Frankfinn Travel Assignment - Presentation Transcript

1. Assignment done on Travel Management 2. Submitted By Minu Pauline . 3. Coun tries

o Dubai o Mauritius o Singapore o Malaysia

4. DUBAI 5. History of Dubai

o DUBAI is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Peninsula.

6.o Although the early history of Dubai is not very well documented, archeological

discoveries suggests that, as long as four thousand years ago, small fishing communities lived along the coast of the Arabian Gulf on the site of what we know today as Dubai.

o In 1971 when the British left the Persian Gulf, Dubai together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates. The UAE dirham was adopted in 1973 as the uniform currency, by Dubai and the other emirates.

o Dubai's enormous constructions and developments in various industries through innovative real estate projects, sports events, shopping festivals and conferences has attracted world-wide attention for Dubai City, establishing it as the world's leading business hub.

o Dubai has a rich cultural scene with art museums, film festivals (Dubai film festival) and performing arts centers, in addition to being a shopper's delight, hosting the annually held Dubai Shopping Festival. Dubai is a city of excitement waiting to be explored holding the potential for one of the most significant international cities of the 21st century.

7. Attractions Of Dubai o The Dubai world trade centre o Dubai Creek o Dubai Museum o Bastakiya o Grand Mosque o Wafi city o Deira city centre

8. The Dubai World Trade Centre o It is Considered to be one of Dubai's premier landmarks . o The complex houses 39-storeys of local and international companies

9. Dubai Creek o Dubai Creek offers a picturesque glimpse of Dubai's trading heritage . o It can be crossed by Abra (water Taxi)

10. Dubai Museum

o Al Fahidi Fort, built last century, was renovated in 1970 to house a museum where 4000-year-old archaeological finds and dioramas of traditional life are among the many displays.

11. Bastakiya o The earliest form of air conditioning, the wind tower, which was used to cool

homes in the Gulf, can still be seen in the Bastakiya area, to the east of Al Fahidi Fort where many traditional courtyard houses can be found.

12. Grand mosque o The Grand Mosque was only rebuilt in 1998 and boasts the city’s tallest minaret,

at 70m (231ft). Located on the Bur Dubai side of the creek, near the Ruler’s Court, the Grand Mosque consists of nine large domes and 45 smaller ones. This huge religious edifice can house up to 1200 worshippers

13. Wafi City o Wafi City is a shopping complex that hosts a variety of designer shops, boutiques

and other entertainment facilities. 14. Deira City Centre

o One of the biggest shopping malls in Dubai. o It is boasts of an extensive variety of popular shops for fashion, electronics,

cosmetics, furniture and more. 15. MAURITIUS 16. History Of Mauritius

o The first Europeans to have visited Mauritius were the Portuguese at the beginning of the sixteenth century

17. The Dutch who settled in the island in 1598 named it Mauritius after Prince Maurice of Nassau. Among other things, the Dutch introduced sugar cane and the Java deer before leaving in 1710 where they had found in the mean time a far better settling place The Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. About five years later, in 1715, the French occupied the island, renaming it "Isle de France". It was under the French Governor, Mahé de Labourdonnais, that Mauritius knew its first development: a harbour was built. Port Louis, named after the ruling king Louis XV, became the capital of Mauritius.

18. Attractions of Mauritius o Pereybère o Cap Malheureux o Black River Gorges o Martello Towers o Dolphins

19. Pereybère o It is a wonderful public beach popular because of its shopping facilities,

restaurants and pubs 20. Cap Malheureux

o Cap Malheureux with its red roofed church, opens onto the northern islands with its large community of fisherman

21. Black River Gorges o This national park was created for the protection of Mauritius' remaining

native forests. Visitors can enjoy magnificent landscapes, with endemic plants and rare bird species.

22. Martello Towers o It represent the scene of the ancient rivalry between old colonial powers and the

ingenuity of mankind. They are a milestone in the island's history, they symbolise the end of slavery and the beginning of Indian immigration.

23. Dolphins o Visitors do get a Unique opportunity to see Dolphins on the west coast of

Mauritius. 24. SINGAPORE 25. History of Singapore

o The world's busiest port, the modern nation of the Republic of Singapore, was founded as a British trading post on the Strait of Malacca in 1819.

26. Tourism had been an important sector of Singapore's economy for more than a decade, averaging 16 percent of total foreign exchange earnings and 6 percent of GDP between 1980 and 1985. Tourist arrivals had dropped sharply in 1983, however, the first decline in over twenty years. The decrease resulted both from the regional and world economic downturn at that time and from travel restrictions instituted by neighboring countries to preserve their own foreign exchange. Observers noted also that Singapore was losing its "oriental mystique and charm." In its effort to build a modern city, it had torn down old buildings and curtailed traditional street activities, aspects considered by tourists to be part of Singapore's attraction Although increasing the absolute number of visitor arrivals was the main target, a further aim was to attract the high-spending, business visitors attending conventions and trade exhibitions, which Singapore hosted in large numbers.

27. Attractions of Singapore o Singapore Discover Centre o Singapore Flyer o Snow City o Sentosa 4D magix o Singapore city Gallery o Sentosa Luge & Sky Ride o G-MAX reverse Bungy o Forest Adventure

28. Singapore Discovery Centre o The new Singapore Discovery Centre consists of 5 main galleries around 8

different themes. Guests will be able to immerse themselves in Singapore’s past, present and future, travelling through time to key moments in Singapore’s nationhood and experiencing them “as they happen”.

29. Singapore Flyer o Singapore Flyer offers you breathtaking, 360° panoramic views of Singapore and

beyond. o A central atrium opens out to a lush tropical r a inforest, while an open-air theatre

hosts live performances. 30. Snow City

o At Snow City, Singapore’s first indoor snow centre, Visitors can experience real snow, a sub-zero climate and a three-storey high snow slope.

