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TTF Ahmedabad and TTF Surat conclude with a bumper responseTTF in Ahmedabad which is the largest trade show in the multi-city TTF series kick-started business for the busy Diwali holiday season in the exhibition halls of Gujarat University on August 30, packed to the brim.

The three-day show concluded on a high note with a bumper response of over 9,000 visitors, registering a growth of 10% over the first two days from last year. With two full days reserved for B2B, over 6,000 travel trade visitors attended the show. The last day of the show saw a footfall of over 3,000 general visitors.

TTF Ahmedabad has time and again emerged as the biggest show in the 8-city TTF series in India as it serves the booming market of Ahmedabad and Gujarat. Besides Ahmedabad, the event is visited in large numbers by travel agents and tour operators from proximity markets in Gujarat like Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Valsad, Navsari, Vapi, Bharuch, Ankleshwar, Anand, etc. through the cooperation of a large number of local travel trade associations.

Bringing together over 700 exhibitors from 23 countries and 27 Indian states & UTs, the three-day travel and tourism extravaganza is a well-known one-stop-shop of travel and tourism products in Gujarat. TTF showcases destinations, tourism packages and travel products to help globetrotting Gujaratis plan and book their holidays.

The show was inaugurated by Jenu Devan, IAS, Managing Director, Gujarat Tourism & Commissioner, Department of Tourism, Government of Gujarat along with William Kalua, Assistant Deputy Director of India, Ministry of Tourism, Indonesia and Viranga Bandara, Assistant Director - Marketing, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

During the inauguration ceremony, chapter heads of associations present included Mahendra Vakharia, President – Gujarat Chapter, OTOAI; Bimal Mehta, Chairman - Gujarat Chapter, ADTOI; Paras Lakhia, Chairman – Gujarat Chapter, TAAI; Ranjit Srivastava, Chairman – Gujarat Chapter, ETAA; Hitank Shah, National Committee Head, TAFI; Jigar Dudakia, Chairman - Gujarat Chapter, TAFI; Randhirsingh Vaghela, Chairman - Gujarat Chapter, IATO; Pankaj Gupta, President - Gujarat Chapter, TAG; Munjal Fitter,

Vice President - Gujarat Chapter, TAG; Brijesh Shah, President - Gujarat Chapter, GTAA; Deepak K Rathod, Vice President - Gujarat Chapter, TAAS; Amesh Daftri, President, TLC; Pankaj Mehta, President - Gujarat Chapter, ATAA.

TTF Ahmedabad was a great networking opportunity for the travel trade from all over Gujarat and the Western India region, offering exceptional deals for travel enthusiasts and business travellers. Tourism Boards, hotels, resorts, travel agents, tour operators, online travel agencies, railways, cruise lines and many others were in attendance.

Among exhibitors from abroad, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Nepal participated as the Partner Countries. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau had the largest pavilion. China was present as the Feature Country.

Other countries represented at TTF Ahmedabad were Bhutan, Greece, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Rajasthan participated as the Partner States of TTF Ahmedabad. Each state joined the show with a large number of hotels and agents

I’m visiting TTF Ahmedabad for the last few years and the way they have received participation this year is very good. It’s through their constant effort that they have been able to get this increased participation. The tourism boards from the countries who have participated here have come with good delegation along with them. For Gujarat Tourism, around 20 participants are here along with us. I am very happy that they are selecting Ahmedabad as a platform for the exhibition for many years now and they have also started the TTF Summer in Ahmedabad which is a very good initiative. I hope that they continue this particular relationship for the years to come and I wish them all the very best.

Jenu Devan, IASManaging Director, Gujarat Tourism &

Commissioner, Department of Tourism, Government of Gujarat

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INDIA 14CORPORATE TRAVEL 12 ASIA 15 MIDDLE EAST 19 TECHNOLOGY 26 RESPONSIBLE TOURISM 27 EVENTS 29CRUISE TOURISM 28EUROPE 21 OCEANIA 24CARIBBEAN 23AMERICAS 22

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 2 • COVER STORY

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from their regions. Feature States of TTF Ahmedabad included Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Punjab, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar, Manipur and Meghalaya who had set up colourful pavilions. Host State Gujarat continued its aggressive promotional campaign at the show.

Gorkhaland Territorial Administration participated in TTF Ahmedabad as the Feature Destination.

Regular participant, the Ministry of Tourism was present this year along with private stakeholders, under the theme ‘150 Years of Celebrating the Mahatma’.

Participating for the first time, Indonesia Tourism received an overwhelming response at Ahmedabad and organised a destination presentation on the second day of the show, outlining its programmes and campaigns for introducing new destinations and increasing tourist numbers.

Manipur Tourism showcased a curtain raiser of Shirui Lily and Sangai Festival with traditional dance performances. They invited travellers from Western India to come and experience the beautiful cultural festivals in the state.

Rajasthan Tourism also organised a roadshow on the second day of the show and presented their state to the travel trade from the region.

TTF Ahmedabad receives support from the tourism departments of the Host State Gujarat as well as various other states, Tourism Ministry of Government of India, National Tourist Offices of several countries, private exhibitors and trade associations. With consistent support, TTF Ahmedabad continues to be one of the biggest platforms providing opportunities for buyers and sellers from across the country to showcase their latest offerings and build long term business ties.

TTF Ahmedabad was supported by Incredible India, TAAI, ADTOI, OTOAI, ATOAI, IATO, IAAI, SKAL INTERNATIONAL, ETAA, SATA, TAG, ATAA, TAAS, SGTCA, RAAG and GTAA.

Following the blockbuster edition in Ahmedabad, TTF Surat was a sell-out at the Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium which was scheduled from September 6 to 8. A houseful gathering of over 100 exhibitors witnessed a bumper turnout of nearly 5,000

visitors, including travel trade from Surat and southern part of Gujarat. TTF Surat was mainly aimed at general visitors for whom the show was open for two full days in the weekend.

The event was inaugurated by Dr Jagdish Patel, Mayor of Surat Municipal Corporation in the presence of Malcom Pandol, Chairman, South Gujarat Chapter – TAAI and Kantibhai Sohagia, Secretary, South Gujarat Chapter – TAAI.

Participants from 5 Countries and 14 Indian States & UTs came to sell their destinations and tourism products at TTF Surat. These included state tourism boards, hoteliers, airlines, tour operators and travel agents, online travel companies, railways, cruises and other travel marketers.

Taiwan participated in TTF Surat as the Feature

Country. Other countries which were represented at TTF Surat included Bhutan, Greece and UAE.

The TTF Series is supported by India Tourism, who also participated in TTF Surat as in the past.

Gujarat Tourism played the role of the gracious Host State, with a pavilion of its own promoting various destinations within the state.

Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh participated along with a large number of hotels and agents from their regions, as the Partner States of TTF Surat. Goa and Kerala joined as the Feature States. Other states being represented at the show included Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Punjab.

Other important exhibitors were names like Sunny’s World, Best Voyage, Make My Trip, RM World, Skyline Holidays, Aireo, Blue Sky Holidays, Book N Fly, Flamingo, GN Travel, Shree Sati Online and many more.

TTF provided an opportunity to the travel trade from Surat and South Gujarat to network and transact business with the exhibitors. To the travel-loving people from the city, it was a platform to check out hundreds of destinations and holiday options, get the best deals in hotels and tour packages and book on-the-spot.

Suratis are sought after all over India and abroad as enthusiastic travellers with considerable purchasing power. TTF Surat aimed to cater to this huge market by promoting face to face interactions between buyers and sellers.

On the closing day of both the shows, awards were given to the participants of TTF in various categories.

TTF Surat was supported by Incredible India, TAAI, OTOAI, ATOAI, ADTOI, IATO, IAAI, SKAL INTERNATIONAL, ETAA, SATA, TAG and SGTCA.

In view of the huge demand, TTF SUMMER was launched in Ahmedabad earlier this year to help exhibitors tap into the huge summer travel markets. In 2020, TTF Summer Ahmedabad is scheduled from February 15 to 16.

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TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 4 • COVER STORY

This is our first-time participation in TTF Ahmedabad. We witnessed very busy three-days in this show which was quite fascinating. We also had a destination presentation during the show where we showcased the newest destinations apart from Bali. Our co-participants present here with us had very good interactions with the potential buyers as well.

Dr R Sigit WitjaksonoDirector of Tourism Marketing for South & Central Asia, Middle East, AfricaMinistry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia

TTF Ahmedabad plays a very important role for Rajasthan Tourism. We have been participating for many years and the response has always been great. It has been quite fruitful show. You have always done well and keep doing the good work!

Sumita SarochJoint Director, Rajasthan Tourism

We saw tremendous growth in terms of the quality of buyers and the number of footfalls. We are very happy with the response we got in these three days here. We had 20 co-participants with us in the Sri Lanka pavilion and the feedback they have shared is very positive. The quality of the clients is very good.

Viranga BandaraAssistant Director – MarketingSri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau

Uttarakhand Tourism and all our coexhibitors are finding TTF Ahmedabad to be a very useful platform. We’re interacting with travel agents. This is a good event. We have been participating for the past 20 years. All the best for your future shows!

Vivek Singh ChauhanJoint Director, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board

We are participating in TTF Ahmedabad for the first time and the experience has been great. We feel that connecting with extreme western India is the need of the hour for Manipur Tourism. TTF has provided us with an opportunity to connect with the tour operators, travel agents and the tourists of western India. We conducted our curtain raiser programme of the Shirui Lily Festival and the Sangai Festival which was

very well received by the visitors here.Dr Yumnam Suraj SinghDeputy Director – Tourism, Government of Manipur

Coming all the way from Darjeeling, I am very happy with the response. I am very happy to have the opportunity to exhibit here again and again. The organising team is doing a great job!

Himali DeyGorkhaland Territorial Administration

It has been a wonderful experience here at TTF Ahmedabad. We got to meet so many travel agencies and tour operators who had enquired about us. The organisers were very co-operative. We came with the expectation of promoting Sikkim to the western part of India and interacting with the people from here, TTF fulfilled that expectation and provided us with that platform. The response we received was very good.

Barsha SharmaProduct Sales & Advertisement Manager, Sikkim Eco-Tourism

We have been participating in TTF Ahmedabad for five years. Since we are a B2B company, this show has been particularly great for us. TTF Ahmedabad has been growing every year. You have been doing fantastic! All the best and keep doing what you do.

Dhaval KathariaFounder, Chutney Hotels

We regularly participate in all TTFs and Ahmedabad is a very good market for us. We have five co-participants with us and they are quite happy with the response they received in these three days. The footfall has been also very good and people are coming in good numbers. We will continue to support TTF and Ahmedabad will be a regular feature for us in future.

C G Vijay Manager (Tourism), Andaman Tourism

TTF Ahmedabad is a great opportunity for us to come and exhibit. This is my third consecutive year as a participant and the show helps us in branding ourselves. The response has been good.

Deven ShahSvasti Hotels & Resorts

This is the fourth time we are participating here in TTF Ahmedabad and it has been a great experience in terms of footfall. We do get visitors from not only Gujarat but also from north and south India as well. It gives us a good platform to generate new leads and networking. We got a lot of enquiries as well for the coming season.

Sweta MistryRepresentative, TravelShop Turkey

TTF is a very good platform for every state. It is an umbrella through which we can promote our destinations. I am very thankful to TTF for organising such a great show.

Manmohan KumarOfficer In Charge, Bihar Tourism

TTF Ahmedabad is very good and the response has been awesome. We look forward to a very fruitful business in the coming years from TTF Ahmedabad. I felt that this is much on a larger scale according to what exhibitions we had been participating in until now. There’s a lot of scope in Ahmedabad as well. We are very happy that we participated in this TTF as I see very good future business from this.

Isha ThakrarManaging Director, Eva Butterfly Tourism

We have been regularly participating in TTF Ahmedabad for the last four years. Every time, we get a great response. It is a very good platform to get business. Keep doing better year after year! All the best.

RishirajDirector of Business Development, Crimson Park Hotels

Exhibitor Testimonials at TTF Ahmedabad

Some of our Partners & Supporting Organisations at Islamic Travel Mart 2019

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TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 6 • COVER STORY

TTF AHMEDABAD GLIMPSES

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 7 COVER STORY •

TTF AHMEDABAD GLIMPSES

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 8 • COVER STORY

It has been a great experience at TTF Surat with so much response from lots of travel agents. We had a lot of individual queries coming in where people got general information of hotels, tours and also advised tourists coming in from Surat about the app we have got, Goa Miles app, and all other facilities we have created for tourists. We have got about five participants with us and they have also received a good response. We saw a lot of bookings coming in for next year as well. We look forward to participating in all other TTFs as they have right from the beginning aimed to organise this show in a very coordinated and nice manner, where we get to project Goa in a popular way.

Francis X PereiraManager, Goa Tourism Development Corporation

For Taiwan Tourism Bureau, this is our first visit to Surat and we have got some good response from the tour operators who visited the show. Some of them had already sold Taiwan for their FIT clients and now we need to push for group departures as well. Overall we had a very good experience here and it was good exposure for Taiwan tourism as well.

Ruden DiasSenior Sales Manager, Taiwan Tourism

We received people in large numbers in all the three days here at TTF Surat. The people of Surat are very keen about Odisha tourism. The response we received here is very good. We have about seven co-participants with us and they have received quite a good number of queries as well.

Debadutta RathTourist Officer, Odisha Tourism

We had a good experience here at TTF Surat. We had very fruitful B2B interactions with the travel agents who came to our stall. We received hundreds of visitors in our stall over the three days. We received a lot of queries as well. We have around six co-participants here who have also got some great response. The show is very well organised.

Utpal MajumdarTourist Officer, West Bengal Tourism

We had a very good experience in TTF Surat. All three days were very encouraging and we received some serious queries. Good quality travel agents visited the show. Surat is a very potential market in terms of tourism. The show is well organised and all the best to the organisers for the upcoming shows as well.

Ved PandeySr Manager, Himachal Tourism

This is the first time we are participating in TTF Surat and overall the experience was good. We received a good number of footfalls at our stall with serious enquiries. The response we received was very good and we also received a lot of enquiries. The location is very good and it is a very well organised show with all facilities provided.

Ankur JoshiRM World

We had an amazing experience here at TTF Surat. We got an opportunity to showcase our products here and got visibility as well. The response we received was very good. The show is very well organised and everything was as per our expectations. We look forward to participating in the upcoming shows as well.

Vikas GuptaBooknfly

TTF Surat was a great event and better than other travel fairs. The response we received was up to our expectations. Our aim was to get more business and clients and TTF has provided us with the platform to meet those expectations. TTF gave us exposure to the travel industry.

Nishit SanchawalaBlue Sky Holidays

TTF Surat was a great platform where we received good crowd and some positive enquiries as well. The response we received was very good. The organisers have done a great job and the show is very nicely organised.

Aditi ChaturvediSr Sales Executive, Best Voyage Pvt Ltd

TTF Surat was a great experience for us. We received a good response in Ahmedabad as well as in Surat. Lots of people wanted to visit Sikkim and we received a good number of enquiries. TTF provided us with a platform to promote our eco-tourism zone to the people of Surat.

Meenu DahalAsst. Manager Product/Advertisement Sales, Sikkim Eco Tourism

We had an overall good experience in TTF Surat. We received a good response from a lot of people who had some serious enquiries as well. We hope to generate some good business from these queries.

Kush KapadiaTour Manager, GN-Travel

Exhibitor Testimonials at TTF Surat

bltm is a trade show, visitors below 15 years are not allowed. (Rights of admission reserved)

Register Now: www.bltm.co.in

meet hundreds of sellers of business, mICE and leisure travel from around the world in a five-star setting.

