Vol. 2 | No. 6 | MARCH 2009

C O N T E N T S

16AS I TRAVELV Duraikkannan

ITB BerlinStronger Than EverThe 2009 edition of ITB Berlin whichconcluded in Berlin on March 15 saw110,000 trade visitors, of which 42 percent were from abroad.

6 Managing Editor : G. Biju Krishnan

Group Editor : G. Gopakumar*

Vice President & CEO : M. P. Sreekumar

Executive Editor : Lerbin T. K.

Consultant Editor : Dr. Madhav Manoj

Photo Editor : Retheesh Kariyam

Art Editor : Amal Prasad

Editorial Team : R. ParameswaranSmitha R.

Director (Finance) : K. Harikrishnan

Legal Advisor : V. N.Gopalakrishnan Nair

Financial Advisor : B. Prasad

G.M-North : Wg. Cdr. V. K. Gangal

Sr.Mgr. Tamilnadu : P. Deenadayalu

AUSTRALIA : Bandana K. Prasad0061-892757447

BULGARIA : Vladimir Harizanov00359-36186565

KSA : Sam Mathew00966-505150513

LONDON : Abdul Najeeb0044-7769940391

UAE : Sanjeev S. L.00971 501640549

KUWAIT : Mariam Titus00965 6638670

NEW DELHI : V. K. Gangal09871180498

MUMBAI : Mahesh Nair022 32499989

BANGALORE : Rohil Kumar A. B.09844001625

CHENNAI : Nisha J.09841008588

HYDERABAD : K.S. Johnson09441236010

DEHRADUN : P. Mohandas09719055472

MADURAI : P. Deenadayalu09843129535

ERNAKULAM : M. P. Sreekumar09447118694

KOLKATA : Anurag Sinha09830015667

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : M. Sreekumar09745444166

Administration : Jaya RajeshwariVidhu KrishnaNujum

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EDITED, PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY

G. Biju Krishnan and Printed at M/s. Safire Offset Printers,Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu for Cristal Printers,Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, South India.

Reg No.: KERENG 01910/11/1/2006-TC

EDITOR: G. Biju KrishnanThe news items and Advertisements published herein have beencollected from various source, which are considered to be reliable.Readers are however requested to verify the facts before making businessdecisions using the same. No part of this magazine may be reproducedwithout the written permission from the Publisher.All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009

*Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

A Publication

Asian Travel Demand Slows,Bright Spots RemainAsia's final outbound travel figures for 2008and prospects for 2009 have been revealedin the ITB World Travel Trends Report 2009which was presented at ITB Future Day onMarch 11, 2009.

7

Cover Photo Courtesy : Tourism Australia

WTTC UNVEILS 2009

ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT

SHANGHAI READY FOR IT&CM 2009

PARAMOUNT AIRWAYS PLANS FORAY

INTO EAST

AVIAREPS TO PROMOTE DISNEY

DESTINATIONS IN INDIA

TAAI MANAGING COMMITTEE VISITS

DUBAI

KERALA TOURISM STEPS INTO NEW

MARKETS IN SWEDEN AND RUSSIA

TAMIL NADU TO PROMOTE

RURAL TOURISM IN A BIG WAY

12

17

20

22

27

28

13

18

DestinationDestination

Woman of

the Month

Page 8

10

Questions

Page 10

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER4

The crisis is not over yet. And no one can say for sure how long this meltdown

will continue. According to The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) the

current situation will continue for another two years. "Given the significant

deterioration in Travel & Tourism activity through the second half of 2008 and the

bleak macroeconomic forecast for 2009, Travel & Tourism Economy GDP will

contract by 3.6 per cent in 2009. And it is expected to remain weak in 2010 with only

marginal growth, of less than 0.3 per cent, currently predicted - on what will already

be a weak 2009," says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) 2009 Economic

Impact Research. But there are signs of hope. Responses at the recently concluded

ITB Berlin were encouraging. Tourism has time and again proved its resilience and

will be one of the first sectors to bounce back once the economic situation attains

stability. And every one accepts the fact that tourism has an important role to play in

the post-crisis world. As Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General ad interim, UNWTO has

underscored during his inaugural address at ITB Berlin "tourism means trade, jobs,

development, cultural sustainability, peace and the fulfilment of human aspirations.

If ever there was a time to get this message out loud and clear, it is now, as we meet

at a time of overriding global uncertainty, but also of immense possibilities". But we

should be prepared when that day dawns. The recently held sitting of the UNWTO

Resilience Committee (TRC) has come out with a set of guidelines to survive the

crisis and improve the situation. The main points mooted at the meet are: innovation

in areas such as product development, marketing, distribution, human resources

training, and all regional and national policies. Improved and more substantial

market information using tools available to improve the system of data collection,

market intelligence and analysis is also suggested. So it is time for innovative ideas.

Keeping in mind the long term benefits of tourism, such as its capacity for job

creation, contribution to local economies and poverty reduction and considering the

fact that tourism can also play a key role within the framework of the green economy

and climate challenges, reviving the industry should be given priority.

G. Biju Krishnan

Editor & Publisher

E D I T O R ’ S N O T E

History shows that the biggest chal-

lenges provide the biggest opportunities. We

know that tourism means trade, jobs, devel-

opment, cultural sustainability, peace and the

fulfillment of human aspirations. If ever there

was a time to get this message out loud and

clear, it is now.

Taleb Rifai,

Secretary General,

United Nations World Tourism Organisation

(UNWTO)

Verbatim

“

”

Below Edit

Recruitment best practice and employment

techniques should be further developed if

the Middle East travel and tourism industry is

to weather a predicted skills shortage,

according to Reed Travel Exhibitions, organizer

of Arabian Travel Market 2009.

With more than 1.5 million travel and

tourism professionals required in the region by

2020, and with more than 300 new committed

hotel projects planned between 2008 and

2011 across the Middle East and North Africa

(MENA), the need for companies and

organizations to focus their recruitment and

retention efforts is paramount.

And with increased pressure for staff

coming from the emerging markets of Asia and

the sub-continent, employers in the Middle

East are facing their biggest challenge yet.

"It is no surprise that the huge growth in the

Middle East's tourism, hospitality, and travel

sectors has resulted in a shortage of skilled

professionals. However, it is how we address

this concern that will prove the deciding factor

in the years to come," said Simon Press,

exhibition director, Arabian Travel Market,

Travel and Tourism Recruitment Practices Must Evolvewhich takes place from May 5-8, 2009 at the

Dubai International Convention Centre in the

United Arab Emirates.

"We all have to take proactive steps to

both enhance the region's offering and

increase the understanding of employees

about the opportunities that are out there.

Recruitment is a sizeable investment, both in

terms of time and capital, and given the

current economic climate, it is more

important than ever that we get it right."

To raise awareness of the issues,

organizers of Arabian Travel Market - the

Middle East's premier travel and tourism

exhibition - have added Careers Day to the

2009 event schedule as part of the show's

enhanced learning and knowledge delivery

vision.

As well as face-to-face meetings with

potential employers, visitors can attend

specific career workshops and seminars

hosted by established representatives

within this industry, covering CV

construction, covering letters, and interview

techniques.

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 5

W O R L D V I E W

The 2009 edition of ITB

Berlin which concluded

in Berlin on March 15

saw 110,000 trade visitors, of

which 42 per cent were from

abroad. The industry experts

think that in times of crisis

more market players are

making increasing use of the

world's leading platform for

the industry. From 11 to 15

March 11,098 companies from

187 countries (compared with

11,147 companies from 186

countries in 2008)

exhibited their

products and services

and discussed their

future market

strategies. Of the

110,857 trade visitors

who attended, 42 per

cent came from

abroad, an increase of

four per cent over last

year.

"More market players

visited the leading platform of

the international travel

industry than ever before. In

times of rapid structural

changes and highly

competitive markets they

focused on gaining a

comprehensive market

overview and on new business

approaches. Thus, unlike

many other industries, the

travel sector is actively

responding to the challenges.

Trade visitor attendance

remained high, proof of ITB

Berlin's resilience even in

economically difficult times",

said Dr. Christian Göke, Chief

Operating Officer of Messe

Berlin. Despite the global

financial crisis there was a

positive mood among

exhibitors, who were satisfied

with business at ITB Berlin.

According to a

representative

survey carried

out by

Fachhochschule

Eberswalde

during the

fair, six out of

ten exhibitors

said the

recession had

had no impact

on their

business.

However, they said that travel

behaviour would change. 52

per cent of exhibitors expected

tourists to take even shorter

trips, 60 per cent believed

local tourism would boom, and

68 per cent expected demand

for last-minute travel to

increase. More than half of the

exhibitors claimed they were

currently adapting their

products to suit changing

conditions, for which ITB

Berlin is the ideal venue.

According to a survey by an

independent market research

institute, more than 87 per

cent (85) of exhibitors

obtained a positive impression

of the fair. As in 2008, even

before this year's fair had

ended, 91 per cent said they

would be back next year at ITB

Berlin.

Trade visitors' reactions to

the range of products and

services at ITB Berlin were

even more positive than last

year. 79 per cent (77) rated it

either "excellent" or "good". 94

per cent (93) were satisfied

with their visit to the fair and

95 per cent (94) would

recommend it to friends or

colleagues. At 92 per cent, the

proportion of trade visitors

planning to return to ITB

Berlin next year increased

(2008: 88).

Stronger

Than

Ever

ITB Berlin 2009

Singapore has been ranked as the highest-

ranked country in Asia, and 10th out of 133

countries measured for the attractiveness of

their environments in developing the travel and

tourism industry, according to the World

Economic Forum’s latest Travel & Tourism

Competitiveness Report 2009.

“We are pleased to have improved our

ranking in the World Economic Forum’s Travel &

Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 to be

among the top 10 countries globally and the

only Asian country in the top 10 out of 133

countries. This is an indication of Singapore’s

strengths in its tourism management and

infrastructure. It will in turn strengthen our

efforts to ride out the current downturn and

position ourselves for future growth”, said John

Singapore Ranked Top in AsiaWEF Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009

Gregory Conceicao, Director, Strategic Planning,

Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Improving six places from its overall ranking

last year in the 2008 report, Singapore was

placed first for its policy environment, indicating

that its rules and regulations are highly condu-

cive to the development of its travel and tourism

industry. Such policies include those that

facilitate foreign ownership and Foreign Direct

Investment, well-protected property rights, few

visa restrictions and transparency of policy

making. Singapore also came in first in human

resources, scoring high in the quality of its

education system, extent of staff training, ease

of hiring foreign labour, as well as hiring and

firing practices. According to the report, an

excellent educational system, top-notch training

facilities, healthy workforce, and flexible labour

market are key factors contributing to Singa-

pore’s good performance in this area.

