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Dubai Tourism

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Various Government departments, along with Gujarat Tourism

Corporation, will be investing over Rs. 635 crore in infrastructure build-up over the next three years,” Mr. Vipul Mittra IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism said while announcing the forthcoming Rann festival and the International Kite Festival in Gujarat.

The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) has said there has been a 13 per cent growth in the sector, with the number of visitors to the state crossing two crore in the last financial year. The introduction of Amitabh Bachchan as a brand ambassador of the tourism is helping its growth story. Tourism is basically a service industry in which traditional Gujaratis did not exactly excel. In pre-2010 Gujarat, tourism meant mainly pilgrimage rather than pleasure jaunts, for which the cash-rich Gujaratis invariably went to other States or abroad. When Bollywood icon Bachchan became the tourism ambassador of Gujarat, things began to change.

Not just people from other States but even Gujaratis were, for the first time, realising the history and heritage of Gujarat. His ‘Khushboo Gujarat Ki’ campaign has grown tourism in the State by 14 per cent – double the national average. Between 2010-11 and 2012-13, the State Government’s tourism budget also increased from

Monaco Jamaica

Kerala state tourism award for the year 2011-12 period awards announced

at Triavndrum by Mr. A.P. Anilkumar, Minister for Tourism. Thomas Hotels & Resorts, UDS Kovalam, CGH Earth Hotels, Somatheeram, Rainbow Cruise, Intersight Holidays and Riya Travels are among the winners of prestigious Kerala State Tourism Award 2011-12, instituted by Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. The award for the Best Inbound Tour Operator went to Intersight Tours and Travels, Cochin while Riya Travels Cochin bagged the best out bound operator award. Dreams Hotel Cochin won the best five star deluxe hotel and Turtle on the beach Kovalam and Uday Samudra Kovalam bagged the best five star and four hotels category. Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom, The Marari Beach, Mararikulam and

Coconut Creek Kumarakom repeated their winning streak in the Best Heritage Hotel; Best three star and Best Home stay category respectively this year also. Somatheeram Beach Resort, Kovalam and Rainbow Cruise, Alleppey also won their successive award in the best approved and classified Ayurveda Centre and Best Classified House Boat categories.

Most Innovative project in the field of Tourism award shared by Mr. M. Azad, Arts and Crafts, Calicut and Mr. Benny Thomas, Vacation India, Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram. Dr. Anil Kumar, Head- Kerala Operations of Club Mahindra Resorts, Munnar won his maiden Kerala Tourism award award in the Best Hotel Manager category and Munnar Catering College bagged the Best tourism/hotel management institute in Kerala.

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The 2013 UNWTO and WTM Ministers´ Summit at the World Travel Market (WTM) will put a spotlight on the essential connection between air transport and tourism, debating

the challenges and opportunities of promoting higher policy coordination between aviation and tourism.

Air transport, being an important factor in outbound or inbound tourism, plays a vital role in foreign tourist arrival in India. Therefore, the discussions on the matter must be con-sidered as important for the tourism industry in the country. New alliances with tourism boards and airlines all around the world is needed to boost the business. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on all partners and stakeholders involved in pas-senger travel to work together to deliver greater value to passengers. This is a remarkable decision that will encourage travellers all around the world to visit foreign countries.

Air travel is one of the major part, travellers worried about in their journey. Addressing

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their issues is the most important thing for the sector to grow their business. According to IATA Director General and CEO, Mr. Tony Tyler, Aviation makes possible $2.2 trillion worth of economic activity and supports about 57 million jobs around the globe. Every day more than 8 million passengers take advantage of the safety, speed and convenience of air travel. Therefore, any new strategy implemented will work as a catalyst that makes big changes.

The alliances by airlines also play a major part in air transport. The recent joining of Qatar Airways in “Oneworld” shows a positive approach by major airlines that hold major part of the market share. These alliances give the consumer better offers, which encourage them to travel frequently. The initiatives by WTM and IATA are expected to give new possibilities for air transport and tourism to grow together. Let’s hope for a better connected world that encourages people to travel and make the tourism industry to grow to a new level.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on all

partners and stakeholders involved in passenger travel to work together to deliver greater value to passengers.

“Aviation makes possible $2.2 trillion worth of economic activity and supports some 57 million jobs around the globe. Every day more than 8 million passengers take advantage of the safety, speed and convenience of air travel; and airfares are one-third lower, in real terms, than they were 20 years ago. It truly is the mass transit system for the global economy. But our customers expect more. By working together as an industry with a common vision we can deliver even greater value to air travelers,” said Mr. Tony Tyler, IATA Director General and CEO.

“Our passengers are focused on value and their expectations are high and rising. That means we must continuously examine, modernize and evolve our offering. The goal is to ensure that what we see as ‘service’ actually means ‘value’ to our customers,” said Mr. Tyler while speaking at the opening of the World Passenger Symposium in Dublin.

“Shopping for air travel is changing. Flying is more than just a seat on a plane. An air ticket has become a product with multiple attributes that may include in-flight Wi-Fi, extra legroom, lounge access and much more. And the reality is that it is much easier to access these value-added services via an airline website than through the travel agents who account for 60% of sales. This gap exists

because distribution via travel agents is built on pre-Internet messaging standards. These don’t have the same capabilities as XML, the language of Internet-based commerce,” said Mr. Tyler.

“IATA is working with our travel agent and travel technology partners to close

that gap through the New Distribution Capability (NDC). While global distribution system (GDS) companies are moving to make it possible for airlines to merchandize their products in a manner more consistent with airlines’ own websites, each is developing its own proprietary solution. “Aviation was built on global standards. Consistent with that, NDC will be an open standard available to any and all who want to use it,” he said.

NDC also responds to passenger d e m a n d f o r c u s t o m i z a t i o n a n d personalization. According to IATA’s 2013 Global Passenger Survey, almost one-half of travelers are interested in sharing such things as travel preferences, age, interest/hobbies and frequent flyer status in order to receive special offers or products and services from airlines tailored to their needs; and a fifth would share their social media profile as well.

The NDC standard will unleash innovation—and that will mean change. However, NDC will operate within the same privacy laws that govern every other business. That is no change from today. But, by giving travel agents more information, there will be greater transparency.

The Passenger Experience at Airports“A smooth and hassle-free journey

where passengers do not have to break stride from the curb to the gate unless they choose to is the goal. That would deliver tremendous value to passengers and our vision is to work with our airport and technology partners to make it a reality by 2020,” said Mr. Tyler. To deliver this, self-service, risk-based security processes and continuous connectivity are needed.

Tyler noted developments in the Fast Travel program as important elements in delivering this vision. The program provides self-service options for key processes such as check-in, bag-check, self-boarding, flight re-booking and document check. “We are in the mass implementation phase of the Fast Travel program. We expect Fast Travel penetration will cover airports serving 45% of eligible passengers by the end of 2015,” he said.

Security is a key component of the passenger experience in airports and a critical part of the 2020 vision. “We know that passengers are unhappy with the current security experience. Long queuing times and removing shoes and belts were listed most frequently in the 2013

Global Passenger Survey as the biggest hassles associated with security. The way to address that is by transitioning to a risk-based security model that will use information that airlines already provide to governments to help make assessments about travelers,” added Mr. Tyler.

IATA is engaging with stakeholders in industry and government to improve airport security while delivering a more valuable passenger experience. Trials with airport partners of important Checkpoint of the Future (CoF) components began in 2012 and are continuing this year. Deployment of the first generation CoF will occur in at least two airports in 2015.

A value model for regulationAs industry partners work to create

more value for passengers, Tyler urged governments to do the same. “We are an industry that relies on satisfying our customers. Of course sometimes things will go wrong. Commercial discipline incentives airlines to do the right thing, and governments have a role in setting simple guarantees. But writing new passenger rights regulations that impose prescriptive solutions on airlines without adding value to the travel experience is not the right way. Already some 60 countries have passenger rights requirements and several more are considering imposing them, creating a patchwork quilt of confusing and conflicting regulations that limit airline flexibility in addressing disruptions. Value comes from global standards that foster coordination and consistency.”

At the recent International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly, Member States agreed there is a need for high-level, non-prescriptive principles that are consistent with international agreements and that strike a balance between protecting passengers and maintaining industry competitiveness. IATA supports those conclusions and agrees with the need for greater convergence and compatibility. The industry’s core principles on consumer protection – unanimously adopted by IATA’s membership in June – will serve as an input into this important discussion. “We are working with our partners to re-invent the passenger experience. To be forced into a regulatory box of inflexible one-size fits all prescriptive regulatory solutions would be a huge setback to these efforts,” Mr. Tyler concluded.