India’s Leading Trade Show on Business, MICE & Leisure Travel

31 Jan, 01 Feb 2020

The Leela AmbienceConvention Hotel, Delhi

Organised by

Feature States

110+ 24 6,000+13 90+260+ 1,200+Exhibitors Countries Indian States Hosted buyers Scheduled

AppointmentsVIP buyers trade buyers

bltm is a trade show, visitors below 15 years are not allowed. (Rights of admission reserved)

Register Now: www.bltm.co.in

meet hundreds of sellers of business, mICE and leisure travel from around the world in a five-star setting.

India’s Leading Trade Show on Business, MICE & Leisure Travel

31 Jan, 01 Feb 2020

The Leela AmbienceConvention Hotel, Delhi

Organised by

Feature States

110+ 24 6,000+13 90+260+ 1,200+Exhibitors Countries Indian States Hosted buyers Scheduled

AppointmentsVIP buyers trade buyers

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 10 • COVER STORY

TTF SURAT GLIMPSES

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 11 COVER STORY •

TTF SURAT GLIMPSES

CORPORATE TRAVEL TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 12

Asian start-ups are redefining travel bookingThat Asia’s capacity as a business travel market is massive needs no retelling. Yet, there is no denying the fact that business travellers to Asia often have jarring travel experiences, especially plagued by booking woes. Unlikely as it may seem, limited inventory, lack of language support, legacy systems, improper currency conversions and poor security are some of the many deterrents to providing a seamless booking experience to international and intracontinental travellers alike.

That said, there is a new crop of Asia-based start-ups are all ready to address Asia’s travel booking pain points. These start-ups are expected to fetch far-reaching results that are going to impact not just the APAC corporate travel, but also the travel trade industry worldwide.

Focussed on providing ease of business to corporate travellers, smart solutions are being developed in areas like travel management platforms, mobility options, alternative accommodations and mobile payment technologies. Artificial Intelligence (AI), predictive analysis and integrated expense management techniques are being deployed by these travel tech start-ups. The idea is to customise employee travel searches to befit their preferences while at the same time keeping track of employee expenditure for the employers.

Backed by investors from China, India, Latin

America, the current trend shows more and more investors from Southeast Asia are focussing on funding new, even fledgling travel tech solution providers if they show enough promise. Online firms in APAC garnered $4.7 billion in funding in 2016, going up to $9.4 billion in

2017. In fact, a Google-Tamasek joint study reveals that $9.1 billion was raised only in the first half of 2018.

At this pace, the travel tech start-ups in Asia are all set to usher the next wave of technology-empowered change that the travel industry has been waiting for.

A recent report by Allied Market on global business travel has revealed that the global business travel market will be a USD 1.65 billion dollar industry by 2023. The business travel market has registered a consistent growth at a CAGR of 14% between 2017 till date and is expected to continue at the same rate till 2023. This meteoric rise in business travel sector in past two years can be partially contributed to the economic and infrastructural growth in countries like India, China, Saudi Arabia and UAE. In fact, Asia-Pacific is the largest business travel market in the world, growing at the fastest rate, owing to improvements in living standards, rise in disposable income and development of the tourism industry.

With business travel all set to impact the travel industry worldwide, let’s take a look at some of the factors influencing the sector and reshaping its tourism opportunities:

Personalisation is the trend of the dayAs far as business travel is concerned, the one-size-fits-all approach to corporate travel just does not work with the corporate travellers of the day anymore. The focus has shifted from company policies to employ-centric protocols that take into consideration the corporate traveller’s preferences. In this regard, data, business analytics and intelligence can help in curating bespoke travel experiences for employees. But what do companies gain out of investing in personalised employee travel plans? It directly impacts employee wellbeing, thereby enhancing employee goodwill. This, in turn, makes recruitment and retention an easier process in the long run.

Bleisure travel, the next big thingBleisure is no more just a buzzword among corporate travellers. It has propelled itself into a position of a contender for travel service providers as more and more millennial business travellers lean towards bleisure travel. The convenience of combining work-related travel with recreation along with the cost-effectiveness of travelling to destinations where the cost of flights, train or bus tickets are borne by the company are some of the reasons behind the emergence of bleisure as a clear winner. No wonder, 95% of corporate travellers today either opt for or would want to take a bleisure trip.

Self-booking for a sense of autonomyThe rise of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) has made making travel plans a hassle-free task. The increasing dependency on online travel booking platforms can be seen among corporate travellers

as well as who are demanding more and more autonomy as far as work-related travel is concerned. The primary reason behind the preference towards self-booking is the flexibility is offers. With millennials expected to contribute to almost half of travel spending worldwide, self-booking in corporate travel is here to stay.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for tailoring travel experiencesThere has been a global shift towards delivering seamless customer experiences. The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is streamlining processes, optimising and personalising experiences is

paramount. More and more companies are already employing chatbots to interact with customers and deliver responses. In the coming days, AI will help analyse traveller preferences and deliver customised responses that fit employee expectations.

Robots for efficiency gainsConvenience and flawless self-service top the priorities of the new-age corporate traveller. To that end, the robotic technology is fast and hassle-free in execution of certain routine tasks undertaken by the travel and hospitality industry. No wonder, more and more robots are being deployed to greet guests, offer check-in and check-out, perform room services, show guests around, provide information and deliver luggage.

The Internet of Things (IoT) for a seamless connected travel experienceIoT has been around for a while, but when it comes to its utility, a lot remains to be explored in fully exploiting its possibilities in the hospitality industry. An IoT-empowered hotel offers great efficiency at the click of a button, delivering well to the guest’s expectations, be it the air conditioning or room service. Apart from improving the customer experience, IoT is also time-saving, cuts costs and streamlines processes for an overall enhanced hospitality experience.

Top travel trends that are influencing business travel

Knowledge Partner INDIA CORPORATE TRAVEL FORUM 13 • SEPTEMBER 2019 | TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST

According to BCD Travel’s 2020 Industry Forecast, marginal increase in global hotel rates and airfares is expected to cause a rise in business travel costs. The rate increase will be even more palpable in Asia, with Japan leading the rank. The country will be closely followed by Vietnam where the ongoing demand of bleisure travel is going to influence travel costs.

Hotel rates are estimated to increase by 1% to 3%, courtesy high demand in the coming days. The occupancy rates, however, would not be affected by the change in prices.

In Asia, in spite of new properties being added to hospitality chains, hotels rates will register a slightly higher rise than its global counterpart, going at 2% to 4%.

Strong demand in Europe will push meetings costs up 3% to 4%. Meetings costs are also expected witness a steep climb in Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand.

Airfare is estimated to undergo a rise triggered by higher fuel and labour costs. In 2020, economy fares for regional flights are expected to rise by 1%, while business class fares will increase by 2%. Average ticket price increases will range 1% to 3% across the regions.

“As we approach 2020, corporate travel buyers face the prospect of a slowdown in advanced economies, while the performance of emerging markets improves,” said Mike Eggleton, BCD Travel’s Director of Research & Intelligence. He added, “We believe this will restore the traditional growth gap that had recently narrowed between mature and emerging markets.

Business travel costs are expected to rise in 2020, reveals study

Hotels are including co-working spaces to cater to millennial business travellers, Accor leads the wayA recent GBTA-Cvent study has revealed that more that 40% of the travelling workforce are made of up millennials. By 2020, millennials will account for almost 50% of all business travel spending. The global travel industry is already transforming itself to accommodate the needs of Gen Y business travellers through implementation of technologies, policy changes and much more. One such change that the hotels catering to business travellers are implementing is co-working public spaces.

One of the hospitality giants to have quickly adopted this change is Accor Group of Hotels, revealing a joint venture with Bouygues Immobilier named WOJO. The WOJO co-working spaces will be launched within Accor hotels worldwide with different offerings, across all segments (economy, mid-scale and luxury segments). It promises to deliver in three spaces: WOJO Spots, WOJO Corners and WOJO Spaces. According to Stephane Bensimon, WOJO’s President and CEO, WOJO Spots will largely consist of hotel bars, restaurants

and lobbies where WOJO subscribers can work, even if they’re not staying at the hotel, and enjoy guaranteed access to secure Wi-Fi and other hotel amenities. The hospitality giant also revealed that not all WOJO spots will be located within Accor properties. Shopping centres, railway stations, airports and art galleries are some of the urban spaces WOJO is looking to convert.

Accor plans to launch 1200 co-working WOJO places in the next three years to establish themselves as a leading co-working brand by 2020.

Given the millennial propensity for a shared economy, their preference for co-working spaces is not surprising. That said, it is interesting note that hotels hosting millennial business travellers are willing to convert their public spaces like lobbies, cafeterias, etc. to co-working spaces. The next big question remains, will millennial business travellers be willing to pay for such modified co-working spaces, given that it had been free until now?

American Express GBT assigns Paul Abbott as the new CEOPaul Abbott, currently serving as American Express GBT’s Chief Commercial Officer - Global Commercial Services will join the organisation in the capacity of a CEO starting October 1, reveals the travel MNC. Current CEO Doug Anderson will step down from his role after serving the company for over three years. Talking of the recent development, Greg O’Hara, Executive Chairman, GBT’s board said, “At American Express, Paul has led the rapid expansion of the B2B payments business around the world and introduced innovative new products and services for businesses of all sizes.” He further added, “This track record, combined with his experience in travel and background on the GBT board, make him the ideal person to lead GBT going forward.”

Abbott has been working with American Express GBT for the past 24 years, serving the company in a variety of roles. He has also been on the Amex GBT board for the past four years. He began his career in the travel industry with the British Airways and has spent 18 years in the travel business, working in the corporate travel business at American Express.

“It is a privilege to lead a talented team committed to delivering exceptional service and investing significantly in growth and technology-led innovation,” said Abbott. He explained, “I look forward to engaging with colleagues, customers, and suppliers as we collaborate to advance the business travel experience together.”

Abbott’s experience at American Express remains a strong fit for GBT, because of the strategic relationship between the companies and their common focus on delivering the best customer experience.

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 14INDIA

Indian Hotels Company Limited enters Shillong in Meghalaya with a Vivanta hotel

Agartala-Akhaura Railway Link project to be completed by 2020

Tourism Department Government of Assam in association with India Tourism Mumbai, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India organised a roadshow in the high-potential domestic markets of Ahmedabad, Pune and Mumbai to further boost tourism and to encourage domestic travellers to the delightful state of Assam.

The dignitaries present in the Assam Tourism Roadshow in Mumbai were Chandan Brahma, Minister of Tourism, Assam; Jayanta Malla Baruah, Chairman ATDC; Navadeep Kalita, Vice Chairman ATDC; Rajesh Prasad, Principal Secretary Tourism; Razvee Hussain, Secretary Tourism; Bhaskar Phukan, Managing Director, ATDC; Deba Kr Mishra, Director Tourism; Cauvery B Sharma, Deputy Secretary Tourism and the other officials of Tourism Department, Government of Assam. Neela Lad, Regional Director India Tourism, Mumbai and the other officials of India Tourism Mumbai, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India were also present in the roadshow.

The event highlighted Assam’s latest tourism offerings, forthcoming key festivals and events, a spectacular Satriya dance and folk dances of Assam performed by renowned film actresses of Assamese film industry viz. Barsha Rani Bishaya, Nishita Goswami, Shyamontika Sharma and Tanvi Sharma. 30 key tour operators and tourism stakeholders from Assam were present in the roadshow for B2B interaction with the tour operators of Maharashtra and other states for the promotion of tourism products of Assam.

On successfully concluding the roadshow in Mumbai, Chandan Brahma, Minister of Tourism – Government of

Assam said, “The tourism department aims to promote not only Assam’s natural untouched beauty but also Assam’s rich and composite culture, tea, wildlife and many more. Through our ongoing B2B meets across various events in India, we are hopeful to attract our travel enthusiasts to our state of Assam. Such partnership meets provide an opportunity for our tour operators to interact and develop a business relationship. This year we aim to attract over 15 lakh tourists to our annual river festival called Dwijing Festival. This annual river festival is celebrated in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts.”

Jayanta Malla Baruah, Chairman of ATDC who was also present at the event said, “Indian tourist is often looking for domestic holidays along with an international holiday every year. With the improved tourism infrastructure in Assam and well connected with major cities across India, we are confident of seeing an increase in domestic travellers. Assam is one of the most vibrant states of the country and it has a lot to offer apart from its very own Kaziranga National Park, Bihu and the mighty Brahmaputra.” Also, known as the wildlife capital of India, Assam has a lot more to offer from religious spiritual and historical monuments to unique tea estate experiences topped with adventure and authentic cuisine.

Highlighting the growing numbers to the state, Brahma said, “Assam has witnessed an amazing increase in the numbers of tourist visitors every year. In 2018-19, the state witnessed 60,27,002 Indian visitors of domestic travellers and this year we are expecting to see significant growth in numbers.

The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das recently called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh. The Secretary (DoNER) Dr Inderjit Singh and senior officers of the ministry were also present on the occasion.

During the meeting, various ongoing projects were discussed. The Agartala-Akhaura Railway Link (Bangladesh) project was discussed, among other issues. It was discussed that the project will be completed by the year 2020.

The cost of the project is `972.52 crore, which is being funded by the Ministry of DoNER on the Indian side and by MEA on the Bangladesh side. The project will link Agartala with Bangladesh Railway Network at Akhaura. Once operational, it will cut the travel time for passengers and goods movement between Kolkata and Agartala. The Indian sided length is 5.46 km and Bangladesh side is 6.57 km. IRCON, CPSE of Railways is the executing agency for the Indian side and also Project Management Consultant for Bangladesh Railways.

Once operational, it will cut travel time of rail journey from Kolkata to Agartala (via Guwahati) of 38 hours and 1,500 km to 15 hours and 500 km. Maitree Express is already running between Kolkata and Dhaka which can be extended to Agartala.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that cultural linkages with Bangladesh are very important. He said that tourism, trade and cultural exchange between the two countries should be promoted.

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) announced the signing of a Vivanta hotel in Shillong, Meghalaya. This hotel is a management contract with Aura Hotels and Resorts Private Limited.

Commenting on the signing, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said, “The signing of Vivanta Shillong is in line with Aspiration 2022 and its domestic expansion strategy of consolidating presence in key capital cities. This signing also demonstrates our commitment to North East India. We are delighted to partner with Aura Hotels and Resorts Private Limited for this hotel.”

In close proximity to prominent landmarks of the city from both a tourist and business point of view, Vivanta Shillong is strategically located at Police Bazar. The hotel will comprise 100 well-furnished guest rooms and other features include multi-cuisine restaurants, recreation facilities and modern meeting spaces. RDM Design Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur is the interior designers of the hotel. It is a Brownfield project slated to open in mid-2020.

Commenting on the partnership, Vikas Agarwal, Managing Director, Aura Hotels and Resorts Private Limited said, “We are privileged to partner with IHCL. We are delighted that through this association with the pioneers of the Indian hospitality industry, we are introducing the Vivanta brand to Shillong. This will be the first branded hotel in Shillong.”

Odisha tourism recently organised a roadshow in Kolkata to showcase the various tourism products that can be explored in the state.

Leading a delegation to Kolkata for Odisha Tourism roadshow, Tourism Minister of Odisha Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi said that Odisha has huge untapped tourism potential and the state government is taking measures to unlock the potential.

Speaking at the roadshow, organised by FICCI, Panigrahi said, “We are especially focusing on segments like ecotourism, ethnic and handicrafts tourism, besides capitalising on niche segments like heritage homestays and adventure tourism, so that more tourists can explore the unexplored parts of Odisha - apart from the most popular destinations like Puri and Konark.”

“The super-cyclone Fani battered Puri in May this year. But it could not dampen the enthusiasm and dedication of the Government of Naveen Patnaik and the people of Odisha to revive the destination and successfully conduct the grand Rath Yatra,” he added.

The state government has already expressed its intent to encourage investment in experience rich tourism products like houseboat tourism and caravan tourism.

Odisha’s present campaign has successfully concluded roadshows in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kochi (Kerala), including rapid B2B networking meetings between travel, apart from select meetings with investors and brands looking to enter Odisha’s tourism and hospitality sector.