Singapore also benefited from its excellent

transport infrastructure, with ground transport

infrastructure, air transport infrastructure and

air networks being ranked highly. Its Info-

Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure

has also seen a measurable improvement since

last year.

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER6

I T B B E R L I N

Statement about the ownership and other particulars about

ASIAN TRAVELLER

Forum IV (See Rule 6)

1.Place of Publication : Thiruvananthapuram

2.Periodicity of Publication : Monthly

3.Printers Name : G Biju Krishnan

Whether Citizen of India : Yes

(If foreigner, state the country of origin)

Address : TC- 27/1915, MBRRA-70,

Mathrubhoomi Road,

Thiruvananthapuram-695001,

Kerala State, South India.

4.Publisher’s Name : G. Biju Krishnan

Whether Citizen of India : Yes

Address : TC- 27/1915, MBRRA-70,

Mathrubhoomi Road,

Thiruvananthapuram-695001,

Kerala State, South India.

5.Editor’s name : G. Biju Krishnan

Whether Citizen of India : Yes

Address : TC- 27/1915, MBRRA-70,

Mathrubhoomi Road,

Thiruvananthapuram-695001,

Kerala State, South India.

6.Owner’s Name and Address : G. Biju Krishnan

TC- 27/1915, MBRRA-70,

Mathrubhoomi Road,

Thiruvananthapuram-695001,

Kerala State, South India.

7. Name and address of individuals who own the newspaper and

shareholders holding more than one percent of the total

capital as given below : G. Biju Krishnan

TC- 27/1915, MBRRA-70,

Mathrubhoomi Road,

Thiruvananthapuram-695001,

Kerala State, South India.

I, G Biju Krishnan, hereby declare that the particular given above are

true to the best of my knowledge and belief

Sd/-

Thiruvananthapuram G. Biju Krishnan

Date: 01.03.09 Printer and Publisher

Asia's final outbound

travel figures for 2008

and prospects for 2009

have been revealed in the ITB

World Travel Trends Report 2009

which was presented at ITB Future

Day on March 11, 2009. Internet

bookings will surge, demand for

online virtual, meetings will gather

pace, domestic travel will stay

stable or grow, as will demand for

low cost flights. Destinations

adjacent to big travel markets will

do not so bad, long haul travel will

fall sharply and the most pain will

be felt in the business travel and

usually a star performer in terms of

both inbound and outbound

international travel, was very mixed

in 2008 due to rising fuel costs and

surcharges. Inbound international

arrivals growth of six per cent from

January to June 2008 turned to a

two-three per cent deficit in the

second half, according to the

United Nations World Tourism

Organisation (UNWTO), as eco-

nomic clouds gathered and the oil

price hikes hit home.

Economic weakness in Asia has

implications for the rest of the

world. Japan is still the only Asian

outbound travel market to rank

among the world's top ten source

countries for travel and tourism.

The Japanese made an estimated

16.5 million trips in 2008 - a 1.5

million drop on 2007. While China's

official outbound trip count is much

higher, at around 40 million, some

70 per cent of these trips are to

Hong Kong and Macau, Special

Administrative Regions of China.

Non-Hong Kong and Macau

outbound trips were 13-14 million,

according to IPK. Official Chinese

data says this was still 14 per cent

up on 2007. Residual travel

demand from China in 2009,

despite rapidly slowing economic

growth, will mean China remains a

much sought-after source market

this year.

Based on 500,000 travel

interviews in 58 countries around

the world, IPK delivered a wide-

ranging forecast. In the predictions,

IPK suggested that 2009 will see

travel declines in most markets,

with 2010 neutral and small growth

likely in 2011 and 2012. European

and North American markets will

be more adversely affected

compared to other regions of the

world. IPK predicts that China,

India and all of Latin America will

record GDP and travel demand

growth, even in 2009. However,

those growth figures will be smaller

than the precedents set over the

last 10 years.

While Turkey, USA, Austria and

UK all received strong growth in

arrivals numbers from European

travellers in 2008, IPK predicts

they are unlikely to do so again this

year.

In households that earn more

than 20,000 Euro a year, travel will

remain a high priority, according to

IPK. However, households earning

less than 20,000 Euro are much

more likely to adjust travel plans

towards cheaper and / or domestic

trips.

Freitag pointed out that travel-

lers are increasingly using the

internet, not just to find informa-

tion, but to book and pay for

holidays. The internet as a travel

tool will continue to grow in 2009.

To help them face the economic

downturn, which is likely to go on

longer than previously predicted,

Freitag said companies should

reduce costs, go on a price cutting

offensive, enter into partnerships

with the public sector, communi-

cate new attractions more aggres-

sively and intensify e-marketing

and e sales initiatives. Companies

with good asset security can take

advantage of low interest rates to

borrow money and invest for the

upturn which will eventually come,

he said.

ITB World Travel Trends Report 2009

Asian Travel Demand Slows,Bright Spots Remain

MICE sectors. These were the

predictions for 2009 unveiled by

IPK International's CEO Rolf Freitag,

in the Report.

As the final numbers on Asia's

2008 tourism performance are

tallied, preliminary results from

different sources suggest that the

winners in terms of inbound

tourism included Indonesia with 17

per cent and Macau with ten per

cent. Southeast and South Asia

tied for best performing sub-region,

with average increases of four per

cent each.

Yet the general trend for Asia, Rolf Freitag

CEO, IPK International

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 7

ABHILASHA JAINCOUNTRY MANAGER - INDIA,

TOURISM AUSTRALIA

How did you become interested in

hospitality business?

When I was in college I got

myself a world map big enough to

be a wall paper and pasted it on a

wall opposite my bed. So when I

woke up every morning I would look

at it and remind myself that I would

like to at least have seen half of

the world by the time I was 30.

That is what interested me in

hospitality industry - it offered me

opportunities all over the world,

whether in travel business or with

hotels or airlines. Though when I

started to get to know

more about the

industry I figured, I

wasn't made for

operations side of it-

late night shifts, no

off on public holidays

etc. Chose to do my

MBA in Marketing and

then joined the hotel

industry. My first job

was with The Leela

Kempinski, Mumbai

as Assistant Manager

Sales. From there on

moved to marketing,

worked with American

Express Corporate

Card division for a

while and the rest as

they say is history.

What is your current

role at your company?

Currently I am

responsible for

increasing yield and

driving visitor arrival

growth to Australia

through consumer and trade

marketing in the region. I look after

implementation of Annual Operat-

ing Plan; manage all marketing

activities and stakeholder partner-

ships with airlines, State / Territory

Tourism Commissions, travel

agents and Australian Government

bodies such as High Commission,

Consulate, Australian Trade

Commission and Department of

Immigration.

What plans - immediate and long

term - does Tourism Australia

have?

Our focus in 2009, from the

consumer perspective, will be on

generating awareness about

Australia as a destination, engag-

ing consumers through innovative

campaigns and working towards

having more Indians travel to

Australia. For the trade develop-

ment, we are looking at strengthen-

ing our Aussie Specialist Pro-

gramme that is aimed at providing

good destination and product

training to travel agents. Our long

term strategy for the India market

has been to constantly innovate

and provide visitors with the most

unique and novel experiences.

As a travel industry professional

what is your ambition? Where

would you like to see yourself ten

years from now?

My ambition is to see tourism to

India in all its glory. I believe India

has so much to offer as a tourism

destination but seriously lacks the

marketing know how to promote

itself internationally. There are so

many opportunities that are yet

unexplored. The sector can be

developed not only to earn foreign

exchange but to take tourism to the

grass root levels in India to benefit

the common man. Tourism should

not be a purview of the metros

only, it should encourage visitors to

travel to interior parts of our

country and get a glimpse of the

life of an ordinary person. We can

look at broadening the horizon to

endorse lesser known though

equally enticing places rather than

the typical destinations like

Rajasthan or five star hotels. Five

years from now I see myself

involved in the other side of

business i.e. to get more interna-

tional tourist to travel to India.

Who or what has been the greatest

influence in your professional life?

The greatest influence in my life

has been my father. At one time I

believed I lived his ambition rather

then mine. Today I am thankful for

that. Professionally, I am motivated

by my current superior Maggie

White. She truly is someone who

has such a tremendous zest for

life; she makes you want to live up

to it as well. Her constant reminder

to have a balance between work

and personal life balance, to live a

healthy lifestyle and her passion for

her work motivates me at all times.

when I would have given up on the

industry. No wonder I have been

with Tourism Australia for 5 years

now.

As woman, what were the chal-

lenges you had to face in your

professional life?

I was lucky to have started my

career in Mumbai. Mumbai is a

great leveller; one does not really

face much discrimination here.

Also, I think the hospitality industry

is lot more open to women than

some of the other industries, which

is a bonus as well. Having said

that, sometimes one does face

challenges - one upmanship is

common in organisations domi-

nated by men. Sometimes there

could also be pressure to be one of

the boys and yet draw the line to

maintain a dignified stance. For the

young girls who enter the sector my

advice would be - Be true to

yourself and give your 100 per cent

to your job once you are in office.

Don't get de-motivated if you face

any sexist attitude, if you are good

at your job almost everything else

will follow and people will make

place for you. And my motto is - Any

woman who aspires to be as good

as a man, lacks ambition. Go gals!

What is the secret of your success?

I love what I do - that is my

secret. The day I wake up in the

morning and tell my self my work

sucks, I will go find something else

to do that brings me joy and you

bet I will be successful at that as

well.

What is your proudest moment in

your job?

I try to have at least one a week

- so too many to account for!

Tell us about your family.

Am married to an amazing man

who lets me call my soul my own,

and is perfectly OK with who I am,

as I am. Having worked for eight

years in the PR industry in India,

currently he is pursuing his MA in

International Media and Communi-

cations from London School of

Economics and plans to work in

Asia post that. My parents live in

Bhopal where my father currently

runs his financial consultancy firm.

What are your hobbies?

I am an avid reader and

average about at least one book

every fortnight. I love theatre and

the movies (in that order). I'm

immensely fond of music and

cannot live with out my I-Pod. I

make a great bathroom singer and

an amateur dancer. Every year I try

my hand at least one new thing.

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER8

P E R S O N A L I T Y

DINESH NACHAPPA K.GENERAL MANAGER

CLASSIC AVENUE

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

KERALA, INDIA

Tell us about you Hotel & its USPs?

Our Hotel is an oasis of luxury and

grandeur for our valued guests where

they can lure in the warm and cozy

ambience. We are committed to give the

best service available in the industry by

providing quality workforce, amenities,

ambience and dining maximum hygiene

thereby reach the goal of ultimate

customer satisfaction.

How do you Position your Hotel in

the Market?