Air Transport and Tourism to Grow Together

Get ready for some world-class culinary delights as the Hong Kong Wine &

Dine Festival reinvents itself for its fifth and best year ever. Hong Kong Tourism Board in association with American Express kicks off the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Month with its annual Hong Kong Wine and Dine festival from 31 October to 03 November, 2013.

This year, the ultimate in wine, cuisine, live music and entertainment has moved across the water to the New Central Harbourfront. Now visitors can sip, slurp and salivate away, encircled by the sparkly architecture of Hong Kong’s downtown and overlooking Victoria Harbour. So, pile your plates and overfill your glasses – this is your chance to sample a riot of

gastronomic artistry against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s spectacular skyline. In true Hong Kong tradition, the city never stands still and the same can be said for this year’s Wine & Dine Festival.

Apart from the all new magnificent venue, this year, Wine and Dine fest has an all new Tasting Room where guests can enjoy wine pairing dinners, wine and cheese master classes and more. The Tasting Room is a new premium area where you can enjoy wine pairing dinners with master chefs, wine and food appreciation master classes and talks from prestigious industry experts.

Visitors can sample fine wines and delicacies from a total of 280 wine and food booths operated by over 200 producers

and wineries from 18 countries, as well as local wine merchants, including Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, France, Georgia, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Ukraine and the USA and more.

It’s not just about the wine though, as chefs from some of Hong Kong’s premier hotels and restaurants cook you their award-winning and signature dishes. Some 70 food booths will feature barbecued specialties, scrumptious appetizers, and sweet treats for those with a penchant for dessert. And when all the eating and drinking gets a bit too much, settle into comfy seats located around the venue and watch Victoria Harbour’s skyline come alive with colour as the sun goes down.

Nothing enhances a quality glass of wine quite like the sound of jazz. So pull up a chair and enjoy an array of musicians, bands and singers who will take to the main stage with the sole purpose of enriching your evening. Add in the Hong Kong skyline, specially-designed artwork and festive icons for some great photo opportunities.

Apart from the 4 days of food and wine fiesta, Hong Kong’s hotels will roll out the

red carpet for the complete month with free signature dish and wine offers while other hotel restaurants waive their corkage fees. Moreover, wine and dine promotions can be found across the city throughout November.

Monte Carlo is all set to host its 8th Jazz festival from 26th to 30th

November, 2013. As this year marks the 150th anniversary of the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), the Jazz Festival will be exceptional and fascinating with a number of legends and new talents on the stage. The 5 days prestigious festival will take place at the famous venue Salle Garnier Opera House, a part of Monte Carlo’s history; and will be filled with the spirit of jazz and witness a brimming musical experience.

The festival intend to celebrate the magical music of Jazz was started in 2006 to honor the history of music in the Principality of Monaco which dates back 150 years. With booming acclaims every

year, Monte Carlo SBM with its partners Rolex and Audi will be playing an emcee to some internationally renowned jazz artist.

The festival which will take place towards the end of November will have the following in the house:

• 26thNovember: BradMehldauand Mark Guiliana will open the festival by sharing their new creation Mehliana which assures to take to the borders of jazz. The night will be rocked by the guitar giants Juan Carmona and Larry Coryell Quartet,whose different styles will feature everything from flamenco to blues.

• 27 th November : A f t e r a soutstanding performance in 2008 with Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Marcus Miller will be back with a fresh new

collaboration directed by Damon Gupton. The Jazzman will be seen sharing the stage with young talents.

• 28thNovember:Theperformanceof the 1970’s legendary bands Remember Shakti, will mark 40 years of friendship between John McLaughlin and Zakir Husain; and will be one of the biggest events of the festival this year. With John McLaughlin on the guitar, Zakir Husain on the tabla, Shankar Mahadevan on vocals, Uppalapu Shrinivas on the mandolin and Viniyakram Selvaganeshon the kanjira, the renowned groupadding jazz elements and will create magical moments.

• 29thNovember:Thepromisingnew generation of Jazz like Raphael Gualazzi, Eric Legnini, Kellylee Evans will be seen showcasing their talents ith explosive and passionate performances.

• 30thNovember: The daywillcelebrate Jazz with esteemed performances from the cornerstone of funk music - Maceo Parker, greatest artist in contemporary soul – James Hunter and the harmonic player – Charles Pasi.

Monaco is one of the world’s most desirable destinations with over 300 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures, it celebrates with enthusiasm the arts, culture, sumptuous cuisine, spas, beautiful surroundings, spectacular landscapes and

high-adrenaline activities like the Formula One Grand Prix, casino gaming, land and water sports and exciting nightlife.

Tourists will be more than happy enjoying luxurious accommodation, family restaurants and exceptional landscape in Monte Carlo. This charming destination adds that magnificence experience to your holiday, which everyone dreams for. The place is gorgeously clean, the hotels are a marvel, the people are beautiful and the food is delicious. There are wonderful restaurants, shops, attractions, coast, nightlife, sports facilities and culture all within walking distance. You can have a fulfilling romantic experience with the world-class spas, set in gorgeous surroundings and offering a variety of therapies and treatments from around the world.

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Malaysia Airlines has been operating flights from Kuala Lumpur to over

100 destinations as Malaysian Airlines System Berhad since 1 October 1972 and to mark its 41st anniversary of Malaysian Hospitality this year, the national airline has outlined a month-long full of activities.

To commemorate the celebration, the national carrier of Malaysia treated its staff to a special screening of ‘Tanda Putera’ at Malaysia Airlines Academy, Kelana Jaya. Besides that, the airline also presented the iCAN Lifetime Award to the Malaysia Airlines team that scaled the challenging Himalayas and made it to base camp, at 17,600 ft, on 18 September 2013.

Speaking at the event, Malaysia Airlines’ Group Chief Executive Officer Mr. Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said, “We have achieved so much in the past one year since

we celebrated 40 years of being Malaysia Airlines and delivering ‘Malaysian Hospitality’ across our network.

“We are known globally for this exclusivity, and we pay tribute of this success to the thousands of Malaysia Airlines employees, who over the years and till today have worked together to demonstrate Malaysian Hospitality,” he added.

“Our journey began in 1972 when our airline’s name became MAS and the challenge was set to elevate our Nation’s name around the world and bring pride to all our countrymen and women. Today, Malaysia Airlines celebrates its 41st anniversary. In the world of aviation, being in business for this length of time is a milestone, a major achievement,” said Ahmad Jauhari.

“We wanted to screen Tanda Putera to our staff because it contains a lot of historical content which is with relations to Malaysia Airlines. It will bring fond

memories to our senior staff and act as a motivational boost for the junior ones.

The airline has built itself a strong brand name in the aviation industry for superior service and flight safety since 1 October 1972. It holds a lengthy record of service and best practices excellence, receiving more than 100 awards in the last 10 years from international bodies such as the UK based independent research consultancy firm, Skytrax.

In February 2013, Malaysia Airlines became a member of oneworld. This membership strategically places Malaysia Airlines firmly on the global aviation map as we are recognized by 11 of the biggest and best names in the global airline industry to be their gateway to South East Asia.

Malaysia Airlines marked the entry of its first A380 into the airline’s fleet by having its 5-Star Airline status renewed by Skytrax. The recognition comes at a time of great change within the national airline of Malaysia as it embarks on a series of improvements to repositioning it as a premium carrier.

The national carrier has also put into commercial service all six of its A380 aircraft to serve London, Paris and Hong Kong sectors and will welcome several new aircrafts into its current fleet of A380s,

A330-300s, B737-800s and A330-200s.This promises guests a better experience

on Malaysia Airlines, as it aims to have one of the youngest fleet of less than 6 years in the region.

Mid this year, the airl ine also launched its first major brand campaign that leverages in delivering “Malaysian Hospitality” positioning it as “Journeys are made by the people you travel with”.

The worldwide brand campaign named ‘Journeys’, covers markets across Malaysia and ASEAN, Britain, Europe and China.

To celebrate its 41st Anniversary, Malaysia Airlines will be organizing a series of staff engagement activities for one month including a Hazard Hunt where staff will be able to volunteer to audit and report on potentially harmful work environment, dinner session with staff and promote its iCAN campaign where staff will be encouraged to share their every day extraordinary stories.

Besides that, MH Rocks was also introduced to strengthen customer orientation amongst front liners. Coined as MH ROCKS, an acronym for Reaching Out to Customer and Kakitangan Sentiasa whereby Management Committee members and heads from various Business units will go down to the field or ‘turun padang’ to lend support to our front-liners’ as well as to gain better understanding of their daily functions at the various customer touch points.

SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, staying true to its

Green Vision, “To be a Planet Friendly Airline accomplishing sustainable and advantageous business development,” has initiated many programmes to conserve environment by reducing the carbon footprint.