Commissioner cum Secretary, Vishal Kumar Dev highlighted the key offerings of Odisha across segments such as heritage tourism, ecotourism, ethnic tourism and spiritual tourism amongst others. Dev, also in charge of the Sports & Youth Services Department, is known to have led Odisha’s emergence as India’s most vibrant sporting destination, a key factor for enhancing the state’s global brand image and pushing up foreign tourist arrivals.

“Bhubaneswar, one of India’s smartest and most liveable cities, is being increasingly connected to other parts of India and the world. It is this city which received commendations from the sporting world’s who’s who for conducting arguably the best sporting events ever in the form of the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018, following the stellar organisation of

the Asian Athletics Championships 2017. With this year’s successful organisation of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship and the much-anticipated FIFA U-17 Women’s Football World Cup 2020, we hope to preserve the global spotlight on India’s Best Kept Secret,” said Dev.

Odisha, which witnessed 1.5 crore tourist footfalls in 2018, hopes to see the numbers rise to over 2.5 crore in 2021. The state boasts some exciting tourist circuits including diverse wildlife tours across 19 protected areas, including two national parks, an enigmatic Buddhist circuit, apart from the spiritually exhilarating Golden Triangle Heritage Circuit of Bhubaneswar - Puri - Konark.

Among the key initiatives of the Department of Tourism is its virtual tourism drive, centred on its award-winning website odishatourism.gov.in. Built on the Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) platform, its capabilities in stakeholder engagement, multimedia information management and analytics Odisha Tourism hopes to reach a wider national and global audience with greater accuracy, and attract larger numbers of medium and high spending tourists. The website offers a portal for travel agents and hoteliers to register and publish their Odisha packages.

The Kolkata roadshow assumes key significance since its residents contribute 14% of Odisha’s annual tourist visits. Entrepreneurs and investors based in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal will likely be key players in Odisha’s quest to maximise its tourism experiences through niche tourism products.

Odisha Tourism showcases its offerings in Kolkata

Assam Tourism in association with India Tourism Mumbai organises roadshow to boost tourism

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 15ASIA

In an innovative approach to attract Indian travellers, Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB) has partnered with the Mumbai Metro to launch a train covered in vibrant images of Taiwan’s various tourism destinations. Dr Trust Lin, Director, TTB flagged off the uniquely designed train on August 11 at Mumbai’s Versova metro station. The images feature popular web series stars Sumeet Vyas and Sapna Pabbi on their trip to Taiwan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Lin said, “The Indian market is our major focus market under the Southbound policy. Most Indians recognise Taiwan as an IT destination. This time we are here to promote Taiwan as a tourism destination. We’ve roped in web series stars because people can relate to and recognise them. I hope this campaign can increase awareness and enhance the brand image of Taiwan to the Indian market.” The specially decorated train will run for the duration of one month, starting August 1. For every seven trains that commuters take, there will be one ‘Taiwan Train’ that will transport passengers daily.

Dr Lin also explained that India is one of the top focus markets under the New Southbound Policy. Taiwan Tourism Board has revised its annual marketing budget for India to $ 1.2 million, recording a six-fold increase.

In an exclusive interview, he threw light upon the partnership with Mumbai Metro and said, “Right now Mumbai has only one metro line. I think it is a really nice way to let the people of Mumbai see Taiwan, its scenic landscapes and tourism offerings. Even the people stuck in traffic on the roads can check out Destination Taiwan on the metro train. I think partnering with Mumbai Metro is a great way of showcasing Taiwan.”

He also revealed that Taiwan will be focussing on bleisure tourists from India, alongside honeymooners. Taiwan being the second top cruise destination in Asia, TTB would also put efforts to attract cruise tourists

from the country. Aiming at a goal to establish Taiwan as a year-

round destination of choice with top-of-mind recall for Indian travellers, TTB has planned a host of marketing activities to help grow the share of the Indian travel segment to Taiwan. A ‘2 20:20’ strategy was put in place last year to grow the Indian traveller segment by 20% by the year 2020. The aggressive outreach

strategy includes roadshows and tie-ups with Indian media companies, such as multiplex chain INOX Leisure Limited, to film and shoot a television series in Taiwan. A series of television commercials will also be rolled out in the coming months. The campaign will promote Taiwan as a multifaceted destination while also enhancing specialised segments, such as golf clubs and cruises to drive the top 2% of the Indian market.

Taiwan joins hands with Mumbai Metro for tourism promotion in India

Penang welcomes 42 corporate leaders of top India brands for Penang Corporate Invitational Golf42 corporate leaders from India’s top brands arrived in Penang for the first-ever Penang Corporate Invitational Golf (PCIG) 2019 hosted by Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB). The friendly golf tournament took place on August 16 at the Bukit Jawi Golf Resort and Penang Golf Resort on August 17, with gala events taking place at The Light Hotel in Seberang Jaya and Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Batu Ferringhi.

Organised in partnership with Golf Digest India and Rishi Narain Sports Marketing, PCIG 2019 positions Penang as a choice destination for golfing to the Indian market, which is one of Penang’s fastest-growing market for tourism. With hosting the golf tournament at the two golf courses on mainland Penang, PCEB aims to promote Seberang Perai to global business and leisure tourism markets.

“I believe the Penang Corporate Invitational Golf diversifies the uniqueness of tourism attractions in Penang and will be a catalyst for similar events to be held here. I am glad to see that the efforts by the Penang State Government together with PCEB in strengthening Penang’s appeal as a destination in the India market are showing positive progress,” said Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang State Exco for Tourism Development, Arts, Culture & Heritage and Chairman of PCEB.

“Beginning 2018, PCEB has been aggressively marketing Penang to India for both leisure and business events. To further incubate growth,

all sectors will have to be considered – including the sports segment. At PCIG, participants will have the first-hand experience of Penang as a breath-taking destination for corporate activities – be it for leisure or for business purposes,” said Ashwin Gunasekeran, Chief Executive Officer of PCEB.

“Golf itself is played as a hobby and a leisure sport, however, when it comes to corporate golf events, it includes networking and discussions done in a different environment, where golf courses turn into a more relaxed kind of meeting venue,” he added.

“Golf Digest is the world’s best-known golf media brand and we are proud to associate with PCEB to bring over 40 decision-makers from Indian companies to showcase Penang as attractive business events and investment destination. The response from the Indian Business Community has been extremely positive and this entire concept and visit will generate a lot of positive media coverage and word of mouth from these opinion-makers in the relevant business circles in India. Most of the Corporate Leaders on this trip are visiting Penang for the first time and are eagerly looking forward to the next few days,” said Rishi Narain, Editor-In-Chief and publisher of Golf Digest India and Managing Director of Rishi Narain Sports Marketing (RNSM).

PCIG 2019 is also supported by Malaysia Airlines (Official Airline Partner), Apollo Conferences and Malaysia Association of Hotels (MAH) – Penang Chapter.

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 16 • ASIA

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organised the 5th Thailand Golf Travel Mart (TGTM) 2019 from August 6 to 9 in Chiang Mai, the kingdom’s northern capital as part of an ongoing strategy to further develop a very important source of high-spending, long-staying customer segment.

The event has attracted a contingent of 116 top golf tour operators from 24 countries, the top five of whom were from China (22), Japan (17), India (9), South Korea (8) and Singapore (7). To broaden the exposure of Thailand’s golfing attractions, TAT carefully screened and invited 59 first-time buyers, especially from new markets such as Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Portugal and Sweden.

Amongst the 97 Thai exhibitors, mainly representatives of Thailand’s stunning golf courses and resorts, 37 were from the Central Region, 23 from the East, 22 from the North, 10 from the South and 5 from the Northeast. These included 39 first-time sellers.

The Opening Ceremony and Thailand Golf Briefing plus Panel Discussion were held during the day while the Welcome Reception was held in the evening of August 7, followed by the business session and Thai Night hosted by TAT on August 8. The Networking Golf Tournament was held on August 9.

The topic of the panel discussion was ‘Thailand beyond a Premier Golf Destination’ featuring Tanes

Petsuwan, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing and Communications; Thongchai Jaidee, a Thai professional golfer and David Rollo, Vice President, Golf – IMG Events.

The previous four TGTMs have been held in Hua Hin, Pattaya, Khao Yai and Phuket to highlight the geographical and professional diversity of the kingdom’s leading sports tourism sector. Chiang Mai, the city known as the Rose of the North, is a very important golfing destination with international standard golfing facilities set amidst the backdrop of picturesque natural landscapes, rich history, and culture of the northern region.

Thailand is among the top destinations in Asia for golf with some 700,000 golfers coming here each year. There are over 300 stunning courses nationwide with comparatively low green fees and high professional standards. The World Golf Travel Agents Association recently named Thailand as the ‘Best up and coming Destination for Golf Vacations’. Chiang Mai itself was voted ‘The Next Golf Destination of the Year Asia & Australasia 2017’ by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).

Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing, Asia and South Pacific said, “We are very pleased with the great response to this year’s golf travel mart. We have rotated it all around the country ever since its inception in order

to maximise exposure of the tremendous diversity of our golf products, especially in the emerging provinces. This year, we are encouraging the invited golfers to try out Lamphun, 20 kilometres from Chiang Mai, a small province where investors have developed four breathtaking golf courses with gorgeous scenery.”

As with other specialist niche-market travel events, the TGTM will be carefully monitored to ensure that TAT remains abreast of global trends and delivers the right product to the right buyers.

Chattan said, “With every passing year, Thailand faces increasing competition for the tourist dollar on the global stage. We are looking forward to networking with the buyers and listening to their feedback on how we can best maximise opportunities for both of us.”

Thailand Golf Travel Mart 2019 heads for Chiang Mai

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai partnered with Tripoto community to entice new age travellers in IndiaAfter-witnessing favourable growth in Indian arrivals across segments, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has kept no stone unturned to reach out to its key target group, the millennials. In order to expand the destination’s reach through various digital platforms, TAT associated with leading travel community, Tripoto, to promote different emerging routes of Thailand through well-known travel influencers and the portal. As a part of the association, Tripoto shortlisted three travel bloggers from Delhi and Mumbai, who visited Thailand and explored different regions individually.

The bloggers travelled to some of the new attractions in North (Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Pai) Central (Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Khao Yai) and East (Chanthaburi, Koh Chang) respectively. Each of their itineraries was curated to showcase Thailand as a destination with varied offerings. The travellers participated in activities such as gemstone mining, snorkelling, indigo-dying, visiting historical and religious sites and of course, gorging on the delicious food that the destination boasts of. The bloggers not only amplified their visit through rigorous social media

posts and updates, but they also created photo blogs and articles sharing their experience elaborately to encourage potential travellers.

In addition to the bloggers, Tripoto maximised the outreach of the activity by actively promoting the content on Tripoto’s website as well as social media platforms. The association was instrumental in promoting different shades of Thailand among the digitally savvy travellers through strategic promotions.

Speaking on the partnership, Cholada Siddhivarn, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai expressed, “Thailand is one of the most youth-friendly countries as it has an array of adventurous activities and thrilling experiences to indulge in. Although many young Indian travellers visit Thailand, not all of

them are aware of its newly added routes and offbeat destinations which are less explored. Tripoto is one of the most popular travel platforms among evolving Indian travellers and travel enthusiasts. Thus, we are positive that the partnership will assist us in promoting the different shades of Thailand and further increase arrivals in these emerging destinations.”

Commenting on the collaboration, Anirudh Gupta, CEO, Tripoto said, “There is no better way to promote a destination than through authentic and relatable storytelling. Tripoto is the largest active community of traveller with more than a million travellers consuming and sharing travel content monthly. In this collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, we have used the power of our community travellers and their unique style of travel storytelling and our huge distribution to reach out to the millennial audience. We are truly delighted and thankful to have partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the successful execution of the campaign and sharing beautiful vistas of this country amongst our country.”

Tourism Malaysia-MATTA Travel Exchange (MTEX) conducts South India roadshowDatuk Tan Kok Liang, President of MATTA and Muhammad Taib Ibrahim, Senior Director Tourism Malaysia Director, launched the roadshow in Ramada Plaza Hotel, Chennai which welcomes the biggest tourism event in Malaysia, starting next year.

Tourism Malaysia and MATTA jointly organised the roadshow which covered four main cities of India, namely Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Cochin from September 23 to 26. A total number of 26 participants from Malaysia, comprising a combination of 21-travel agents, three product owners, Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Malindo Air and Sarawak Tourism Board came together to share the latest development of Malaysian Tourism and to promote the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign aggressively.

The aim was to provide a platform for Malaysian sellers to meet potential buyers besides enhancing strategic networking with travel agencies, online travel agencies, tourism associations and the media.

The VM2020 roadshow puts emphasis on India as one of the main potential markets for the country. In 2018, 600,311 (+8.6%) Indian tourists visited Malaysia

and spent almost RM 2.7 billion. Statistics from January until June 2019 show that a total of 354,486 with the growth of 15.2% Indian visited Malaysia compared to the same period last year. For the record, Malaysia is aiming for a target of 728,000 Indian tourists to visit Malaysia, assisted by three Tourism Malaysia offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.

“Tourism in Malaysia is doing well with steady arrivals and tourism development,” stated Muhammad Taib Ibrahim. International tourist arrivals from January to June showed a +4.9% positive growth from 12,730,368 (2018) to 13,354,575.

Top 10 international tourist arrivals for the first half of 2019 were from Singapore (5,381,566), Indonesia (1,857,864), China (1,558,782), Thailand (990,565), Brunei (627,112), India (354,486), South Korea (323,952), Philippines (210,974), Vietnam (200,314) and Japan (196,561).

ASEAN arrivals continued to dominate the share of tourist arrivals to Malaysia with a 70% contribution. The medium-haul market and long-haul market occupied a 21% share and a 9% share respectively.

Overall, the performance of the short-haul, medium-haul and long-haul markets registered positive increase with 4.7%, 7.1% and 1.8% growth respectively compared to the first half of 2018.

“In terms of visa, the Malaysian government always facilitates Indian tourists’ entry with ease, since the introduction of eNTRI and eVISa,” he added.

Muhammad Taib Ibrahim reiterated that Malaysia is going full-force in reaching out to the world using the help of the web. “The campaign’s focus is on digital marketing through a dedicated VM2020 website, the use of hashtags for VisitMalaysia2020, VM2020 and MalaysiaTrulyAsia,” he added.

International tourism fairs’ participation, as well as mega familiarisation programmes, are already in place, as Malaysia hopes to reach Indian solo or business travellers, families, honeymooners or filmmakers to choose Malaysia as a preferred destination.

For VM2020, Malaysia targets 30 million international tourist arrivals and RM 100 billion in receipts.

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 17 ASIA •

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Korea Tourism Organization and Air India joined hands to announce the launch of the new nonstop flight connection from Delhi to Seoul on September 11 at Pride Plaza Hotel, Aerocity, New Delhi. The event witnessed more than 100 trade and media participants. The evening was addressed by Minister of Embassy of Republic of Korea in India – Jong Ho Choi and Commercial Director Air India Meenakshi Malik.

The latest updates of the destination were presented by Korea Tourism Organization and the in-flight facilities, baggage advantages and competitive prices were introduced by Air India to travel trade partners. This first joint promotion initiative between Korea Tourism Organization and Air India intends to promote more travellers visiting from India to South Korea with Air India as their preferred airline.

The flight offers a lot of advantages over its competitors flying in the same sector. It will be the shortest duration flight flying from Delhi-Seoul with six hours flying time and maximum baggage allowance of two pieces, which is 46 kg for economy passengers.

With fares starting from ̀ 41,618, Air India is all set to target the Indian market with mostly the same fare offered from all the departure cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Not just this, to comfort the South Korean passengers on board, the Dreamliner aircraft on this air route will serve Korean food along with the Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal options.

In the year 2018, approximately 119,791 Indian tourists visited South Korea and 150,457 South Korean tourists visited India. The increasing exchange of tourists between both countries has encouraged both the organisations to join hands and promote the destination and the new flight connection.

