some members saythat they do not want to goabroad and that conventionsshould be held in India. It isdifficult to do these conven-tions in India all the time. Wehave limited destinations to cater to big groups and then the Indian market doesnot give you subsidies forhosting the functions as theforeign destinations do. Cost plays a major role inholding such conventions.”

As TAAI grows older and stronger, Jyoti Mayal, Chairperson - Northern Region, TAAI calls for a more proactive, evolved and ‘corporate’ association to tackle ongoing challenges. gives details.

ME G H A PAU L

‘TAAI should go the ‘corporate’ way’

Jyoti MayalChairperson - Northern RegionTAAI

ASSOCIATION2 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

TAAI should be a moreactive organisation in theform of a corporate body

The members should nowchoose a committeewhich can deliver andshow results

TAAI should be changedinto a corporate body, byappointing a CEO to run it for liaisoning withgovernment, airlines andsuppliers

Planning Different

Uttarakhand-based LeisureHotels has beefed up its

operations in India. Talkingabout the expansion plans,Vibhas Prasad, Director,Leisure Hotel said, “The year2011 or this current financial

year has beengood for ourbusiness as weunveiled fournew properties.We openedGanga Lahari,which has 16rooms atHaridwar last

September. The group alsolaunched ‘The Forest’ at RajajiNational Park in Uttarakhand,their business hotel ‘TheManor’ at Bareilly and ‘Aranya

Safari Resort’ in CorbettNational Park in Uttarakhand.”

This year, the hotel-owning, operating and man-agement company is target-ting four major segments ina big way. The hotel plans tocash in on pilgrimagetourism. Speaking about thecompany’s focus on the North

Indian pilgrimage market,Prasad said, “We are con-stantly focussing on thenorthern market. The groupis catering to the needs of the

tourists by way of luxuryaccommodations.”

“The Chardham seg-ment is an unorganised seg-ment and we are the onlyorganised player in the field. We plan to tie up witha big number of travelagents to promote this seg-ment,” he added.

The hotel chain is alsobullish on wildlife tourismand the weekend traffic seg-ment from Delhi. “We arehoping that the infrastruc-ture can be improved now. This will make our cur-rent properties more acces-sible from Delhi for theweekend getaways as theyform a huge chunk of ourrevenue generators,” theDirector revealed.

With available facilitiesto support big conferences,Leisure Hotels will targetMICE. The Riverview Retreat,Corbett National Park has hugeconvention facilities. The com-pany will unveil two productsin the next financial year. Thefirst property would open in

Rishikesh and the second onewould open in Kanha.

The hotel is planning to cash in on four segments this year – pilgrimage,weekend traffic, wildlife and MICE, says Vibhas Prasad.

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‘Leisure’ for pilgrims, wildlife, MICE & weekend traffic

HOTELS4 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

With available facilities tosupport big conferences,Leisure Hotels will targetMICE.

The Riverview Retreat,Corbett National Park hashuge convention facilities.

The company will unveiltwo products in the nextfinancial year.

The first proper ty wouldopen in Rishikesh and thesecond one would open inKanha

New Avenues

Vibhas PrasadDirectorLeisure Hotel

HOTELS6 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

The Suryaa, New Delhi isall set to garner more

business this year. The hotelhas beefed up its F&B seg-ment. Talking about thedevelopment, Greesh Bindra,Vice President and General

Manager – The Suryaa, NewDelhi remarks, “Just recently,we relaunched SAMPAN –our Rooftop Pan Asian restau-rant. This summer, we arelooking at relaunching our24-hour coffee shop Le Caféand Indian restaurant Seven,which will be converted intoa 140-seater top-of-the-lineWorld Cuisine restaurant,which will be ready beforeFormula One.” The hotel isalso planning to open severalnew properties in India andoverseas, he adds.

Regarding the perform-ance of the hotel in calendaryear of 2011 vis-à-vis the previous year, Bindrainforms, “The calendar year of2011 has shown encouragingresults. With the stabilisationof the business coming fromvarious sectors, the revenuehas definitely gone up. The last quarter has been very positive, although it hasbeen a challenge as the inven-

tory hasincreased.”According tohim, theupcoming year looks even morepromising andthe team is aggressivelyworking

towards achieving the set targets.

The Suryaa New Delhiwith its host of meeting & con-ferencing facilities is bettingbig on MICE segment as well.The hotel is cashing in on itsstrategic location. Suitablylocated in the heart of the city,a mere 30 minute drive fromthe International Airport withclose proximity to PragatiMaidan, it is also adjacent toDelhi’s business districts-Nehru Place, Jasola, Okhla and

Noida promotion zones. Withbanquet halls such as Elysee,Vendome and Caprice Lounge,the hotel is fully geared to bethe perfect host for weddingand other events.

The hotel aims to capture a big share of the hospitalitymarket with the relaunching of SAMPAN – our RooftopPan Asian restaurant and with its yet to be relaunched24-hour coffee shop Le Café and Indian restaurant Seven.

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The Suryaa, New Delhisteps up operations

The lastquarter has been very positive,although it has been achallenge as theinventory has increased

Greesh BindraVice President and General Manager –The Suryaa, New Delhi

The hotel is planning toopen several newproper ties in India andoverseas

The upcoming year lookseven more promising andthe team is aggressivelyworking towards achievingthe set targets

The Suryaa New Delhiwith its host of meeting &conferencing facilities isbetting big on MICEsegment as well

Upcoming Plans

Now hospitality has got anew address in China.

As the brand expands to over60 luxurious destinationsaround the world, FairmontHotels & Resorts is making an impression ontravellers to China with itsthree hallmark properties.

Making waves inShanghai is the FairmontPeace Hotel. It is built on TheBund during the city’s headyJazz Age that has hosted dis-tinguished guests, includingGeneral Marshall, CharlieChaplin and Noel Coward, whowrote Private Lives while inresidence. Known as ‘TheNumber One Mansion in theFar East’, the hotel underwenta top-to-bottom transforma-tion that preserved its ArtDeco past while also updatingit with flourishes such as thestunning Willow Stream Spaand dining options that includechic lounges, gourmet finedining, and the revival of thebeloved Jazz Bar.

Outside Shanghai is thetranquil Fairmont YangchengLake in Kunshan. The resort’sWillow Stream Spa is a sanc-tuary where travelers can reju-venate with authentically localtreatments, while everythingfrom Afternoon Tea to theregion’s famed Hairy Crabs areserved in the resort’s bars andrestaurants. Further NorthFairmont Beijing stands as the“gate” to the city’s CentralBusiness District and alsoboasts a Willow Stream Spaand multiple dining optionsincluding Lunar 8, featuringtheir signature Peking duckfrom a wood-burning oven.