31. Sentosa 4D Magix

o Sentosa 4D Magix presents the interactive experience with 4-dimensional digital effects.

o it is also Southeast Asia’s first 4D theatre. 32. Singapore City Gallery

o Can see the whole of Singapore from a unique vantage point. o An exclusive, giant aerial photograph gives you a panoramic view of Singapore

without climbing great heights. 33. Sentosa Luge & Skyride

o The first ever Luge in Southeast Asia. o This luge is a fun-filled gravity ride that's safe for all ages.

34. G-MAX reverse Bungy o Singapore’s first ever bungy. o Experience G forces similar to those experienced by astronauts in a rocket launch,

all in the safety of the latest G-MAX technology. 35. Forest Adventure

o Forest Adventure is a Tree Top Course comprising ladders, bridges, swings, nets, trapezes and zip lines where participants move unaccompanied, from tree to tree.

36. Malaysia 37. History Of Malaysia

o Malaysia's history starts generally around the establishment of the Malacca sultanate. During the 13th century, it was renowned as a major port for traders from both east and west.

38. The history of Malaysia is a relatively recent offshoot of the history of the wider Malay-Indonesian world”. It is so because anthropologists and historians could see very little aspects culturally and linguistically, to distinguish today’s Malaysian territories from the lands of the Malay Archipelago. According to their research, today’s division of the Malay world into six different states-- Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei and East Timor – is largely the result of external influences, like the Hindu India, the Islamic Middle East and Christian Europe (west), China and Japan (north-east). Besides, the most direct shipping route passing through the Strait of Malacca, Malaysia has naturally been a melting pot of trade routes and cultures. Thus, it has been found out that the geographical position of Malaysia has literally made it difficult for the Malay people to resist foreign influence and domination.

39. Attractions of Malaysia o Langkawi o Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC o Gunung Mulu National Park o Kinabalu Park o Sipadan Island o Sabah

40. Langkawi o For beautiful scenery, great adventures and five-star conveniences, Langkawi is

the place to getaway. o Langkawi has an underwater world, containing an underground tunnel that runs

though a giant aquarium, that has gotten rave reviews. 41. Twin Towers, KLCC

o The 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, otherwise known as KLCC the world's tallest twin structures. Located in the heart of the capital city, the crown of the Kuala Lumpur contains a complex of office buildings, conference halls, a sprawling park and an upmarket shopping complex.

42. Gunung Mulu National Park o Mulu Caves National Park is home to one of the longest networks of caves in the

world. o It consist of the world’s largest underground chamber, the Sarawak Chamber,

capable of accommodating forty Boeing 747 airplanes. 43. Kinabalu Park

o The Kinabalu Park covers an area of 754 sq km and is made up of Mount Kinabalu, Mount Tambayukon and the foothills.

o It was gazetted to preserve this valuable natural environment. 44. Sipadan Island

o Malaysia’s only oceanic island, it is very small. o Attracting diverse marine life from the blackness of the open sea. Surrounded by

crystal clear waters, this crown jewel is a treasure trove of some of the most amazing marine animals.

45. Sabah o Often called the 'Land Below the Wind' because it lies below the

typhoon belt. o Mountainous and largely carpeted by lush tropical rainforests. o Sipadan island off the south eastern coast of Sabah, has been one of the top five

dive sites in the world for years 46. Travel documents for Dubai:

o A valid passport for minimum 3 months on arrival. o Visa. o The following DO NOT require a visa: 1) Nationals of United Arab Emirates 2)

Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar & Saudi Arabia 3) Holders of a Visit Visa issued on arrival for stays up to 30 days (extension to 90 days possible, fee AED 500)

o to: 47.o a) Holders of British passports, provided the status is "British Citizen“ o b) Holders of passports issued by Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei

Darussalam, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (S.A.R. passport holders), Iceland, Ireland Rep, Italy, Japan, Korea (South), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States & Vatican City

o No compulsory Vaccinations or immunization is needed. 48. Travel documents for Mauritius:

o A valid passport for minimum 6 months on arrival. o VISA o The following DO NOT require a visa: 1) Citizens of Mauritius, including the

spouse of a citizen of Mauritius & persons who are residents of Mauritius under

the Immigration Act Visa Notes: 1) Visas are issued on arrival to: a) Nationals of United Kingdom (including dependent territories) b) Nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland Rep, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Qatar, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Zambia & Zimbabwe

49.o c) For stays up to 3 months to nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Chile & Paraguay d)

For stays up to 14 days to nationals of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Comoros, Fiji, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Madagascar, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine & Uzbekistan e) For stays up to 16 days to nationals of Korea (South) Visa Special Notes: All visitors must hold onward/return tickets, documents required for next destination & sufficient funds for length of stay

o Yellow fever certificate if arriving from infected areas. 50. Travel documents for Singapore:

o A valid passport for minimum 6 months on arrival. o The following REQUIRE a visa: 1) Holders of travel documents issued by

Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan & Yemen 2) Holders of Refugee Travel Documents issued by Middle East countries 3) Holders of Palestinian Authority Passports 4) Holders of Hong Kong Documents of Identity 5) Holders of Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Travel Permit 6) Holders of Temporary Passport issued by United Arab Emirates

51.o Visa Notes : Visitors are generally granted a 14-30 days Visit Pass if they meet

entry requirements o Visa Special Notes: 1) All visitors must hold confirmed onward/return tickets,

sufficient funds for length of stay & entry facilities (including visas) to their onward destinations 2) Expectant women who are 6 months or more pregnant, and will be travelling through/into Singapore are required to apply for a Social Visit Pass (not applicable to those travelling in transit or not leaving the transit lounge & not passing through immigration clearance)

o Yellow fever certificate if arriving from infected areas. 52. Travel documents for Malaysia:

o A valid passport for minimum 6 months on arrival.