Its latest green initiative, the first in-house model biogas plant, situated in the Airline Centre, Katunayake was commissioned in June this year to coincide with the World Environment day. Implemented as a solution for the

disposal of food waste, the biogas plant daily generates 12.5 kg. of fuel which is equivalent to the capacity of one Liquid Petroleum cylinder. While the annual gas production is estimated at 4,500 kg., currently 30 per cent of the energy requirement of the Airline Center’s main cafeteria is being fulfilled by biogas.

The green team of SriLankan Airlines, the masterminds behind the national carrier’s green efforts, also introduced a waste water treatment plant at the engineering hangar and a solar tube system at the Engineering Module Shop with an

annual saving of LKR 1m, which earned the airline the silver award at the National Green Efficiency Awards Ceremony.

Having been the first carrier in South Asia to implement the green flight campaign named “Planet Friendly Flights”, the Airline takes forward its green legacy by implementing various programmes to control carbon emissions while increasing fuel efficiency. This year, the Airline implemented RNAV (Required Navigation) / PBN (Perform Based Navigation) approaches on some of the routes to enhance fuel efficiency with

an average saving of 500 kg of fuel per flight. It also initiated a zero fuel weight monitoring mechanism across the network to minimize variances in fuel weight thereby reducing extra fuel uplift.

The Airline last year switched to ‘I-pad Electronic Flying’ (IEF) from bulky mandatory paper manuals, to reduce weight on-board and paper clutter in the cockpit thereby enhancing fuel efficiency, accuracy and safety of operations. It is also working closely with the Airport and Aviation Authority to reduce carbon emissions during aircraft ground movements.

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Rs 183 crore to Rs 340 crore, mainly to create better infrastructure and promote various initiatives.

The efforts to promote ‘business tourism’ began with the launch of the first Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit in 2003. Over the last decade, the biennial event has not only become a byword for wooing global business capital, but has now expanded horizons to agriculture. The State Government hosted a Vibrant Gujarat International Agricultural Summit that attracted over 4,000 farmers from across India to Gandhinagar. Many of these farmers used the opportunity to visit various places of pilgrimage or tourist interests.

An otherwise arid Gujarat boasts of five hills – Girnar, Pavagarh, Saputara, Tarang and Shatrunjaya – besides the world-famous Gir Forest and the great temples

of Modhera, Dwarka and Somnath. The State has great potential in archaeological, cultural, wildlife, festival and medical tourism. It has forests and natural ecosystems, monuments and heritage structures, beaches and coastal sites, and gardens and lakes. The State Government also has plans to encourage water sports and adventure tourism.

On the lines of the famous Palace-on-Wheels, a luxury train called the Royal Orient Train, launched in 1994-95 as a joint venture between Indian Railways and Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL), has been a major attraction between Gujarat and Rajasthan. TCGL has created eight tourist hubs equipped with modern infrastructure, facilities and services. Gujarat now has an international airport at Ahmedabad and eight domestic airports.

Five years ago, just 10 per cent of NRGs from south Gujarat used to plan medical treatment to coincide with visit to their native places. Now, this percentage has gone up to 60 per cent, medical fraternity sources said. In south Gujarat, the peak months for the NRG visit are November, December, January and February. It is during this period that the doctors work overtime to attend to the huge number of patients coming for ophthalmology, knee

and joint replacements and spine surgeries.

“A simple Lasik treatment that costs $3,000 abroad can be done here for Rs. 25,000. With falling rupee, it is not only affordable but more than affordable for the NRGs,” said Dr. Paresh Vaidya, Ophthalmologist. A simple knee-joint implant is available for Rs 90,000 in India as against $80000 in foreign countries. As a result,

many NRG patients, who are without insurance in the USA and the UK, pre-plan their treatment during the visit to their hometowns in India.

“As far as tourist arrivals are concerned, we hope to receive 2 crore people this year, up from 1.8 crore last year. Of this we expect 4 lakh to be foreign visitors, up from 3.2 lakh last year, Tourism Commissioner and Gujarat Tourism Managing Director Sanjay Kaul IAS said.

Gujarat is perhaps the only state which has done an in-depth Study on the infrastructure gap existing in the various tourist locations across the State. The micro-level study was carried out by Gujarat Tourism Opportunity Ltd., a joint venture company formed between Gujarat Tourism and ILFS (Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited). “We have identified 39 locations in the state that

Gujarat Aspires Added Share in Indian Tourism Contd. from Page 01

include beaches, ecotourism projects; we have called for bids from large operators, many of them are interested to put up star hotels and resorts. Basically it is under process,” TCGL, Managing Director, Mr. Sanjay Kaul said.

In last 3 to 4 years, Gujarat tourism has come in to recognition, investor will only put in money when he or she feels that there is something workable, now things have started coming. “We have managed to make twenty thousand rooms in last three years,” he added, that state has grown as a major tourist destination to travellers from neighboring states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, specifically from the city of Bangalore- down south. “Gujarat’s tourism has grown and now we stand on fifth spot among states in India, after Rajasthan, Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa.”

Mr. Saurabh Patel (Dalal) Gujarath Tourism Minister

Mr. Vipul Mitra IAS Principal Secretary Mr. Sanjay Kaul IAS

Tourism Director

The other award winners are Mr. Raju N., SI of Police, DCRB, Alappuzha (Best Tourism Police); Mr. N.R. Ajayakumar, Thalassery, Kannur (Best Tourism Guide.);

Siva Vilasom Vocational Higher Secondary School, Thamarakudy (Best tourism club); Ms. Anamika K.M., Darul Uloom Vocational Higher Secondary School, Cochin (Best

Intersight, UDS Kovalam, and Turtle on the Beach shines at Kerala State Tourism Awards

Student coordinator of Tourism Club); Ms. Sijimol Jacob, Darul Uloom Vocational Higher Secondary School (Best Teacher coordinator of Tourism Club); Mr. Sibudas

B., Neendakara, Kollam; and Mr. Ratheesh Kumar R., Karunagappally, Kollam (Best Tourist Life Guard).

The Leela Palaces, Hotels, and Resorts and Kempinski Hotels have mutually

agreed to bring the companies’ fruitful 25-year relationship to a close, effective from October 1 2013. Following a progressive phase-out which began in 2012, the agreement will allow The Leela to further consolidate its sales and marketing network, while facilitating Kempinski Hotels’ direct penetration of the important Indian market.

Capt. CP Krishnan Nair, Chairman

Emeritus and Founder Chairman, The Leela Palaces, Hotels, and Resorts said: “The strong cooperation enjoyed by the two luxury brands over more than two decades has immensely benefited both The Leela and Kempinski, and helped significantly increase brand awareness globally and in the Indian market.”

Mr. Reto Wittwer, President and CEO, Kempinski Hotels, said: “We are proud of the rewarding relationship which Kempinski Hotels and The Leela Palaces,

Hotels and Resorts have enjoyed for more than twenty years.”

One of India’s leading luxury hospitality group, The Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts, owns and operates eight award-winning properties in prime destinations across the country - Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Udaipur, Goa, Kovalam (Kerala) and Gurgaon. The group is poised to significantly expand its portfolio in the next four years. In addition to The Leela Palace Chennai, the city’s

first sea-facing hotel, which opened its doors in February 2013 with rave reviews, new properties under development, among other locations, include a 60-room Palace property in Jaipur; Bhartiya City strategically located near the Bangalore airport; Agra where every room will face The Taj Mahal; Noida, NCR and Lake Ashtamudi in Kerala.

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Pristine and untouched, Jamaica’s South Coast is the most unspoilt part of this

Caribbean island where the true heart of the nation beats. It is a one-hour drive from the International Airport at Montego Bay through the beautiful tropical countryside with breathtaking views. Fishing villages, miles of beaches, centuries old great houses, natural waterfalls and wetlands create an atmosphere for adventure, quiet wonder and relaxation. The towns of Mandeville, Whitehouse, Treasure Beach and Black River are picturesque and inviting. The South Coast with its beauty

unblemished and natural wonders of flora and fauna virtually untouched extends a warm invitation to the discerning holiday visitor.

Along the South Coast there are several charming small hotels, guesthouses, villas and resort properties. Treasure Beach features a good choice of small unique hotels and guest houses at scenic Oceanside and beach locations. Whitehouse features the all-inclusive Sandals Whitehouse European Village. Mandeville, high up in the cool mountains features a golf resort hotel among other accommodations. Most

hotels offer restaurant and bar facilities.Sightseeing can build an appetite, and

local fare is delicious along the South Coast region, with a special focus on seafood. Border is known for its escoveitched fish, and Middle Quarters for spicy peppered shrimp and the lobster at Jake’s on Treasure Beach is irresistible. Centre of the region is the breezy hill town of Mandeville,

founded in 1816 and lying 2,000 feet (610m) above sea level. The genteel British colonial influence is strong here, from the village green bordered by a church and courthouse to the Manchester Club, which boasts Jamaica’s oldest golf course founded in 1868. The surrounding area, and the south coast region, has numerous natural attractions and wildlife refuges. With its natural beauty and slow pace, Jamaica’s south is sought after by more discerning visitors’ intent on secluded relaxation rather than glitz and glamour.