All three of Fairmonthotels in China also offer

Fairmont Gold - dedicatedfloors offering residential-stylelounges where guests canenjoy an honor bar, cocktailhour canapés, and compli-mentary continental break-fast. Fairmont Gold Managerscan accommodate requestsfrom dinner reservations toplanning special events, whileunique touches such as theLegend 29 welcome drink atFairmont Peace Hotel makethe experience even morememorable - the cocktail rep-

resents the brand’s 29thFairmont Gold product andthe hotel’s status as a leg-endary landmark in Shanghai.For travel agents, the brand’sFamous Agents reward andrecognition programme offersmany perks and benefits aswell. Members earn one pointper qualified room night, withrewards enjoyed by redeem-ing a minimum of 50 pointsfor a standard room at aFairmont city-center property.Just 20 Famous Agents pointsyields a 1,000 INR Sodexo GiftPass – India’s most widelyaccepted gift pass,redeemable at 11,000 retailoutlets. Agents also enjoy anumber of other benefits byjoining Famous Agents,including exclusive member-only room rates. The programis easy to enroll in atfrhi.com/famousagents.

With its three hallmark properties in China, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is poised to grow in the Asian hub. gives details on the special propositions of its properties in China.

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Fairmont making waves in China

All three of Fairmont hotels inChina also offer Fairmont Gold- dedicated floors offeringresidential-style lounges whereguests can enjoy an honor bar,cocktail hour canapés, andcomplimentary continentalbreakfast

USP

In today’s competitiveworld, it is very difficult to

have a unique product, butAman Travels has tried to

make a simple user-friendlyproduct with a large invento-ry and a vast product range.

This is the launch of www.Grnconnect.com, a newerand larger version of their existing portal,www.globalresnetwork.com.

The new portal is pow-ered by various online suppli-ers, destination managementcompanies and hotel chains

from across the globe. “Thisnew version is an improvedversion after incorporatingsuggestions and feedbackfrom the travel partners. Itwill help us get a bigger mar-ket share as the system hasbetter rates and larger inven-tory. It is user-friendly andwe are also launching a XML

version of the site to poweragency sites,” says DeepakNarula, Managing Director,Aman Travels.

Another important fea-ture for this portal is the lastminute availability of prod-ucts and packages and atcompetitive rates. Not over-

looking the important roletechnology plays for thetourism industry, Narulaagrees that sky is the limitfor this industry. “Internethas a very important role fortravel agents as it gives usthe scope at a low cost. Ifyou have the right product,strategy and resources,nothing can stop you fromexcelling. We as travelagents need to embracetechnology at the earliest as

it can help us achievegreater heights.”

Discussing their marketing statergy, Narulasays, “We wish to push thisproduct through an activemedia campaign and by par-ticipating in the tradeevents. We have positionedbigger sales team in differ-ent parts of the country. For us, every agent is ourpotential customer”.

A newer and better version of their existing portal, Aman Travels promisesa larger inventory and last minute availability at www.grnconnect.com.

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Aman Travels launches a new web portal

AGENTS TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1 TRAVTALK 7

The Internetplays animportant role for travel agents, if you have the rightproduct,strategy andresources

Deepak NarulaManaging DirectorAman Travels

The new portal is poweredby various onlinesuppliers, destinationmanagement companiesand hotel chains fromacross the globe

This is an improvedversion after incorporatingsuggestions and feedbackfrom the travel partners

It is user-friendly

It ensures the last minuteavailability of products and packages and atcompetitive rates

Special Features

The national carrier ofthe Kingdom of Bahrain

is looking at increasing itstotal revenue from India byalmost 50 per cent in next

one year. To achieve this,the airline has announcednew commercial initiativesexclusively for the Indianmarket. First, the airline hasrelaunched its frequent flyerprogramme – ‘Falcon Flyer’

and introducednew pro-gramme forfamily –‘Family First’and SME trav-ellers – ‘FalconCorporatePLUS’. The air-line has alsoannounced its

decision to increase theincentives for top perform-ing travel agents in India.Furthermore, by March2012, it will deploy the newA321 on all Indian routesthat will have 8 flatbed busi-ness class and 161 economyclass seats.

Providing furtherdetails, Karim Makhlouf,Chief Commercial Officer, Gulf Air said, “Our airline generates closeto 10 per cent of its totalrevenue from India and weexpect to take this to 14-15

per cent by end of 2012. For the same, we haveintroduced unique initia-tives for corporate, familyand travel partners.”

According to him, thecompany has tie-ups withover 50 corporates and aimsto sign deals with over1,000 by the end of 2012with main focus on SMEtravellers. It also plans toincrease its membership inIndia which currently standsat 42,000 under Blue andSilver & Gold. It will also introduce ‘SkyNanny’

services by mid 2012 in theIndian market for long-haulflights to cater to theincreasing family segment.

In a bid to upgrade thepassenger experience, theairline will replace theirexisting A320 aircraft with

A321 by March 2012 on allIndian routes. This will increase the seat capac-ity of the airline by almost30 per cent on the Indianroutes as A320 offers 14-16 business class and120 economy class seatswhile A321 will have eight business class and 161 economy class seats.“The new single aisle air-craft will offer full-flat bedon Falcon Gold class, morelegroom, extra gallery space for movements and latest in-flight entertain-ment of its class. We currently enjoy 75-80 percent occupancy on theIndian routes and aim toincrease it through our new aircraft.”

Aiming to increase market share and become the ‘Carrier of choice’among Indian travellers, Gulf Air turns its focus on corporate travellersand will soon introduce new and luxurious aircraft on the Indian routes.

AN I TA JA I N

Gulf Air aims to be the ‘Carrier of choice’

AVIATION8 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

Air Arabia is the firstinternational low-cost

carrier (LCC) to operate inIndia and commence servic-es with UAE. The airline is

also the first and the largestLCC in the Middle East andNorth Africa. Air Arabia'sstrategy of providing afford-able, value for money travelfor customers, with a focuson services to non-metrocities has resulted in overmillions of passengers flyingwith them in the last sevenyears of operations.

Over a period of sevenyears, the airline has postedsteady growth and driven sig-nificant value to its customerbase across India, with its phi-losophy of offering value formoney and greater connectiv-ity to the UAE and beyond.

Air Arabia currentlyoperates 108 weekly flights from its hub in Sharjah to 13 Indian cities.These include Jaipur, Kochi, Nagpur, Coimbatore,

Thiruvananthapuram, Goa,Kozhikode, Hyderabad, NewDelhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru,Ahmedabad, and Chennai.Offering the perfect blend ofconnectivity from not justsmaller towns, but also frommetros and Tier 1 citiesacross the length and breadthof the country, this makes AirArabia the single largest

international carrier offeringthe most comprehensive con-nectivity across India.