o Visa General: The following DO NOT require a visa: 1) Nationals of Malaysia 2) Holders of British passports, irrespective of endorsement in passport regarding their national status 3) For stays up to 3 months by nationals of Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Rep, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland Republic, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherland, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay & Yemen

53.o 4) For stays up to 1 month by nationals of: a) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Barbados,

Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Equador, El Salvador, Estonia, Gabon, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (S.A.R. passport holders), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea (North), Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Macao (S.A.R. passport holders), Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Sao Tome & Principe, Singapore, Slovenia, Sudan, Surinam, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zaire & Zimbabwe b) Holders of British National Overseas (BNO) passports 5) For stays up to 15 days by nationals of Iran 6) For stays up to 14 days by: a) Nationals of Chad, Comoros, Guinea, Iraq, Libya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia & Syria, b) Holders of Macao Travel Permit c) Holders of Portuguese Alien Passport

54.o The following are now eligible for a visa on arrival for a stay of up to 1 month: 1)

Nationals of Andorra, British overseas citizens, British national overseas, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guinea, Holy Sea, Iraq, Madagascar, Mauritania, Senegal & Syria The following are now eligible for a visa on arrival for a stay of up to 3 months: 1) Nationals of Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Iran, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal & Slovenia

o Visa Notes: 1) Tourist passes are now available on arrival: a) For stays of up to 15 days to nationals of Iraq b) For stays of up to 1 month to nationals of Zambia & Zimbabwe

o Yellow fever certificate if arriving within 6 days from endemic areas. The countries & areas included in the endemic zones are considered infected. Exempt infants under 1 year.

55. Meals in Flight. 56. Vegetarian meal(VGML)

o Meats, fish, poultry or eggs will be avoided. o Food included will be pure vegetarian in any style like Indian, Chinese,

Continental etc. 57. Seafood meal

o Seafood is served in the main course.

o Meal includes Appetizer , salad , Pan Fried Cod , Fresh fruit , Bread roll, cheese and biscuits

58. Child meal (CHML) o Strong spices, big pieces, gravies etc will be avoided. o This will include Bite-sized pieces of food liked by children, as they are easy to

and digest and also it will nutritionally balanced. 59. Veg-Lacto meal (VLML)

o Meats, fish, poultry or eggs will be avoided. o The meal will include vegetarian meal with diary products in it.

60. Muslim/Mohammedan meal (MOML) o Pork, pork products and alcohol will be completely avoided. o Food will be prepared according to the muslim-shariat laws. o Only halal meat is used.

61. Other facilities in flight o Infants carrycot o Bassinet o Stretchers o Wheel chairs etc .

62. How is the itinerary prepared by me good for the client? o The countries that are selected for the client is Dubai, Mauritius, Singapore and

Malaysia which are one among the best tourist destinations of the world. The whole trip will be fun packed and Useful for the client.

63.o The client and his family can enjoy the wide range of cuisine that are provided

during the flight. o They can explore Dubai which is known as one of the best ever known shopping

destination. o The whole family can relax at its peak in the wide range of beaches at Mauritius. 64.o Singapore has its historical value and a well established science gallery which will

help the children in family in their education. o Malaysia is a shoppingdestination and also a best place which really worth sight

seeing and an ultimate point of relaxation for the entire family. 65. Mapping and routing 66. Flight details COK-DXB

o Cochin to Dubai o Air India flight# 6531 Airline code:AI o Departure Kochi , India - Kochi(COK) o Arrival 12:45 PM    Dubai , United Arab Emirates-Dubai International(DXB) o Duration: 3h45m o Class: Economy

67. DXB-MRU o Dubai to Mauritius o Emirates flight# EK 701 o Departure 02:55:00 from Dubai o Arrival 09:25:00 Mauritius

o Flight duration 06:30:00 o Class: Economy

68. MRU- SIN o Mauritius to Singapore o Air Mauritius flight#642 Airline code: MK o Departure 10:05 pm Mauritius MRU o Arrival 09:05am Singapore SIN o Flight duration 7 hrs o Class Economy

69. SIN-KUL o Singapore to Malaysia o Japan airline flight#721 Airline code:JL o Departure 7:50 pm Singapore o Arrival 8:50 pm Malaysia o Flight Duration 1hr o Class: Economy

70. Day to day itinerary o Day1 (7/8/08): Reach Dubai by 12:45pm drive from airport to hotel Grand Hyatt

by cab around 15 mins.(Cab will be provided) Reach there have lunch rest till 3pm, go for Dubai creek ride it will take around an hour then head towards trade centre do shopping from there to city centre spent time there till 10 pm.

o Back to hotel room. o Day 2 (8/8/08) : Start from hotel at 9 am by car. Towards museum be there for 3

hours from there visit Bastakiya head towards grand mosque after that to airport reach airport by 12 midnight as next flight to Mauritius is at 2:55am

71.o Day 3 (9/8/08): Reach Mauritius at 9:25 am by cab reach Hotel Oberoi Mauritius

which is just 13.4 Miles far from the airport. Have breakfast and can take rest in the room till evening as night life in Mauritius is more happening than day outs. By 6 pm set out of the hotel by taxi to Pereybère which is famous for night parties and shopping be there till 12 midnight back to room.

o Day 4 (10/8/08) : Start from hotel by 10 in the morning to Cap Malheureux then from there to Black River Gorges there sight seeing will take around about 2 hours from there to Martello Towers another an hour we can spent there from there straight to airport which will take around 45 mins reach airport by 7 pm as our next flight to Singapore is at 10:25 pm.