One can take a boat ride up the meandering Black river, past sultry crocodiles and through mysterious mangroves. Tiers of cascading water in YS Falls, a rainforest of possibilities allure one to rope swing over the calming cool water and plunge into bliss. Nestling in the sugar cane fields of St Elizabeth parish, the Appleton Rum Estate near the village of Magotty offers the chance to find out all there is to know about the production of rum.

Off-the-beaten track, untarnished and unspoilt, the South Coast is truly Jamaica’s best-kept secret.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE),

announced the launch of direct flights to Los Angeles, California. The expansion of its US operation will see the airline commence non-stop daily flights between its Abu Dhabi home-base (AUH) and Los Angeles (LAX) from June 1, 2014, subject to regulatory approvals.

The Californian city will be Etihad Airways’ fourth US destination, joining Chicago, New York and Washington D.C, and will see the airline provide 28 return flights each week between the UAE and US. The announcement was made by Mr. James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer in Los Angeles on Monday, October 7.

Mr. James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways said: “We are delighted to add Los Angeles, a major US and global destination with a significant metropolitan population and growing economy, to the Etihad Airways’ network in 2014. This expansion will see

Etihad Airways offer air travelers daily flights, from our Abu Dhabi hub, to four destinations across the US. The new service will increase Etihad Airways’ operations in the US market by 33percent and cater for growing leisure and business traffic demands in Los Angeles, as well as the considerable catchment area of the city.”

Los Angeles, one of the world’s most iconic, popular, and multicultural destinations with a metropolitan population area of more than 18 million people, is the second largest in the US. It is classified as a ‘global city’ with strengths in business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine and research.

Mr. Hogan added, “The expansion of the US network also will be of considerable benefit to the growing commercial and cultural ties between the US and UAE, with trade between the two countries set to increase beyond the current annual level of USD 22.5 billion.

“The new service will also offer

maximum connectivity, via Abu Dhabi, with 25 Etihad Airways destinations across the Middle East region and Indian Subcontinent,12 of which are in India, catering for the demand from Los Angeles’ diverse and multicultural population.”

Etihad Airways, four times voted World’s Leading Airline, will deploy a three cabin ultra-long range Boeing 777-200LRon the Los Angeles operation. It will be configured to carry 237 guests, with 8 Diamond First Class suites, 40 Pearl Business Class flatbed seats, and 189Coral Economy Class seats.

Flight EY171 will depart daily from Abu Dhabi at 8.45am and arrive in Los Angeles at 2.15pm the same day. The return flight, EY170, will the depart Los Angeles at 4.15pm and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 7.35pm the following day. Etihad Airways’ superior levels of service, hospitality and product have been popular with US air travelers since it launched flights to its first US destination, New York, in 2006.

The airline has carried nearly two

million passengers between Abu Dhabi and its destinations in the US in the last seven years, with 2013 passenger volumes expected to increase by 30 per cent over passengers carried in 2012.

The airline’s Diamond First Class has its own in-flight Chef; Pearl Business Class offers a specially trained Food and Beverage Manager; and families across all three cabins enjoy the benefits of the recently introduced Flying Nanny.

Etihad Airways and American Airlines have had an extensive code share agreement in place since September 2009. Etihad Airways places its EY code on American flights through its current gateways of Chicago, New York and Washington DC to more than 70 US cities. The new operation to Los Angeles will strengthen further the reach and depth in the US. American places its AA code on all Etihad Airways flights between the US and UAE and this will also take place on the new Los Angeles service.

Etihad Airways’ Los Angeles service, due to commence on June 1, 2014.

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IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies,

has signed an agreement with TAJ RP International Limited, part of RP Group of Companies owned by Dr. Ravi Pillai , a prominent NRI based in the Middle East Asia to open Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina in 2016.

Located in the cosmopolitan Dubai Marina area, the 3,037 square-metre hotel site sits next to Dubai Marina Mall and within walking distance of the picturesque pedestrian promenade, which borders the waterway lined with vibrant cafes and restaurants. The property will also be in close proximity to the business hub made up of Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City and Knowledge Village.

In line with all Crowne Plaza properties,

the 280-room Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina will offer a plethora of meeting and event facilities ideal for the business traveller, including three large-sized meeting rooms, a boardroom and a ballroom. As well as a spa and health club, guests will also be able to enjoy three restaurants, two of which will be specialty and one all day dining, a lobby lounge and bar.

Mr. Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East and Africa for IHG, said: “As a brand that focuses on the needs of both the business and leisure traveller, the up and coming Dubai Marina area is a fantastic urban location for this project. We are delighted to partner with TAJ RP International Limited on this exciting new development and to continue to grow the Crowne Plaza brand in Dubai,

Dr. Ravi Pillai, chairman of the RP Group of Companies and IHG’s COO for India, Middle East and Africa Pascal Gauvin at the signing of the Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina

and the wider United Arab Emirates.”

“ T h e p r o j e c t i s particularly exciting as TAJ RP International is focused on expansion within the hospitality sector and we view IHG as the perfect partner to complement this growth, ’’ said Dr. Ravi Pillai, Chairman, RP Group of Companies.

“ W e h a v e a g r o w i n g p r e s e n c e in a number of vital segments including the hospitality industry in more than seven countries and 15 cities and are pleased to make an entry into Dubai Marina, one of the city’s most energetic business hubs.”

T h e n e w development marks the entry of the fourth Crowne Plaza hotel into Dubai and the ninth Crowne Plaza hotel into the UAE, without taking into account the UAE’s first Crowne Plaza Resort scheduled to open in Ras Al Khaimah in 2015. There are 6 5 C r o w n e P l a z a hotels across Asia, Middle East and Africa with an additional 19 in the development pipeline.

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The Union Ministry of Tourism welcomed the decision of the Ministry of Finance to include Hotels with a

project cost of more than Rs. 200 crore each at any place in India and of any star rating, and Convention Centre with a project cost of more than Rs. 300 crores each, in the Harmonized Master List of Infrastructure Sub- Sectors.

This facility will be applicable with prospective effects from the date of notification and available for eligible prospects for three years from the date of notification. Eligible costs exclude cost of land and lease charges but include interest during construction.

Ministry of Tourism had been pursuing with the Ministry of Finance to include hotels with project cost of more than Rs. 200 crore each in any place in India and of any star rating as well as Convention Centers with project

cost of more than Rs. 300 crores each to include in the Harmonized Master List of Infrastructure Sub- Sectors for benefit of Hospitality industry and for employment generation in the country. Union Minister for Tourism Dr. K. Chiranjeevi had also met Finance Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram in this connection.

The inclusion of hotels and convention centers in the Harmonised Master list of Infrastructure sub-sector will have an immediate multiplier effect on the overall economic development and will provide a fillip to employment generation in the country. The inclusion of Convention Centres will also help to set-up niche products in tourism which have year-round business and therefore, would overcome the present bane of seasonality of Indian tourism.

Meru Cab, India’s largest and favorite radio taxi service, announces the

launch of operations in India’s fastest developing and growing city Ahmedabad. Neha Dhupia, Bollywood star and icon graces the launch with her presence along with the Meru Cabs, MD and Founder Mr. Neeraj Gupta and CEO, Mr. Siddhartha Pahwa. The world-class metered radio cab service is completely technology and systems driven and will cater to the needs of commuters in Ahmedabad offering them a travel experience that is reliable,

safe and comfortable.Commenting on the occasion, Mr.

Neeraj Gupta, Founder, Managing Director and promoter of V-link stated, “We launched the premium “metered taxi” business for the first time in Mumbai in April 2007, followed by Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore and Jaipur. In response to the exceptional consumer demand for Meru cab services across the cities, we are now excited to further expand our footprint into Ahmedabad. Meru Cabs being technologically advanced and a

world class cab service, will truly be a great match for a city like Ahmedabad that is progressing by leaps and bounds.”

Mr. Siddhartha Pahwa, CEO, Meru cabs stated, “We are delighted to introduce Meru Cabs state-of-the-art travel experience in Ahmedabad, a city that is truly inspirational in the way it has grown and progressed. We aim to provide our customers world class transportation backed by best-in-class service, high end technology and transparency in billing that will provide customers a significantly better travel experience. Meru Cabs is well established in the radio taxi space and given our expertise in understanding commuter requirements, we are confident of offering commuters in Ahmedabad an unparalleled travel experience.”