Air Arabia has a fleet ofnew Airbus A320 with a 32inch seat pitch, which givesthe best leg room of anyeconomy class travel. The air-line also provides visa assis-tance to passengers from

India. With Air ArabiaHolidays, the airline offersattractive packages to a widerange of international holidaydestinations. The recentlylaunched bus servicebetween Sharjah Airport andthe Rashidiya Metro stationin Dubai every hour between6 am and 23.30pm at a nom-inal cost helps customers

enjoy quick access to Dubaifrom Sharjah, and is just oneof the added benefits of theservices provided.

In 2011, the carrier tookdelivery of six new A320 air-craft from Airbus as part of anorder for 44 aircraft placed in2007. Once completed in2016, the order will more thandouble the size of Air Arabia’sfleet, in line with its aim toincrease its total operatingfleet to more than 50 aircraft.

Air Arabia also recentlybagged the prestigious awardfor best low cost carrier –International at the TravelAgents Association of India(TAAI) Diamond JubileeCelebration and TAAI TravelAward held in Mumbai. AirArabia’s long-term expansionstrategy, underpinned bytheir proven business model, and customer drivenvalue will continue to driveAir Arabia’s growth in theyears to come.

The carrier offers 108 weekly flights from its hub in Sharjah to 13 Indian cities.The airlinehas posted steady growth and driven significant value to its customer base across India.

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Karim MakhloufChief Commercial OfficerGulf Air

Success story of 1st International LCC in IndiaAir Arabia

Air Arabia has a fleet ofnew Airbus A320 with a32 inch seat pitch, whichgives the best leg room ofany economy class travel.

The airline also providesvisa assistance topassengers from India

With Air Arabia Holidays,the airline offers attractivepackages to a wide rangeof international holidaydestinations

Flying High

For a long time, travelagents in India have been

wary of investing in technol-ogy as the solutions beingoffered usually came at ahigh cost. If the solution costsless, the chances of the serv-ice being commoditized wasvery high, thus leaving theagent with no exclusivity.Addressing this issue andunderstanding the gap in the market, PITT stepped inwith its technology vertical,sastiticket.com.

Assuring solutions totheir travel partners, “Afterhaving done extensiveresearch and development, wehave customized a travel por-tal to offer features and bene-fits which will not only helpour agents to do better busi-ness but will also push ourinventory of products via anopen platform for agents whosee value in our offerings. Weplan to use this tool to offercorporate customers a singlewindow approach for theirrequirements. Unlike otherportals sastiticket.com is goingto remain a 100 per centmembership only model forour B2B partners. We believein using technology as anenabler to further enhancebenefits for the very largeagency market in India,” saysArjun Seth, ManagingDirector,Pearl InternationalTours and Travels.

Further elaborating onthe exclusivity of the portal,Seth adds, “Every Indianlooks to buy their productsor services, Sasta. Have a

conversation with travellerson their ticket or hotelrequirements and they’llalways want the cheapestdeal. Thus Sastiticket waschristened. Since this is amember's only portal, weoffer the best in technology,

the best airfares and a valueproposition for our travelpartners to upsell their busi-ness in a safe and secureenvironment. We havewhatever it takes to makethe business work for ourpartners. We offer travel

products and solutions thatsell and we remain commit-ted.” Pearl InternationalTours & Travels Ltd hasbeen amongst the largest air and hotel aggregators in India. Catering to anagent base spread across

their eight offices they cur-rently have close to 800

active travel agents who aretheir customers.

Pearl International Tours and Travels (PITT) takes forward the trust bestowedon them by the travel freternity and offers a new technological platform. As the name suggests, the new web portal promises the cheapest deals.

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AGENTS TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1 TRAVTALK 9

Unlike other portals, sastiticket.com is going to remain a 100 per cent membership only model for our B2B partners

Arjun Seth, Managing Director,Pearl International Tours and Travels

Sastiticket.com promises the cheapest deals

Inventory of products viaan open platform foragents who see value inour offerings

The best in technology, thebest airfares and a valueproposition for our travelpar tners to upsell theirbusiness in a safe andsecure environment

What It Offers

2011 was a landmark yearfor the airline with the

introduction of its interna-tional sector, 2012 promisesto be bigger and better. “Thelaunch of our internationaloperations is a new chapterfor us, so we definitely seethat we can provide sustain-able low fares over a longperiod of time on the routeswe’ve chosen. IndiGo willcontinue to expand its network to meet the requirements of both business and leisure trav-ellers wherever they demand

it— both in India andabroad,” says Aditya Ghosh,President, IndiGo.

At present, the airlineoperates on the followinginternational routes, Delhi-Dubai, Delhi-Bangkok, Delhi-Singapore, Delhi-Kathmanduand Mumbai-Dubai, Mumbai-Singapore, Mumbai-Bangkok,Mumbai-Muscat.With an aimto provide an enhanced con-nectivity across India, the air-line have already introduced18 new flights connecting keymetros, such as, New Delhi,Bangalore, Ahmedabad,Lucknow, Goa and Jaipur. “Bythe year end, we would have

60 aircraft toour existingfleet of 48brand newAirbus A320s.Vizag will beour next domes-tic destination,which should beon our networkmap in the cur-

rent winter schedule. We arealso connecting some newroutes such as, Bangalorewith Jaipur and Lucknowwith daily direct flights. In

addition, we are soon goingto connect Ahmedabad withGoa,” adds Ghosh.

With so much new to offer, the airline is promis-ing a growth in these turbulent times of the Indian

aviation sector. Their mantrafor this success is not very different from internationallow cost carriers.

“If you see examples fromaround the world,the most successfulairlines happen tobe the low cost airways. This doesnot depend on thesize or geography orwhether it is adeveloped or developing country.

Ranging from WestJet inCanada or Southwest andJetBlue in United States, toRyanair, Easyjet, Air Arabia,AirAsia and Jetstar, all ofthem are very successful car-riers. In the same marketthere are large full service car-riers, which are either bleed-

ing or going bankrupt”,explains Ghosh.

Expanding on his expec-tations from the Indian mar-ket, he says, “It is a combina-tion of long-term potential inIndia as well as the success oflow fare model anywhere inthe world that gives us a lot ofhope and strengthens ourresolve that we are in theright business and want to bein the low fare business. Whatwe had seen in the last fewyears is that one section of theairlines business in India that has done well and

expanded and even financiallybeen stable is the low fare segment. Today morethan 50 per cent of the Indian aviation market is jus-the low cost airlines.”

IndiGo’s performance in 2011 ensured that low cost does not mean low quality. Continuingthis vision for 2012, Aditya Ghosh, President, IndiGo, discusses the airlines expansionand their commitment to a simple, hassle free and on-time experience.