72.o Day 5 (11/8/08): Will reach Singapore by 9 in the morning stay at Hotel

paramount which is very near to the airport can be reached by Taxi, can take rest in the hotel till 3 pm after that will go for Singapore flyer from there to Discovery centre and city gallery. Back to hotel.

o Day 6 (12/8/08) : Set out by 10 in the morning to Sentosa 4D theatre which is more than an hour drive from the hotel from there to Sentosa Luge and sky ride by then time will be 7pm then drive back to hotel.

73.

o Day 7 (13/8/08) : Start from the hotel to Snow city will take around 45 mins in car there would have to spent around 1 hour from there to GMAX bungee and to forest for adventures. Reach airport by 4 next flight to Malaysia is at 7.50pm reach Malaysia by 9pm. Head to hotel Crowne Plaza which is very near to the Kuala Lumpur international airport.

o Day 8 (14/8/08) : Set out from the hotel to Langkawi by car from there to Gunung Mulu National Park then from there to Petronas Twin Towers , from there back to hotel.

74.o Day 9 (15/8/08): Start from hotel at 9 am by car to Kinabalu Park spent there

around 2-3 hours from there to Sipadan Island which will take more than two hours by local cab spent there around 3 or more hours, from there head to Sabah and spent there around an hour and back to room.

75. International flight coupon Class Economy 76. Import export Rules Dubai

o Import allowance :2,000 cigarettes or 400 cigars or 2kg of tobacco b) 2 lit of spirits & 2 lit of wine (non-Muslims only) c) A reasonable quantity of perfume

o Prohibited/Restricted: Prescribed drugs or over-the-counter medicines may be restricted, check prior to departure. Natural or cultured unstrung pearls except for personal use, firearms and ammunition, drugs. Wines, spirits & pork products Muslims only

77. Mauritius o Import Allowances: For persons of 18 years of age or older: a) Tobacco

(including cigars and cigarettes) not exceeding 250gr b) 1 lit of spirits and 2 lit of wine, ale or beer c) 250cl of toilet water and 10cl of perfume for personal use

o Prohibited/Restricted: The import of sugar-cane is strictly prohibited. Plants, Fruits, Flowers & Pets require clearance of the Ministry of Agriculture. Firearms & ammunition must be declared to customs on arrival

78. Singapore o Import Allowances: o a) For persons of 18 years of age or older, having arrived from countries other

than Malaysia & have spent not less than 48 hours outside Singapore immediately before arrival; 1 lit of spirits, 1 lit of wine & 1 lit of beer b) Goods up to the value of SGD 50 if outside Singapore for less than 24 hours (persons 18 years or older), SGD 150 if outside Singapore for 24 hours or more but less than 48 hours (SGD 50 for persons below the age of 18), SGD 300 if outside Singapore for 48 hours or more (SGD 100 for persons below the age of 18)

o Prohibited/Restricted: Chewing tobacco & imitation tobacco products, chewing gum, cigarette lighters of pistol or revolver shape, controlled drugs & psychotropic substances, firecrackers, obscene articles/publications/video tapes/discs & software, reproduction of copyright publications/video tapes/disks/records or cassettes

79. Malaysia o Import Allowances: o a) 200 cigarettes or 225gr of tobacco or 50 cigars b) 1 lit of wine or 1 lit of spirits

or 1 lit of malt liquor c) Gifts & souvenirs not exceeding a total value of MYR

200 Prohibited/Restricted: All goods from Haiti & Israel. Indecent or obscene print. Counterfeit notes or coins. Cloth bearing the imprint or reproduction of any verses of the Quran Note: the trafficking of illegal drugs is a serious offence in Malaysia and such an offence carries the death penalty

80. International air transport association (IATA) o IATA is an international trade body, created some 60 years ago by a group of

airlines. Today, IATA represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic. The organisation also represents, leads and serves the airline industry in general.

81.o The International Air Transport Association -  was founded in Havana, Cuba, in

April 1945. It is the prime vehicle for  inter-airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical  air services - for the benefit of the world's consumers. The international  scheduled air transport industry is now more than 100 times larger than it was in 1945. Few industries can match the dynamism of that growth, which  would have been much less spectacular without the standards, practices and procedures developed within IATA.

82. Activities o Implement IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO), conducting at

least 60 station audits and 8 headquarters audits o Develop plan to address future airline training and qualification requirements o Achieve a reduction of at least 6 million tones of CO2 from operations and

infrastructure o Implement a strategy to reach carbon neutral growth o Develop standards and guidelines for an industry carbon offset programme and

pilot it with at least 6 airlines in four different regions 83.o Achieve 100% E-Ticketing penetration in IATA Billing and Settlement Plan

(BSP) on 1 June 2008 and implement a program to eliminate remaining paper documents by developing an electronic multi-purpose document (EMD)

o Ensure 130 airports offer Common Use Self-Service (CUSS) facilities by end 2008 and that 200 airlines are Bar Coded Boarding Pass (BCBP)-enabled Implement e-freight pilots at 8 additional locations (14 total) by end 2008

o Conduct 2 pilots in each area of Fast Travel Launch the Baggage management Improvement Program (BIP) at 6 airports

o Achieve savings/cost avoidance of $1.5 billion in industry taxes, charges and fuel fees, including at least $800 million in real cost reduction

o Launch four new initiatives to reduce airline costs and improve service. 84. UFTAA

o The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) emanates from the Universal Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations created in Rome, Italy, on November 22nd, 1966. UFTAA was originally founded as a result of a merger of two large world organizations, FIAV and UOTAA, recognizing the need to unify travel agencies and tour-operators into one international federation. In 1989, coming from Brussels, UFTAA set up its General Secretariat in the Principality of Monaco.

o UFTAA started its operation as a Confederation on January 1st, 2003. It is a non-profit Confederation of international scope, representing Regional Federations comprising some 80 national associations.