Over the years, one of the most important aspects of Meru Cab services has been to provide a comfortable and reliable commuting experience to customers. Keeping this in mind, the company recently launched the ‘Meru Mobile App’ for iPhone and Android devices that enables instant cab bookings on the go. In addition the application offers a unique, first of its kind service called ‘ICE Alert’ that can be used by Meru customers “In Case of an Emergency”. Safety being at the forefront of Meru’s technological innovations, ICE Alert will help the consumers be prepared for emergencies wherein they will be able to alert their trusted ones immediately

at the press of a button. The Meru Cab application can be downloaded free of cost through Android Play Store and iphone App Store respectively

Present on the occasion, Bollywood diva Neha Dhupia said, “Meru is the first name that comes to one’s mind when one thinks of metered radio cabs. It is a great initiative and we have seen how successful the brand has been in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur. A trusted service, I have turned to Meru many times and they have always proved completely reliable and comfortable.”

In addition, Meru Cab services offers various other cutting edge facilities like an automated audio-visual speed alarm, ensuring the safety of the customer as well as the driver, the convenience of booking the cab through the mobile app, the website or 24x7 call center. For this purpose, Meru has a central dedicated call center for the city of Ahmedabad which can be reached by dialing 44224422. Of course, customers can always hail a cab on the streets if it is not occupied.

Meru follows a stringent driver selection and training process at “Meru Training Academy” thereby ensuring well groomed & courteous drivers. A viable option for commuters to feel safe and comfortable while travelling, Meru is consistently distinguishing itself as a provider of superior quality transport, expanding its footprint across India.

Kerala Tourism presented the natural beauty of ‘God’s Own Country’ on the

artist’s canvas at the International French Travel Mart (IFTM) Top Resa, the largest travel and tourism fair in France, to woo visitors from the state’s second biggest market abroad.

“France remains a strong market for us in terms of tourist arrivals,” said Kerala Tourism Director Mr. S Harikishore IAS, who led the Kerala delegation to the 35thedition of IFTM, attended by the Who’s Who of world’s travel and tourism industry. The IFTM was organised this year during September 24-27.

“The interest in Kerala among French travellers was tremendous and if the massive response to our delegation is any indication, we are going to witness an impressive increase in tourist arrivals from France in the coming years,” said Mr. Harikishore.

The Kerala series of paintings were mounted on the walls of the sprawling Kerala Pavilion at the just-concluded IFTM 2013 in Paris drawing thousands of visitors. The state pavilion, which was themed on the paintings, won the praise of the fair’s visitors on September 27, the World Tourism Day. The wall-to-wall paintings enchanted the visitors with its colourful portrayal of Kerala’s abundant flora and fauna.

France is the second largest market for Kerala Tourism after the United Kingdom. Nearly one lakh French tourists had visited the state last year. Known for its strong focus on leisure tourism, business tourism and business travel, the IFTM Top Resa is also famous for its culture-themed events and culture village in the centre of the fair. The fair is partnered by French industrial giants like Air France, Accor group of hotels, Avis and French national rail carrier SNCF.

The Kerala delegation held a series of meetings with industry representatives from France during the IFTM. Leading French tour operators and travel media professionals were involved in the meetings with the Kerala Tourism Director and the co-exhibitors from the state. In 2012, the number of tourist arrivals from France to Kerala was 95,307.

The Kerala delegation also included three hoteliers (Abad Hotels and Resorts, Joy’s Hotels and Resorts and Kumarakom Lake Resort), who were co-exhibitors in the state pavilion.

The Kerala pavilion, which witnessed a flurry of activity, was also visited by India’s Ambassador to France, Mr. Arun K Singh IFS, who congratulated the Kerala Tourism for its “brilliant work” in the French market.

King Koil, an internationally acclaimed and magnificent mattress brand has

ushered in its latest range of premium mattress ‘Posture Sense’. Posture Sense by King Koil is the most widely available balanced coiled support system mattress, with a unique dual comfort feature. To ensure, an ultimate sleeping comfort, this uniquely designed & patented technology mattress, has been launched, for the first time in the Indian mattress market.

The Posture Sense Mattresses are made from the finest materials in the most appropriate mix and provides an unrivalled comfort and support to the human body. With the unique high coil count of pocketed spring core, Posture Sense comes with one side as a softer support layer to the body for luxurious and plush feel and on the other side off the mattress an option of comparatively firmer feel to the body.

The firm side is created by using heavy

density REBOND foam; where as the soft side comes with two luxury layer options i.e Ultra PLUSH Foam and CELLULAR MEMORY Foam. All the mattresses meet our high- quality standards of proper support, comfort and long-lasting durability.

Excited about the unique addition to the portfolio of King Koil, Mr. Archit Gupta, Managing Director said, “Our Company is well-known for providing Innovative Designs & Patented technology mattresses. As a sole licensee of King Koil for the Indian Market, I am sure it will help us to redefine the sleeping solutions.”

We aim to continuously present a large range of offerings to Indian customers and Posture Sense mattress is the new addition in this endeavor”, added Mr. Gupta.

Posture Sense mattresses are available across all leading stores of India, the price ranges from Rs. 15,000 to 46000.

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Despite the economic downturn and the depreciating rupee value, Indian

outbound travellers continue to inject millions in Canada’s tourism economy. As per the latest report, figures revealed indicate an encouraging 7.1 per cent increase with over 18,129 Indian arrivals to Canada in the month of August, 2013 over the same period last year.

“We expect the numbers to grow further in the coming months and also the in the summer of 2014,” says Ms. Tina Singh, Assistant Vice President, Canadian Tourism Commission, India.

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) has been on an expansion spree since December 2011. The first phase of development included the newer growth areas of Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. After receiving a great response from these markets, the tourism board decided to further strengthen its ties amongst the potential market of Bengaluru & Ahmedabad. It also just concluded a successful roadshow in the latter, earlier this month.

Being the second largest country in

the world, the destination offers a myriad of experiences for every traveller type. The expanse of Canada’s natural beauty, from mountains and glaciers to secluded lakes and forests is almost unparalleled worldwide. But Canada’s allure is not just the great outdoors, it has cosmopolitan cities that are safe, clean, friendly and multicultural. Whether ones interests are shopping, extreme adventure or scenic landscapes, Canada has it all.

The brand which initially promoted its four major provincial partners – Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta is now moving towards launching the Canadian Signature Experiences (CSE) collections in India, a set of once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences found only in Canada. The CSE is designed to help the travel trade sell the destination better. The launch is scheduled for 26 November, 2013.

“With the launch of the CSE in India we would be able to market the destination much better. The Signature experiences would also tremendously help the Trade to package their products differently and sell more to the consumer” added Ms. Singh.

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India has been re-elected in the new Council of International Civil

Organization (ICAO) as one of the states making the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for international civil air navigation. The 38th session of the Assembly of ICAO completed the election of the Council in Montreal on October 1. The 36- member Council is the governing body of the Organization and is elected for a three-year term.

The election process was divided into three parts, with the following states elected:

PART I – (States of chief importance in air transport) - Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States. All of them have been re-elected.

PART II – (States which make the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for international civil air navigation) – Argentina, Egypt, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Saudi

Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and Venezuela. Except Norway, Portugal and Venezuela, all others have been re-elected.

PART III– (States ensuring geographic representation)- Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Poland, Republic of Korea, United Arab Emirates and United Republic of Tanzania. Bolivia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Libya, Nicaragua, Poland and United Republic of Tanzania have been elected for the first time.

A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States.

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Mr. S.M. Shervani has been elected as the new President for 2013-14

of Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI). The outgoing President of the FHRAI, Mr. Vivek Nair will be the new Honorary Secretary and Mr. Garish Oberoi will serve as Honorary Treasurer for the year 2013-14.. Mr. Deepak Puri and Mr. Dinesh Advani are elected as the Vice President and Mr. Nitin Kothari as Joint Honorary Secretary.

Mr. Shervani has previously been the President of the Hotel & Restaurant

Association of Northern India (2010-12), Vice-President of FHRAI (2010-11 and 2011-12) and Honorary Treasurer of FHRAI (2012-13). A highly successful hospitality entrepreneur with over 25 years of rich experience, Mr. Shervani is the Managing Director of Shervani Hospitalities Ltd., which owns and operates a chain of boutique hotels and the iconic ‘Rodeo’ restaurant. He is an alumni of the prestigious Pusa Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi and presently serves on the institute’s Board of Governors. He is also a member of the Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA), U.K.

After his election as President, Mr. Shervani said, “To be entrusted with the leadership of an august organisation such as FHRAI is indeed a distinct privilege and a profound responsibility. I express sincere

According to Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, Foreign Exchange Earnings

(FEEs) from tourism in Rupees terms in September, 2013 increased by 12.8% to Rs. 7502 crore as compared to Rs. 6652 crore in September, 2012. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in September, 2013 was 4.36 lakh as against 4.12 lakh in September 2012 showing a growth of 5.8%.