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IndiGo commits to continue low fare regime

AVIATION1 0 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

Aditya GhoshPresidentIndiGo

Etihad Airways is offeringcomplimentary 96-hourtourist visas to guests tran-siting through the UAE. Thevisas, ideal for travellersmaking stopover visits, arebeing offered in cooperationwith Radisson Blu hotel onYas Island. Eligible guestsmust have confirmedovernight accommodation atthe Radisson Blu Yas Island,available at promotionalrates from USD 70 per per-son per night.

Peter Baumgartner,Chief Commercial Officer,Etihad Airways, says, “Notonly is Abu Dhabi the placewhere East meets West, mak-

ing it ideal for transiting todestinations worldwide, butit is also a world-class desti-nation in its own right.

With complimenta-ry visa services onoffer, more EtihadAirways guests will have the opportunity toexperience Arabic hospitalityand exciting attractions of theUAE in a convenient andaffordable way.”

The offer is valid for travellers previously eligible for Etihad Airways’paid-for visa service, includ-ing Indian passport holders.Guests booking a minimumthree night stay will also receive a complimentaryAbu Dhabi City Tour.

Peter BaumgartnerChief Commercial OfficerEtihad Airways

Complimentary 96-hour UAE visas

Lufthansa passengersdeparting from Mumbai cannow save time and start their journey more convenient-ly. The airline has introducedfour self check-in kiosks at the Chhatrapati ShivajiInternational Airport, Mumbai.

“Introducing this smartway to travel proves our com-mitment to continuously investin new products and services forthe benefit of our Indian cus-tomers,” says Axel Hilgers,South Asia Director, Lufthansa.

With the new easy-to-use kiosks, Lufthansa isupgrading its passenger serv-ices and introducing a new

service standard in Mumbai.Passengers can now check-inusing their booking code incombination with their firstand last name, credit cardnumber or Miles & More orStar Alliance mileage cardnumber, individually or ingroups of up to four persons.

A graphic seating planhelps passengers to easilyselect seat numbers orchange their pre-selectedseats (in case of prior webcheck-in).

Lufthansa introduces self check-in kiosks at Mumbai airport

Axel HilgersSouth Asia DirectorLufthansa

By the year end, we wouldhave 60 aircraft to ourexisting fleet of 48 brandnew Airbus A320s

Vizag will be our nextdomestic destination,which should be on ournetwork map in the currentwinter schedule

We are also connectingsome new routes such as,Bangalore with Jaipur andLucknow with daily directflights

Aiming High

Q. Since your arrival, what isyour impression of India?

India is a fascinatingcountry and is growing veryfast. It’s full of opportunityespecially for people whowork very hard. The businessenvironment here is verypositive and dynamic and Iam looking forward to anexciting 2012. Everyone Imeet, inside or outside theindustry, is hugely welcom-ing and full of genuinewarmth.

Q. Does Virgin Atlantic haveany expansion plans to Indiaor other parts of this region?

We fly from India’sNational Capital and operatefrom other major economiccentres in China, Japan,Hong Kong and Australia. Ineach of these territories, wehave strong relationship andgood market share. Being apoint to point to airline, hasworked well for us, howeverwe continue to look foropportunities to furtherstrengthen our presence.

Q. Is MICE and businesstravel seen as a potentialfrom India today or does theairline still depend on leisureand ethnic travel?

We have had stronggrowth in MICE and it’s greatto see that companies contin-

ue to invest inincentive trav-el. Our onboardproduct is per-fect for grouptravel and weare keen togrow in thisarea. Thoughthe slowdown

in Europe is impacting onconfidence, we are seeingbusiness travel go fromstrength to strength.Whether it’s SMEs expandingin the UK or US or largeMNCs, corporate travellerslove our Premium Economyand Upper Class cabins andwe’ve seen more of themchoose Virgin this year.

Q. What is your impressionon the proposed changes onthe FDI ruling? Do you thinkVirgin Atlantic would want

to buy stake in a domesticcarrier?

We are focussed ongrowing our business out ofDelhi to London Heathrowand New York but we are notcurrently looking at investingin India’s domestic carriers.

Q. Are low cost carriers eat-ing into Virgin Atlantic’sbusiness globally? Do you seeit as a threat in this part ofthe world also?

Being a full service car-rier operating only long-haulflights our USP has alwaysbeen our unique product andservice and we remainfocussed on customer serviceand innovation. This is acrosscabins from Upper Class to Premium Economy toEconomy class passenger.

For example knowinghow important baggage is forIndian travelers we are theonly airline on Delhi-Londonroute that offers two bags of23 kg each to London inEconomy. For passengers fly-

ing our unique cabinPremium Economy, we againhave a very generous bag-gage allowance of three bagsof 23 kg each.

We recently announceda £100million investment tofurther enhance our UpperClass offering. From July,we’ll be bringing our brandnew A330s to Delhi withamazing onboard entertain-ment and enhanced seats.Our business class passen-gers will be some of the firstin the world to experienceand enjoy our fantastic newUpper Class suite.

Low cost carriers arenot having an impact on ourbusiness because we alreadydeliver the best valuethrough good fares and agreat product; and in fact,there aren’t any true low costcarriers competing against uson our routes.

Q. Is the airline taking anygreen steps towards environ-ment safety?

Virgin Atlantic was the firstairline to test a bio-fuel flightback in 2008. The intentionwas to provoke the industryto change, prove that there isa greener alternative to jetfuel and not just ignore theproblem. Following ourground breaking initiatives,many other airlines havetested bio-fuels.

Continuing our leader-ship in this field, weannounced last October abreakthrough in aviation fueltechnology through our part-nership with LanzaTech. Thiswill see waste gases fromindustrial steel productionbeing captured, fermented andchemically converted for useas a jet fuel. The revolutionaryfuel production process recy-cles waste gases that wouldotherwise be burnt into the atmosphere as CarbonDioxide. We hope to have afacility ready by early 2014and within 3 years, our flightsto London from Delhi shouldbe running on the new fuel.

DE V I KA JE E T

AVIATION1 2 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

Stephen King, General Manager, IndiaVirgin Atlantic Airways

Stephen King, General Manager, India, Virgin Atlantic Airways, discusses his views on the Indian market in an exclusive interaction with .

‘LCCs not impacting our business’

NTO1 4 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

To lure the India outboundmarket, The Tourism

Authority of Thailand (TAT)has launched AmazingThailand Grand Sale 2012.Through the event, Thailandwill promote destinationssuch as Bangkok, Pattaya,Samui and Phuket in India.

The Amazing ThailandGrand Sale 2012 will alsoencourage travel to the unex-plored destinations such asChiang Rai, Kanchanaburi,Chiang Mai and Hua Hin.

The 2012 Grand Salethat will be held from June15 - August 15 will feature

Thailand’slargest collec-tion of travelpackages, fam-ily entertain-ment, competi-tions and bar-gains acrossretail, dinning,leisure and

hospitality as well as health, beauty and medicaltreatments.