Talking about South Korea as a tourist destination, Meenakshi Malik, Commercial Director, Air India said, “I went to Korea and I was amazed to see the development of the country especially from a digital point of view. In terms of cargo as well, there is a huge potential, especially with Make in India and Digital India. There are not enough Indians visiting South Korea as compared to other Asian countries. We are happy to be the promoter of increased connectivity between the two countries.”

Jong Sool Kwon, Director, Korea Tourism Organization - New Delhi added to

this by saying, “South Korea is steadily growing as a preferred tourist destination amongst Indian travellers. Corporates, student groups and family groups are now requesting new destinations and South Korea has become a part of their wish list. Growing air connectivity and flight frequency will definitely be a constructive contributor to the growth of tourism numbers between both nations.”

Air India and Korea Tourism Organization join hands to launch the direct flight connection from Delhi to Seoul

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 18ASIA - Sri Lanka

Cinnamon’s ‘Bring A Friend Home’ (BAFH) introduces an exclusive initiative to spearhead tourism in Sri Lanka and also to overcome challenges faced by the tourism industry. BAFH encourages fellow Sri Lankans living here and overseas as well as expats living in Sri Lanka to nominate foreign friends to visit the island through an array of attractive packages. The key objectives of this campaign are to communicate a sense of urgency to visit Sri Lanka and create user-generated content to spread the message that Sri Lanka is safe to visit. The campaign is developed to generate much needed positive publicity to Sri Lanka.

BAFH follows a simple four-step process – Register, Invite, Accept, Travel. Sri Lankans living here or overseas and even expats living in Sri Lanka with a resident visa are eligible to nominate foreign friends to this campaign. Applicants can visit www.bringafriendhome.com and register by entering the name, email and contact number. This gives applicants the opportunity to invite one or more friends living overseas via email, WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter and also be eligible for a raffle draw. Invitations can be sent from July 30 – December 15, 2019 for stays within the same period.

The invitee – any foreign passport holder or Sri Lankan expat – can then proceed to accept the invitation by purchasing one or more packages listed on the campaign website at www.cinnamonboxoffice.com. A range of packages are available to choose from, including beach, nature, adventure and city tours specially curated for showcasing Sri Lanka’s tourism offerings. The invitee must travel to Sri Lanka between August 1 and December 15, 2019 and register on the campaign website to enter the raffle draw, which will take place on January 2020. All travel and registrations should be completed by or before December 15, 2019.

The 1st prize in the raffle draw for the Sri Lankan referees is a choice between a one-year stay at a Cinnamon Life apartment or a seven-day stay for two individuals valid at two Cinnamon’s properties for three consecutive years. Additionally, they are gifted a voucher worth `499,999 from Colombo Jewellery Stores. The 2nd prize includes seven-nights stay at two Cinnamon’s properties located in Sri Lanka valid for two consecutive years for up to two individuals and 3rd prize includes five-nights stay at a Cinnamon’s property located in the Maldives for up to two individuals including airport transfers.

The 1st prize for the visiting foreign friend is a five-nights stay at a Cinnamon’s properties located in the Maldives for up to two individuals including airport transfers and `1,000,000 worth Sapphire stone ring by Colombo Jewellery Stores. The 2nd prize includes

a five-nights stay at a Cinnamon’s property located in the Maldives for up to two individuals including airport transfers. By courtesy of Positive Sri Lanka, there will be monthly giveaways by Lovi Sarong and Siyath Gavin Photography with each offering `99,000 worth of giveaways, while Wax Museum will be offering ̀ 25,000 and Tiesh, ̀ 15,000 worth of giveaways respectively.

The campaign is set to expedite the tourism arrivals to the country and is part of Cinnamon’s contribution towards the recovery process. Launched with the active participation of all local industries, Cinnamon is engaging both locals and foreign tourists, taking ownership for creating exemplary change across the tourism sector. Jacqueline Fernandez, former Miss Sri Lanka and current Bollywood sensation, was the first visitor under this promotional campaign and celebrated her birthday in Sri Lanka with 15 of her friends from Bollywood, to kick-start the campaign during the first week of August.

Speaking about Cinnamon’s ‘Bring A Friend Home’ initiative, Kishu Gomes, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau stated, “It is a timely initiative by Cinnamon to help regain Sri Lanka’s formerly attained standard of tourism as an island that was known as one of the must-travel places for the year 2019. Projects of this nature will globally amplify the impact of the destination and trigger an international prerequisite

to visit Sri Lanka. This campaign will help spread a positive outlook of the country across the world, showing that it is safe to visit and is open to tourism.”

“Cinnamon’s Bring a Friend Home promotion aims to create some much-needed enthusiasm and excitement for Sri Lanka once again as an experiential travel destination,” stated Dileep Mudadeniya, Vice President John Keells Group, Head of Brand Marketing Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts and CEO of Cinnamon Life Mall. “Sri Lanka is ready to welcome visitors to its sun-kissed shores once again and who better to endorse our country than ourselves? Each one of us now has the opportunity to be brand ambassadors to this paradise we call home and invite our friends from around the world to witness this unrivalled beauty together with us.”

Cinnamon presents ‘Bring A Friend Home’ in association with So Sri Lanka, Cinnamon Life and Kapruka, with Sri Lankan Airlines as the Airlines Partner, Triad as the Creative and Website Partner, Colombo Jewellery Stores as the Jewellery Partner, eMarketing Eye as the Digital Partner, Cinnamon Air as the Domestic Airline Partner, while supported by Positive Sri Lanka and Love Sri Lanka. It is a promotional campaign is initiated with the overarching objective of reviving tourism in Sri Lanka.

Cinnamon launches ‘Bring A Friend Home’ campaign to speed up tourism recovery in Sri Lanka

India’s leading travel writers and social media influencers embark on the legendary Ramayana TrailSriLankan Airlines organised a familiarisation tour of Sri Lanka’s historic landmarks associated with the Ramayana Legend. The familiarisation tour provided the touring social media influencers and travel writers the opportunity to immerse themselves in an all-encompassing destination experience through the perspective of a legend which has bound the two nations since time immemorial.

Day one of the tour saw them visiting Munneswaram and Manawari Temples in Chilaw, which have their origins closely associated with Lord Rama. The visitors were fascinated by the legend’s connotation to the places and the architectural grandeur of these temples which are frequented by Sri Lankans by all faiths. The day concluded with an overnight stay in Dambulla.

The second day started with the team visiting the Lion Rock of Sigiriya, which is believed to have been the palace of King Kuvera which was later occupied by King Ravana after defeating the former. Today, this is a UNESCO world heritage site with remains of the fortress built by King Kasyapa in the 5th century. The team also explored the Golden Temple of Dambulla before heading off to Trincomalee.

Tirukoneswaram Temple was the highlight of the

day where King Ravana, believed to have been an ardent worshipper of God Shiva, meditated. It is said that the original temple built by him is submerged in the sea and the current temple was built on the rock much later. They enjoyed an overnight stay by the beach in Trincomalee before an early start the following day which took them to the cool climes of the central hills.

Day three of the tour took them to Sri Bhaktha Hanuman Temple in Ramboda, built by Chinmaya Mission of Sri Lanka, which houses a 16 ft statue of Lord Hanuman. They also visited Gayathri Peedam, which is believed to be the place where King Ravana’s son Meghanath propitiate Lord Shiva and was in return gifted with supernatural powers.

Sita Amman Temple was also a place of fascination among travellers for its picturesque location and the important association with the legend. The temple dedicated to Lord Rama, Luxmana and Lady Sita was believed to have been built by Lord Hanuman to reminisce Lady Sita’s presence at the location.

The most popular sight of the tour was Hakgala Botanical Gardens, which is known as ‘Ashoka Vatika’ in the Ramayana legend, the pleasure gardens of King Ravana which is believed to have been gifted to Lady

Sita to lessen her sorrows. Today, the Garden is home to over 10,000 species of flora and is famed for its roses and orchids.

Travel writer and Instagrammer Lakshmi Sharath said, “It was a truly a divine and wonderful experience to be on the Ramayana tour in Sri Lanka and am very grateful for the same. We literally crisscrossed the country and followed in the paths of Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman to find Seetha. But the tour itself was more about discovering the beauty and diversity of Sri Lanka, the various landscapes, the culture and the cuisine. I do hope to come back and explore more of the country.”

The tourists also had the opportunity of witnessing various ways in which devotion is expressed at Kataragama temple, during the Perahera season. The last stop of the legendary trail was Kelaniya Temple, the abode of Lord Vibheeshana who supported Lord Rama in his quest.

The visitors were also delighted by the hospitality of the iconic properties such as Heritance Kandalama, Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya, Trinco Blu by Cinnamon and Taj Bentota Resort and Spa. Aitken Spence assisted the National Carrier with the ground transportation and logistics in this endeavour.

This familiarisation tour has been part of the national carrier’s endeavours to convey the world that Sri Lanka is a safe and friendly destination, post-Easter.

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 19MIDDLE EAST

Disney live shows back to Egypt

Hajj 2019: More than 1.8 million international pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced groundbreaking legal changes to enhance the role of women in society, including an end to restrictions on travel that puts women above the age of 21 on the same legal footing as adult men.

The official gazette published a Royal Decree issued on July 30 ratifying a Council of Ministers’ resolution in its latest session that same day to approve a new law that eliminates any differentiation between Saudi women and men in the obtainment of passports. The changes, which go into effect by the end of August, will guarantee women the same freedom to travel that men enjoy.

The new law builds on a series of recent reforms under Vision 2030 that have transformed the country, including changes specifically designed to elevate the status of women.

The Kingdom already has granted women the right to drive vehicles, independently open and run businesses and live and work in an environment free of harassment. Women now have the ability to hold senior positions.

As part of the transformation agenda of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is committed to helping women reach their full potential. The knowledge, skills and capabilities of Saudi women are among the greatest assets of the country and the government is committed to putting women at the centre of the social and economic transformation taking place.

Commenting on the move, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, said on Twitter that the amendments are “designed to elevate the status of Saudi women within our society, including granting them the right to apply for passports and travel independently.”

“These developments have been a long time coming. From the inclusion of women in the consultative council to issuing driving licenses to women, our leadership has proved its unequivocal commitment to gender equality,” Princess Reema wrote on her official Twitter account.

“These new regulations are history in the making. They call for the equal engagement of women and men in our society. It is a holistic approach to gender equality that will unquestionably create real change for Saudi women.

“Women have always played an integral role in our country’s development, and they will continue to do so moving forward on equal footing with their male counterparts.”

Saudi Arabia has so far welcomed more than 1.8 million pilgrims who have flocked to the country in preparation for the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage which begins later this week, according to the latest statistics issued by the Saudi General Directorate of Passports.

In a news conference in the port city of Jeddah, Major General Sulaiman Al Yahya, the Director-General of Passports, said the total number of Hajj pilgrims who had arrived from abroad via air, land and seaports until August 7 was 1,838,339 pilgrims. The majority of the pilgrims arrived by plane.

Hajj, the largest annual gathering of people from all around the world, began this year August 9 and lasted until August 14. In total, more than two million people, including Saudis and expatriate residents of the Kingdom, visited Saudi Arabia’s holy cities of Makkah and Madinah for Hajj this year.

In 2018, Saudi authorities have officially said that the total number of international and domestic pilgrims was 2.37 million, more than 1.75 million of them from abroad. The 2018 tally topped the 2017 tally of more than 2.35 million international and domestic pilgrims.

Of the international pilgrims this year, 969,726, or just over 53%, are men and 868,613, or nearly 47%, are women, noted Major General Sulaiman Al Yahya.

Major General Al Yahya urged all international pilgrims to abide by the period specified for their departure after performing Hajj, which is determined by their respective visa guidelines. Breaching these guidelines subjects violators to a penalty.

The General Directorate of Passports “has provided during the arrival stage all the qualified cadres and advanced technological systems to guarantee the speed and accuracy of arrival procedures for each pilgrim in record time,” he said.

Minister of Tourism Rania Al Mashat expressed her pleasure over the return of Disney Live shows to Egypt, inviting travellers from the entire world to the country to watch the entertainment show at the covered hall of Cairo Stadium.

The Minister tweeted, “We are very very happy with the return of Mickey & Minnie @Disney Live’s ‘Doorway to Magic’ to Egypt, welcoming travellers from all over the world as 1 out of 24 shows to be held.”

Al Mashaat announced that the ministry is planning to launch Egypt’s entertainment calendar in 2019.

Last month Mashat held a press conference to announce the return of Disney shows to Egypt, under the auspices of the Ministries of Tourism, Investment and International Cooperation.

23 Disney shows in Egypt will be on display and tickets will be sold through the company’s website.

Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) conducted a roadshow in the capital city of New Delhi on August 22 to enhance commercial ties with the Indian travel trade fraternity. In an effort to retain the growth momentum of Indian arrivals to Israel, the team interacted with over 300 key travel and tour operators, MICE providers, up-market leisure operators and media personnel.

The event commenced with a presentation leading to an interactive session with the IMOT team. The roadshow included interactive B2B sessions, education programmes and workshops to aid trade members in planning itineraries and responding to customer queries.

The Israeli delegation was led by the newly appointed Director of Tourism for India & Philippines markets, Sammy Yahia along with Judah Samuel, Director – Marketing, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India and included representative partners from the tourism industry of Israel.

Commenting on the roadshow, Sammy Yahia, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism – India &

Philippines said, “The arrivals from India have exceeded expectations in the last few years and we have seen the same trend in 2019. India currently stands third in Asia among the top source markets for Israel. While keeping the current momentum going, the idea is to aggressively work towards increasing connectivity between India & Israel by introducing new airlines to service the route. I am delighted with this new position and foresee ample opportunities for us to push boundaries and reinvent the ever-evolving and dynamic Indian traveller.”

Israel has also quickly become Middle-East’s newest business tourism destination, gaining popularity with the Indian corporate and MICE segment. MICE travel to the country is booming at a steady pace as a YPO delegation is expected to travel in September this year while a 25-person delegation from Aries Agro Limited will be visiting Israel in September. A massive MICE movement was the CREDAI 19th NATCON 2019 hosted by CREDAI Telangana & CREDAI Andhra Pradesh in August that witnessed 850 attendees.

Israel Tourism conducts a roadshow in New Delhi

Saudi Arabia lifts restrictions on ability of women to independently obtain passports and travel freely

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 20 • MIDDLE EAST

Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, has recorded exceptional results during the first half of 2019, securing 118 successful bid wins for events to be hosted in Dubai over the coming years. These events won in H1 2019, including conferences, meetings and incentives, are set to attract 75,288 delegates from around the globe to Dubai over the coming years, representing a growth of 17% on the delegate impact of bid wins from the same period in 2018.

Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “Dubai continues to consolidate its position as a leading destination for the global travel and business events and the recent bid wins are a testimony to the strides we have made as a city to attract and host large scale business events. With the DBE team working closely with stakeholders to ensure that the city has the robust capabilities to cater to a wide range of business events, we are seeing meetings planners and decision-makers are finding the city to be an increasingly compelling option. We would like to thank our partners and stakeholders for their ongoing support in driving the contribution of business events to achieving our overall tourism strategy.”

During H1, Dubai won a variety of key business events across multiple sectors and industries, including: the Amway China Leadership Seminar 2020, which is expected to attract 8,000 delegates, Sun Hope International Incentive 2020, with 1,500 delegates, World Hospital Congress 2021, with 1,100 delegates, Geospatial Week 2021, with 750 delegates,

and AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress 2025, with 3,000 delegates.

Dubai Business Events also built on its efforts to engage with meetings industry professionals, both in the city and around the world, through a busy calendar of trade shows, roadshows, study missions and other engagements.

The city’s official bureau also hosted five study missions, including groups from India and Europe, which attracted 205 planners and buyers during the first half of 2019. In addition to these inbound missions, DBE also organised roadshows across key markets, visiting cities including London, Toronto, Moscow and Chennai. These roadshows and study missions acted as a platform to meet and engage with key decision-makers around the world, and to educate them about the city’s offerings as well as the services offered by Dubai Business Events.