The following are some of the important highlights regarding FTAs and FEEs from tourism during the month of September, 2013:Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism in rupee terms and US$ terms• FEEsduringthemonthofSeptember

2013 were Rs.7,502 crore as compared to Rs.6,652 crore in September 2012 and `5,748 crore in September 2011.

• ThegrowthrateinFEEsinrupeetermsin September 2013 over September 2012 was 12.8% as compared to 15.7% in September 2012 over September 2011.

• FEEs from tourism in rupee termsduring January to September 2013 were Rs.75,214 crore with a growth of 13.9%, as compared to the FEEs of Rs.66,061 crore with a growth of 22.9% during January to September 2012 over the corresponding period of 2011.

• FEEsinUS$termsduringthemonthof September 2013 were US$1.175 billion as compared to FEEs of US$1.219 billion during the month of September 2012 and US$ 1.208 billion in September 2011.The growth rate in FEEs in US$

terms in September 2013 over September 2012 was negative growth of 3.6% as compared to the growth of 0.9% in September 2012 over September 2011.

FEE from tourism in terms of US$ during January to September 2013 were US$13.200 billion with a growth of 5.7%, as compared to US$ 12.492 billion with a growth of 5.1% during January-September 2012 over the corresponding period of 2011.Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs):• FTAsduringtheMonthofSeptember

2013 were 4.36 lakh as compared to FTAs of 4.12 lakh during the month of September 2012 and 4.17 lakh in September 2011.

• Therehas been a growthof 5.8% inSeptember 2013 over September 2012 as compared to a negative growth of 1.4% registered in September 2012 over September 2011.

• FTAs during the period January toSeptember 2013 were 47.41 lakh with a growth of 3.8%, as compared to FTAs of 45.67 lakh with a growth of 5.2% during January to September 2012 over the corresponding period of 2011. Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly

estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) based on the FTAs data at major ports and Foreign Exchange Earnings

(FEEs) from tourism based on the data available from Reserve Bank of India.Performance of Tourism Sector during September 2013:

Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) based on the FTAs data at major ports and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism based on the data available from Reserve Bank of India. The following are the important highlights regarding FTAs and FEEs from tourism during the month of September 2013.Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs):• FTAsduringtheMonthofSeptember

2013 were 4.36 lakh as compared to FTAs of 4.12 lakh during the month of September 2012 and 4.17 lakh in September 2011.

• Therehas been a growthof 5.8% inSeptember 2013 over September 2012 as compared to a negative growth of 1.4% registered in September 2012 over September 2011.

• FTAs during the period January toSeptember 2013 were 47.41 lakh with a growth of 3.8%, as compared to FTAs of 45.67 lakh with a growth of 5.2% during January to September 2012 over the corresponding period of 2011.A growth of 28.1 percent has been

recorded in the number of tourists availing of the tourist Visa on Arrival (VoA) Scheme during the period January to September, 2013. A total number of 13,859 VoAs have been issued in this period as compared to 10,816 VoAs during the corresponding period of 2012 registering a growth of 28.1 per cent.

The following are the other important highlights of VoAs issued during September, 2013:

(i) During the period January to September 2013, a total number of 13,859 VoAs were issued as compared to 10,816 VoAs during corresponding period of 2012 registering a growth of 28.1%.

(ii) During the month of September, 2013, a total number of 1,683 VoAs were issued under this Scheme as compared to 1,404 VoAs during the month of September, 2012, registering a growth of 19.9%.

(iii) The number of VoAs issued under this scheme during September 2013 for nationals of the eleven countries were Japan (578), New Zealand (325), Indonesia (248), the Philippines (228), Singapore (219), Finland (47), Vietnam (16), Myanmar (8), Luxembourg (7) Cambodia (6), and Laos (1).

(iv) The number of VoAs issued under the Scheme during January to September, 2013 were Japan (4,868), New Zealand (2,490), Indonesia (1,936), the Philippines (1,880), Singapore (1,557), Finland (693), Vietnam (142), Luxembourg (109), Myanmar (86), Cambodia (84), and Laos (14).

(v) During the period January to September 2013, the highest number of VoAs were issued at New Delhi (7,830) followed by Mumbai (2,892), Chennai (2,029), Kolkata (968), Bangalore (72), Kochi(33), Hyderabad (23), and Trivandrum(12). As a facilitative measure to attract more

foreign tourists to India, Government launched the “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) Scheme in January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. The Scheme was extended to the citizens of six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in January 2011.

gratitude to all my colleagues for the confidence that has been reposed in me and look forward to the continued support of everyone in the fraternity for the ambitious agenda which we have envisioned for the year ahead. The Indian hospitality and tourism sector today faces unprecedented opportunities as well as some equally serious challenges. Successfully mitigating the myriad risks posed by an uncertain economic environment and urgently addressing certain systemic impediments

which have often constrained our industry’s quest to achieve its full potential, would require all stakeholders to work in unison. One of FHRAI’s key strategic priorities will be to effectively articulate and reflect the concerns and aspirations of our small & medium entrepreneurs, whose vision and dynamism is truly the future growth engine of our industry.”

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India’s leading Online Travel Portal, Cleartrip, has completed integration

with eRevMax to offer XML connectivity to eRevMax’s growing base of hotel customers. Hotel companies partnering with Cleartrip will now be able to make real-time ARI (Availability, Rate & Inventory) updates and receive bookings generated on these channels through eRevMax solutions directly into their property management system.

Following a two-way XML interface certification with eRevMax to leverage its RateTiger and Connect enterprise distribution services, Cleartrip joins a growing list of certified distributors - part of the eRevMax Channel Ecosystem. Cleartrip, currently connected with over 113,000 hotels worldwide, will be able to gain access to broader products and more availability, improve booking conversion and increase revenues as part of its growth

plans across India and Middle East. Founded in 2006, Cleartrip is one of the top online travel agents in India today with over 4 million unique visitors per month, while growing at 30% year-on-year.

Mr. Amit Taneja, Director – Hotels, Cleartrip said, “Discerning Indian travelers today look for competitive rates, exhaustive choices, room availability and last minute deals. With eRevMax embracing new technology and offering seamless connectivity for Cleartrip, we’re confident of bringing unparalleled convenience to our Hotel Partners to access Cleartrip’s customer base. This is just another step at Cleartrip to showcase to all its partners and users, the ability to make travel simple, with comprehensive content, innovative technology, responsive customer service, and a travel platform that strives to just work better.”

“Online travel is growing at over 30% in India, the fastest in the world. We have a significant customer base with top brands including The Park, Royal Orchid, The Leela and Oberoi using our products. Our integration with Cleartrip will improve our portfolio by offering a diverse range of distributors through the eRevMax

www.tourismindiaonline.com

www.keralatourismmagazine.com

www.brandkerala.biz

connections through which both the channel and the hotel can benefit,” said Mr. Greg Berman, Chief Operating Officer, eRevMax.

The new functionality is available now to all existing eRevMax hotel c u s t o m e r s l o o k i n g t o l e v e r a g e distribution through Cleartrip.com. eRevMax is developing its connectivity solutions to offer sophisticated real-time

revenue management functionality to the hospitality industry. This includes solutions for the independent market, the mid-market and scaling up through the large, global hotel groups. eRevMax’s Channel Ecosystem facilitates quality, certified connectivity and relationship management services to support complex revenue generation strategies.

Channel Ecosystem. Given that we cater to properties ranging from independent properties to enterprise hotel groups, it is important for us to offer quality certified

Indian travellers celebrating the Diwali in Australia are set to receive a warm welcome at Accor

Hotels, celebrating the festival of lights. The five day celebration will light up from Sunday 3rd November at 12 of Accor’s accredited hotels in Optimum Service Standards for Indian visitation. Hotel lobbies will dazzle with stylish arrangements of candles and Rangoli motifs, and offerings will include traditional sweets and savoury treats, special breakfast and dinner menus, Indian costume and entertainment.

Guests at Mercure Sydney will enjoy traditional festive dishes with restaurant staff dressed in festive Hindi attire. High Tea at The Menzies will incorporate Indian sweets; Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour is offering an Indian-style vegetarian menu for the Sunday night, while Novotel Melbourne on Collins will entertain guests with Bollywood movies playing in the bar.

Special food offerings continue in Queensland with Sofitel Gold Coast, Sofitel Brisbane Central, Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort and Mercure Cairns Harbourside all modifying their breakfast or dinner menus to suit the festive theme to tie in with the Diwali festival celebrations.

To date, 12 of Accor’s Australian hotels have been accredited to provide Optimum Service Standards for Indian guests, paving the way for Accor to better cater to the specific cultural needs and growing number of Indian travellers.