Talking about the GrandSale, Chattan Kunjara NaAyudhya, Former Director,TAT New Delhi Office, whoseterm ended on January 31,2012 said, “Through this

event, we are pro-moting shoppingtourism in Thailand.Indians love shop-ping and hence, weare targetting theIndian market in abig way.”

“For those con-sidering their visit toThailand this year,the summer is defi-nitely the time tovisit the country. The2012 ‘Grand Sale’has something foreveryone, from fam-ily entertainment toattractive leisure andhospitality packages,spa experiences and

of course some of the mostamazing retail bargains to bediscovered,” he added.

TAT also foresees toconduct fam trips for themedia some time before thesale and even take traveltrade and wedding plannersto Thailand.

In lieu of the same, TATalso looks forward to certify1,500 travel agents and touroperators for its online train-ing programme, ‘AmazingThailand Champion Agent’.

Explaining the trainingprogramme, Ayudhya said,“TAT Mumbai unveiled thelaunch of its online traveltrade training and certifica-tion programme in which1,500 tour operators andagents would be trained ona pan-India basis over 12 calendar months fromJanuary 2012.”

Targetting a growth of13 per cent, the NTO expects

to attract almost 12 lakharrivals from India comparedto the 9.1 lakh arrivals fromIndia last year. “Arrivals fromthe Indian market areexpected to grow this yeardue to its strong economy.The increased householdincome will also spur a risein tourist spending over-seas,” he said.

Targetting a growth of 13 per cent, the NTO expects to attract almost 12 lakh arrivals from India compared to the 9.1 lakh arrivals last year.

ME G H A PAU L

Indian arrivals in Thailand to grow by 13%

TAT also looks forward tocertify 1,500 travel agentsand tour operators for its online trainingprogramme, ‘AmazingThailand Champion Agent’

Agents would be trainedon a pan-India basis over12 calendar months fromJanuary 2012

Indians love shopping andhence, it is targetting theIndian market in a big way

The Amazing ThailandGrand Sale 2012 will alsoencourage travel to theunexplored destinationssuch as Chiang Rai,Kanchanaburi, Chiang Maiand Hua Hin

Plans for 2012

Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya immediate former DirectorTAT New Delhi Office

ANALYSIS1 6 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

TAAI Daily is printed and published by

SanJeet on behalf of

Durga Das Publications Private Limited72, Todarmal Road,

New Delhi - 110 001Ph: +91-11-23710793,

23716318Fax: +91-11-23351503

E-mail: travtalk@ddppl.com

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E-mail: uae@ddppl.com

TAAI Daily is a publication of Durga Das PublicationsPrivate Limited. All information in TAAI Daily is derivedfrom sources, which we consider reliable and a sincereeffort is made to report accurate information. It is passedon to our readers without any responsibility on our part.The publisher regret that he cannot accept liability forerrors and omissions contained in this publication, how-ever caused. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by thirdparties in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarilyshared by TAAI Daily. However, we wish to advice ourreaders that one or more recognised authorities may holddifferent views than those reported. Material used in thispublication is intended for information purpose only.Readers are advised to seek specific advice before actingon information contained in this publication which isprovided for general use, and may not be appropriate forthe readers’ particular circumstances. Contents of thispublication are copyright. No part of TAAI Daily or anypart of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored

in retrieval system or transmitted in any form withoutthe permission of the publication in writing. The samerule applies when there is a copyright or the article istaken from another publication. An exemption is herebygranted for the extracts used for the purpose of fairreview, provided two copies of the same publication aresent to us for our records. Publications reproducing mate-rial either in part or in whole, without permission couldface legal action. The publisher assumes no responsibilityfor returning any material solicited or unsolicited nor ishe responsible for material lost or damaged.This publi-cation is not meant to be an endorsement of any specificproduct or services offered. The publisher reserves theright to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal withall advertisements without explanation. All advertise-ments must comply with the Indian and InternationalAdvertisements Code. The publisher will not be liablefor any damage or loss caused by delayed publication,error or failure of an advertisement to appear.

G. B. Srithar, AreaDirector, Singapore

Tourism Board, feels thatwith a more global worldviewand more business, educationand diaspora connectionsinternationally, today’s Indiantravellers have enhancedtravel needs, and seek moreout of their holidays. With

maturing tastes and prefer-ences, they’re no longer sat-isfied with merely ‘checklist’or ‘see and click pictures’ hol-idays but prefer ‘experience’or ‘touch, do, and engage’holidays”. They’re more curi-ous, active and adventurousin their travel escapades.They don’t merely want to beentertained, but alsoenriched during their travels.It’s the ‘hands-on’ approach.

Keeping abreast of thechanging demands, Singaporehas introduced new, creativeand enriching experience con-cepts such as ‘active lifestyle’,‘soft adventure’, ‘arts andentertainment’, ‘corporatetraining programmes’, and‘team building and familybonding’ experiences to infusefresh perspectives and betterquality travel for discerningIndian visitors. Singapore con-tinues to be a popular and pre-ferred holiday destination forIndian travellers, as they dis-cover that they can person-alise their experiences to suittheir changing travel needs.

Özgür Ayturk,Counsellor representing theTurkish Ministry of Tourism& Culture at the TurkishEmbassy, stated that over thelast couple of years, they’venoticed a change in thedesired holiday pattern ofIndian visitors. Apart fromthe usual activities that

revolve around history, cul-ture, cuisine and shopping,which continue to remainpopular with Indians, todaymany tourists - particularlythe younger ones - look formore ‘active’ holidays.They’re now taking moreinterest in physical activities.They want their holidays to

include a bit of golf, swim-ming, trekking, scuba diving,and sailing etc.

The fact that Turkeyoffers a vast choice of well-organised opportunities insuch fields bodes well for the

country as far as Indian visi-tors are concerned. Golf isemerging as a very popularactivity, and the PGA coursesin the Antalya region are abig attraction. While thenumber of Indians visitingTurkey for such activities is still small, it is growing,and they’re getting more enquiries.

Beena Menon,Representative TourismIreland, feels the dynamics ofthe Indian outbound markethave changed, and travellers

have become more focussed.Indian travellers are lookingat ‘new destinations’ and‘new experiences’. The holi-day pattern is changing, andholidays are becoming short-er, though more frequent.The more experienced trav-elers don’t want to do toomany cities or countries inone visit, but prefer to spendmore quality time exploring

a couple of places only andabsorbing their atmosphere.

What they want a desti-nation to have are attributeslike scenic and natural beauty;leisure activities; entertain-ment options; shopping; goodfood; and adventure. Pricingremains a key factor, and thetotal cost of their holiday isalways a consideration.