Classic Avenue offers guest with a

truly classic and exciting experience. We

cater to different

clientele with rooms

ranging from

executive to suites. I

rate my hotel as the

front runner among

the business class

category in the city.

We always guarantee

value for money.

Being an international

brand we never

compromise on the

quality of service and

always ensure comfort

and security with the

most modern

facilities. We always

offer personalized

service to our clients.

How important is a

hotel in developing

the destination?

A quality hotel is

always an essential

element in the growth

of a destination.

Classic Avenue being

situated in a place like

Thiruvananthapuram,

the capital of Gods

Own Country can create wonders as we

offer unmatched amenities to the

discerning traveller. The proximity of the

hotel to the tourist attractions and

business locations along with the

accessibility options like airport and rail

services is a crucial factor. We boast of all

these.

Could you tell us about your back

ground and how did you come to

the industry?

From my childhood days I had a

passion for meeting people; understand

their needs and make them comfortable

within available sources. That is why I

choose hospitality industry as my career.

After completing my graduation in Hotel

Management I did my MBA in Operations

and Marketing. I began my career with

Raheja Group of Hotels & Sterling

Holidays. After working for 14 years in

the hospitality business, I feel very

fortunate to be associated with this

growing industry.

Tell us about your experience so

far?

Every moment of my life is a great

experience - may be good or bad. I look

only at the positive side of it. I believe

that every failure provides us with an

opportunity to learn something and plan

better for next time.

What plans - immediate and long

term do you have?

Classic Avenue is drawing up big

expansion plans. We have tied up with

the Best Western Group of Hotels. The

brand itself has taken Classic Avenue to

new heights. My goal is to elevate Classic

Avenue to the status of a truly classic

hotel among the top business class luxury

hotels.

Where would you like to see

yourself, say, 10 years from now?

My motto in life is - look before you

leap. It is the most valuable piece of

guidance in job handling. I always keep

that in mind as the competition is always

high. So keep oneself productive and

useful to the organization. My vision after

10 years from now is to start an eco

friendly resort. It is my dream to create

my own exotic Plantation resort in Coorg.

Which is your favourite

destination?

Manali, the awe inspiring hill resort

which is sandwiched between the

imposing peaks. Manali presents the

distinguished holiday spot for all. The

added attraction in Manali is its temples.

Tell us about your family?

I am married to my lovely wife Rashmi

for eight years. She is always supportive.

We have two children six year old Nayan

Nachappa and Tanav Thimmaiah who is

just nine months old. Not to forget my

mother Latha Nachappa and my father

Nachappa who blessed me always for

success of everything in my life. My only

brother Narendra Nachappa who is

always been helpful, has also promised in

future to support in making my dream

project come true.

Tell us about your Hobbies and

other interest?

I like to meet people, try to understand

different cultures and lifestyles. I also like

to enjoy the beauty of nature. After my

busy schedule I indulge myself into the

fascinating world of music, which relaxes

my mind and body.

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER10

Q & A

BEST WESTERN GROUP OF HOTELS

T R E N D S

In keeping with the

Narambamu Sri Lanka project

launched by the Ministry of

Tourism, in partnership with Sri

Lanka Tourism, the Sri Lanka

Tourism Development Authority

(SLTDA) has initiated a campaign to

refurbish the existing, SLTDA

owned rest houses and holiday

resorts. The Narambamu Sri Lanka

project singularly aims to spur

interest in domestic tourism, and

encourage Sri Lankans to travel

within our own country, discovering

lesser known attractions among

the more widely known, and

popular sites of historic and

cultural interest.

SLTDA owns and manage

pilgrim rest houses at Kataragama

and Anuradhapura and domestic

holiday resorts at Nuwara Eliya and

Bandarawela. During the year 2007

and 2008, Bandarawella and

Nuwara Eliya resorts were fully

refurbished and the Kataragama

Pilgrim Rest is being refurbished at

present as well as other ground

improvements being planned for

the immediate surroundings. The

Anuradhapura Rest House will be

refurbished subsequently.

The Kataragama Rest House is

located within the sacred city area

and neither liquor, nor fish or meat,

are served at the venue. The

Anuradhapura Rest House is

located in close proximity to the Sri

Maha Bodhi Tree and while liquor

is not being served there, only

vegetarian food will be served at

this rest house too, in future.

Furthermore, it has been

decided that liquor will not be

served at Nuwara Eliya and

Bandarawela Resorts, effective

14th April, in a bid to attract

families with children.

SLTDA and SLTPB Chairman,

Bernard Goonetilleke said, “With

the change in concepts, our

products will be placed in a unique

position, differentiated from other

establishments in the

region. Combined with

the economical prices,

this will offer the

average local person,

the freedom to travel

within our country with

ease”.

The Anuradhapura

Rest House will be the

only establishment in

the area where

singularly vegetarian

dishes will be served.

This will form a key differentiation

in terms of this venue, and its

value as a family retreat will be

enhanced.

Director Domestic Tourism and

Community Relations of SLTDA, P U

Rathnayake stated, “We have

carried out a training programme

with the assistance of Sri Lanka

Institute of Tourism and Hotel

Management (SLITHM) and Hotel

Taj Samudra to train the chefs in

the preparation of vegetarian

dishes, in order to ensure the food

retains high quality”.

SLTDA plans Rest Houses and Holiday Resortsfor Budget Travellers

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 11

The World Travel &

Tourism Council

(WTTC) has revealed

the results of its 2009

Economic Impact Research at

its annual ITB Berlin press

conference in the presence of

industry leaders from different

sectors of travel and tourism -

high-level government

representatives, and its

research partner Oxford

Economics. "This year, the

task of assessing travel and

tourism trends and drawing

up forecasts has been more

challenging than ever because

of all the uncertainties," said

Jean-Claude Baumgarten,

President and CEO, WTTC.

Given the significant

deterioration in travel and

tourism activity through the

second half of 2008 and the

bleak macro-economic

forecast for 2009, WTTC's

latest research shows that the

travel and tourism economy

GDP will shrink by 3.6 per

cent in 2009.

Two difficult years in

prospect

Given the significant

deterioration in travel and

tourism activity through the

second half of 2008 and the

bleak macroeconomic forecast

for 2009, WTTC's latest

research shows that travel and

tourism economy GDP will

contract by 3.6 per cent in

2009. And it is expected to

remain weak in 2010 with only

marginal growth, of less than

0.3 per cent, currently

predicted - on what will

already be a weak 2009.

"Lower fuel costs will make

a difference," said

Baumgarten, "as will lower

general inflation, which should

reverse part of last year's

squeeze on households'

spending power. But given

how widespread and deep the

current recession is, it is

inevitable that Travel and

Tourism will continue to be

affected."

"Indeed, as a relatively

cyclical industry, its

contribution to world GDP is

expected to fall further in the

next two years - from 9.6 per

cent in 2008 to just over 9 per

cent in 2010," Oxford

Economics' Managing

Director, Adrian Cooper,

added. "Job losses are likely to

be significant, with

employment falling by around

10 million over the next two

years towards 215 million in

2010, before

recovering

thereafter."

A key

message from

WTTC is that

travel and

tourism is a

major

contributor to

job creation and

poverty

alleviation - "a

fact that policy-

makers would

do well to

recognise and

take into

account in their

short- to

medium-term

strategies," said Baumgarten.

"The industry is not expecting

a bail-out. It needs a

supportive framework from

government to help it weather

the current storm. And

governments would also do

well to recognise Travel and

Tourism's potential to energise

the economy once the current

crisis eases."

Investment and

corporate travel predicted

to be hit hardest

Travel and tourism

investment and corporate

travel are expected to be the

hardest hit this year. Real

investment spending is

forecast to decline by 5 per

cent in 2009 and a further 1.25

per cent in 2010.

Residents' travel and

tourism spending is likely to

be the least affected, but even

here a decline of 2.75 per cent

WTTC Unveils 2009Economic Impact Report

is projected for 2009, despite

the substitution of domestic

for some foreign travel.

Travel and tourism's

contribution to GDP and jobs

will still be positive longer

term

"Nevertheless," said

Baumgarten, "looking beyond

the current crisis, travel and

tourism is expected to resume

its leading role in driving

global growth, creating jobs

and alleviating poverty.

"Emerging economies are

expected to be the main

engines of growth,"

Baumgarten added,

"generating hundreds of

millions of new travellers from

among the growing middle

classes in countries like China,

India and Brazil - boosting

international travel, but also

creating an increasingly

vibrant domestic tourism

sector."

In developed countries, the

increasing priority given to

leisure activities can be

expected to enhance demand

for travel to existing and new

tourism destinations once

consumers regain confidence,

while the popularity of short

breaks - both domestic and

international - will continue to

expand in the medium to

longer term.

Overall, the travel and

tourism economy is forecast to

grow by 4 per cent per annum

in real terms over the next ten

years. By 2019, travel and

tourism will account for 275

million jobs, representing 8.4

per cent of total employment

across the world.

"This means that travel and

tourism will continue growing

in importance as one of the

world's highest priority

industries and employers,"

Baumgarten said.

ITB Berlin Press Conference – World Travel & Tourism Council; Adrian Cooper ManagingDirector of Oxford Economics and Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President of WTTC

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER12

E C O N O M I C I M P A C T

MakeMyTrip.com has announced

Amadeus as its exclusive technology

partner to power all its online bookings. For the

website's customers, this will mean more

choices as well as an enhanced online

shopping experience.

MakeMyTrip.com has been operating its

international bookings engine on Amadeus'

platform since

2007. Following

the success of

this partnership,

MakeMyTrip.com has decided to move its

domestic airline booking engine onto the

Amadeus platform as well. The resulting

synergies in domestic and international

operations will lead to the lowering of

operational costs for the travel portal.

The website will operate using Amadeus

Web Services 2.0 - a second-generation, state-

of-the-art global technology platform that

provides full access to Amadeus' content.

Amadeus Master Pricer, a cutting-edge low fare

search tool, will help customers to quickly and

easily find options that suit their travel needs

and budget.

Singapore Tourism Board has

launched e-visas across India,

which will be introduced shortly

across the country by its Ministry of

Foreign Affairs. The new facility will

now reduce the time for Indian

travellers to obtain a Singapore visa,

giving a general boost to both leisure

and business travel alike. This much-

awaited initiative, aimed at introducing

hassle-free visa facilities, will

commence on April 2009.

E-visas are designed to enable select

partners, including visa service

providers across India, to submit a visa

on behalf of their customers online and

print the approved e-visa through the

SAVE (Submission of Applications for

Visa Electronically) program. Selected

partners will no longer need to make a

trip to the consular offices to submit

documents for visas, neither, will they

need to make a trip for visa collection,

as approvals will be given online. A print-

out of the e-visa can now be carried on

departure. With this initiative the time

required to obtain a Singapore visa in

India will now be just "one" working day.