“Accor is the first hotel group in Australia to introduce these service standards, which enable accredited hotels to meet the high service expectations of Indian guests year-round,” said Mr. Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer of Accor Pacific

“Our hotels have experienced an uplift of 42% growth in overall room nights from our key Indian operators in the past 12 months. We expect this growth to continue on the back of the new Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne route Air India launched in

August, in addition to regular one-stop flights through key Asian ports.”

“We have been very fortunate to build up some great relationships with our Indian partners and have already seen the impact that our Indian Optimum Service Standards have made in terms of bookings,” concluded Mr. McGrath.

According to Tourism Australia statistics, Indian visitor arrivals to Australia had increased by 8.7 per cent for the year ended July 2013 compared to the same period previous year and a high proportion of those 165,000 travellers, 96,380 are travelling to Australia on leisure. This makes India the 10th largest inbound market for arrivals as at July this year.

Accor hotels have adopted services to meet the needs of this fast emerging market including the translation of hotel welcome kits, menus and business cards, Indian meals in the restaurant, Indian adaptor plugs, TV channels and newspapers to make guests from India feel at home.

In addition, regular training and education programs are held for Accor staff to learn basic Indian greetings and cultural practices so they can better understand and respectfully serve these guests.

With the Indian inbound market representing one of the greatest growth opportunities, the Accor group is looking to boost the number of accredited hotels from 12 to over 20 by 2014.

Accor hotels that offer the Optimum Service Standards for Indian visitation include: Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, Sofitel Brisbane Central, The Fairmont Resort MGallery, The Menzies, Novotel Melbourne on Collins, Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour, Novotel Brighton Beach, Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, Mercure Sydney, Mercure Cairns Harbourside, Ibis World Square, Ibis Sydney Darling Harbour and Novotel Queenstown Lakeside in New Zealand.

A r e n o w n e d a u t o m o b i l e a n d manufacturing hub in Pune, Chakan

now has its first International business hotel with the launch of Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan. The hotel will mark the opening of the 10th Courtyard by Marriott property in India, and the 4th Marriott property in Pune city. This premium, business hotel brand of Marriott International Inc. has been designed to suit the needs of today’s business traveler and is poised to serve guests looking for a unique and contemporary hospitality experience.

The 175 subtly stylish and spacious rooms include twelve residence suites, come thoughtfully designed to provide the optimum balance between work, relaxation, comfort and sleep. Strategically located in the Northwest corridor of Pune, Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan covers a total area of 11725 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space. Positioned as a premier business hotel, the Courtyard offers the comfort of large meeting rooms, catering to groups of various sizes, that come with state of the art audio-visual support and banqueting services. Features such as High-Speed Internet Access, is further leveraged by technology, with additions like In-Building Solutions (IBS) for enhanced mobile connectivity.

At the launch Mr. Rajeev Menon, Area Vice President, South- Asia, Marriott International Inc. stated, “Chakan, Pune is an established industrial hub and has seen tremendous urbanization in the recent years. Pune itself is an IT hub and neighbour to the business capital of the

country. Our two existing Courtyard’s in Pune city are doing exceptionally well, hence it was only a matter of time, that we establish our presence in Chakan as well. Our aim as always would be to provide a holistic hospitality experience, with state-of-the-art amenities for the new age business traveler.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shakeel Ladak, Owner – Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan said, “The launch of Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan is indeed an important milestone for us, as it marks the beginning of a very rewarding and successful relationship with the Marriott Group. We wish to establish this striking property as the preferred destination for today’s business traveler. With an increasing number of industries coming up in the Chakan industrial belt, we felt this was the ideal opportunity to create a niche for this unique offering. The Courtyard boasts of amenities that are certain to exceed the expectations of our clients as well as cater to the growing number of business travelers to this part of the city.”

The hotel is equipped to satisfy the culinary demands

of its customers with an eclectic mix of international and regional fare. The all-day dining restaurant, MoMo Café offers a contemporary buffet and an a la carte menu with an interesting mix of International, Indian and local specialties. MoMo 2 Go is a culinary representation of taste and style, with an alluring selection of gourmet delicatessen items like cheese, salads, sandwiches, cakes and breads along with hot and cold beverages that you can tuck into, while on the go! The property also offers a state of the art Fitness Centre and an inviting Swimming Pool, to refresh and rejuvenate after a long day’s work.

Speaking on the launch, Ms. Ritu Chawla, General Manager, Courtyard

by Marriott Pune Chakan said, “This is a definite step forward for us and we are really excited with the launch of our property in Chakan. Chakan being the automobile and manufacturing hub, a space needed to be filled for the luxury business traveler. The Courtyard is our answer for the same. Moreover, Pune has become a hub for MICE travel and Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan is suitably modeled to suit all business requirements.”

This year Courtyard brand is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having begun operations in 1983. The launch of Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan will definitely prove to be a refreshing welcome for those traveling to the Chakan industrial area. The hotel promises to provide memorable experiences for its clientele, and aims to carve a niche for itself within the business hotels domain.

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V Resorts Fort Auwa, opens in November 2013 in a quaint district named Pali,

nestled beautifully on the banks of the River Bandi, just 35 km from Jodhpur. The Fort is famous for the 1857 mutiny in Rajasthan that began from Auwa when various Thakurs of Pali region confronted the British. Fort Auwa was surrounded by the British army and the conflict lasted many days. One British officer, Captain Mason was shot dead on the way to Auwa and his head was hung at the fort gate!

Pali is also the land where the Pandavas rested when on exile and sages meditated. The fort is being renovated keeping in mind its historical presence so that it appears as a relic of the long-gone period and is there today for the adventurous traveler to discover.

Mr. Vaibhav Dayal, Co-Founder of V Resorts said “Such restored forts are few in India where you get a glimpse of a bye gone era and you can live in an ambience which brings to life an epoch thousands of years old. Untouched nature and a rich cultural heritage is what makes Fort Auwa unique and striking.”

The fort has seen a lifetime of wars, the battle scars still visible in bullet ridden walls; the fort heralds a history 1000 years old. The architecture of the fort is an unusual mix of pre-Mughal traditional Hindu sculpture with Neo-Colonial, Indo-Saracenic style. The old fort is embellished by decorated surfaces, and horseshoe, pointed, and multi foil arches, spires and minarets in a magnificent manner.

The Fort has 19 rooms available to guests as well as a dining area serving authentic mouth watering Rajasthani cuisine. As you enter the courtyard there is a steeple in the middle and it is surrounded by old historical ruins which give you a fleeting glimpse of times gone by. It offers the discerning traveller an aesthetic peaceful retreat. Create your own memories here, watching the sunrise and sunset on old stone walls; celebrate tranquillity in this land marked by history. It’s a magical fairy tale setting and a near perfect historical destination.

Mob.: +91 8130777222 www.vresorts.in

Travel Agents Association of India, popularly known

as TAAI has decided to hosts its 62nd Annual convention from December 13- 16, 2013 at Vivanta by Taj, Bengaluru.

According to a TAAI Off ic ia l the other two prestigious events, ITTE and TAAI Travel awards of TAAI also will be hosted

along with its annual convention. TAAI AGM will be conducted on Dec 16, 2013. Theme of the convention is not yet finalized and expected to be announced by this month itself.

ITTE has emerged as a strong networking platform for exhibitors of

the industry, to showcase their services and products to counter-parts from Pan India as well as overseas. Likewise, TAAI Travel Awards aims to acknowledge and award the contributions made by the Captains of the Travel & Tourism Industry, known as “Oscars of the Industry”, which is perceived as a befitting ceremony, drawing a huge audience of top- notch and highly placed Industry leaders, including important luminaries.

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With the intention of boosting business travel and promoting Dubai as a

leading international MICE destination in India, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), India office has undertaken several initiatives to tap the burgeoning MICE market in India. From participating at leading MICE events such as OptiMICE and IBTM (Incentives, Business, Travel & Meetings) Expo India, to promoting leading exhibitions and business events through its newsletters and advertorials to most recently organising a corporate familiarisation visit to Dubai, the tourism office is strengthening its efforts

to enhance corporate travel to the emirate. The corporate familiarisation trip

organised by DTCM India was in conjunction with Indigo Airlines, Starwood group of hotels and Discovery Travels for 9 corporate representatives from some of India’s leading multi-national companies from the 7th - 9th of September 2013. The itinerary highlighted Dubai’s tourism product offerings for business travellers with visits to attractions such as iFly Dubai, Ski Dubai and a dhow cruise experience.

Commenting on their latest marketing initiative, Mr. Carl Vaz, Director - DTCM India said, “Dubai ensures MICE travellers

have an unforgettable experience as it offers the perfect blend of world-class convention centres and exciting attractions of a tourist destination. Familiarisation trips are an effective way of enhancing the understanding of a destination to unique and diverse market segments in addition to building relationships with key influencers in the industry and increasing their knowledge of and affection for the emirate. Our corporate FAM visit focused on showcasing the destination to influencers in leading companies and we hope to organize similar trips in the future.”