Kiran Nambiar,Regional Manager India &South - East Asia, TourismNew Zealand, feels that oneof the main reasons for suchtremendous growth in theoutbound travel segment isthe fact that travel today isbeing considered as an‘essential life experience’.Increasing numbers of trav-ellers treat travel as anopportunity for self-discov-ery, an enriching journey, andan emotional passage ratherthan just another activity youdid with your family once ayear. While the general first-time travel segment will con-tinue to grow, it’s this expe-riential travel segment oneneeds to watch out for. Whatthey’re looking for is a com-bination of the exclusivity ofexperiences; undiscovereddestinations with plenty ofoutdoor activities; and valuefor money in their holidays.This evolving segment hasalso revealed an incredibleamount of willingness to try

out extreme adventure sports like sky diving where India ranks thirdamong all markets for NewZealand’s largest skydivingoperator, NZone.”

Romit Theophilus,Director for Marketing andSales India, German NationalTourist Office, sees more inde-pendence and confidence intoday’s Indian travellers. WithGermany traditionally knownfor business travel and as atrade fair destination, theMICE segment is obviouslystrong. But there’s also agrowing trend in the FIT andGIT traveler segment. Thanksto the natural beauty ofGermany’s landscape andcities, family holidays are pick-ing up significantly. Visitorswant to try new experienceswith their families, includingdifferent types of cuisine. They

want to discover as much ofthe country as they can. Theirenergy levels are higher.

There’s a greater desirefor more ‘active’ holidays. Anew segment that hasemerged is self-drive or van -escorted tours that are beingoffered to visitors to Germanywho want to try their hand at

the German Autobahn. Someareas of the Autobahn stillhave no speed limits.

Amirul Ariffin, Director,Tourism Malaysia, feels that thegreat interest being shown inthe Indian outbound markettoday by several countries isonly to be expected. While this

indicates that the Indian mar-ket is booming, it also presentsIndian travellers with a vastchoice of destinations and prod-ucts. They now have the libertyof choosing where they want togo. You don’t tell them whereto go. They tell you! They’realso changing their traditionalmindset and becoming moreinquisitive and adventurous,and expect interesting experi-ences from their travel. Theirmotto today is 'let's try out newthings.' This is a key driving fac-tor. The other driving factorremains the ‘value for money’element, which is a pre-requi-site in ensuring that one getsthe best deals.

As for the Malaysianperspective, there’s anurgent need being felt to pro-mote destinations beyondKuala Lumpur, Genting,Penang and Langkawi. Onearea they’re looking at is theEast Coast Islands ofPeninsular Malaysia.

Recognising the immensevalue of the Indian outboundmarket, a variety of productsis being made available forIndians to choose from.

Pinki Arora, MarketingRepresentative, TourismAuthority of Thailand, viewsthe Indian outbound market as‘full of potential’ and worthyof undivided attention. Whileweddings and celebrations likeanniversaries, birthday parties,graduation parties and familyreunions continue to grow,they’ve noticed a trend wherewellness and cosmetic treat-ments have started attractingIndians to Thailand.

It’s clear that Indiantravellers today aren't justinterested in seeing thingssuperficially, but like to godeep into local culture, andexperience authentic things.They like to find out things forthemselves. And they like todiscover new things. There’sbeen an increase in travel

to Phuket with the direct charter flights which wereintroduced by Makemytripthis year.

Punam Singh, CountryRepresentative – India’,London & Partners, feels theIndian outbound market hasevolved dramatically, as hasthe profile of the travellersthemselves. The main point tobe kept in mind is that trav-ellers nowadays are increas-ingly intrepid. They areincreasingly looking at newdestinations to explore, and todo new things in revisited des-tinations. With the world open-ing up and technology on theirside, they know what theywant, and how to get it. Aidedby Google, Tripadvisor, NTOliterature et al, they have the benefit of a wide choice.Their expectations from their travel agents go beyondgood and timely, ‘value formoney’ service.

It’s the modern era ‘gold rush’. And the world has taken due notice of it. gives a thorough coverage to the outbound market of India.

IN D E R RA J AH LU WA L I A

The Gold Rush continues for India Outbound

G. B. SritharArea Director, Singapore Tourism Board

Özgür AyturkCounsellor representing the TurkishMinistry of Tourism & Culture

Beena MenonRepresentative Tourism Ireland

Kiran NambiarRegional Manager India & SouthEast Asia, Tourism New Zealand

Romit TheophilusDirector for Marketing and Sales India,German National Tourist Office

Amirul AriffinDirectorTourism Malaysia

Punam SinghCountry Representative – India’,London & Partners

Indian travellerslike to discovernew things.They like to find out things for themselves.

Pinki Arora,Marketing

Representative, TAT

They like toexperiment a bit.This isparticularly thecase with theyounger lot.

Samantha Pathirana,Counsellor, Sri

Lanka HighCommission

ChairmanVikramajit

PublisherSanJeet

EditorialDirectorRupali

Narasimhan

EditorDeepa Sethi

MarketingGunjan SabikhiHarshal Ashar

N Sanjiba Karishma Khanna

Megha PuriGeetika Pathak

Amit SarkarPrem Sagar

Gaganpreet KaurManish Singh

Priyanshu WankhadeRishika Karra

EditorialArchana SharmaJustin J. Thomas

Raina MandalMegha PaulAnita Jain

DesignNityanand MisraSudhir Mudgal

Advt. DesignVikas Mandotia

Nitin KumarRenuka Mahich

ProductionManagerAnil Kharbanda

CirculationAshok Rana

Contd. on page 20 u

Furthering its focussed marketing promotions to

engage with the Indian trade, Canadian Tourism

Commission (CTC) hasannounced the venue of itsflagship regional marketdevelopment event, ‘FocusCanada – India’ for 2012that it will organise for theIndia and China markets.Park Hyatt in Goa will playhost to the event for theIndian market.

The event is scheduledfrom March 13-15, 2012. Theevent is expected to attracthundreds of potential buyers

from acrossIndia, interestedin promotingCanada.

Accordingto DerekGalpin,ManagingDirector – India& China, CTC,“Ever since CTC

came to India in August2009, we have consciouslychosen to support the travelagents and tour operators inIndia. The Indian outboundtraveller still prefers to bookthrough the travel agents.This is despite being activeon and gaining so muchknowledge on their choice ofholiday destination off theinternet. It is thereforeimportant for CTC to educate the travel agents on the destination and that has been done with thePromotion of the ‘CanadaSpecialist Programme’ – anonline educational tool.Further to this, CTC alsocreates an opportunity forthe Indian Outbound agentsto meet their Canadiancounterparts in a profession-al business atmosphere and help achieve the

objective of enhancing theirrelationships and discussingcontracts for mutual benefit.And, for the same, CTChosts Indian agents in twosuch events annually.Without this focus and theencouraging response fromthe Indian agents, we wouldnot have been able to

achieve the growth ofarrivals from India toCanada. We will continuewith these efforts in hosting 50 Indian agents at the forthcoming FocusCanada event in Goa.”