85. Activities o To unite and consolidate the Federations of Travel Agents’ National Associations

and to globally enhance the interests of their members o To represent the travel agents’ activities before various world-wide bodies,

governmental authorities and suppliers o To work towards the adoption of measures that will ease travel for the consumer

and to offer services to its member federations 86. PATA

o PATA has been privileged to represent the travel and tourism industry of Asia Pacific for more than half a century. It is a region so vast and varied that one could spend a lifetime exploring it.  

o Founded : 1951 o Founder member : 44 o First conference: 1952 o Head quarters established in :1953 at Sanfrancisco USA 87.o PATA promotes developing and facilitating travel to and within the Pacific area

region and the South-East Asia region including India. o It provides the meeting point for all the people involved in the travel trade and all

the activities related to it from a large number of countries. o It assists small and upcoming destinations to develop their infrastructure,

providing expertise, planning group travel schemes,destinations,hotels operations and discounts.

o It provides up to date information on the field of tourism and the practical and theoretical experience in the field of tourism.

o The annual conferences of PATA and its workshops provides greater scopes to its member to share their ideas and exchange views about tourism promotion in their respective countries.

Activities

88. Foundation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) o The consequence of the studies initiated by the US and subsequent consultations

between the Major Allies was that the US government extended an invitation to 55 States or authorities to attend, in November 1944, an International Civil Aviation Conference in Chicago. Fifty-four States attended this Conference end of which a Convention on International Civil Aviation was signed by 52 States set up the permanent International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a means to secure international co-operation an highest possible degree of uniformity in regulations and standards, procedures and organisation regarding civil aviation matters. At the same time the International Services Transit Agreement and the International Air Transport Agreement were signed.

89.

o The most important work accomplished by the Chicago Conference was in the technical field because the Conference laid the foundation for a set of rules and regulations regarding air navigation as a whole which brought safety in flying a great step forward and paved the way for the application of a common air navigation system throughout the world.

90.o ICAO founded in1947. o ICAO composed of 185 members. o ICAO provides technical assistance to countries. o ICAO provides technical publications and social studies.

91. Activities o Ensure the safe and orderly growth to international civil aviation throughout the

world. o Encourage the arts of the aircraft design and operation for the peaceful purposes. o Encourage the development of the railways, airports and navigation facilities for

ICAO. o Meets the needs of the people of the world for safe regular efficient, economical

air transport. 92.o Prevent economic waste caused by unreasonable competition. o Ensure that the rights of the contracting country has a fair opportunity to operate

international airlines o Avoid discrimination between contracting countries o Promote safety of flight in international air navigation o Promote generally the development of all aspects of International civil aeronautics

93. Chicago convention o The Convention on International Civil Aviation , also known as the Chicago

Convention , established the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations charged with coordinating and regulating international air travel. The Convention establishes rules of airspace, aircraft registration and safety, and details the rights of the signatories in relation to air travel. The Convention also exempts air fuels from tax.

o The document was signed on December7, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, by 52 signatory states. It received the requisite 26th ratification on March 5, 1947 and went into effect on April 4,1947, the same date that ICAO came into being. In October of the same year, ICAO became a specialized agency of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The Convention has since been revised eight times (in 1959, 1963, 1969, 1975, 1980, 1997, 2000 and 2006). Links to all versions of the document can be found in the external links section.

o The original signed document resides in the National Archives of United States. 94. Annexes

o The Convention is supported by eighteen annexes containing standards and recommended practices (SARPs). The annexes are amended regularly by ICAO and are as follows:

o Annex 1 - Personnel Licensing o Annex 2 - Rules of the Air

o Annex 3 - Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation Vol I - Core SARPs Vol II - Appendices and Attachments

o Annex 4 - Aeronautical Charts o Annex 5 - Units of Measurement to be used in Air and Ground Operations 95.o Annex 6 - Operation of Aircraft

Part I - International Commercial Air Transport - Aero planes Part II - International General Aviation - Aero planes Part III - International Operations – Helicopters Annex 7 - Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks Annex 8 - Airworthiness of Aircraft Annex 9 - Facilitation

96.o Annex 10 - Aeronautical Telecommunications

Vol I - Radio Navigation Aids Vol II - Communication Procedures including those with PANS status Vol III - Communication Systems

Part I - Digital Data Communication Systems Part II - Voice Communication Systems

Vol IV - Surveillance Radar and Collision Avoidance Systems Vol V - Aeronautical Radio Frequency Spectrum Utilization

o Annex 11 - Air Traffic Services - Air Traffic Control Service, Flight Information Service and Alerting Service

o Annex 12 - Search and Rescue o Annex 13 - Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation 97.o Annex 14 - Aerodromes

Vol I - Aerodrome Design and Operations Vol II - Heliports

o Annex 15 - Aeronautical Information Services o Annex 16 - Environmental Protection

Vol I - Aircraft Noise Vol II - Aircraft Engine Emissions

o Annex 17 - Security: Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference

o Annex 18 - The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air 98. Warsaw Convention.

o The Warsaw Convention is an international convention which regulates liability for international carriage of persons, luggage or goods performed by aircraft for reward.

o Originally signed in 1929 in Warsaw (hence the name), it was amended in 1955 at The Hague and in 1975 in Montreal. United States courts have held that, at least for some purposes, the Warsaw Convention is a different instrument from the Warsaw Convention as Amended by the Hague Protocol.