Mr. Vaz further added: “India represents the top source market for inward visitor traffic into Dubai with the first six months of 2013 attracting 463,175 Indian guests, representing a growth of 15.8% increase over the corresponding period last year. Going forward for this year and the next, we intend working closely with several trade members to bring in not only the numbers but more high yielding incentive and groups to Dubai. There are a plethora of exhibitions that are held at Dubai World Trade Centre which receive a large level of Indian participation as exhibitors and visitors. Our aim will be to showcase and thus promote these exhibitions and events conducted in Dubai so that the overall number of corporate travellers from India significantly increases.”

Dubai is the fastest growing and most preferred MICE destination for leading companies worldwide. Its well developed infrastructure , dynamic business

environment and excellent transport links have strengthened the Emirate’s position as the convention and trade show centre of the Middle East. This multifaceted city offers a host of recreational activities such as desert safaris, golf and water sports, world-class shopping malls and beautiful beaches to MICE travellers during their much-deserved leisure time.

This Diwali, start afresh in the midst of nature and tranquility with your

loved ones at Madhubhan Resort & Spa in the Anand district of Gujarat. Spread over 22 acres of lush greenery and located 45 minutes from Vadodara, Madhubhan makes for the ideal getaway for families this celebratory season.

The picturesque property takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the cities to allow you to relax and bond with your families. It promises luxury with the traditional touch to give you the best of services. Madhubhan will be decorated with the festive lights, diyas and candles to usher in the new year. The property will be festooned with intricate rangolis to add to the magic of Diwali.

As Madhubhan believes in being closer to nature, no crackers will be burst and

only eco-friendly lights will be used to highlight the true essence of Diwali. The resort will resonate the peacefulness, joy and holiness associated with the season. Madhubhan’s festive experience will leave you wanting for more.

The special packages for Diwali include buffet breakfast & dinner, complimentary WiFi hours, access to various facilities such as yoga sessions, tennis coaching, swimming, activity and wellness centres as well as the kids zone. Additionally Madhubhan gives you a variety of cuisines to choose from with four in-house restaurants and the option to indulge yourself at their spa and salon.

The packages start at Rs. 23,000/- for 2 nights and 3 days

For more information, log onto: www.madhubhanresortandspa.com

Tourism New Zealand has completed the recruitment process for its

Mumbai office with a newly appointed Country Manager, Marketing Communications Manager and PR Manager.

Tourism New Zealand’s Regional Manager – South and South East Asia, Mischa Mannix-Opie says the new appointments mean Tourism New Zealand is now well placed to maximise the opportunities available from this growing market.

Ms. Neha Bola has been appointed as Country Manager and begins on 15 October 2013. Neha joins Tourism New Zealand from Kuoni India where, as General Manager she oversaw the roll out of a new portfolio over two years which helped increase market share and revenue growth. She has over 12 years of experience in the travel and tourism space with experience in Business Development, Product Development, Contracting, Sales, Operations, and CRM. Her past assignments have been at TUI, Cox & Kings and SOTC.

Ms. Nisha D’souza has been appointed to the role of Marketing Communications Manager and commences October 14. Ms. Nisha was the Marketing Manager of Blue Square Consultants, which is a division of EzeeGo1; and she was responsible for managing the marketing activities for destination Oman and Thailand in India. Previously, she was with Cox & Kings as the marketing lead for the promotion of their FIT products and before that she

was a Senior Account Executive at Ogilvy One (the digital and direct marketing arm of Ogilvy). And finally, Ms. Naomi Lobo

joined Tourism New Zealand in August as the new PR Manager.

Naomi is from Beehive Communications Pvt. Ltd. and was previously responsible for public relations activities for Korea Tourism Organisation throughout India and the trade relations with travel agents and customers for the western region of India that includes Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. She used to previously handle media relations for Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Star Cruises and Resorts World Sentosa.

Mischa Mannix-Opie further adds that the three new staff will join Market Development M a n a g e r M s . D a r s h a n a Tripathi. “With these three new appointments we have built an extremely experienced and skilled team in Mumbai that is ready for the challenge of increasing visitor arrivals from this key market.”

India has been identified by Tourism New Zealand as one of three “emerging markets” where increased investment is needed to build demand and secure a strong long-term position for the New Zealand tourism industry.

T h e N e w Z e a l a n d Government recently announced

$123 million in additional funding for Tourism New Zealand’s work to increase the value of visitor arrivals to the economy.

Ms. Neha Bola

Ms. Nisha D’souza

Ms. Naomi Lobo

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Ms. Caroline Zwierz has been appointed as Complex Revenue Manager of

The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi and The Westin Sohna, Resort and Spa

Mr. Pavan Kumar has been appointed as Director- Sales, Corporate of Accor

India

Mr. Pankaj Mathur has been appointed as General Manager of The Suryaa,

New Delhi

Ms. Lindy Andrews has been appointed as the CEO of Luxperience

Mr. Tarun Gupta has been appointed as Director - Sales and Marketing of

The Suryaa, New Delhi

Mr. Frederic Chretien has been appointed as General Manager of

Outrigger Mauritius Resort and SpaMs. Winnee Lim has been appointed as

Exhibition Sales Manager of MyCEB

Mr. Ashish Sud has been appointed as Director - Finance, Hotel Operations

of Accor India

Appointments

Edited, Printed and Published by Ravisankar K.V. for Tourism India Publications Pvt. Ltd., Printed at Arsha Offset Graphix Sreehari, TC 9/2519-1, Janvilla Lane, Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram 695 019 and Published from TC 9/1785, Anandam, Pattanikkunnu Lane, Sasthamangalam P.O,Thiruvananthapuram-695010. Editor: Ravisankar K.V.

The 2nd International Tourism Mart (ITM) was inaugurated in Tawang,

Arunachal Pradesh by Mr. Nabam Tuki, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. Mr. Tuki termed North East as a “Paradise Unexplored” which has a huge tourism potential that is yet to be tapped of its true potential. Referring to the top priority to promotion of the tourism sector for having potential to generate massive self employment avenues while enriching the state exchequer, Mr. Nabam Tuki said that this Himalayan state is a treasure trove of natural beauty inhabited by over 150 major and minor hospitable tribes with their rich cultural mosaic, art and crafts, tribal cuisines which offer huge scope for the growth of tourism.

Mr. Parvez Dewan IAS, Union Tourism Secretary said that the holding of the ITM in Tawang reflected the commitment of the government to promote tourism in North East India and in Arunachal Pradesh and

Tawang in particular. Mr. Dewan said that India records 105 crore domestic tourists and 65 lakh foreign tourists annually, yielding revenue of USD 18 billion from foreigners which amounted to 6.5 percent of national GDP besides generating about 10% direct or indirect employment.

Later , The Arunachal Pradesh CM inaugurated an exhibition of an exhibition of nine participating Indian states showcasing their tourist potential, traditional, cultural, art and craft uniqueness. Sikkim Tourism Minister Mr. Bhim Dhungel, Nagaland Tourism MinisterMr. E E Pangteang, Arunachal`s Tourism Parliamentary Secretary P D Sona, Art and Culture Parliamentary Secretary Tsewang Dhondup and Karmik and Adhyatmik Affairs department chairman Rev T G Rinpoche and top ranking officers, among others were present on the occasion. The inaugural function was followed by PowerPoint presentation of

nine participating states to highlight their respective tourism scope

T h i s i s t h e s e c o n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l Tourism Mart to be organised in the North Eastern r e g i o n w i t h the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. It will bring together the tourism business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight North Eastern States of India and West Bengal. The event has been planned and scheduled to facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, Government agencies and others.

The North East Region of India comprising the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim and the state of West Bengal are endowed with diverse tourist attractions and products. The varied topography of the region, its flora and fauna, the ethnic communities with their rich heritage of ancient traditions and lifestyles, festivals, arts and crafts, make it a holiday destination waiting to be explored.

International buyers and media delegates from countries around the world and from different regions of the country are participating in the Mart and will engage in business-to-business meetings with sellers from the North East Region and West Bengal. This will enable tourism product suppliers to reach out to international and domestic buyers and promote tourism in the region.

Besides the foreign delegates, domestic buyers from other parts of the country and sellers from the North Eastern States and

West Bengal are participating in the Mart. In addition to the business meetings, the three day event includes presentations, cultural evenings, sightseeing visits to local attractions in and around Tawang and press meetings with the media.

Post-Mart familiarisation tours to the states in the region have been arranged by the State Governments for the overseas delegates from the 21st to 27th October 2013 to create awareness about the rich and varied tourism products of the region.

Foreign delegates from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, U.K., USA and Vietnam are participating in ITM.

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