Commenting on the e-visa initiative,

Randall Tall, Regional Director, South

Asia, Middle East and Africa, Singapore

Tourism Board said, "Singapore has

always been the top outbound destination

from India and we are optimistic of

maintaining this position through the

launch of measures like the e-visa".

www.ica.gov.sg

World Travel Market will be hosting

a summer conference focusing on

the global travel market in June at

Portland Place, London. The half day

WTM Vision event will incorporate a

worldwide industry overview, debates on

responsible tourism and a comprehensive

review of the UK outbound market.

WTM chairman

Fiona Jeffery said:

"As we celebrate our

30th anniversary it's

the right time launch a mid-year

conference and use all our expertise and

experience to further help the travel

industry thrive during these current

uncertain economic times."

High-calibre speakers, content and

research to give analysis, statistical

assessment and interpretations to the

industry's senior leaders is being

promised.

N E W S L I N E

WTM to Run

Summer Travel

Conference

Singapore Visas NowAvailable in 24 Hrs

MakeMyTrip.com

Selects Amadeus as

Technology Partner

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 13

The third IT&CM China event will

be the platform for

international and leading Chinese

players in the MICE industry to

explore exciting business

opportunities, generate new sales

leads and strengthen

business partnerships

with existing clients.

Tailored for the

world's most populous

country, the IT&CM

China trade show is a

spin-off from IT&CM

Asia, the region's

premier meetings and incentive

travel show. For 16 years,

IT&CM Asia has played a vital

role in promoting the Asia-

Pacific region as a MICE

destination, as well as a

Shanghai Ready for IT&CM 2009source for MICE visitors.

The show begins on April 14

and conclude on April 17. The

venue, ShanghaiMart Expo is

located in the Shanghai Hongqiao

Economic & Technological

Development Zone and

surrounded by many excellent

hotels, commercial buildings and

convenient transportation

links.As one of the leading

exhibition centres in Shanghai

with a total of 37,000 sqm of

pillarless exhibition space and

multi-functional convention

facilities, ShanghaiMart Expo is

an ideal venue for a variety of

trade events.

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER14

I T B B E R L I N A L B U M

I T B B E R L I N A L B U M

The Annual Agents Awards Nite of Kuwait Airways has been held in Chennai. Pran S. Dasan, Manager, Sales

and Mark Marketing- PAX, Indian subcontinent, Kuwait Airways and Shyamaprasad Kallat, Manager.

Passenger Sales, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Eastern India, Kuwait Airways were present on the occasion.

Kuwait Airways Annual Agents Awards Nite, Chennai

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 15

C O L U M N

V DURAIKKANNAN

In every organisation, the

standing grievance of any

employee is that the

organisation is least bothered

about his or her promotion or

career growth. Many a time,

employees deem it fit that

their mere tenure of service is

more than enough to claim the

move up. Never do they

realize that a promotion for

one follows the act of one's

giving promotion to the

organisation. The lotus flower

in a pond rises up directly

proportional to the rise of the

water in the pond. It cannot

grow tall in isolation. Promote

the company and get yourself

promoted is the secret of

promotion.

All these years of my

managerial positions, I am yet

to come by a staff member

who would call in to inform

that he or she is coming early

to the office for the day.

Invariably they all call in only

to report their coming late. We

believe only in taking and not

giving. There is this hilarious

instance from an office. An

employee comes in late for the

duty in the morning by an

hour. This is being

pointed out by his

manager and a warning

given. Towards the

evening, the manager

finds the same employee

preparing himself to

leave even before the

sign-out time. When

stopped on that, the

employee explains: 'I

was late in coming. Let

me at least leave the

office in time!'

I am sure in some of

the organizations; the

only manual that is ever

referred to by some of

the employees is just the

manual on Policies &

Eligibilities. They

religiously use up all the

givens in the manual. I have

seen this interesting but

insightful (!) clause in the

book of medical facilities for

the employees, a clause like

this: 'An employee is allowed

extraction of tooth limited to a

maximum of TEN in a

financial year' This definitely

would mean that there were

cases where employees had

manipulated to claim more

than ten extractions in a year

(despite having only twenty-

six teeth for all their lifetime)!

A year ago, there was a

tremendous uproar in

Bangalore that an IT company

was spoiling its employees and

encouraging a moral

decadence by incorporating a

'dating' allowance for its

employees. Though I would

agree that it was carrying it a

little too

far, it is definitely better than

employees on tour of duty

having an ayurvedic massage

at the company's cost but

foisting it on to the room

service or their food expenses.

This real-life incident must

have inspired the cartoonist

Mike Flanagan to do his strip

cartoon Hambone where

Hambone comes back from his

tour and submits a bill which

includes $50 against medical

expense. When queried as to

what kind of medical

emergency it was, Hambone

answers: 'I took the nurse I

met on the train out for lunch!'

The one sure-fire way of

working your way up in your

organisation I know

is: 'Be always larger

than your salary!'

And at every stage

maintain the same

credo. Once you are

elevated onto a

higher bracket, again

be larger than that

salary. Growth will happen to

you in your company and for

some reasons if it does not

happen there, it will happen

elsewhere for you. It is a

golden truism that when you

work more than what you are

paid for a day will come

sooner than later that you will

be paid more than you work

for!

It will be worth one's while

to update one's resume every

one year, if not every six

months. For most of the

people, the only change they

may have to effect on their

updation could be possibly the

change of date of their resume

and their age. For otherwise,

the name remains the same;

the academics remain the

same; the skill-set (if at all!)

remains the same. In most of

the cases, when an employee

claims that he or she has put

in TEN years of experience, it

is mostly ONE year experience

TEN times and nothing more!

There was a mason working

for a king for all his life. He

was about to retire but still the

king would not spare him. He

commissioned to do one more

mansion for him. The mason

was already remorseful that he

had been hardly rewarded for

all his work for so many years.

It added to his sulking but he

had to carry out the king's

decree. He plodded through

the work half-heartedly and

completed the construction in

a slipshod fashion. The day of

the completion also happened

to be his last day of work. The

king strode on the scene and

gave a hug to the mason and

declared: 'My most beloved

mason! Here is the key of the

mansion! And this is my

parting gift for you!' Had only

the mason had continued to

give his best?!

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER16

Mike FlanaganMike Flanagan

Paramount Airways, the

Coimbatore based “all-

business class airline”,

is planning to launch

operations in the eastern

region in June with two-three

daily flights between Chennai

and Kolkata, said M.

Thiagarajan, Managing

Director.

Speaking to newspersons in

Kolkatta, he said, “We are

looking at starting flights from

Royal Jet, the international

luxury flight services company

headquartered in Abu Dhabi, has

launched another ‘world-first’ by

becoming the only private jet

charter company to offer its guests

a personal chef, providing them

with bespoke gourmet dining

based on their own individual

preferences. The Royal Jet chefs

offer pre-flight consultancy at the

time of booking and are then

available to travel with the clients

for the entire duration of the

journey.

Aubrey Tiedt, Director of

Services & Cabin Crew, says the

Royal Jet chefs, collectively have

extensive experience in catering for

some of the highest profile world

events and cooking for government

leaders and heads of state. “They

prepare and plan the entire

culinary side of a guest’s journey,

Qatar Airways Takes

Eco-friendly RouteQatar Airways has launched an

innovative Economy Class in-

flight service on all flights

operating to and from the UK.

The revamped concept sees all

onboard meals served in a new

presentation style using

recyclable materials. The

lightweight trays and disposable

mugs and boxes are 99 percent

recyclable, offering a more eco-

friendly way to serve in-flight

meals.

SriLankan Holidays’

New PackageSriLankan Holidays, the leisure

arm of SriLankan Airlines, has

launched a special ‘second

passenger travels at one rupee

only’ holiday package. Every

traveller who buys the two days/

three nights holiday package to

Sri Lanka can take another

traveller along by paying only one

rupee, says a SriLankan Airlines

press release. The package is for

travellers from India and is valid

till April 30 this year. It is being

offered from seven Indian cities

– New Delhi, Mumbai,

Bangalore, Chennai,

Thiruvananthapuram, Goa and

Tiruchi, the release adds.

Flying from Mumbai

to Cost MorePassengers flying from Mumbai

will have to pay more from April 1

this year. This follows the

Government accepting a

proposal from Mumbai

International Airport Ltd (MIAL) to

levy a development fee of Rs 100

on very domestic and Rs 600 on

international passengers. In a

statement, the Government has

said that the levy will be on an

‘ad-hoc’ basis. The final

determination of the levy may be

made by the Government or the

regulator on a detailed review

after six months from the

effective date.

all major cities of the South to

Kolkata via Chennai from

June.” There were also plans

to operate direct flights from

other major southern cities to

Kolkata subsequently, he said.

Paramount Airways is the

market leader in

the southern

region with a

share of 26 per

cent, he said. The

company is also

eyeing Kolkata as

a gateway for

launching

operations in

North-Eastern

airports such as

Dibrugarh, he

said. “The airline

plans to cover all

major cities in the

western region by

2009 and start operations in

the north and North-Eastern

regions from 2010,” he added.

Having presence in most

major cities in the South since

its inception in 2005, the

airline recently launched

operations in the western

region – Goa, Pune and

Ahmedabad.

The company will be

adding three Embraer 170/190

family series aircraft to its

basket of five aircraft by

March, the Managing Director

said, while adding that the

company plans to own 11

aircraft by the year end and 20

by 2010. It is also considering

buying 10 aircraft of the

Boeing-787 or Airbus-350

class for launching

international operations in

2011. “Initially, we plan to

operate 3-5 hour duration

flights to the Far East and

Middle East from cities in

south India,” he said.

While most airlines in the

country suffered a 7-8 per cent

decline in passenger volumes

this fiscal, Paramount has seen

a passenger growth of 5-6 per

cent with a load factor of over

80 per cent, Thiagarajan

added.

Paramount Airways Plans

Foray into East

Royal Jet Introduces Unique Personal Chef Servicesdiscussing preferences and

providing customised menu

solutions in the planning stages,

including not just the food itself,

but also the finest quality bever-

ages from Royal Jet’s cellar,” she

says. Royal Jet, is jointly owned by

M. Thiagarajan, MD, Paramount Airways meets WBCM Budhadeb Bhattacharjee

Abu Dhabi Aviation and the “Presi-

dential Flight Authority” the royal

flight service, and is chaired by His

Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin

Mubarak Al Nahyan, who serves as

a Minister in the UAE Federal

Cabinet.