Steen Jakobsen, Assistant Vice President of Dubai Business Events said, “Dubai continues to see a healthy pipeline of meetings, conferences, congresses and incentives which will take place over the coming years and this is a testament to the combined efforts of stakeholders and partners across the city and the DBE team in Dubai and in our international offices. The past six months have been a busy and productive period in terms of DBE’s ongoing activities and projects and Dubai’s elevation on a global scale has been supported by new hotel and venue openings, as well as activities and attractions in the city. These developments directly contribute to providing planners with a wide array of options and possibilities when it comes to their events. We look

forward to building on this in the second half of 2019, engaging with our stakeholders to promote the city, convert bids into more wins and identify new events to bring to Dubai.”

Among the upcoming developments set to enhance the city’s status as a business events hub is the Dubai Exhibition Centre, which will be co-located at the Expo 2020 Dubai site and become a major new events venue. The 45,000 sq m facility will be a unique platform for planners, allowing them to host events during the Expo, giving delegates access to a global stage for the six-month duration of the world’s largest meeting of minds, while also being a venue option beyond Expo as part of its legacy.

Dubai sees 17% increase in delegate impact from business event bid wins in H1 2019

Ras Al Khaimah to host the region’s first WTTC ‘Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum’ in OctoberRas Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announced recently that the Emirate will be hosting the World Travel & Tourism Council Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum 2019 on October 2 bringing together key industry leaders to discuss the core issues facing the region’s Travel & Tourism sector. The forum will be organised for the first time in the region and held at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre - Ras Al Khaimah.

Bringing together government agencies, industry associations, CEOs and senior leaders of the top travel and tourism companies, experts and media from across the region, the WTTC Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum will delve into contemporary issues facing the sector and discuss growth opportunities to advance the regional agenda. The one-day forum will engage 150-200 leaders in keynotes and panel discussions focusing on key themes, including challenges and investment opportunities; job creation and skill development; climate

and environment action; and digital disruption.

Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said, “We are pleased to be hosting the inaugural edition of the WTTC Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum in Ras Al Khaimah and introducing our beautiful destination to key leaders and delegates from the travel and tourism industry in the region. Tourism is one of Ras Al Khaimah’s most important economic sectors and is considered a key engine for continued GDP growth and job creation in the UAE. The opportunity to host this prestigious industry forum comes at a pivotal time as we aim to fuel a sustainable tourism-driven economic growth in Ras Al Khaimah, as guided by our current Destination Strategy 2019-2021.”

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said, “WTTC is thrilled to be bringing our Leaders Forum to Ras Al Khaimah, a destination that embodies everything that is so exciting and innovative about tourism in the Middle East & North Africa region. Through the Middle East and North Africa Leaders Forum, we will bring together the region’s top travel leaders to discuss the pressing issues of the day, including investment trends, visa facilitation and climate action. The Forum is a great space in which business leaders can meet with government, media and industry experts to share knowledge and plan for sector growth in the years ahead.”

National Football Team Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu learns to drift in Jordan from the drifting star of the Middle East Ahmad DahamIf ever there was a country that perfectly aligned with stunning backdrops for driving and drifting - it has to be Jordan and the Mars-like landscape of Wadi Rum in particular. A maze of monolithic rockscapes rises up from the desert floor to heights of 1,750 m creating a natural backdrop for the video captured during the Red Bull Drifting shoot in Jordan recently. This exciting project was a collaboration between Red Bull and the Jordan Tourism Board.

The entire drifting experience in Jordan starred trailblazer Indian footballer and the goalkeeper of the National Football Team Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The goalkeeper of Bengaluru FC in the India Super League and also a Red Bull Athlete Sandhu is the first-ever Indian to play a competitive match for a top-division team in the UEFA Europa League when he represented Norwegian side Stabaek FC.

Gurpreet recently travelled across the natural wonders of Jordan that is the Dead Sea and Petra.

Sandhu was in Jordan to learn how to drift from the drifting star of the Middle East and Red Bull Athlete Ahmad Daham. Winner of multiple Red Bull Car Park Drift championships, Daham has been crowned King of the Desert twice and he is the Guinness World Record holder for the longest twin drift.

Drift racing is one of the fastest-growing motorsports in the Middle East. Pioneered by Japanese street racers in the 1970s, it evolved into a mainstream international sport in the early 2000s. In recent years it has gained popularity, particularly across Jordan.

At the Madaba Circuit in Amman, Jordan, Sandhu went through a thrilling experience of learning from Daham how to do donuts, the figure of eight and drift around a corner on the track on a 700 horsepower car.

Sandhu also hitched a ride with Daham for an experience of a lifetime when they both drifted through locations like Namala Road, Wadi Rum and dropped Sandhu off at the Dead Sea.

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 21EUROPE

Lufthansa City Centre participates at TAAI Knowledge Conclaves

Bollywood movie ‘War’ shoots action sequences in Portugal

The Turkish Tourism Board in India revealed that between January to July this year, Turkey has registered a 56% increase in the number of Indian tourist arrivals in comparison to the same period last year, hosting 130,000 Indian visitors. With such a positive growth rate and indicative data coming from the Ministry, the Turkey tourism board is expecting to host around 250,000 Indian tourists by the end of 2019.

The latest official statistics show that more than 24 million foreign tourists visited Turkey within the period of January to July, a strong 14.10% increase from the same period of last year.

Turkey has emerged as a popular destination for Indian travellers across categories. From leisure travel to FITs, Indian weddings to MICE summits, there has been a significant increase in all segments. This year Turkey witnessed a substantial surge in the number of extravagant Indian destination weddings across Turkey. Similarly, MICE travel to Turkey increased at

an incredibly fast pace.The tourism board further announced that by the

end of 2019, Turkey is expected to host around 30 Indian weddings and 30,000 MICE visitors. Basis the current arrival numbers and the activities planned in months to come, the tourism board is hoping to reach a record number of Indian tourist arrivals in Turkey by the end of this year. The first half has witnessed a record engagement in terms of FITs, weddings and MICE and this trend will only go up.

Turkey tourism board has been constantly engaging with Indian audience by highlighting important festivals, summits and international events that are being held in Turkey. A number of FAMs and engagements are being held regularly from India market to different parts of Turkey with a focus on cuisine, culture, landscape, history and nature. Currently, festivals like Istanbul Coffee Festival, Istanbul Art Festival and Istanbul Biennial in autumn are attracting tourists from India.

Portugal has hit the limelight and is at the centre of attention as a spectacular tourist destination with Bollywood’s two biggest action superstars shooting a sequence in the country.

Known for its natural landscapes, as well as history, culture and cuisine, the landscapes of Portugal have been used in the film ‘War’, the newest Bollywood action film starring superstars Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff who have shot a “dangerous” bike chase sequence on Portugal’s highest mountain peak Serra da Estrela for the film.

“For one big action chase sequence, they had to drive superbikes at high speed on top of the highest mountain range in Portugal called Serra da Estrela. Serra da Estrela stands at 1,993 meters (6,539 feet) above sea level. It’s a visually stunning sequence at par with all big action films of Hollywood. Hrithik and Tiger took all necessary training to ride these super-fast bikes and they pulled off the sequence with elan,” War Director Siddharth Anand said to a leading Indian news wire.

There’s also a high-speed action sequence filmed in Porto and featuring the main bridge of this city, in the north.

Some key locations in Lisbon, the capital city, such as Praça do Comércio and the historic Bica neighbourhood were also used to filming great scenes, as well as Setúbal, Coimbra and Sesimbra.

“War is an adrenaline-pumping action film that will keep you on the edge of your seats with its action sequences,” Anand added. “As our title suggests Hrithik and Tiger wage a war against each other and there are constant, massive showdowns between the two,” he said. War is set to be a visual spectacle for quintessential action cinema lovers as they would witness Hrithik and Tiger pull off jaw-dropping sequences as they try to beat each other.

Produced by Yash Raj Films, the high-octane film also stars Vaani Kapoor opposite Hrithik Roshan and is set to release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The film is slated to release on October 2.

Travel Agent Association of India (TAAI) recently held its Knowledge Conclave series in five different regional cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Indore, reaching out to the members of the respective regions to join, in order to understand the current trends, future opportunities and issues in highly interactive sessions to help members gain insights and solutions for earning maximum share of the booming travel industry.

The major topics extensively discussed were Aviation Trends; Trends in Travel & Tourism and its impact; Technology disrupting travel management; Corporate Travel (experience sharing); IATA New Age Capabilities Impacting TA’s and Stand Alone vs Consortia.

Devendra Parekh represented Lufthansa City Centre in India and shared his views on continuing as a Stand Alone Agency vs joining Consortia. He said, “We thank the Travel Agent Association of India for ideating such a useful concept for Executive Education and Networking. Lufthansa City Centre is privileged to be associated with these Knowledge Conclaves and exchange of views with the members from every region in India. These conclaves need to continue in a sustainable manner in times to come. I express my sincere gratitude to Sunil Kumar, President of TAAI, who came up with such a brilliant idea that enabled better learning, value additions and sharing of priceless views from other veteran speakers of the industry for the betterment of all TAAI members.”

LOT Polish Airlines launched its 8-hour new flight to Warsaw from New Delhi. LOT Polish Airlines’ state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner took off from New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport on September 12 for its 8-hour new flight to Warsaw. From now on, LOT will be operating this route five times per week and thus ensuring the most convenient travel option not only to Poland but also providing seamless transfers to Central, Western and Eastern Europe. New Delhi is now LOT’s 6th Asian destination.

LOT Polish Airlines, the fastest growing airline in Europe and Star Alliance Member has launched its regular flights between the two capitals. From now on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (B787-8 and B787-9) will be operating this route five times weekly according to the following summer schedule which is from September 12 to October 26.

“Today we had a pleasure to welcome the first Indian guests aboard our Dreamliner operating between New Delhi and Warsaw. LOT not only provides the shortest and most convenient way of travel to Warsaw but also developed a perfect gateway to all passengers travelling from the Delhi catchment area to Europe. LOT is the leading legacy carrier in Central and Eastern Europe - the fastest-growing region of the continent. There is a huge potential for air travels – almost 9.5 million passengers travelled between India and Europe and 3.3 million between Delhi and Europe during the last 12 months. Our convenient schedule, including an overnight eastbound flight, a comfortable onboard product and seamless connectivity via Warsaw, will certainly increase the flow of business and leisure travellers coming to and from India,” said Rafał Milczarski, CEO of LOT Polish Airlines.

LOT will be the first carrier from Central and Eastern Europe to connect India with so many European cities, connecting the home town airports of Star Alliance member carriers: LOT Polish Airlines and Air India. The new route launch features excellent

onward connectivity via Warsaw, starting from just 40 minutes transit time for example to London City Airport, Paris, Brussels, Kraków, Geneva, Amsterdam, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Hanover, Oslo, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Berlin, Billund, Prague and Budapest.

For passengers travelling on the Warsaw-New Delhi long-haul route, LOT Polish Airlines features Indian meals in all three cabins (LOT Business Class, LOT Premium Economy Class and LOT Economy Class), and complimentary beverages including alcoholic drinks as well as in-flight entertainment system.

“Opening direct flights always accelerates the potential in the tourism industry. Due to the new LOT flight to Delhi, many Poles will decide to visit India, even though they had no such plans before. I heartily encourage them to do so, since India is an amazing destination with its diversity, cultural heritage and outstanding cuisine. I am very happy that from now on LOT will be a carrier of choice for many Polish and other European tourists wanting to explore India,” said LOT’s CEO.

On the other hand, we hope to see more Indian guests visiting the magnificent cities like Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk or Wrocław, added Rafał Milczarski.

LOT Polish Airlines launches flights between New Delhi and Warsaw

Indian tourist arrivals in Turkey marks a 56% growth between January to July 2019

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 22AMERICAS

Visit Orlando appoints industry leader as new Chief Sales OfficerVisit Orlando President and CEO George Aguel announced that industry veteran Michael D Waterman has been appointed Chief Sales Officer for Visit Orlando. Waterman will oversee the travel industry and convention sales teams for the official tourism association of the most visited destination in the United States, reporting directly to Aguel.

With almost 30 years of experience in hospitality sales and marketing, Waterman’s background includes a 24-year tenure in multiple sales and marketing leadership roles at Marriott International and most recently, as the President and CEO of Visit Houston. His industry service includes the boards of the U.S. Travel Association and Destination International.

“Mike is a well-respected industry leader with a wealth of experience and will be a phenomenal addition to our team,” said Aguel. “He could not be joining at a better time, as our destination is undergoing an extraordinary level of growth from the exciting expansion of our world-class convention centre to the most significant addition of hotel rooms in 20 years and most recently the announcement of our newest major theme park.”

“I am thrilled to be joining arguably one of the most respected, dynamic destination organisations in the world,” said Waterman. “I started my career in Orlando and I know it will feel like coming home.”

Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos celebrate a historic moment by announcing the opening of Hard Rock Hotel London. The property is Hard Rock’s first hotel in the United Kingdom and continues the brand’s legacy in its original birthplace.

“Blending the DNA of the Hard Rock brand with London’s musical culture creates a memorable experience for all guests to enjoy,” said Ian Fletcher, General Manager of Hard Rock Hotel London. “We’re excited to showcase the property’s unique offerings and signature brand amenities to visitors and locals alike — they won’t be able to find anywhere else like it in the UK.”

As part of a partnership with London’s largest hotel owner-operator, glh, the hotel boasts 900 stylish rooms and suites, along with a Rock Royalty Lounge, GMT Bar, a Hard Rock Cafe, a cocktail bar and a Rock Shop. Located on the corner of Oxford Street at Marble Arch, it continues to expand Hard Rock’s blend of music, entertainment and iconic merchandise in the iconic capital city.

“The first Hard Rock Cafe was founded in London in 1971 and here we are building on where it all began 48 years ago,” said Dale Hipsh, Senior Vice President

of Hard Rock Hotels. “Every Hard Rock Hotel property is one-of-a-kind, but this one represents something special for the brand. This hotel is the culmination of three concepts – cafes, hotels and Rock Shops – coming together as one in an open-lobby, community-driven environment with Hard Rock’s memorabilia as the design thread binding them together. It’s truly incredible.”

Legendary memorabilia is sprinkled throughout the property, telling the story of London’s rich musical history. One special item is a letter written in 1958 by the late Buddy Holly, while he stayed at the hotel that is now Hard Rock Hotel London. The property also features another amazing piece of musical history – the Kirkwood piano Queen’s legendary singer, Freddie Mercury, practised on as a teenager.

In addition to the GMT bar, set to be the perfect community gathering spot, its lively Hard Rock Cafe features a brand-new design and menu where guests can enjoy fresh, high-quality items including exciting cocktail creations and classic American-inspired cooking. It includes 370 seats for guests to enjoy daily live music performances that celebrate both local London performers and international talent. Guests can also check out the Rock Shop for iconic Hard Rock merchandise, along with exclusive pieces from partner designers and collaborators and specialised merchandise that features local artists.

The hotel entices guests with an array of signature brand offerings and amenities, including The Sound of Your Stay music programme, where the mood can be set with a complimentary Crosley turntable. Alternatively, guests can rock out in their room with a Fender guitar, reserved at the front desk complete with headphones for no noise complaints. There is also the revolutionary Rock Om in-room yoga programme, allowing for guests to relax, refresh and find their zen. For those looking to amp-up their stay, Rock Royalty rooms and suites offer the ultimate A-List experience, including a personal concierge and access to a lavish private lounge.

Hard Rock announces its historic hotel opening in London

Signs MoU with TAFIDestination Canada signs MOU with Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) under the Destination Canada Product Training Program, with the aim of promoting the destination in major Indian markets. The MoU was signed by Carl Vaz, CEO & Strategy Director, Destination Canada and Pradip Lulla, Vice President, TAFI along with Rajat Bagaria, Joint Secretary, TAFI.