99.

o In particular, the Warsaw Convention: o mandates carriers to issue passenger tickets; o requires carriers to issue baggage checks for checked luggage; o creates a limitation period of 2 years within which a claim must be brought

(Article 29); and o limits a carrier's liability to at most:

250,000 Francs or 16,600 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) for personal injury;

17 SDR per Kilogram for checked luggage and cargo, 5,000 Francs or 332 SDR for the hand luggage of a traveler.

100.o The sums limiting liability were originally given in Francs (defined in terms of a

particular quantity of gold by article 22 paragraph 5 of the convention). These sums were amended by the Montreal Additional Protocol No. 2 to substitute an expression given in terms of SDR's. These sums are valid in the absence of a differing agreement (on a higher sum) with the carrier. Agreements on lower sums are null and void.

o On April 1,2007, the exchange rate was 1.00 SDR = 1.135 EUR or 1.00 SDR = 1.51 USD.

o A court may also award a claiming party's costs, unless the carrier made an offer within 6 months of the loss (or at least 6 months before the beginning of any legal proceedings) which the claiming party has failed to beat.

o The Montreal Convention, signed in 1999, will replace the Warsaw Convention system, once Montreal has been ratified by all states. Until then, however, there will be a patchwork of rules governing international carriage by air, as different states will be parties to different agreements (or no agreement at all).

101. How travel organizations helps the Industry and tourists? o International Air Transport Association (IATA). o Universal Federation of Travel Agent’s Association (UFTAA).

102. International Air Transport Association(IATA). o Air transport is one of the most dynamic industries in the world. The International

Air Transport Association (IATA) is its global trade organization. o Over 60 years, IATA has developed the commercial standards that built a global

industry. Today, IATA’s mission is to represent, lead and serve the airline industry . Its members comprise some 230 airlines - the world’s leading passenger and cargo airlines among them - representing 93 percent of scheduled international air traffic.

o IATA seeks to improve understanding of the industry among decision makers and increase awareness of the benefits that aviation brings to national and global economies. It fights for the interests of airlines across the globe, challenging unreasonable rules and charges, holding regulators and governments to account, and striving for sensible regulation.

o IATA’s aim is to help airlines help themselves by simplifying processes and increasing passenger convenience while reducing costs and improving efficiency. The groundbreaking Simplifying the Business initiative is crucial in this area. Moreover, safety is IATA’s number one priority, and IATA’s goal is to

continually improve safety standards, notably through IATA’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). Another main concern is to minimise the impact of air transport on environment.

103.o IATA ensures that people and goods can move around the global airline network

as easily as if they were on a single airline in a single country. In addition, it provides essential professional support to all industry stakeholders with a wide range of products and expert services, such as publications, training and consulting. IATA’s financial systems also help carriers and the travel industry maximise revenues.

o For consumers , IATA simplifies the travel and shipping processes, while keeping costs down. Passengers can make one telephone call to reserve a ticket, pay in one currency and then use the ticket on several airlines in several countries.

o IATA allows airlines to operate safely, securely, efficiently and economically under clearly defined rules.

104.o IATA serves as an intermediary between airlines and passenger as well as cargo

agents via neutrally applied agency service standards and centralised financial systems.

o A large network of industry suppliers and service providers gathered by IATA provides solid expertise to airlines in a variety of industry solutions. 

o For governments , IATA seeks to ensure they are well informed about the complexities of the aviation industry to ensure better, long-term decisions

o IATA's goal is to help its Members provide a seamless travel experience to their customers. As today's business is driven by consumer expectations, our challenge is to meet those expectations in a financially sustainable business environment.

105.o E-ticketing (ET) is one of the Simplifying The Business initiatives with the

most significant opportunities to reduce costs and improve passenger convenience.  It reduces ticket processing charges, eliminates the need for paper and allows greater flexibility to the passenger and the travel agent to make changes to the itinerary.

o The Simplifying Passenger Travel (SPT) Program is an initiative that focuses on the passenger and facilitating their journey while emphasizing the security benefits of processing 'known' passengers automatically, thereby freeing-up resources to concentrate on 'unknown' passengers.

o The aim is to improve the passenger travel experience by replacing repetitive checks of passengers and their documents with a new streamlined system. The new system will collect the information once and then share it electronically with subsequent service providers to clear the passenger through their entire journey.

106.o The SPT Program has built a unique multi-sectoral membership consisting of

airlines, airports, control authorities and technology suppliers, all working towards the common goal of bringing the vison of "simplified and secure passenger processing" to reality.

o This will provide: o hassle free travel for passengers o easier pre-travel procedures for travel agents o streamlined processing for airlines o better use of resources by airports o efficient and secure transportation for governments 107.o IATA was instrumental in developing the first version of the passenger ticket o During the 1920s, each airline used a different form of the passenger ticket with

no standard conditions of carriage o The industry recognised need for standardisation of traffic documents, regulations

and procedures o It became the main focus of the IATA Traffic Committee which developed the

standard ticket for multiple trips (1930) o Warsaw Convention (signed in 1929 implemented in 1933) established the

conditions of international air transportation documents and carrier liability o IATA developed a neutral paper ticket in 1972 to support the global distribution

system that is prevalent today – more than 60,000 travel agents around the world This is what is being eliminated by the industry

108.o In 1983 IATA established the Automated Ticket and Boarding Pass (ATB)

It allowed information to be printed on the face of the ticket and encoded on a magnetic stripe on the back which could be easily read by computer

o Montreal Convention of 1999 replaced the Warsaw Convention introducing the concept of unlimited liability

o Around the same time document requirements for passenger, baggage and cargo were simplified to take advantage of new information technologies became basic foundation for the development and global implementation

of the electronic ticket Financial Services:

o Efficient and cost-effective management of revenues and cash is essential for the financial health of your organization.

o With IATA, you benefit from the unique strengths of our financial settlement systems established for the industry.

109. Universal Federation of Travel Agent’s Association (UFTAA). o The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) emanates from

the Universal Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations created in Rome, Italy, on November 22nd, 1966. UFTAA was originally founded as a result of a merger of two large world organizations, FIAV and UOTAA, recognizing the need to unify travel agencies and tour-operators into one international federation.

o In 1989, coming from Brussels, UFTAA set up its General Secretariat in the Principality of Monaco.

o   o UFTAA started its operation as a Confederation on January 1st, 2003. It is a non-

profit Confederation of international scope, representing Regional Federations comprising some 80 national associations.