Royal Jet Personal Chefs Mark & Daniel enjoy their own culinary delights,served up by cabin crew members Therese & Hayley

A V I A T I O N

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 17

Queensland, the

northeastern state of

Australia, is home to

many tourist attractions. Bordered

by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean,

this Australian state offers diverse

attractions and options for

holidaying. Queensland occupies

about 25 per cent of Australia and

has a broad multi-cultural

community including Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander

descendants. The region enjoys a

tropical climate, top holiday spots,

relaxed and casual atmosphere

and its friendly people make it an

ideal holiday

destination. The main

tourist destinations of

Queensland include

Great Barrier Reef,

Brisbane, Cairns, Port

Douglas, The Daintree,

Gold Coast, Hervey

Bay/Fraser Island, Townsville,

Magnetic Island, North Stradbroke

Island, South Stradbroke Island,

Sunshine Coast, Airlie Beach,

Whitehaven Beach, Hamilton

Island, Daydream Island etc. there

are also a number of theme parks

mostly in the Gold Coasta and

wildlife parks including Currumbin,

David Fleay, Kumbartcho, Lone

Pine Koala Sanctuary etc.

The Great Barrier Reef is the

largest coral reef system and also

biggest single structure made by

living organisms in the world.

Composed of over 2,900 individual

reefs and 900 islands stretching

for 2,600 kilometres

(1,600m) over an area of

approximately 344,400

square kilometres (133,000 sq

m), located in the Coral Sea, off

the coast of Queensland. It can

be seen from the outer space and

was selected as a World Heritage

Site in 1981. The place is most

known for snorkeling, scuba diving,

fishing, roving, water sports,

bungee jumping, river rafting, sea

kayaking etc.

The muti-coloured corals,

sponges and fishes underwater

give the travellers a treat for a

lifetime. The Daintree Rainforest,

Tjapukai the famous aboriginal

dance theatre, the Kuranda scenic

railway, Mission Beach, Port

Douglas are the main attractions

along with the world's longest lava

tube system in Undara Volcanic

National Park and a 1930s

Spanish-inspired castle in

Paronella Park.

Brisbane is always filled with

energy and endless activities and

is also one of the cities with the

very best food, wine, arts,

entertainment and major sporting

events and shopping. The nightlife

here is vibrant. Outdoor adventures

such as sailing, surfing, hot-air

ballooning and excursions make a

trip to the place memorable. From

the sun and sand drenched islands

in the east, to its cool and crisp

mountain rainforests in the west -

and all the attractions of a vibrant,

modern city in between - Brisbane

offers the best of both worlds.

The Gold Coast is a city located

in the southeast corner of

Queensland. It is renowned for its

sunny subtropical climate, surfing

beaches, expansive waterways and

canal systems, a skyline dominated

by high-rise apartment buildings, a

world heritage-listed rainforest in

the west of the city, active nightlife

and its wide variety of tourist

attractions. Surfers Paradise is one

of the most popular holiday

destinations in the Gold Coast and

in whole of Australia. The theme

parks, dolphin and sea lion here

are added attractions.

The Sunshine Coast, a coastal

region located in South East

Queensland, north of Brisbane is a

serene place characterized by

expansive coastal views. The

renowned beaches here are at

Noosa Heads, Alexandra Headland,

Mooloolaba, Coolum and Kings

Beach in Caloundra. The seafood

on the Mooloolah river is also

famous. They are very popular for

surfing. The main attractions of the

region are Steve Irwin's Australia

Zoo, UnderWater World marine

park, Aussie World with the

Ettamogah Pub, The Buderim

Ginger Factory, Big Pineapple and

the Majestic Theatre.

The rich natural biodiversity of

the area is also another attraction.

There are five separate parks in

both coastal and inland regions,

including Mapleton Falls National

Park, Kondalilla National Park, The

Glasshouse Mountains National

Park, Noosa National Park, and the

Great Sandy National Park, which

includes sections on Fraser Island

and in Cooloola near Rainbow

Beach. Whitsundays, Fraser Island,

Gladestone, Birdsville, Platypus,

Loggerhead Turtle, Cattle

mustering, Wallaman Falls are

other popular spots for tourists in

Queensland.

www.tourism.australia.com

F O C U S

Touri

sm A

ust

ralia /

Touri

sm W

est

ern

Aust

ralia

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER18

M A R K E T I N G

Disney Destinations has

appointed AVIAREPS as

its new sales and

marketing representative in India.

The Mumbai-based AVIAREPS

subsidiary will be responsible for

maximising exposure and sales

through Indian consumer and

travel trade channels.

Disney Destinations is one of

the four major business segments

of The Walt Disney Company, the

largest media and entertainment

corporation in the world. It includes

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort,

Disneyland Resort Paris, Walt

Disney World Resort in Florida USA,

Disneyland Resort in California

USA, and the Disney Cruise Line.

The tourism marketing and

public relations firm will also

conduct training seminars for the

travel trade and organise

familiarisation trips to Disney

resort destinations. AVIAREPS will

further function as Disney

Destination's press office in India,

helping to generate awareness

about new Disney announcements

concerning its worldwide parks and

resorts.

Development of brochures and

an in-country website for

information will also be an

AVIAREPS priority as it introduces a

comprehensive Disney

Destinations communications

strategy for India. The marketing

and public relations firm will also

conduct training seminars for the

travel trade and organize

familiarization trips to Disney

resort destinations.

AVIAREPS' Tourism COO,

Thomas Drechsler, states: "In fact,

we are convinced that now is a

favourable time to enter the Indian

market by promoting further

entertainment elements to the

consumers. The AVIAREPS Group is

very pleased to be entrusted with

assisting Disney Destinations in

this exciting challenge and thus to

expand the existing partnership

beyond the Korean market."

Disney Destinations is part of

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

This segment of The Walt Disney

Company encompasses 11 theme

AVIAREPS

to Promote

Disney

Destinations

in India

parks at five of the world's leading

family vacation destinations -

Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney

World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort,

Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong

Kong Disneyland. It also includes:

Disney Cruise Line; Disney

Vacation Club; Adventures by

Disney; Disney Regional

Entertainment, which operates the

ESPN Zone sports dining and

entertainment centers; World of

Disney stores in New York, Orlando

and Anaheim; and Walt Disney

Imagineering, which creates and

designs all Disney parks, resorts

and attractions.

AVIAREPS India is a joint

venture of AVIAREPS AG and

AVIAREPS Marketing Garden.

AVIAREPS - Marketing Garden is

the number one tourism

representation company

worldwide, with over 80 tourism

and 60 aviation clients in over 33

countries. Its India office staffed

with five professionals is located in

the commercial district of Mumbai

and is led by General Manager

Joseph Fernandes.

Thomas DrechslerCOO,AVIAREPS Tourism

Joseph FernandesGeneral ManagerAVIAREPS (India)

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER20

N E W S L I N E

Keys Hotels, the brand from the Berggruen Hotels Private Limited. stable, a hotel venture backed by

Berggruen Holdings Inc recently launched its new customer-focused, interactive website

www.keyshotels.com. This interactive, user friendly website has been especially designed keeping the new

age traveler in mind looking for a quick and hassle free hotel booking

process. Sanjay Sethi, CEO & MD, Keys Hotels says, “With Keys Hotels we

have always attempted to redefine the hospitality experience for travelers,

therefore a quick and hassle free booking process is the first step towards

it.” Berggruen Hotels, launched their brand of midmarket hotels,”Keys

Hotels” in India in January 2007. The venture is backed by Berggruen

Holdings Inc., a New York headquartered private equity fund. Thirty-eight

hotels are planned in the next five years in India with simultaneous

push in other emerging markets around the globe. The Dukes Retreat, A

Keys Resort, Khandala became the first hotel when it came under the

Keys Brand in January 2009. Keys Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram is scheduled to

open in May 2009 followed by Keys Hotel, Ludhiana in July 2009.

Travel Agents Federation of

India (TAFI) Managing

Committee members had the

unique opportunity to experience

some of Thailand’s most

fascinating tourist attractions when

they were on a fam trip to the

kingdom in the first week of

February. TAT Mumbai

representative office organized a

fam trip to Thailand that visited Ko

Chang, Chiang Mai and Bangkok

for Travel Agents Federation of

India (TAFI) Managing Committee

Exploring and developing

lucrative niches in

established source

markets is an intelligent

response to the global

recession. A great recent

example is the Tourism

Authority of Thailand (TAT),

which, in collaboration with

the private sector, has

launched a campaign that

directly targets international

schools in the United Arab

Emirates.

Malaysia Tourism plans

to attract at least six

lakh travellers from India in

2009. According to Zulkefli

Sharif, Director – South Asia,

West Asia and Africa Division,

Malaysia Tourism Development

Board, Malaysia, a delegation

from that country, comprising

tour operators and hoteliers, is

scheduled to meet their

counterparts in India and

explore mutual business

opportunities and to offer new

packages featuring new

itineraries, fresh locales

focusing beyond Kuala Lumpur

tourism products. “India is the

sixth most prominent tourism

source market for us,” said

Sharif. Pricing a two-night-

three-day package at Rs

20,000 a person (which

includes travel, stay and food),

the country targets beyond

metros at cash-rich tier-II and

tier-III cities in India.

Thailand Targets School Tours

from the Middle East‘Jump to Amazing

Thailand’ aims to promote

Thailand as a quality value-

for-money school camp

destination by targeting

principals and head teachers

of leading international

schools. The campaign

showcases educational

programs and

experiences centered

on themes, such as the

environment, culture,

history and other fields

of study, or tailor-

made to meet the

curriculum needs of schools.

The TAT will host interested

school representatives on a

trip to Thailand later this year

to inspect first-hand the

services and infrastructure

and meet qualified tour

operators.

TAFI Members Visit Ko Chang and Chiang Mai

MalaysiaTargets SixLakh Touristsfrom India

Keys Hotels Launch User Friendly Website

members from Mumbai and New

Delhi. On their trip to Amazing

Thailand, the agents experienced

new attractions and very good

hotels and resorts at all three

places they visited. Highlights

included Chiang Dao Elephant

Camp and Tiger Kingdom in Chiang

Mai and the Sunset Cruise on a

luxury catamaran and beautiful

sightseeing in Ko Chang. The trip

was part of a proactive marketing

approach by TAT to have a closer

relationship with top travel agents

who sell Thailand in India. The

delegation also met Santichai

Euachongprasit, TAT’s Deputy

Governor for International

Marketing and Prakit Piriyakiat,

Executive Director, ASEAN, South

Asia and South Pacific Region

Department at TAT’s head office.