Knowledge sessions and destination familiarisation programmes have been planned in major markets comprising Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Delhi under the programme and will be conducted by SKAL International.

This association will enable TAFI to facilitate the process of networking and interacting with the Indian travel trade for Destination Canada, in turn promoting leisure, business and MICE tourism to Canada. Canada has witnessed a growth of 14% as far as Indian leisure and corporate travellers are concerned and aim to attract a bigger number of travellers in the coming days.

Through the signing of the MoU, Destination Canada aims at enhancing knowledge among association members, aligning them to its marketing strategies. The three-pronged objective of this association is to educate travel agents about Canada’s offerings, aligning them to its marketing strategies; to promote spring, fall and winter travel seasons and to identify key stakeholders who can bring travellers to Canada through Preferred Travel Agents Programme (PTA).

Air Canada joins hands with Destination Canada, reintroduces Delhi – Toronto direct flightAir Canada recently announced it will resume its daily, non-stop Toronto-Delhi flights on October 1 (eastbound) and October 3 (westbound). With the announcement of the non-stop daily flight, Destination Canada is collaborating with Air Canada for this joint promotion.

The Toronto-Delhi flights will be operated initially with Boeing 787 Dreamliners and beginning October 27, additional capacity will be added to this route with 400-seat Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, featuring Air Canada’s award-winning Signature Class, Premium Economy and Economy classes of service.

Destination Canada is extending its support to Air Canada by offering accommodation and ground arrangements in Canada for a lucky winner who book their passengers on Air Canada flights through Amadeus GDS.

This promotion is effective from August 12 to October 12, 2019.

Arun Pandeya, Country Head & General Manager – India Sub-continent, Air Canada said, “As we have always reiterated, for Air Canada India is a very important market going forward and as part of its future plans. Air Canada’s Delhi-Toronto flight (suspended due to the airspace closure) will start to fly you direct to Toronto nonstop starting October 3, 2019.”

He added, “You can be assured of the same international standards in service we have set and this is complemented by us being awarded yet again as the

2018 Skytrax Best Airline in North America yet again, in fact for the third consecutive year.”

Carl Vaz, CEO & Strategy Director, Destination Canada India GSA said, “As part of our Team Canada approach; Destination Canada is proud to partner with Air Canada to promote the re-introduction of the Delhi to Toronto daily service. We are confident that the vast number of retail travel agents and tour operators utilising the Amadeus GDS system will help us boost our passenger movement from India. This is an opportunity for senior, middle, frontline and owner driven agencies to win a wonderful trip to Toronto & Niagara. Wishing everyone happy selling Air Canada.”

Destination Canada ramps-up activities in India

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 23CARIBBEAN

Jamaica ranks amongst one of the most aspirational travel destinations’ for Indians. It is one of the top-visited destinations for families, honeymooners, leisure travellers and adventure seekers, from India.

Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has re-appointed TRAC Representations as their India Representative, to strengthen press relations and marketing strategy as a destination for diverse segments of travellers. The key objective is to enhance the positioning of Jamaica as a favoured travel destination for weddings, honeymoon, leisure and bleisure amongst the travellers from the India market.

Commenting on being re-appointed as the India Representative for JTB, Simeron Ghei, Associate Director, TRAC Representations expressed, “We are delighted with this re-appointment and privileged to be representing JTB in India. Jamaica is the ideal romantic island destination for those seeking an unforgettable experience for an anniversary or a honeymoon or simply just an unusual getaway. With so much to offer, destination Jamaica promises the best of everything to the Indian travellers. On the anvil are various engagements with Travel Trade as well as Consumer

Marketing activations. We continue to promote this surreal beauty of the Caribbean in the India market, exclusively with media to increase the visitor arrivals from India to Jamaica.”

Jamaica is a land of unique culture, engaging activities, breath-taking landscapes and warm welcoming people. The destination presents a magnificent palette of experiences, a kaleidoscope of colours and sounds that make the island the most precious jewel in the Caribbean. One of the world’s naturally gifted locations for adventure enthusiasts. With its glorious vistas and verdant undulating terrain, the island country is an ideal destination for an action-packed vacation. The country offers an exhilarating choice for all age groups and has enough ingredients to incite a perfect Caribbean vacation.

As part of the celebration of International Tourism Month and its efforts to promote activities that benefit the tourism industry and the local economy, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (CTPR) reported on several activities around the island that will be taking place during the month of September.

The Executive Director of the CTPR, Carla Campos, announced the plans and itinerary of events during the next weeks detailing the calendar of 30 activities in 20 municipalities located all the tourist regions of the island - Porta del Sol, Porta Caribe, Porta Atlántico, Porta Atlántico, Porta Cordillera, Eastern Region and Metro Zone. Several of these events are being sponsored by the CTPR and it is estimated that these activities will be attended by approximately 16,600 people including international residents and visitors.

In the first 10 days, 11 activities have already been held, including the San Juan International Film Festival in Fine Arts, Miramar; the first round of the Little Lads and Little Lassies baseball tournament in several municipalities of Porta Caribe and the 5k 10k and half marathon Lola Challenge races in Old San Juan.

During the rest of the month there were a wide range of options, initiatives and events to promote the diversity of

tourist offerings, domestic tourism and local economic activity. Among them were the 8th Chalk Festival in Cataño; the Fiesta de Plena and Quenepa in Ponce; the Tasting Culture Festival in Arecibo; the Celebration of the 500 years of San Juan; and the Chévere Que Son event at the Tropical Casino in Bayamón.

As part of the strategy to raise awareness about the importance of

tourism and the number of attractions available just miles from our homes in September, the Pin Your Movements I’m Touring Zumba Tour Puerto Rico visited Lares, Aguas Buenas, Guánica, Guaynabo, Aguadilla, Orocovis and Arecibo. This tour has the participation of the renowned dancer Toni Costa who will be visiting different villages in the coming months.

The International Coastal Cleansing Day was celebrated on September 22 in several beaches and spas of the Island. This initiative includes the participation of several entities of the tourism industry, community organizations, schools, youth groups and private citizens.

On September 27, a massive event will be held to commemorate International Tourism Day on the grounds of the capital of Puerto Rico. This year, the World Tourism Organization emphasises the importance of the tourism industry worldwide with the selection of the theme ‘Tourism and employment, a better future for all’. This activity will serve to close tourism month and will have educational forums among other activities that will be announced by the House of Representatives, its President Carlos ‘Johnny’ Méndez, as well as by the representative Néstor Alonso, President of the Tourism and Welfare Commission Social.

Similarly, the Head of the CTPR indicated that a Destination Management Forum will be sponsored for industry members in the public and private sectors. In it, topics such as short-term rentals, security, cleaning and maintenance of areas of tourist interest will be discussed, among others of importance for the development and promotion of Puerto Rico as a world-class destination.

Puerto Rico celebrates international month of tourism with multiple events in all its regions

Jamaica Tourist Board enhances commitment towards the Indian market

Summer business soars as #WhatCoolLooksLike summer campaign delivers positive growthThe Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s summer campaign #WhatCoolLooksLike is delivering on target, as just three months into the campaign, the Ministry of Tourism is reporting month on month growth for the summer.

Minister of Tourism, Charles Fernandez has expressed satisfaction with the increases. He said, “With the launch of the campaign in May, the tremendous support from our partners, hotel openings, and new destination events on our tourism calendar like the Optimist World Championships, we are seeing double-digit increases, at a time when this is not the norm.”

The latest tourism statistics released from the Ministry of Tourism show a 10% increase in total stayover air arrivals for the month of May 2019. June and July provisional figures are also reflecting double-digit increases when compared to figures during the same months in 2018.

According to the provisional figures, for the year up to July, Antigua and Barbuda received a 10% increase in overall stayover air arrivals with 187,701 visitors.

“This healthy 10% uptake in the summer is significant. It means that on top of the phenomenal growth we received from January to July 2018 of 171,147 visitors in comparison to the 159,764 in 2017, that the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s marketing strategy, as well as other key factors, have really allowed us to steadily build arrivals, year on year,” said the Tourism Minister.

The #WhatCoolLooksLike Cam-paign was designed to run during the destination’s traditional shoulder sea-son from May – October. With record-breaking results achieved during the summer, Antigua and Barbuda Tour-ism officials are proving that Antigua and Barbuda is more than a winter destination.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s CEO Colin C James said, “We are changing the narrative. Antigua and Barbuda is open year-round. Our partners are communicating to us, that the campaign has made a huge difference and we are seeing it not only in increased arrivals but in the increased ABST revenue coming into the country during the summer months.”

Antigua and Barbuda adverts appeared in places like cinemas, airport lounges, on in-flight screens, outdoors, in malls, on undergroundS and at consumer shows.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s #WhatCoolLooksLike campaign was recently awarded a Silver Winner, in the 2019 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards. Being selected a Magellan Award Winner is a tremendous achievement and proves winners represent a high standard of excellence within the travel industry.

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 24OCEANIA

New South Wales tourism industry breaks records

TIME celebrates three New Zealand sustainability initiatives

Qantas has announced three ultra-long-haul research flights to gather new data about in-flight passenger and crew health and wellbeing.

The flights form part of planning for Project Sunrise – Qantas’ goal to operate regular, non-stop commercial flights from the east coast of Australia (Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne) to London and New York.

The three flights over three months will use new Boeing 787-9s and re-route their planned delivery flights. Instead of flying empty from Seattle to Australia, the aircraft will simulate two Project Sunrise routes – London and New York to Sydney.

This will represent the world’s first flight by a commercial airline direct from New York to Sydney and only the second time a commercial airline has flown directly from London to Sydney.

Each flight will have a maximum of 40 people, including crew, in order to minimise weight and give the necessary fuel range. Carbon emissions from the flights will be fully offset.

The on-board research is being designed in partnership with Sydney University’s Charles Perkins Centre and Monash University in conjunction with CRC for Alertness, Safety and Productivity.

People in the cabin – mostly Qantas employees – will be fitted with wearable technology devices and take part in specific experiences at varying stages of the approximately 19-hour flights.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the flights will give medical experts the chance to do real-time research that will translate into health and wellbeing benefits.

“Ultra-long haul flying presents a lot of common sense questions about the comfort and wellbeing of passengers and crew. These flights are going to provide invaluable data to help answer them. For customers, the key will be minimising jet lag and creating an environment where they are looking forward to a restful, enjoyable flight. For the crew, it’s about using scientific research to determine the best opportunities to promote alertness when they are on duty and maximise rest during their downtime on these flights. Flying non-stop from the East Coast of Australia to London and New York is truly the final frontier in aviation, so we’re determined to do all the groundwork to get this right. No airline has done this kind of dedicated research before and we’ll be using the results to help shape the cabin design, in-flight service and crew roster patterns for Project Sunrise. We’ll also be looking at how we can use it to improve our existing long-haul flights,” added Joyce.

Airbus and Boeing have both pitched aircraft (A350 and 777X) to Qantas that is capable of operating Project Sunrise flights with a viable commercial payload. A final decision on Project Sunrise – which depends on aircraft economics, regulatory approvals and industrial agreements – is expected by the end of December 2019.

New Zealand has taken three spots in TIME Magazine’s second annual World’s Greatest Places list.

Queenstown’s Camp Glenorchy, Wellington’s Zealandia Ecosanctuary and Hiakai restaurant are listed amongst the world’s best, each in a different category but all with a focus on sustainability and providing a welcoming, warm experience for all their guests.

New Zealand’s entrants are special in their own unique way. Camp Glenorchy provides net-zero sustainable accommodation, Zealandia’s grassroots conservation work that inspired a city sets them apart and Hiakai provides diners with an unparalleled contemporary indigenous food experience.

New figures from Tourism Research Australia show domestic visitors to NSW contribute $29.4 billion and international visitors $13.1 billion to the economy with tourism the sixth largest employment industry in the state.

The data is contained in the State Tourism Satellite Account 2017-18 which reports on tourism consumption, tourism Gross State Product (GSP),

tourism Gross Value Added (GVA) and tourism employment to measure the impact of the industry.

Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said tourism was clearly one of the State’s champion industries.

“The results show that NSW’s contribution to tourism in Australia is invaluable and locally the industry has a huge impact on our economy,” Minister Ayres said.

“Tourism directly employs 182,900 people – equal to one in 22 jobs - in New South Wales, up almost 7,800 people on 2016-17. Visitors to NSW consumed $42.5 billion worth of goods and services, up 7% on the previous year and accounts for 30% of Australia’s total tourism consumption.”

Tourism consumption refers to spending on transport, accommodation, shopping, food and drinks, tourism operators, recreation and education services.

“These numbers are a clear demonstration that the NSW Government strategy to grow and support the visitor economy in NSW is bang on target,” Ayres added.

Tourism Australia hosted its 17th edition of the Australia Marketplace India (AMI) to further develop and strengthen tourism ties between the two countries prior to the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2020. The four-day event held in Kochi from August 8 to August 11 was aimed at acquainting the Indian travel trade with the newest tourism products and destinations from Australia. It saw great footfall from key travel buyers and was visited by a record number of 95 Indian travel companies. This time, 20 brand new Australian travel suppliers also took part in AMI. Bob East, Chairman, Tourism Australia and Brent Anderson, Regional General Manager, South & South East Asia, Tourism Australia were in attendance.

Speaking at the event, East said, “India is currently Australia’s fastest-growing inbound market and events like Australia Marketplace India provide a fantastic opportunity to reaffirm Australia’s appeal amongst the trade and for our industry to capitalise on India’s potential, ensuring sustained growth in visitation and spend from India. Our Indian travel partners have been tremendously supportive of Australia and they are some of our best advocates, who have played a big role in making Australia a preferred holiday destination amongst Indian High-Value Travellers. As the host nation of the upcoming ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, played as two standalone tournaments for women and men, the coming year will be an exciting time for us, and we look forward to welcoming more Indian travellers to experience the Australian way of life.”

Tourism Australia also organised a media roundtable with Bob East, Chairman, Tourism Australia to discuss travel opportunities during the upcoming ICC T20 Men’s and Women’s World Cup 2020. Throwing light on the event, East disclosed

that the World Cups would be a great opportunity to attract an additional 30,000 to 40,000 Indian visitors to Australia. With 13 venues spread across Australia, he explained that travel enthusiasts can go beyond the iconic tourist spots and explore uniquely Australian travel experiences during their stay in the continent.

Apart from AMI, Tourism Australia will actively partake in marketing activities as well as partnerships to engage more with the Indian market, hoping to register double-digit growth in the number of Indian tourists visiting Australia for the sixth consecutive year. To that end, Tourism Australia has added another level to its trade engagement programme, Aussie Specialists under the name Aussie Specialist Ambassador Program. Australia is also gearing up to ensure visa processing is as fast and convenient as possible. Visa applications can be lodged online at the convenience of the traveller. The average time taken for an online visitor visa to be granted is only 15 days and business visa applications are processed within 8 days. Online visa lodging offers other benefits such as electronic payment and the ability to check the status of the application online.

Tourism Australia hosts its 17th Australia Marketplace India, discusses opportunities in ICC T20 World Cup

Qantas to operate ‘Project Sunrise’ research flights – direct New York and London to Australia

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TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 26TECHNOLOGY

3rd Annual Travel Tech Middle East Congress to commence in Dubai in October

Sabre unveils SynXis Intelligent Retailing at the Sabre Technology Exchange

Airbus has commenced in-flight trials of IoT connected cabin technologies on board an A350-900 Flight Lab aircraft – to be shortly revealed to customers. In doing so, Airbus becomes the first aircraft manufacturer to undertake such flight-testing of actual connected cabin innovations. The platform, known as the Airspace Connected Experience, was unveiled at APEX Expo last year. It will usher in a new personalised experience for passengers and provide opportunities for improving airlines’ ancillary revenues and operational efficiencies.