110.o UFTAA is a world body representing the travel agency and tourism industry.

UFTAA effectively represents Travel Agents and Tour Operators views on both Inbound and Outbound travel by continuous dialogue and consultation with other international organisations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) the International Union of Railways (IUR), the International Road Union (IRU), and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to mention only a few. UFTAA has consultative status with the UN/NGO/ECOSOC, and works closely with other world bodies such as UNESCO, WHO etc for a sustainable and responsible tourism. UFTAA is an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and its Business Council (WTOBC).).

111.o UFTAA’s mission is to be an international forum where matters affecting the

world travel industry are addressed, representing and defending the interests of incoming and outgoing tour operators, travel and tourism agencies before the governmental bodies, suppliers and other entities of international scope. It also aims at strengthening its members’ image and enhance the world travel and tourism industry and a sustainable tourism. - To comply with its mission, the Confederation develops the following functions : - To unite and consolidate the Federations of Travel Agents’ National Associations and to globally enhance the interests of their members ; - To represent the travel agents’ activities before various world-wide bodies, governmental authorities and suppliers ; -

112.o To work towards the adoption of measures that will ease travel for the consumer

and to offer services to its member federations ; - To be an investigation and information centre supporting the member Federations’ work and to offer information for technological development ; - To offer, as a voluntary mechanism, an arbitration service which assists in solving conflicts resulting from commercial relations for which amicable settlement cannot be reached ; - To organise a world congress of travel agents and other meetings necessary to the exchange and transmission of knowledge.

113. Why this package is better than somebody else's ? o The first and foremost reason is that we have made this especially for Mr.D’souza o It is not a common package for every clients. o We consider each and every package individually. o We have designed your package purely depending on your personal interest. o And we make sure that you get the best service through out your journey and you

have a pleasant holiday. 114.o Another thing that we have given the priority to is your safety and security. We

have selected the countries keeping the political condition prevailing there in mind. So we make sure that you and your family is safe.

o And we are providing you the best package at a very reasonable rate. o Our package includes all the local transportation in each country. o Package includes meals like lunch, dinner etc..

115.o We do provide free tickets to sentosa 4D theatre as a gift. o More over we have direct contacts with the airline and also with hotels. There are

no third party between us and airlines or hotels. o our own staff will come at each country to help you and serve you through out

your journey. o We will make sure that the package will be very interesting, safe , fun packed at

the same time affordable for you. 116. Countries

o Greece o Spain o Italy o France o {*Mode of transportation-Cruise}

117. GREECE o Greece lies at the juncture of Europe, Asia and Africa. It is heir to the heritages of

ancient Greece, the Roman and Byzantine Empires and nearly four centuries of Ottoman rule. Greece is the birthplace of democracy Western philosophy the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, and Western drama including both tragedy and comedy.

o Greece is a developed country, a member of the European Union since 1981, a member of the Economic and Monetary union of the European Union since 2001, NATO since 1952, the OECD since 1961, the WEU since 1995 and ESA since 2005.Athens is the capital; Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Volos, Ioannina, Larissa and Kavala are some of the country's other major cities.

118. Attractions o Acropolis of Athens o Red Beach o Temple of Zeus o Plaka Market o Vlihada Beach

119. Acropolis of Athens o The stunning rock defines the city and is the main attraction when it comes to

things to do in Greece. o The Acropolis in Athens is the most famous acropolis in Greece, and the entire

world, for that matter. o Things to consider at the Acropolis are the fact that you have to check any bag

you are carrying before entering, and during the summer it can get pretty warm on the Acropolis during the peak daytime hours.

120. Red Beach o The Red Beach found on the Greek island of Santorini is a mesmerizing stretch of

red sand that is set against a truly stunning backdrop of scaling red cliffs. o The crystal-clear blue waters of the Aegean Sea uniquely contrast the stunning

red-colored sands, all set against a prolific cliff background.  121. Temple of Zeus

o The Temple of Zeus in Athens is located near the center of the city, just about a quarter of a mile to the southeast of the Acropolis, and within a quarter mile south of Syntagma Square and the Parliament Building.

o An interesting note in the history of the temple of Zeus is that Hadrian, upon dedicating the temple to Zeus, erected two large statues in the center of the building.  Both were large and one depicted Zeus, the other one Hadrian himself.  

122. Plaka Market o The Plaka in Athens, is the city’s oldest neighborhood, and most of it has been

relegated to foot traffic. o Although every day shopping in Plaka is a good day, Sundays are when the

masses arrive. 123. Vlihada Beach

o On the Island of Santorini, the stunning vistas and relaxing beaches are mostly what attract visitors to this highly popular vacation destination

o Vlihada is a small, coastal village that can be found on the southern side of the island

124. Spain o The history of Spanish people is a mixture of the Roman, Moslem, Greek,

Phoenician, and North African people that have, at one time or another throughout history, called the Iberian Peninsula home. With access to both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, present-day Spain (which shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal) was a vital trading link and entry point into both northern Africa and Southern Europe. The history of Spain has been influenced tremendously by this cross current of ethnicities and religions

125. Attractions o Picasso Museum o Pamplona o Guell Park o Caves of Drach o Toledo

126. Picasso Museum o The Picasso Museum highlights include: Picasso’s childhood drawings made in

La Coruna between the ages of 10 and 14, his blue period paintings, and his 44 cubist Las Meninas studies.

o Barcelona’s Picasso Museum is composed largely from the private collection of the artist’s longtime friend, Jaime Sabartes.