CTC had organised itslast edition of ‘FocusCanada’ event in Goa inMarch last year where some 48 Canadian suppliers had met with anequal number of Indiantravel agent buyers.Similarly at ‘ShowcaseCanada – Asia’, held inBusan, Korea in October2011, CTC hosted 38 Indianagents for two days ofscheduled meetings withover 60 Canadian tour oper-ators, hotel chain represen-tatives and DestinationTourism partners.

“The results arevery encouraging.New tour packagesare being floated forthe coming summerseason, new experi-ences are being pro-moted and Canadais being projected asa premier four sea-son destination. Ineffect, we are reach-ing our goal withthe support of theIndian travel frater-nity and will contin-ue to supportthem,” said Galpin.

CTC identifies India asone of its 11 key focussedsource markets worldwidethat it plans to develop inorder to grow tourist arrivalsto Canada. The other identi-fied markets are China, Japanand Korea, apart from India,from the Asian region;France, Germany and the UKin Europe; US, Mexico andBrazil from The Americas andAustralia. The first ‘FocusCanada – India’ was organ-ised in 2010 in New Delhiand Mumbai, followed by Goain March 2011.

As part of CTC’s focussed destination marketing strategy to grow India as one of Canada’skey future source markets, the event scheduled from March 13-15 will bring over 50Canadian suppliers to Goa to showcase their product to potential Indian buyers.

TT BUREAU

Canada hosting 50 Indian agents at‘Focus Canada – India’ in Goa

NTO1 8 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

Derek GalpinManaging Director – India & China CTC

Venue Park Hyatt, Goa

DatesMarch 13-15, 2012

Focus Canada - India

Talking about the aggres-sive marketing strategy in

India, an official from theMOTCE informed, “The VisitIndonesia Tourism Office(VITO) based in New Delhi willassist the MOTCE in their pro-motions with participation at

key travel marts, special con-sumer offers via Indian traveland retail partners, trainingsessions about Indonesia forthe Indian outbound tour oper-

ators, online promotions in the key travel websites and fam tours to Indonesia for influential media and travel partners.”

In order to promote des-tinations beyond Bali for awholesome experience, the market segments thatMOTCE plans to tap includes

leisure, family, adventure,honeymoon, culture/religiousand MICE segments.

According to the figuresprovided by VITO, the growinginterest in Indonesia withinthe Indian outbound market isreflected in the arrival num-bers from India that rosealmost 300 per cent in the sixyears from 2005 to 2011.Indian travellers to Indonesiahave been showing a year onyear growth in numbers. In2010, as many as 1,59,373Indians visited Indonesia andin 2011, the number touched1,60,000 to witness a slight growth.

MOTCE also confirmedthat India is one of its top 10source markets. Post theASEAN Tourism Forum 2012that was recently concludedat Manado in Indonesia,Wardiyatmo, SecretaryGeneral, MOTCE, had saidthat cooperation betweenASEAN – India could be

done through joint promo-tion, increased tourismhuman resources throughcapacity building activitiesand the introduction of newtourism packages throughproduct development suchas Hindu temples, Sufibuildings, shopping andhealth verticals. “The role ofASEAN’s partner countriesin the development oftourism through the dia-logue participants, such asIndia, Russia, China, Japan,and Korea will continue toimprove in order to makeASEAN a world-class touristdestination,” he said duringthe forum.

Indonesia witnessed a strong growth of 300% in Indian arrivals.Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MOTCE) in Indonesiaconfirmed that India is one of its top 10 source markets.

TT BU R E AU

300% growth to Indonesia

Indian visitors to Indonesia from 2005 – 2011Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Total Visitors 58,359 94,258 1,23,465 1,55,391 1,56,545 1,59,373 1,60,000

Growth NA 0.38 0.24 0.21 0.1 0.2 Slight Growth

(Figures provided by VITO)

VITO will assist the MOTCE in their promotions withpar ticipation at key travelmarts, special consumer offersvia Indian travel and retailpar tners, training sessionsabout Indonesia for the Indianoutbound tour operators, onlinepromotions in key travelwebsites and fam tours toIndonesia for influential mediaand travel partners

VITO & MOTCE Plans

FAMILY ALBUM2 0 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

TAAI MP & CG Chapter organised itsthird meeting at Manila, Philippines onFebruary 3, 2012. The TAAI meeting wassupported by Philippines Airlines, whichsponsored the airfare of the visiting TAAIdelegates and also provided the hotelstay at a reasonable cost. The PhilippinesTourism Board arranged to sponsor onenight stay at ‘Resort World Manila’ alongwith the guided tour of their resort followed by lunch. The TAAI delegatesalso went sightseeing to get first handknowledge of the beautiful country.

TAAI MP & CG Chapter meet in Manila, Philippines

Riding on its impressive‘network power’ that the

Turkish Airlines boastsworldwide and especially inEurope, the carrier has fastemerged as the preferredchoice of Indian passengersflying to Europe and beyond.Looking at the growingdemand, the airline has morethan doubled its capacity onits Indian routes in the lasttwo and half years and istoday operating daily flightsto Delhi and Mumbai from itshub in Istanbul.

“We are using the totalcapacity that the currentbilateral allows us. There is agreat demand of our productamongst those flying toEurope and the other desti-nations, thanks to our globalnetwork. About 88 per centof Turkish Airlines’ Indian

passengers aretransit,” informsAdnan Aykac,GeneralManager –Northern &Eastern India,Turkish Airlines.Turkish todayboasts of a net-work of 188 des-

tinations including 144 inter-nationally with about 80 des-tinations in Europe alone.

Istanbul being strategi-cally located at the confluenceof Asia and Europe, TurkishAirlines connects to any of itsEuropean destinations withintwo to three hours. We have agreat product rated by Skytraxas the ‘Best in Europe’ in morethan one categories. Besides,we offer the best applicablefare, attractive baggageallowance and maintain flexi-bility in our fare rules, be itcancellation or rebooking,making us the preferred choiceof the Indian passengers trav-elling to Turkey.

The airline is also keento expand the current bilat-eral air agreement betweenthe two countries and hastaken up the matter with theDirectorate General of CivilAviation in India. It is inter-ested in not only increasingthe frequency but also itsroute network in India. “Wecan start immediately, themoment we get the greensignal from authorities here,”says Aykac.

Looking at the growingopportunity here, the airlinerecently established its

direct office in India. Thecountry also became one ofits first international routeswhere the airline introducedits new product A330-300.The new aircraft boasts of13 per cent additionalcapacity with 28 seats in

Business Class and 261 inEconomy Class.