The Flight Lab is one of the original A350-900 certification flight-test aircraft – MSN002, Itis fitted with an Airspace cabin which now serves as the ideal platform to evaluate the new connected cabin technologies in flight. To this end and in conjunction with Airbus’ best-in-class cabin partners, an initial set of working elements have been installed. These include prototypes of the connected iSeat (Recaro), the

Connected Galley (gategroup), a remote wireless cabin management control system, a large OLED display and importantly, the first step of Airbus’ new ‘IoT backbone’ which includes an open software platform. These innovations are all now being tested in flight, together with others to be revealed in due course to customers.

The connected cabin ecosystem will enable significant value-added services for passengers, airlines and crews. Passengers will receive a more personalised travel experience specifically targeted to their individual needs and preferences, based on the available data. In particular, this covers pre- and remote ordering of preferred meals, booking of private bin space, the setting of individual seat positions as well as a tailor-made in-flight IFE offer. Airlines will be able to generate additional ancillary revenues through personalised retail and advertisement as well as new services, all enabled by the IoT approach. Airlines will be able to improve their operational efficiency applying predictive maintenance, avoiding waste and making crew services more efficient. Other opportunities can easily be created and applied via apps. Crews will find a better working environment and more efficient tools, digitally-enabled by real-time data from the IoT platform throughout the cabin. A mobile smart device will allow crews to monitor and operate all components of the airbus.

Sabre unveiled a brand-new solution that promises to catapult the hospitality industry into an age of advanced retailing at the Sabre Technology Exchange in Las Vegas.

The SynXis Intelligent Retailing tool, slated for an early-2020 launch, will enable hotels to sell not just room ancillaries, but also present a guest with highly targeted travel products in real-time during the booking process.

These recommended products are determined through Machine Learning (ML), based on a customer’s own preferences and the purchasing patterns of similar users. The menu is all-encompassing, ranging from couples’ massages and celebratory champagne to family ticket bundles and day tours and activities.

The result is a shopping and booking process that is personalised, dynamic and instantaneous. This development opens up possibilities for more players along the travel booking chain.

Sundar Narasimhan, Senior Vice President, Sabre Labs and Product Strategy Vision, declared that Sabre is casting a heavy focus on intelligent advanced retailing and that SynXis Intelligent Retailing is one of the first concrete steps towards the goal of making it an industry-wide mainstay by 2025.

Verve Management is organising the 3rd Annual Travel Tech Middle East Congress at The Oberoi Dubai, UAE. The conference will take place from October 8 to 9.

Amanpreet Singh of Rehlat will be speaking on ‘Tourism 4.0: What digital marketing transformation is doing to customer segmentation approach’. Sameer Bagul of Cleartrip.com will address a panel on ‘Global digital trends influencing flight bookings’ while Brett Henry of MG Group will share his expertise on ‘How are augmented and virtual reality revolutionising the travel industry’.

Another panel which has recently been added to the programme is the ‘Future of Alternative Accommodation’. Tathagat Tripathi (OYO UAE) and Fouad Talaat (Booking.com) will be joining the panel.

TTME speakers will also include Abdulrahman Mutrib (Seera Group), Geet Bhalla (HolidayME), Paulina

Klotzbucher (Travelstart), Zaeem Gama (Kanoo Travels), Juan Ivan Martin (IATA), Laurent Voivenel (Swiss-Belhotel International) Dawn Kubicek (Leaders in Digital), Jeyhun Efendi (FlyDubai) and Albert Fernando (Travelwings.com).

The annual meet celebrates, identifies and rewards excellence in the Middle East’s growing travel and tourism industry through the Travel Tech Middle East Awards (TTME Awards) 2019. Some of the award categories are Tech Savvy Luxury Hotel, Tech Savvy Spa & Resort, Tech Savvy Budget Hotel, Tech Savvy Car Rental Site, Tech Savvy Travel Booking Website, Tech Savvy Travel Agency, Disruptive Travel TechProvider, Innovative Airline, Most Promising Travel Tech Start Up and Tech Savvy B2B Player.

Verve Management is UAE’s business facilitating platform that connects people, partners and ideas.

Pune’s Lohegaon Airport is all set to implement the facial recognition biometric technology by 2020, in a bid to make travel hassle-free for passengers. Passenger entry will be automatically processed based on facial recognition systems at checkpoints like entry, security and aircraft boarding, thus facilitating paperless travel.

Facial recognition technology will be installed at the airport by NEC Tech India Pvt Ltd. The system will ensure a seamless check-in and smooth security check process and reduce the waiting time significantly.

The project will be developed at a cost of INR 14 crore.Ajay Kumar, Airport Director, Lohegaon airport,

said, “The initiative will benefit the passengers and all stakeholders involved in the process. Airport operators will have the required travel information of passengers in advance which will help in better planning within

the terminal.”This project has been undertaken under the Ministry

of Civil Aviation initiative called ‘Digi Yatra’ which is an industry-led initiative coordinated by the ministry in line with digital India’s vision to transform the nation into a digitally empowered society.

“This will help avoid identify checks at multiple points,” said Kumar.

According to the terms and conditions of the contract between Airport Authority of India and NEC Tech India Pvt Ltd, the firm will be responsible for operation and maintenance for seven years after the implementation of the project.

Besides Pune, facial recognition systems will also be developed at Kolkata, Varanasi and Vijaywada airports respectively.

Pune Airport to implement facial recognition biometrics by 2020

Airbus pioneers IoT in aircraft cabins, starts trials

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 27RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI) to take its commitments to responsible and sustainable tourism to the next level. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Secretary, Tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh; Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation and Anjuna Dhir, Director – Programmes, Eco-Tourism Society of India (ESOI) signed the MOU.

Last year on September 25 and 26, a two-day conference on Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) was jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, The Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI) and Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board. In the conference, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board made a commitment to practice sustainable tourism and adopt the Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI). Through this MoU, it is decided that sustainable tourism and Responsible Tourism will take the forefront and achieve the commitments of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism’s action plan in this area.

Speaking on the occasion, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Secretary, Tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation said, “This MOU will certainly help us in developing Madhya Pradesh into a world-recognised Sustainable Tourism destination and in exchange assist MP Tourism to become STCI Compliant and to be known as one of the pioneer states to adopt sustainable tourism practices in its Hotels.”

The Eco-tourism Society of India (ESOI) was established in 2008 at the behest of the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) as a non-profit organisation to

promote environmentally responsible and sustainable practices in the tourism industry across the country. This national body was formed by a group of eminent professionals from the tourism industry, government, parliament and environmentalists and conservationists.

Madhya Pradesh offers an assortment of attractions to everyone who loves to travel. It is the state with the forest area cover of 77,700 sq km (approx. ¼ of

the total area) filled with Sal trees and bamboos. It has numerous wildlife hotspots with 11 national parks and 24 wildlife sanctuaries such as Satpura Wildlife Sanctuary and Chambal Ghadiyal Sanctuary. The UNESCO world heritage sites of Khajuraho, Bhimbetka and Sanchi are the iconic sites in Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh has re-gained the tag of being ‘Tiger State of the Country’ by having maximum tiger count (526) in the state.

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board signs MoU with Ecotourism Society of India, focusses on sustainable tourism

Kerala Tourism grabs three PATA awardsKerala Tourism has won three prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold awards, including one for an ethnic food restaurant run by women at Kumarakom under its Responsible Tourism Mission.

The awards, presented at a glittering function at Nur-Sultan (Astana) in Kazakhstan, were received by State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran and Tourism Director P Bala Kiran from Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director, Macau Government Tourism Office and Dr Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA, during the PATA Travel Mart 2019.

The two other gold awards were for an advertisement campaign of Kerala Tourism ‘Come Out and Play’ and for its website (www.keralatourism.org) respectively.

While the ad campaign was run by Stark Communication, the Kerala Tourism website has been designed and maintained by Invis Multimedia.

“It is a big honour for Kerala Tourism and also a strong validation of the state’s image as an alluring tourist destination.

“I am sure these awards will give a huge traction in showcasing the touristy charms of the state to a wider international audience,” Surendran said. He added, “I am particularly happy to receive the gold award for the women-run ethnic food restaurant at Kumarakom under the Responsible Tourism Mission (RTM), which has become the mainstay of our tourism policy and initiatives. Out of the 15,500 RTM initiatives, 13,500 units are led by women,” the minister added.

Bala Kiran said over the years PATA awards have emerged as a prestigious recognition of achievements in the travel and tourism sector.

“Kerala Tourism has won the highest number of PATA awards in South Asia this year. India Tourism has won one award. The three gold awards are yet another acknowledgement of our commendable success.”

“It will give a fillip to the destination pull of Kerala and elevate the state into a coveted destination for the inbound tourism market,” he noted.

The ‘Come Out and Play’ campaign is an invitation

to India to come out of the routine ‘everydayness’ of urban spaces - and the isolation that gadgets induce to connect with each other and nature.

It offers tourists a wide array of options to rediscover nature by activities such as trekking, Ayurvedic massage, river rafting, yoga lessons, visiting a spice plantation, learning the basics of Kerala cuisine, climbing a coconut tree, and sailing on a houseboat.

The website (keralatourism.org) has been conceived, designed and developed to provide Kerala Tourism an online edge, befitting a premier travel destination in India.

The website had 10 million visits during FY 2018-19 and is one among the top 10 tourism websites in Asia.

It also hosts almost one lakh web pages and a major section of the site are available in 23 languages and now competes with the tourism websites of countries like Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea and Australia for higher ranking.

This year’s awards attracted 197 entries from 78 organisations and individuals worldwide, a press release said.

Last year, Kerala Tourism had bagged two PATA gold awards for its Yalla Kerala print media campaign in the Gulf countries and for an innovative poster it had made for the third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), the biggest contemporary art show in South Asia.

Angsana Laguna Phuket wins Best Sustainable Hotel in MICE awardsAngsana Laguna Phuket bagged the Best Sustainable Hotel Award at the recently concluded M&C Stella Awards held in Singapore.

Michal Zitek, Area General Manager at Angsana Laguna Phuket received the award and said, “It’s a proud moment for Angsana Laguna Phuket to be recognised as the Best Sustainable Hotel – the true reflection of our commitment and dedication towards the environment. Being awarded is a great opportunity for us to showcase our sustainable resources and behaviour that truly exemplifies our team’s spirit,” he added.

He went on and said, “I would like to extend my appreciation and gratitude towards all associates and partners who have continued working hard to make Angsana Laguna Phuket as the best sustainable hotel.”

A release from the resort announcing the news explained, “As stewards of responsible tourism, we have conceptualised our values in our Brand for Good framework to go beyond the precautionary approach and inspire exceptional experiences among our guests to embrace the environment and empower people at each of our locations.”

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 28CRUISE TOURISM

Bolstering its position as a premier international cruise destination, Dubai concluded its 2018-19 cruise season with a record increase of over 51% in cruise tourist footfall and a 38% increase in cruise ship calls season-on-season.

Dubai welcomed through Mina Rashid Cruise Terminal, the award-winning cruise tourist destination in the Middle East, 846,176 cruise visitors via 152 ship calls during the season, compared to 558,781 visitors’ onboard 110 ships in 2017-18. An additional 211 ship calls are now confirmed for the upcoming 2019-20 season.

This growth reflects the committed joint efforts to boost the cruise sector by the Dubai Cruise Committee made up of leading industry partners; Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), DP World UAE Region, operator of the Mina Rashid, Emirates Airline, The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai and Dubai Customs.

The 2018-19 season witnessed 14 maiden calls and welcomed leading international cruise liners such as TUI Cruises, AIDA Cruises, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises, P&O Cruises and Royal Caribbean cruise line to homeport in Dubai, all expected to return in the upcoming season. The season concluded with the departure of the ‘Karnika’, India’s first premium cruise ship from Jalesh Cruises which has recently homeported in Dubai.

Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al Mannai, CEO-P&O Marinas & Executive Director, Mina Rashid said, “We are pleased to move in the right direction in promoting Dubai as a popular destination for international cruise tourists. As the Middle East’s premier destination for cruise operators, Mina Rashid offers a value proposition

to global luxury cruise liners. It is reassuring to see the steady double-digit increase in tourist traffic at Mina Rashid each year. Central to this stellar performance is our flagship Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal, capable of handling 14,000 passengers a day. The increasing popularity of Dubai as a homeporting choice among international cruise liners will further boost luxury cruise tourism, with opportunities to connect Dubai to newer places. We will continue to work closely with our valued partner, Dubai Tourism, to support the efforts of the Dubai Cruise Committee and strengthen Dubai’s position as the ‘cruise hub of the region’.”

Commenting on the success of the 2018-19 cruise season, Hamad Bin Mejren, Senior Vice President, Dubai Tourism said, “The success of the 2018-19 cruise season stands as a true testament to the robust growth of Dubai’s cruise industry and the city’s growing appeal as a year-round ‘must-visit’ destination. We are delighted to welcome leading cruise lines once again to operate regular international itineraries out of the city. We will continue to actively work with our valued network of local, regional and global partners to further highlight Dubai’s ease of accessibility, driven by efficient cruise terminal operations and continual enhancements that have welcomed an ever-increasing number of operators to anchor in the emirate.”

Developing Dubai’s cruise industry to its maximum potential falls in line with the Dubai Silk Road strategy prepared by the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) in collaboration with key government entities. It comprises nine initiatives and 33 projects, which include the enhancement of the strategic and operational connection of logistics services between DP World terminals across the world.

Since its inauguration in 2014, Mina Rashid’s Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal has received over 2.3 million visitors, marking a 172% increase towards the end of 2018. In April, Mina Rashid won the Middle East’s Leading Cruise Terminal Award for the 12th consecutive time at the World Travel Awards 2019, along with WTA’s prestigious World’s Leading Cruise Port Award for 11 years in a row since 2008.

With handling seven mega-cruise vessels at once, Mina Rashid is also currently undergoing an expansion to improve its capabilities, through a world-class recreational area that will symbolise Dubai’s rich cultural heritage. Due to high demand, it is also working towards providing improved berthing services for private yacht owners looking to make Dubai a home for their vessels and position the terminal as one of the world’s premier cruise tourism hubs.

The Dubai cruise season 2019-20 is set to commence on October 19 with Mein Schiff, homeporting cruise liner carrying over 6,000 passengers.

Dubai firms up position as the region’s top cruise destination with 51% rise in tourist footfall

Norwegian Encore emerges from shipyard for the first timeNorwegian Cruise Line announced that its latest ship, Norwegian Encore, successfully completed a major construction milestone, when it emerged for the first time from the Meyer Werft shipbuilding dock in Papenburg, Germany.

Norwegian Encore will remain in the shipyard port for the final phase of construction, before her conveyance up the Ems River and towards the North Sea at the end of September. At nearly 1,100 feet long, with a gross tonnage of almost 170,000 and a guest capacity of 3,998, the ship will be delivered to the cruise line on October 30. She will be christened in Miami on November 21 and will commence seven-day voyages to the Caribbean on November 24.

“To see the ship emerge from the shipyard is always one of the most exciting construction milestones,” said Andy Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Our partners at Meyer Werft have been committed to our vision for not only Norwegian Encore, but for this industry-leading class

of ships, supporting our dedication to delivering our guests the best cruise vacation at sea.”

Taking the brand’s exclusive, stand-out attractions to the next level, Norwegian Encore will feature the world’s longest race track at sea at 1,100 feet with four high-speed curves extending up to 13 feet over the side of the ship; the largest outdoor laser tag arena at nearly 10,000 sq ft with the addition of augmented reality elements and new immersive escape room and interactive theatre experiences in the 10,000 sq ft Galaxy Pavilion.

In addition to featuring many of the highly-rated restaurants and lounges that have made the Breakaway Plus class one of the most innovative and successful in the company’s history, Norwegian Encore will debut a new elevated Italian dining experience, Onda by Scarpetta, in collaboration with LDV Hospitality. The Tony Award-winning musical ‘Kinky Boots’ will headline the world-class entertainment onboard, with returning guest favourites ‘The Choir of Man’, ‘Happy Hour Prohibition: The Musical’ and the rocking Beatles cover band of The Cavern Club.