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 21

Great Indian Travel

Bazzar (GITB) 2009, a

travel fair organised

jointly by the Department of

Tourism, Government of

Rajasthan and Federation of

Indian Chambers of

Commerce and Industry

(FICCI), will be the right

platform to to promote and

sell luxury train, Royal

Rajasthan on Wheels (RROW)

to foreign tour operators and

travel writers from target

countries, markets and tour

operators, investors, major

airlines and media from across

The management

committee team of

Travel Agents

Association of India (TAAI)

have visited Dubai on a three-

day familiarization tour aimed

at further promoting Dubai as

a value-for-money destination

targeting the Indian outbound

travellers.

Laws for Foreign

Cruise Ships EasedAccording to a Ministry of

Shipping notification, foreign

cruise ships can now take

passengers all along India’s

coast without restriction. The

government has eased a law

banning foreign-registered ships

from calling at more than one

Indian port without a licence

from the country’s maritime

regulator. The relaxation is for 10

years and takes effect

immediately.

Sikkim Opens Casino

to Lure TouristsThe Sikkim government has

recently opened the first casino

in the state at Royal Plaza Hotel

in Gangtok and named it ‘Casino

Sikkim.’ The casino was opened

in order to improve tourists’

inflow in the state. The state

government aims to attract high-

end domestic and foreign

tourists with the casino bid,

which has already created ripples

in the hospitality sector both

national and international.

UB Group to Promote

Wine TourismThe Vijay Mallya-owned UB Group

is planning to enter the tourism

industry, by promoting its Four

Seasons winery at Baramati in

Maharashtra as a lifestyle

destination. “A part of our winery

in Baramati will house 14

well-equipped

rooms, along

with recrea-

tional facili-

ties and a

pantry which

could host

700 people at a time. We intend

to get into wine tourism and

expand the wine category by

building on an all-round lifestyle

concept” Abhay Kewadkar,

Business Head (Wines) of United

Spirits told a newspaper recently

in Kolkata.

Royal Rajasthan to be Promoted at

Great Indian Travel BazaarIndia. GITB will be held at

B.M. Birla Convention Centre,

Jaipur, Rajasthan, India from

April 19 to 21.

“We are expecting the

Great Indian Travel Bazaar

2009 to be bigger and better

this year in comparison to last

year. The main product which

the DoT, Rajasthan will try to

sell and promote is the new

luxury train - Royal Rajasthan

on Wheels.

The event will see

participation of about 150

international representatives

and more than 200 domestic

travel, trade and tourism

players,” said Anand K

Tripathi, Assistant Director,

Department of Tourism,

Rajasthan.

Pre and post the event,

FAM tours will be hosted by

the DoT, Rajasthan for

interested participants in and

around the city of Jaipur.

TAAI Managing Committee Visits DubaiThe visit of the 24-member

delegation to the emirate has

been organised by DTCM’s

India representative office

with support from The Atlantis

- The Palm, Movenpick Hotel

and Lama Group.

From 198,383 Indian

guests that Dubai hotel

establishments hosted in 1999,

the number of Indian hotel

guests increased to 410,821 in

2007. DTCM has been

operating a representative

office in India since the past 12

years. Since 2004, it has been

holding Dubai Road Shows in

Indian cities and the 2009

edition of this promotional

programme concluded earlier

this month.

As per Dubai Visitors

Survey 2006-2007 conducted

by DTCM, Indian visitors are

satisfied or over satisfied (91

per cent) with their overall

experience in Dubai and 65

per cent of them said they will

take another holiday in Dubai

in the future.

Saleh Mohammed Al

Geziry, DTCM Director of

Overseas Promotions, said:

“The number of Indian

tourists coming to Dubai has

been rising significantly over

the years. DTCM has been

working towards tapping more

Indian tourists and

businessmen to the emirate.”

Carl Vaz, Director of DTCM

Representative Office in

Mumbai who accompanied the

delegation said, “The visit of

the TAAI will help us in

promoting bilateral tourism

between the two countries.”

N E W S L I N E

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER22

H O S P I T A L I T Y

Fortune Park Opens

Hotel in LavasaITC's wholly-owned subsidiary

Fortune Park Hotels and

Hindustan Construction

Corporation subsidiary Lavasa

Corporation announced the

opening of a 60-room hotel

'Fortune Select Dasve', in Lavasa.

Lavasa is a hill town being

developed on 12,500 acres by

Lavasa Corporation. It is about

three hours drive from Mumbai

and an hour from Pune. Fortune

Park Hotels is a fast growing

chain of first class hotels with 52

properties across 41 cities.

Kempiniski to

Expand in CEThe Kempiniski Group is

expanding its portfolio through

Central Europe by entering

Slovakia with its Grand Hotel

High Tatras, created in a series of

restored 19th

and 20th

Century

buildings. A

second hotel in

Slovakia in the

contemporary

new-build

RiverPark in the

centre of Bratislava, is expected

in 2010. Also due this summer is

Kempinski's first property in

Croatia. Kempinski Hotel Adriatic

is situated on the coast of Istria

and with views towards Portoroz

in Slovenia.

'Ginger' unveiled in

MangaloreRoots Corporation Limited, a

wholly owned subsidiary of the

Indian Hotels Company Limited,

launched its GenNext 'Smart

Basics' Hotel - Ginger in

Mangalore. Ananthakrishna,

Chairman, Karnataka Bank

Limited, inaugurated Ginger's

third hotel in Karnataka. The 79

room Ginger Hotel is located

Near Kottara Chawki Junction,

Mangalore.

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 23

WelcomHeritage, a joint

venture with ITC Ltd

and His Highness of

Jodhpur, has over the years

emerged as India's largest chain of

Heritage properties. A splendid

array of properties, numbering

more than 60, spread across 19

states in India, offer unique

experiences to its guests through

its range and variety. Perhaps the

most important ingredient that sets

the chain apart, is the authenticity

to heritage that can be experienced

at each and every location.

The three new properties that

are being signed are important

additions to the chain and will add

to the infinite variety that guests

expect from WelcomHeritage. The

properties are located near Hampi

in Karnataka, within the city of

Jaipur in Rajasthan and close to

Nainital at Uttarakhand. They are

destinations that are separated by

many kilometres will also offer

experiences that will be totally

different from each other as well as

from the other properties in the

chain.

The first is the regal Shivavilas

Palace at Sandur, 40 km from

Hampi - the seat of the Vijaynagar

Kingdom in Karnataka. Sandur has

been a strategic stronghold and the

seat of the Ghorpade Dynasty and

Shivavilas Palace is built on a

sprawling 20-acre estate. The

property will open with 10 spacious

suites, but there is plenty of scope

for expansion.

At Jaipur, the haveli in the

hamlet of Sirsi, may be considered

the exact opposite to the Palace

ambience of the the Shivavilas

Palace. Here guests can expect to

experience the true mood of an

Indian village. you will find a true

village ambience - and that too in

the heart of a bustling city like

Jaipur! , This haveli, earlier owned

by a family of Kathas is located in a

village that lies within the estate of

the Royal family of Jaipur. Now

more than a 100-year's old Sirsi

Haveli is being fully renovated.

The third is WelcomHeritage

Naukuchiatal Resort, located 30

km from Nainital and a new project

on the banks of the Naukuchiatal

Lake. It promises to be a very

special resort, in idyllic

surroundings and will open with 15

cottages. It has been planned as a

Nature Resort offering Yoga,

Meditation and a Rural Experience.

"We have been keen to

enhance our presence in the South

of India and with the addition of

the Shivavilas Palace, we can now

count 2 royal palaces in the state

of Karnataka. The location being

close to the heritage site of Hampi,

the seat of the Vijayanagar Empire,

makes it a very important

destination", said WelcomHeritage

President Rakesh Mathur, .

"We have also been hoping that

we would be able to add a haveli

near Jaipur for many years. Sirsi

Haveli, is particularly special as it

offers a village atmosphere, right in

the heart of Jaipur. We are sure

that it will attract tourists both

domestic and international, with its

rustic charm and convenient

location. The third project is being

created in keeping with our plans

on creating Nature Resorts at

heritage locations. WelcomHeritage

Naukuchiatal Resort may thus be

considered among the first of

WelcomHeritage's Nature Resorts,"

he added.

WelcomHeritage Adds Three MoreProperties to the Chain

Dish Hospitality, a Wadhawan Enterprises,

will invest Rs 300 crore by 2012 to open

multi-brand chain of restaurants and cafés. The

company is also looking to enhance its

international ties-ups to gain a larger pie in the

dining business. The expansions will be funded

through internal accruals. Dish Hospitality

operates in various price points. Aurus is a fine-

dine restaurant while Nashta Chai, a kiosk

serving street food from across the country.

Other brands include Tasty Tangles, an oriental

restaurant which is a franchisee of Dubai-based

Jumeirah hotel and Sancho's, a Mexican

restaurant.

Dish Hospitality Plans Multi-Brand Restaurants

Shivavilas Palace

Sirsi Havli

Historic Rangpur, about a

mile south of the

present Sivasagar town

of Upper Assam, was the fourth

capital of the Ahom kingdom. It

completed 300 years of its glorious

existence in 1999. The old city

dotted with architectural marvels

and sculptures, was not only the

capital but also a place of military

importance of the Ahom kingdom

for more than 95 years. It was

Swargadeo Rudra Sinha who

shifted the capital from Gargaon to

Rangpur on 12th of Agrahayana of

Saka 1621 (1699 AD).

According to Captain Welsh,

Rangpur was a large and thickly

populated city, twenty miles in

extent. Historians Bhuban Chandra

Handique and Hem Burhagohain

said that Rangpur was bounded by

the Dikhow river on the north. The

chronicle Changrung Phukanar

Buranji states that in Saka (1621-

1699 AD) the city of Rangpur was

started with a number of houses

and it was inaugurated in Saka

1629, AD 1707.

It was King Rudra Sinha's

efforts that led to the permanent

phase of non-religious architecture

of the Ahoms. 'He was anxious to

build a palace and the city of

bricks, but there was no one in his

kingdom who knows how to do this.

He, therefore, imported from Koch

Behar an artisan named

Ghanashyam, under whose

supervision numerous brick

buildings were erected at Rangpur,

close to Sibsagar, and also at

Charaideo.' (Gait)

Rangpur possesses the largest

of the secular buildings built by the

Ahoms, the best of which is the

popularly known Talatal-ghar

(meaning a house having several

storeys). This massive structure is

aligned in a north-south axis with

annexes on its either side. The

ground floor of this complex

consists of rows of columns and

with semi-circular arches, some

portion of which are kept as

stylobates, while some others are

enclosed and converted into

chambers. It is said that some

portions of the open structures

were used as stables for elephants

and horses while the enclosed

ones were the granaries and

stores.