New Business Class Soon after establishing

its own office in India lastJuly, Turkish Airlines intro-duced its state-of-the-art‘New Business Class’ on itsdaily flights from New Delhiand Mumbai to Istanbul.The New Business Classoffers the travellers out-standing luxuries like a seat

pitch of 61 inches and fullyreclinable flat beds for com-fort. The new and improvedin-flight entertainment system with over 350movies, a comprehensivemusic library and games inmultiple languages includ-ing Turkish, English,Japanese, Chinese, Korean,Brazilian, Portuguese,Spanish and French,ensures passengers have anenjoyable journey.

The integrated planetbrowser keeps passengersconnected to the web andprovides minute updates onthe current affairs while fly-ing. Not neglecting personalrequirements, every passen-ger has access to the USBconnection ports, chargingdocks and personal screensproviding digital AVODservice. Turkish Airlines also tantalises the tastebuds of its passengers byoffering cuisines from allover the world.

These facilities areavailable on the businessclass of the recentlylaunched aircraft of Turkish Airlines includingA330-300 and Boeing 777-300 ER.

Best Airline in EuropeSkytrax Awards, rated

as the Oscar of the AviationIndustry and a world recognised brand with air travel excellence, awarded Turkish Airlines in three categories. The airline was coveted the ‘Best Airline Europe’, ‘Best Premium EconomySeats’ for its Comfort Classseats and ‘Best AirlineSouthern Europe’ at theWorld Airline Awards bySkytrax for 2011.

Also known as the‘Passengers Choice Awards’,close to 19 million airline customers from over 100 different national-ities participated in this customer satisfaction survey over a period of 10 months! The airline alsomarked its name on the 3th

place in the best airlinecompanies in all Europeancountries.

Go Live aboard Turkish

Turkish Airlines nowoffers live and uninterrupt-ed content on its in-flighttelevision on Trans-Atlanticflights.

The airline is also looking at expanding the bilateral civil aviation ties with India and open new routeshere. talks to Adnan Aykac, General Manager, Northern & Eastern India, Turkish Airlines.

TT BU R E AU

Turkish Airlines aims to increase route network

Adnan AykacGeneral Manager – Northern & EasternIndia, Turkish Airlines

Samantha Pathirana,Counsellor, Sri Lanka HighCommission sees three dis-tinct trends when it comes toIndian outbound travellers.They are computer and inter-net savvy and this makesthem research their travel.They search the net and man-age to find facts that eventravel agents don't alwaysknow about. They seem toknow what to expect whenthey arrive at a destination.

Secondly, they are nowmore open to different holidayoptions, and don't stick to justbasic sightseeing holidays.They like to experiment a bit.This is particularly the casewith the younger lot. Finally,they have definitely got into ahigher spending groove andnow seek a more upscale hol-iday. They don't mind payingmore, but want a better classof hotels etc. With the overallinfrastructure in Sri Lankaimproving in quality, thisworks out well for business.

OutboundshinesContd. from page 16 u

NTO2 2 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

Queensland, also referredto as Australia's

‘Sunshine State’, has intro-duced new products likeFraser Island and Lady ElliotIsland to the Indian trav-ellers. The new productsoffered are apt for families,FIT and MICE segment withinterest ranging from adven-ture, self drive, heritagetourism, beach tours, wateractivities and culture. To pro-mote these products, thetourism board will educatethe travel trade about theservices, activities and facil-

ities offered by these islandsfor the travellers, especiallythe well-travelled travellers.

With 26000 Indians visitingQueensland tillSeptember2011, an 8 percent growthhas beenattained ascompared tothe previousyear in the cor-responding

period. Giving an insight withregards to the plans in 2012 for India, Paul Buggy, InternationalDirector, Tourism Queenslandrevealed, “India being the topemerging market with biddingpotential, we have targeted agrowth of 8 – 10 per cent in2012. Spreading its presencein India since six years andhelping Indian travel operatorgain knowledge, they haveenabled them to sell the destination effectively; theboard has participated inseven tier-2 city roadshow in September 2011, followedby eight tier-1 city roadshowin early 2012. We are engagingtrade to extend the length stay in Queenslandfrom the current 8 nights to 10 nights.”

It covered cities likeMumbai, New Delhi,Ahmedabad, Bengaluru,Chennai, Hyderabad, Puneand Kolkata during the recent 8-city roadshow.

Queensland’s new products are apt for families, FIT and MICE segment.

TT BU R E AU

Queensland gets set toattract Indian travellers

With a total of 7.18 lakhIndian tourists visiting

Singapore in the first tenmonths of 2011, a robustyear-on-year growth of 5.2per cent, India has becomethe fifth largest source mar-ket for Singapore.

The Tourism Board isextremely bullish on the FITsegment in India. Throwinglight on the importance of thesegment, Randall Tan,Regional Director, South Asia,Middle East & Africa,Singapore Tourism Board (STB)said, “The fastest growing seg-ment from India is the FIT seg-ment. Both FIT and groupshave witnessed a surge.”

Also what draws FITsand groups from India toSingapore is the Cruise sector.“The Singapore Tourism Boardis expecting a lot more cruisebusiness with the upcomingInternational Cruise Terminal

at Marina South that willbecome operational by thelater half of this year,” heinformed. According to Tan,cruising is synonymous withSingapore for the Indian trav-ellers. Cruise travellers fromIndia include not just holiday-makers but even Indian com-panies who have included acruise leg in their varied incen-tive schemes, Tan revealed.Singapore Tourism will alsotarget large event and exhibi-tion organisers in India.

The board is also lookingat unveiling a new marketingcampaign in India within a few months. According to GB Srithar, Area Director –Marketing, South Asia,Singapore Tourism Board, thenew campaign will strengthenthe board’s engagement withthe India market. “We have notconducted any major cam-paigns in the Indian market fora long time. And now, we arealmost ready to launch the newcampaign,” He confirmed.

Singapore Tourism Board is bullish on the India outbound market. finds out about their plans...

TT BU R E AU

India ranks fifth asSingapore source market

Paul BuggyInternational DirectorTourism Queensland

Randall TanRegional Director, South Asia, MiddleEast & Africa, Singapore Tourism Board

GB SritharArea Director – MarketingSouth Asia, Singapore Tourism Board

NOSTALGIA2 4 TRAVTALK TA A I D A I LY 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 1

Glimpses of TAAI Convention 2010 in ThailandThe 59th annual convention ‘Indian Travel Congress’ of TAAI concluded inPhuket, Thailand. The event was attended by over 1000 delegates. Theconvention witnessed informative discussions, presentation and enthusiasticdebate. The evenings were marked with gala dinners and cultural performances that were enjoyed by all. It also served as a networking andmeeting place for new business to take shape.