Launching this fall, Norwegian Encore will offer seven-day voyages to the Eastern Caribbean from Miami beginning November 24; Bermuda, Canada and New England itineraries from New York City beginning April 22, 2020; voyages to the Western Caribbean from Miami beginning December 12, 2020, and in the spring of 2021 will make her West Coast debut and sail to Alaska from Seattle.

Oceania Cruises unveils new Go Local toursOceania Cruises unveiled its groundbreaking new Go Local series of immersive destination tours.

As a part of the brand’s stream of OceaniaNEXT enhancements, these new, exclusive small-batch tours go beyond the tourist sites and embed our guests in the fabric of local communities. Guests will experience destinations on an entirely new level where they are welcomed into local homes and businesses and immersed in their way of life.

“On our new Go Local tours, you don’t see the highlights or even visit a landmark. On these tours you are being introduced to local artisans, shopping local markets and quite literally becoming part of a local family. You’re learning about and experiencing generations-old traditions and the ways of their day-to-day lives,” stated Bob Binder, President and Chief Executive Officer for Oceania Cruises.

More than 120 tours are offered throughout Europe, Alaska and South America with myriad choices of tours that run the gamut from A Day at the Farmin Kusadasi, Turkey to the Hidden Treasures of Milongas in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Playing Gaelic Games in Cork, Ireland.

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 • 29EVENTS

The 35th IATO Annual Convention was held in Kolkata from September 12 to 15. West Bengal was the host state and the State Government gave full support to the convention.

The venue of the convention was the newly opened ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata. The inaugural function of the convention was held at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre Kolkata on September 12 and all business sessions and other functions were held at ITC Royal Bengal Kolkata.

The last convention in Kolkata was held in 2002 and it was an opportunity for most of the IATO members to visit the City of Joy after 17 years and see the various developments and new tourism products that have come up in West Bengal.

Commenting on hosting the convention in the city of joy, Debjit Dutta, Co-Chairman of the Convention and Chapter Chairman at Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) said, “Super proud to host the biggest ever tourism industry event in Bengal and North East India. The 35th IATO Convention was back in the city of joy after 17 long years with Bengal being the host state and ‘Durga Puja’ as the event theme to showcase this mega carnival as a global heritage festival.”

“This annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators is one of the most important events in the Indian tourism industry calendar and attracted over 1000 delegates. There was a strong participation of decision-makers from the private sector, central and state governments and also brought in dignitaries from across the country and overseas,” he continued.

‘Is Tourism Thriving? Challenges and Opportunities’ is the theme of this year’s convention. The deliberation on this is the need of the hour along with the increase in the footfall of foreign tourist with the existing challenges and opportunities. GST and ease of eVisa have been the two key points of concern. Issues with respect to surface transport, railways, export industry status for tourism, supplement the two key aforementioned points.

The convention this year took a closer look at all the opportunities in the environment and identified the challenges that need to be overcome. IATO members shared their vibrant thoughts and sharp visions through the well-appointed sessions.

Bengal has been recently reinvented as the sweetest part of India offering life-changing experiences from the mountains of Himalayas to the mangroves of Sundarbans. The takeaways from this convention will help the state tourism to form and implement new strategic policies for the year 2020 and beyond to enhance tourist traffic to the state which will also benefit the local employment to grow.

“The 35th IATO convention has certainly created focussed attention to position Bengal as a priority destination for the global market with special emphasis on niche tourism products and unexplored destination across the state and the region. Additionally, our handcrafted knowledge sessions on innovative and experiential travel ideas with shared border opportunities along with other issues of national

importance have enriched the participants to promote Bengal and Eastern South Asian Circuit in the days to come,” Dutta added.

Since its inception, IATO has been working closely with industry stakeholders and expanding the learning horizons of the members. It had been developing appropriate strategies to implement programmes of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, related to global marketing promotions and product development, actively coordinated with various other government ministries and trade bodies. The association has been holding its annual convention since 1983 in various cities in India to showcase new and emerging destinations to its members. IATO convention collectively seeks solutions that can help boost members’ interest.

35th IATO Annual Convention concludes successfully in the City of Joy

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 30 • EVENTS

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INDIA 12BUSINESS & MICE 22

ASIA 26

AFRICA 30

EUROPE 28

MIDDLE EAST 27

AMERICAS 32

FILM TOURISM 34

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM 36 EVENTS 38

CARIBBEAN 33

OTM 2018 receives overwhelming response;

98% of participants likely to return next year

Contd on page 2

OTM Mumbai, the largest travel show in the Asia

Pacific region concluded on an optimistic note. The

event recorded 1,000+ sellers from 50+ countries and

25+ Indian states who networked with more than 15,000

trade visitors from January 18-20, 2018.

In an exit survey, 98% of the participants confirmed

they are likely to return to OTM 2019. More than 90%

opined that participation in OTM was a must.

More than 800 quality buyers from renowned

companies scheduled meetings at this edition. OTM

2018 featured over 400 hosted buyers from across the

globe who met the pool of domestic and international

exhibitors showcasing their travel products and services

at OTM this year.

Several hosted buyers confirmed that they have been

ensuring their presence at OTM for many years now. A

number of them exclaimed that they had graduated from

visitors to hosted buyers.

The show was inaugurated by KJ Alphons, Minister

of State for Tourism (I/C), Government of India. In his

inaugural address he expressed his delight seeing the

turnout of the global participants. He also expressed

satisfaction about the mix of international and national

participants at the show floor - approximately 400 and

600 respectively.Host State Maharashtra had a powerful presence

presided over by the Guest of Honour Jaykumar Rawal,

Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra. He

remarked that Mumbai was proud to host the leading

travel show in the Asia Pacific region. He also marvelled

at the long history of OTM as an o�shoot of the oldest

travel trade show in the country.

OTM 2018 had a balanced mix of participants from

outbound and inbound, outlined Neela Lad, Regional

Director (West), India Tourism Mumbai O�ce. Driving

an enhanced response from the travel show, she

added that OTM has assisted in creating awareness

on destinations in the North East. Through OTM, the

North Eastern travel destinations in India have initiated a

dialogue with the Indian film producers, she highlighted.

The dignitaries present at the inaugural session

included KJ Alphons, Minister of State for Tourism

(I/C), Government of India, Jaykumar Rawal, Tourism

Minister, Government of Maharashtra, Nabin Pokharel, O�ciating Director Tourism Marketing and Promotion,

Nepal Tourism Board, Michael Michailidis, Head of

Market Research Department, Greek National Tourism

Organisation, Majed Ishaq, Marketing Department,

Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, State of Palestine,

Betty Ichan, Regional Marketing Manager, Kenya

Tourism Board, Maipelo Mogotsi, Counsellor III,

Botswana High Commission, Tian Xin, Director, China

National Tourist O�cer New Delhi amongst other

o�cials. Turkey was the Premium Partner Country at OTM

this year. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism

has been participating at OTM for the last eight years

with a large number of tour operators. Nuray Topuz,

Cultural and Tourism Expert - City Planner, Ministry of

Culture and Tourism, Republic of Turkey asserted that

they were very happy to be a part of OTM 2018 as it is the

largest travel show of the Asia Pacific region.

KJ Alphons, Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Government of India & Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra

inaugurating OTM 2018 along with other dignitaries

Inauguration of the Incredible India pavilion at OTM 2018

OCEANIA 29

TECHNOLOGY 24

GLOBAL 35

We debuted the last year and

returned to OTM this year again! Greece

is very happy with the selection of buyers

at OTM this year. OTM has given us a great

oppo�unity to establish business with

the Indian stakeholders. Thank you to the

organising team for a great event and we

are definitely looking forward to the next

edition of OTM.

Michael Michailidis

Head of Market Research Depa�ment

Greek National Tourism Organisation

OTM is India’s largest and most

international gathering of travel trade

buyers and professionals. Most impo�antly

it is conducted in Mumbai each year

which is the headqua�ers of almost

all major outbound tour operators in

India. Pa�icipating in OTM works best

for Thailand as agents get to meet face-

to-face and build long-term business

relations with their pa�ners in India. Soraya HomchuenDirector

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai

At this time when there is an economic slowdown in the country, Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) has taken the initiative of holding the Tourism Conclave to boost the tourism sector which can help our economy. With the theme of ‘tourism to be the driving force of the state economy’, the conclave discussed the tourism scenario of Odisha and how to enhance the same.

The show was inaugurated in the presence of Governor Prof. Ganeshi Lal; Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan; Tourism Minister Odisha Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi; Commissioner-cum-Secretary Tourism, Sports & Youth Services Vishal Dev; Addl DG, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India Rupinder Brar; Director and Addl Secretary Tourism, Government of Odisha Sri N C Mishra and J K Mohanty, Chairman, HRAO.

J K Mohanty, Chairman, HRAO informed that during the last three tourism conclaves various recommendations have been submitted and the State Tourism Department and the Government have taken up recommendations positively and many of them have been implemented as well such as revamping digital marketing strategies; optimisation of Odisha Tourism website; promotion of Eco-Tourism; conducting domestic roadshows in different states; cleanliness campaign at Puri; change of Odisha Tourism logo; Single Window Clearance for operation of tourism projects; special promotion campaigns at destination connected by airlines to create awareness about tourist attractions in Odisha; development of tourists circuits other than Puri & Konark to give a boost to Odisha as a 21-night destination (including Western Odisha); allotment of land for hotel projects to attract investments to the State, etc.

“I would also like to inform that although the Ministry of Tourism and the State Government are trying to improve tourism still the country loses very high foreign exchange on Indians travelling abroad as tourists,” said Mohanty during his keynote address.

All countries are trying to take Indian tourists and

many countries have opened their offices in India to woo Indian tourists. Last year Thailand had 22% growth, Maldives had a huge growth of 96.4% (from January to May 2019), Dubai had 13% growth, Japan witnessed 14.6% growth and Australia had 12% growth in its tourism inflow from India and it is projected that Asia Pacific’s middle-class tourists which was 700 million is expected to grow to 2.1 billion by 2030. India has been in the top 10 source markets of major tourist destinations of South East Asia. Today’s young millennial traveller is looking for adventure and experiential tourism and Thailand as a destination has been providing the same to capture the Indian Tourism market.

Regarding this, Mohanty said, “I suggest the Government should restart giving capital investment and interest subsidy for at least 3 years to boost up our tourism infrastructure and the hotel industry and the government will be able to contain out-going of foreign exchange and Indians going abroad.”

The main objective of organising this conclave was to create awareness of the vast tourism potential of Odisha.

Mohanty said, “As far as Odisha is concerned, we request the Union Minister for connectivity with Jeypore in Koraput District under the UDAN Scheme, to include Konark Temple and the Buddhist circuit under the Iconic destination list, construction of the 480 km coastal highway ring road and ring road around the Chilika Lake is necessary, development of tourism in the nine circuits proposed by the travel trade of Odisha.”

Chilika, the largest lagoon of the Northern Hemisphere (1100 sq km), is a gold mine for tourism and needs the attention of the Central Government for providing water sports and other infrastructural facilities for the growth of eco-tourism in the area.

Various suggestions were discussed during the diverse panel discussions and the travel trade of Odisha compiled the expert suggestions in the form of recommendation and will submit to both Central and State Government for their consideration and fruitful execution.

Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha conducts 4th Odisha Tourism Conclave

TRAVEL NEWS DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2019 31 EVENTS •

Government of Karnataka, Department of Tourism and ‘Karnataka Tourism Society’ played host to the inaugural edition of Karnataka International Travel Expo (KITE) which was held from August 25 – 27. The event saw over 400 registered buyers and media from 29 countries seeking opportunities in the Karnataka Tourism eco-system and discovered the state of Karnataka.

The event was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa on August 26.

Inaugurating the event, BS Yediyurappa said, “Tourism contributes 14.8% towards the state’s GDP and supports over 16 million jobs. Karnataka has immense potential to become a world-class destination and we in Karnataka are supporting the efforts of the tourism department to globally market the state.”

The three-day event facilitated over 10,000 pre-matched appointments to bring together International and Indian Buyers and sellers showcasing the best of Karnataka.

TK Anil Kumar, Secretary – Tourism, Government of Karnataka said, “Karnataka is home to a large and exciting portfolio of globally acclaimed tourism products with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, splendid wildlife and resplendent nature, virgin beaches to adorn. Karnataka International Travel Expo, held for the first time, provided the impetus to the inbound travel and tourism and enhanced the marketing efforts of Karnataka Tourism to promote our destinations to the travel trade from all over the world.”

The chief goal of the expo was to increase the overall size of the tourism sector in Karnataka. The event gathered international professionals looking to find new ways to further Karnataka as an ideal destination and get first-hand exposure to various tourism products of Karnataka.

Major national and state-level trade and hospitality associations including the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India, Association of Domestic Tour Operators Association of India (ADTOI), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), India Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), BCIC, FKCCI, FHRAI, Karnataka Tourism Forum, Enterprising Agents Association of India (ETAA), SKAL, South India Hotel and Restaurant Association (SIHRA), Travel Agent Federation of India (TAFI), Karnataka Pradesh Hotel & Restaurant Association (KPHRA) etc are among the many supporting the event.

The event featured an exclusive Karnataka pavilion. Kumar Pushkar, Managing Director, KSTDC said “Karnataka with its diverse range of products is fast emerging as one of the most interesting and productive states for the travel-trade, both for leisure and business travel. KITE 2019 aims to be a globalised one-stop sourcing platform and is a vital networking platform for stakeholders within our tourism industry to effectively reach out to the global travel market.”

K Shyamaraju, President, Karnataka Tourism Society said, “This august gathering promises to be a unique opportunity for us to explore the tourism industry in Karnataka. Karnataka International Travel Expo will help create a networking eco-system to focus on developing business opportunities with the travel trade from India and abroad. The stakeholders of Karnataka have accorded tremendous support to the event facilitating the familiarisation tours across Karnataka.”

The event presented the right platform for the suppliers to provide information and to interact directly with India’s leading tour operators, key decision-makers from the industry, airline representatives and travel agents.

Karnataka International Travel Expo 2019 opens to a grand start

EVENTS CALENDAR 2019-2019-21 NOV’ 19

IBTM WORLD Barcelona, Spain

04-06 NOV’ 19

WTM LONDON London

24-26 JAN’ 20

TTF CHENNAIChennai Trade Centre

30 JAN’-01 FEB’ 20

TTF DELHIIndira Gandhi

Stadium Complex

03-05 FEB’ 20

OTM MUMBAIBombay Exhibition Centre

31 JAN’-01 FEB’ 20

BLTM DELHIThe Leela Ambience

Convention Hotel, Delhi

15-16 FEB’ 20

AHMEDABADGujarat University

Exhibition Hall

21-23 FEB’ 20

KOLKATANetaji Indoor Stadium

16-18 OCT’ 19

ITB ASIASands Expo and Convention Centre,

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

05-06 OCT’ 19

ISLAMIC TRAVEL MARTWorld Trade Centre

Mumbai

30 OCT’-01 NOV’ 19

ILTM CHINAShanghai Exhibition Center

Shanghai

31 MAR’-02 APR’ 20

WTM LATIN AMERICASao Paulo

27-29 NOV’ 19

PATA DESTINATIONMARKETING FORUM

Pa�aya, Thailand

07-09 FEB’ 20

TTF BENGALURUPalace Grounds

Tripuravasini

02-05 DEC’ 19

ILTM CANNESPalais des Festivals

Cannes, France

03, 04 & 05 Feb 2020Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon (E) - Mumbai

www.otm.co.inregister now!

The Leading Travel Show in Asia-Pacific

800+Top Buyers

15,000+Trade Visitors

1,000+Exhibitors

55Countries

29Indian States/UTs

OTM is the gateway to India’s travel markets. Find partners, discover new products and make the deals of tomorrow.

OTM is a trade show, visitors below 15 years are not allowed. (Rights of admission reserved)

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