Of the seven storeys, the

Talatal-ghar contains three storeys

below the ground level. The

underground tunnels - allegedly

filled up by the East India Company

during the last century - connect

the Rangpur Kareng-ghar with the

bank of the Dikhow river located at

a distance of about one and a half

mile from the Talatal-ghar and the

Kareng-ghar located at Gargaon,

about ten miles away.

It is gathered from the scanty

references in the chronicles that

after his coronation ceremony,

Swargadeo Rudra Sinha con-

structed the Joysagar tank and the

two temples of Vishnu and Shiva

and also established his royal

residence to its north naming the

locality as Rangpur (Satsari

Buranji). Satsari Buranji says that

the king also erected a Hewali-ghar

(pleasure house) at Rangpur and

the Talatal-ghar (multi-storeyed

building) at Tengabari (Ibid.). The

chronicle further states that king

Rajesvar Sinha (AD 1751-1768)

made the multi-storeyed buildings

at Rangpur and Gargaon perma-

nent, evidently adopting brick-

masonry (Ibid). From the refer-

ences it is clear that the Talatal-

ghar built by Rudra Sinha was in

the area known as Tengabari and

that during Rajesvar Sinha's reign,

Tengabari became Rangpur owing

to a spurt in building activities from

Jaisagar to Tengabari, including the

shifting of the royal residence. The

old timber Talatal-ghar of Tengabari

was converted systematically into a

brick building.

Of the variety of architectural

forms and the structural engineer-

ing established by Rudra Sinha,

which formed the bases of the

subsequent civil architecture of

Assam, the most popular was the

dochala or the cottage-type.

Though it was originally used as the

mandapa attached to the vimana

of a temple, this form was also

adopted for a number of massive

secular buildings. The best exam-

ple of this specimen is the Gola-

ghar or the magazine house

located within the city of Rangpur.

The building, a hallmark of skillful

craftsmanship, contain a

mukhamandapa or the porch but of

shorter span and height. The well-

preserved building exists axially

and is attached to the southern

gable-end. This massive and

proportionate structure in the

midst of verdant paddy fields

stands majestically as a showpiece

among the different edifices of the

city of Rangpur.

Another architectural grandeur

of the city of Rangpur, which can

justly claim the pride of place, is

the imposing two-storeyed Rang-

ghar - a unique amphitheater and a

symbol of modern Assam.

Assigned to the Ahom king,

Pramatta Sinha (1744-1751), the

structural details as well as the

outer features of this building

speak volumes of the imitation of

the Islamic architecture. Its ground

floor is basically a rectangle with

two trapezoidal ends, while its

huge shell-roof gives the impres-

sion of its parabolic form. The

structure consists of rows of

massive columns and pilasters with

semi-circular arches.

The remnants of ornamentation

and ceilings of this structure are a

testimony to the grandeur with

which it was tried to be embel-

lished. The outer beauty of this

unique struc-

ture con-

structed as a

royal pavilion

for witnessing

outdoor games

such as

wrestling,

buffalo-fight, falconry, etc, is

enhanced by crowning its ridge

with the model of a lengthy pleas-

ure boat with makara endings and

a trefoil arched canopy at its

centre. This two-storeyed structure

having lean-to roofing with half-

circular eaves must have been

influenced by the impermanent

namghars (prayer-halls) of the neo-

Vaishnava satras (monasteries) of

Assam. There is no other secular

structure of the Rang-ghar type in

Assam.

The fortified city of Rangpur

except for some ruins of uncertain

nature does not contain any other

residential building. The only

complex having secular character

in the greater Rangpur area is the

Ghanashyam Ghar, popularly

known as the temple of

Ghanashyam. The temple is named

after Ghanashyam, the chief

architect who was brought from

Koch Behar in North Bengal by king

Rudra Sinha (1696-1714). It

comprises of a walled area having

an Islamic-type gatehouse, a flat-

roofed structure with a verandah in

one of its sides and a barrack with

a few chambers. The main struc-

ture is embellished with exquisite

terracotta work consisting of

trellises, creepers, flowers and a

number of gods and goddesses

depicting different mythological

scenes. Curiously, the structure has

a mihrab in its north wall. Except

for the terracotta figures on the

outer surface, this building has the

ingredients of a non-religious

structure.

Apart from the Ahoms, the

Kacharis built capital and residen-

tial establishments enclosed by

massive ramparts of bricks in

Rangpur and Gargaon, not far off

from the former. The Sivasagar

district administration has been

organising the Rangpur Utsav every

year to showcase the tourism

potential of this historic town of

scenic beauty dotted with exquisite

archaeological marvels.

Md. Sabir Nishat

In the Ahom HeartlandIn the Ahom HeartlandMD. SABIR NISHAT

N O R T H E A S T

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER24

The Tourism Office for

Flanders- Belgium today

officially launched their

India offices in Mumbai and Delhi

respectively. Sabine Denis- Advisor

to Flemish Minister of Economy,

Enterprise, Science, Innovation and

Trade, Jozef Vercruysse General

Administrator Tourism Flanders and

Piet Jonckers, Area Manager

Intercontinental Markets, Tourism

Flanders were also present to

grace the occasion

The primary objective of setting

up these offices is to introduce

Flanders- Belgium as a premier

tourist destination in Europe; work

closely with the Indian travel trade,

and highlight the tourist attractions

and facilities at the destination to

potential Indian travellers. The

office will also regularly advertise

and disseminate information and

press material to Indian media.

Additionally the offices will work in

close cooperation with interested

partners and stakeholders like Jet

Airways- whose European

operational hub is Brussels Airport,

from where they connect on to their

flights to North America. Besides

Jet Airways also has a code share

agreement with Brussels Airlines

which network into all major

European destinations. Jet Airways

currently has daily flights from

Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai to

Brussels.

The northern part of Belgium is

known as Flanders of which

Brussels is the capital. Brussels as

the headquarters to the EU

(European Union) and NATO it is

often referred to as The Capital of

Europe. It is an international

metropolis - a mosaic of languages,

cultures, and traditions. Brussels

hosts over 80 museums, numerous

tourist attractions, a vibrant

nightlife, countless restaurants and

distinctive shopping opportunities.

Besides Brussels,

Flanders Opens Tourist Office in Indiabreathtakingly beautiful cities like

Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Mechelen

and Lueven complete the region of

Flanders.

Antwerp is also the capital of

the international diamond trade

and boasts of a sizeable Indian

population. The Flanders region

particularly known for its variety of

beers, Michelin rated restaurants,

old history and fine architecture,

mouthwatering chocolates, lace

and nightlife has something to

interesting to offer to people of all

ages and interests.

Tourism Flanders (Belgium)

promotes Flanders the northern

region in Belgium internationally

and facilitates specialist service

and information on tourism issues,

products and services to its trade

and media partners. This

comprises all forms of tourism

(business-related as well as leisure-

related) and recreational activities

in a tourist framework.

M A R K E T I N G

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 25

Kerala's beaches,

backwaters and

houseboats are key

attractions that are being

promoted in new markets

prone to catch the God's Own

Country' travel bug.

Kerala Tourism made its

inaugural entry at the Moscow

International Travel and

Tourism (MITT) exhibition

which took place on 18-21

March 2009 at the Russian

capital. Kerala Tourism

Secretary, Dr Venu V said

Russia is a market that has

strong potential for growth

and MITT was an important

event for reaching new clients

in this market. "We need to

have an active presence in

markets that are showing

strong potential. The global

tourism sector is extremely

competitive and MITT

provides another platform to

talk to a new market.

"We know that 2009 is

going to be a tough year for

our sector, so we cannot afford

to be complacent. It is vital

that we continue to build

relationships with our

customers and develop new

ones to ensure that Kerala is

top of mind once confidence

returns.

"We were delighted to have

three of Kerala's leading

hoteliers - Thomas Holidays &

Resorts, Kadavu Resorts and

Somatheeram Ayurvedic

Beach Resort - joining us on

the stand to promote the

strengths of the destination.

They met with several tour

operators who showed interest

in including Kerala in their

product mix

including

Intravel, IHPL,

Intourcentre,

India Tour and

Transaero Tour.

Ayurveda is

gaining

popularity with

Russian

outbound tourists

and some 9,766

Russians visited

Kerala last year, a

47 per cent

increase on 2007.

Another new trade show

that Kerala Tourism attended

was TUR in Sweden, which

was held from 19-22 March

2009 in the city of Goteborg.

Swedish interest in ayurveda

and beach holidays was also

apparent at the Kerala Stand

at TUR, the largest

Scandinavian trade fair for

travel and tourism.

Trade partners from

Kerala Tourism Steps into New Markets In

Sweden And RussiaKerala, CGH Earth, Kadavu,

Thomas Holidays,

Somatheeram Ayurvedic

Beach Resort and Pioneer

Personalised Holidays

participated at the fair.

Despite the current

economic crisis, 20,000

visitors passed through the

doors during the trade days

and 33,000 visited during the

weekend when the fair was

open to the public, indicating

that Swedish interest in

travelling remains high. More

than 1,900 companies from

103 countries and regions

attended the trade fair.

Last year 20,666 Swedish

arrivals were registered in

Kerala, double that of 2007,

making Sweden the fifth

largest source market for the

State. Kerala Tourism co-

ordinates and participates in a

number of international trade

shows and events each year to

promote Kerala as a premier

travel destination. The

majority of these trade shows

and events are held within key

international markets,

bringing together the Kerala

tourism industry to meet with

travel agents and wholesalers

from around the world.

Dr. Venu IAS, Secretary,Kerala Tourism at MITT 2009

Wayanad Tourism Organisation Members at the Kerala Tourism Roadshowheld at Taj Westend, Bengaluru

Kerala Tourism RoadshowHeld in BengaluruS

P Grand Days, the new venture of SP Group-a business house with

interests in diversified businesses, has been formally launched in

Thiruvanathapuram by the Minister for Tourism, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

SP Grand Days, with variety of services provides luxury with responsibility.

The property has in all 72 well-appointed rooms with tea/coffee maker,

mini bar, safe

locker, foot

massager, Wi-Fi

connectivity,

satellite television

and STD/ISD

direct dial. Some

of the other guest

service and

facilities here

include multi-cuisine restaurant, roof-top speciality restaurant, pastry

shop, premium bar, lounge bar, discotheque, swimming pool, health club,

shopping mall, spa & beauty treatment, doctor on call, concierge service,

travel desk and ample car parking.

SP Grand Days Inaugurated

N E W S L I N E

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 27

S O U T H E R N S P L E N D O U R

The Andhra Pradesh

Tourism Development

Corporation (APTDC) plans to

focus on promoting Religious

Tourism in the state. In

addition to its existing

pilgrim-cum-tourist spots like

Tirupati and Bhadrachalam,

APTDC is developing well-

known temple towns like

Basara, Ahobilam and

Vemulawada into tourism

hubs. APTDC has started

Owing to the grand success of

the 2008 edition of the

Grand Kerala Shopping Festival

(GKSF), the Minister for Tourism,

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has

announced the formation of Trade

Fair Authority for the annual

conduct of GKSF. The 2009 edition

of GKSF will be conducted by this

authority. According to the

minister, GKSF proved that such an

exercise can be successfully

Under the theme of

‘Enchanting

Tamilnadu’, the Tamil

Nadu Tourism Development

Corporation (TTDC) plans a wide

range of unique experiences for

tourists who are willing to explore

the rural Tamil Nadu. TTDC is

promoting rural areas of Tamil

Nadu for tourists who have not

experienced life in rural areas.

The corporation has identified

several villages near tourist

destinations where tourists can

contact the local tourist guides to

learn about rural life.

The Tamil Nadu Government

has trained retired teachers and

local youth in hospitality and

organising local tours. Tourists

Oberon Mall

Inaugurated in KochiOberon Mall, the largest lifestyle

mall in Kerala has been

inaugurated recently by The

State Tourism Minister, Kodiyeri

Balakrishnan, at Kochi. Fully

conceptualised, developed and

promoted by the Oberon Group of

companies and Flora Group of

Dubai, the mall is created as the

ultimate shopping and

entertainment opportunity for the

visitor. The mall, first of its kind

in Kerala, aims to redefine the

shopping habits of the people in

the State and set a trend in

shopping.

Tourist-friendly

Autos in MaduraiTourist-friendly auto rickshaws

have been launched in Madurai.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Irai

Anbu, Secretary, Tourism Depart-

ment, stressed on the need for

promoting a tourist-friendly

culture. Tamil Nadu has plenty of

potential for tourism and the

importance needed to be

highlighted to foreigners. The

State has five out of 26 sites

recognised by the United Nations

Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Historic Tunnel

Attracts VisitorsKerala Tourism has now a unique

product to offer the visitors to

Thiruvananthapuram. A huge

tunnel carrying water pipes at

Vellayambalam in the capital city,

could soon host travellers visiting

the city. The Minister for Tourism,

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, while

inaugurating the Platinum

Jubilee celebrations of the

Wellington Water Works drew

attention to the 200 m tunnel,

carrying water pipes at

Vellayambalam, as a potential

tourist attraction. This aspect

could be made part of Kerala

Tourism’s marketing strategy, the

minister said.

TN to Promote Rural Tourism in a Big Waycan contact locals guides and stay

in rural houses, taste the local food

and enjoy the rural India.

Nearly 100

folk arts, which

are fading away

in Tamil Nadu,

have been

identified for

promotion

through rural

tourism.

Besides, dance

and music

festivals will be

organised in

urban areas. Apart from rural

tourism, the TTDC is promoting

heritage tourism, temple tourism,

medical and health tourism, and

adventure tourism in a big way.

Addressing the

mediapersons in Chennai

recently, TTDC Managing Director

and Commissioner of Tamil Nadu

Tourism M Rajaram said that about

6.26 crore domestic tourists and

20.4 lakh foreign tourists visited

Tamil Nadu in 2008, 23.4 per cent

higher than in the previous year.

About 25 per cent of the 6.26

crore domestic tourists were from

Andhra Pradesh, he added.

APTDC to Promote Religious Tourismconstruction of multi-purpose

complexes including budget

hotels and restaurants which

are likely to be completed in a

year. “We have already started

construction of multi-purpose

complexes and are promoting

Religious Tourism at

Srisailam, Basara, Ahobilam

and Alampur. The state

government has accorded

permissions and released

funds for development of

Mantralayam, Bhadrachalam

and Vemulawada into tourism

spots recently,” said PV

Ramana Reddy, Executive

Director, APTDC.

Trade Fair Authority for GKSFconducted with the support of

various government departments

as well as the business and trade

community in the state. In the

backdrop of Kerala now placed as

a well-known travel destination in

the world, the platform is well set

for making it into a destination for

shopping. And by including small-

scale traders, the shopping festival

now has attained more mass

appeal, the minister said. Recalling

Kerala’s status as a historic trade

centre, where merchant vessels

from far off countries visited its

coast to procure goods, the

minister said that current efforts

through GKSF and similar ventures

is to restore that past glory by

developing a market for Kerala

products. The minister cited the

promotion of coir, cashew and

handloom products during the

GKSF as efforts in that direction.

MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER28

S O U T H E R N S P L E N D O U R

Dr. V. Venu IASSecretary, Kerala Tourism

The Kerala Budget

promises good times

for tourism

development in the State, with

the tourism package including

development of 27 tourism

destinations in Malabar, as

well as that of the Kannur

airport and the Beypore and

Azhikkal ports. Focus will be

mainly on infrastructure

development for the select

tourism destinations in

Malabar. However, the major

highlight of the budget in the

face of the current slowdown

is the deferment of 50 per cent

of luxury tax for all registered

tourist resorts and houseboats

for one year.

Kerala also touched a new

high in terms of recognition,

by bagging eleven National

Tourism Awards. While

'Utsavam' which showcases

Kerala's folk and ritual art

forms was selected as the most

innovative tourism project, a

paragliding festival named

VAGA Fest held at Vagamon in

Idukki was acclaimed the most

innovative adventure activity.

The State also bagged the

award for the best responsible

tourism project, now being

implemented in the State at

Kumarakom, Thekkady,

Wayanad and Kovalam as well

as the award for the best film

on tourism.

It gives me immense

pleasure to inform you that in

spite of the economic

slowdown, the tourist arrivals

to the State continue

unaffected and good business

was registered during the

months of December and

January.

The Chithirai festival, one of the

renowned attractions in Tamil Nadu is

held at the Madurai temple, 500-km

from Chennai. The

festivity starts on the

full moon day of the

Tamil month

Chithirai (April-May)

and ends on the tenth

day. The celebration

is filled with pomp

and festivity. The

Chithirai festival

marks the beginning

of the financial year.

On this occasion, the

images of Hindu

Gods and Goddesses are taken to Vaigai River

in a huge procession.

This festival of Madurai is associated with

Lord Vishnu of the Hindu mythology.

According to the legend, Lord ‘Kallazhagar’

(Vishnu) goes to Madurai from his abode -

Azhagarmalai 30-km from Madurai to attend

the marriage of his sister Goddess Meenakshi

to Lord Sundareswarar on real-gold horse

ChithiraiFestival of Madurai

chariot. The

‘Kallazhagar’

entering the river

Vaigai is indeed a

spectacular sight.

As part of the

rituals a decorated

chariot carrying the

two idols of the

couple will move out

of the temple in

procession and

passes through the

streets. and in the

vicinity of the

‘Devasthanam’.

Devotees make

offerings of coconuts, flowers, camphor and

Agarbattis. A trade exhibition and fairs

organized here lend festivity to the occasion.

The famous festivals held at Madurai, include

“Teppam festival”, the annual float festival,

wherein the images of Sri Meenakshi and Lord

Sundareshwar are mounted on floats and taken

to Mariamman Teppakkulam tank.

www.madurai.com/chithira

Thrissur Pooram, the world

renowned festival of

Kerala will be held on May 03,

this year. More tourists from

different part of India and

other countries are expected

this year as the event is fast

gaining popularity worldwide.

The 36 hour long event which

gets better every time in terms

of its pomp and vibrance is

held at Thekkinkadu

Maidanam in the premises of

the Vadakkumnatha temple in

Thrissur district. The highlights

of the event include a

spectacular pageant of 30

caparisoned elephants and

Kudamattom, a competition in

the swift rhythmic changing of

brightly coloured and sequined

parasols along with

chendamelam and

panchavadyam. The dazzling

fireworks adds more charm to

the event.

Thrissur

Gears Up

For Pooram

We at Asian Traveller mourn

the demise of Thampy George,

General Manager, Lake Palace,

Alappuzha,Kerala, India.

May his soul rest in peace.

HOMAGE

ASIAN TRAVELLER MARCH 2009 29

V A R I E T Y

Send in your answers to info@mediastepsindia.com

with TYKC18 in the the subject line.

Answers should reach us before the 30th of this month.

One all-correct entry will getFree Stay at Le-Meridien, Kochi

[ 2 nights and 3 days for two ]*Nestled amongst 25 acres of coconut groves andbackwater rivers, Le Méridien Cochin Resort &Convention Centre sits at the heart of one of In-dia's most naturally beautiful cities, Kochi. Thisprestigious landmark houses 5 floors of luxuri-ous accommodation for international businessand leisure travelers. The 151 spacious rooms andsuites, most with breathtaking views over themanicured gardens and the backwaters.* Conditions apply

Naresh Bhandari

New Industrial Township

Faridabad, Haryana, India

TYKC 17 - Winner

Compiled by DEEKAY

1. What kind of skiing is

langlauf?

2. What is Elo rating?

3. What is biathlon?

4. What is Renminbi?

Answers of TYKC - 17

1. Olympia, 2. Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, 3. They were

fifth cousins, 4. Russian for 'fortress', 5. Hussein, 6. Mayor of London,

7. Dr. Bob Smith & Bill Wilson, 8. Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd

(Ikea's founder's name & place), 9. Founder of eBay, 10. BelgradeHoliday Expo, Vadodara March 1 - 3

ITB BERLIN, Berlin, Germany March 11-15

Asia Spa and Wellness Festival, Bangkok March 20-22

BTTF Birmingham March 26-27

GIBTM, Abudabi, UAE March 31 - Apr 2

MARCH 2009

Jayant Gaikwad,IAS, has taken overthe charge ofSecretary of Tourismand Cultural Affairs,Government ofIndia. He currentlyholds the position ofMD, MTDC.

APRIL 2009

IT & CM, Shanghai, China April 15 - 17

COTTM, Beijing April 22 - 24

SATTE, New Delhi April 23 - 24

5. What is the literal meaning of

the word 'target'?

6. What is Shakespeare & Co?

7. Where is Devil's Swimming

Pool?

8. Which household item

was invented by Percy

Spencers in 1945?

9. What is a keychain drive?

10. Who stays at Lambeth

Palace, London?

Lambeth Palace

Skiing

Target

The LeelaPalaces, Hotelsand Resorts hasannounced theappointment ofChristopher Newberyas General Managerat The LeelaKempinski, Mumbai.

The Leela PalaceKempinskiBangalore,India hasannounced theappointment ofAndrew Hendrianas its GeneralManager.

ATM, Dubai May 5-8

BITE, Bahrain May 14-16

Thrissur Pooram, Kerala, India May 4

MAY 2009

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MARCH 2009 ASIAN TRAVELLER30