127. Pamplona o The running of the bulls in Pamplona Spain was first made famous in Ernest

Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. Since then, tourists have flocked to the Basque town of Pamplona Spain every June to sing, dance, drink, and careen down the town’s cobbled streets with a herd of angry and confused bulls charging behind them during the running of the bulls Pamplona.

128. Guell Park o Park Guell Barcelona is the perfect setting to enjoy a cold drink, play a game of

Frisbee, or simply take in the fabulous views of the city and harbor.

o The serpentine bench at Guell Park that encircles the main ground is one of the most unique features of this Alice in Wonderland-like park

129. Caves of Drach o Of all of the beautiful and adventurous places to go in Mallorca Spain, the most

famous tourist attraction is the Caves of Drach (Caves of the Dragon). o The caves consist of 12 main areas and other impressive chambers such as the

Black Cave, the White Cave, and the Luis Salvator Cave 130. Toledo

o Perched atop a rocky mountain and surrounded by yellow hillsides, the medieval city Toledo Spain is one of the oldest towns on the Iberian Peninsula, and a perfect day trip

o More than religious architecture, Toledo is known for the imposing Alcazar fortress.

131. Italy o For thousands of years, Italy has been at the forefront of modern culture. The

birthplace of the Roman Empire and fountainhead of the Renaissance, Italy has retained a prominent spot atop the global radar since long before the time of Caesar.

o Giuseppe Garibaldi formed the current kingdom of Italy in 1861, but the roots of Italian history date back to a largely undocumented tribe called the Etruscans.

132. Attractions o Leaning Tower of Pisa o Vatican museum o Italian Opera o Piazza Navona o Mount Etna Volcano

133. Leaning Tower of Pisa o The Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral. Its construction began in the

august of 1173 and continued (with two long interruptions) for about two hundred years, in full fidelity to the original project, whose architect is still uncertain.

o Both because of its inclination, and its beauty, from 1173 up to the present the Tower has been the object of very special attention.

134. Vatican museum o Located on the north side of Vatican City, a spiral ramp leads visitors inside the

Vatican museum, a haphazard array of corridors and papal spaces. o Even though the Renaissance paintings garner much of the praise heaped on the

museum, the Vatican library holds an impressive and enchanting collection of crumbling documents, medieval treaties and antique books.

135. Italian Opera o The history of Italian opera is forever interwoven with the aristocratic leaders of

the time - the musical form was derived from courtly entertainment in palaces all over the world and originally conceived as a recreational activity performed for only the very wealth

o Many Italian opera houses built during this time still exist today, and most of them still hold performances on a regular basis.

136. Piazza Navona

o Piazza Navona Rome  is one of the finest squares found in all of the city, and anywhere else, for that matter. 

o Three magnificent fountains occupy the Navona Square, built upon the ruins of the first century Stadium of Domition.

o This explains its long, oval shape and it is a place where ancient Romans used to watch a variety of games and races. 

137. Mount Etna Volcano o Standing at almost 11,000 feet, Mount Etna dominates the Sicilian skyline, a

vague threat situated near the island's eastern coast. o This is the most active volcano in the world. o The ancient Greeks believed it to be the home of Vulcan, the god of fire - to them,

Mount Etna erupting merely meant Vulcan was forging weapons for Mars, the god of war

138. France o F rance is an independent nation in Western Europe and the center of a large

overseas administration. It is the third-largest European nation (after Russia and Ukraine).

o S ince the 17th century, France has played a major role in European and world events.

o In the 20th century, it has experienced numerous crises, including the devastation of two world wars, political and social upheavals, and the loss of a large empire in Indochina, Algeria, and West and Equatorial Africa

139. Attractions o Eiffel Tower o Disneyland o Flea Market o Versailles and its Chateau o Grand Theatre - Opera National de Bordeaux

140. Eiffel Tower o The Eiffel Tower is the most recognizable landmark in Paris and is known

worldwide as a symbol of France.  o The structure was built from 1887 to 1889 as the entrance arch for the Exposition

Universelle (1889), a World's fair marking the centennial celebration of the French revolution. 

141. Disneyland o D isneyland Resort Paris, originally known as Euro Disney, is a theme park run

by Euro Disney SCA, 39% of which is owned by The Walt Disney Company, in Marne-la-Vallée near Paris

o The park also has its own train station where the TGV (named Thalys when coming from Brussels) stops and its own RER (commuter train) station, so when visiting Paris you can hop on the RER and stop right in the park. 

142. Flea Market o In French "aux Marche Puces de St Ouen" or if we want the real

French spelling "aux Marché Puces de St Ouen". Probably the greatest antique market in the world.

143. Versailles and its Chateau

o Versailles used to be an unimportant village a few miles west of France until May 6, 1682 when King Louis XIV moved his court to the Palace of Versailles there. Versailles is now a very bourgeois suburb of Paris. 

144. Grand Theatre - Opera National de Bordeaux o Considered by many to be the cultural heart of the city, this elaborately carved

opera house surprises the senses with its fine architecture and interior design as well as its world-class performances

145. Documents required for Greece o Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond date of departure o Schengen Visa o Yellow fever certificate if arriving from infected areas. Exempt infants under 6

months. 146. Spain

o A valid Passport o Schengen Visa o No compulsory vaccinations o however check travelers have up to date tetanus & polio immunizations.

147. Italy o Passports must be valid for at least 3 months from the expiry of the visa o Schengen Visa o No compulsory vaccinations and immunizations needed

148. France o A valid passport up to 3 months from the expiry of the visa o Schengen Visa o No compulsory vaccination and immunization needed

149. Reason why less documents are needed for these countries: o Countries that we have selected Greece,Spain,Italy and France needs only few

documents to travel because we are carrying a common visa that is Schengen Visa instead of carrying individual Visa’s for each country.

o A Schengen visa allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen countries for a maximum stay of up to 90 days in a 6 month period.

150. Schengen Visa o The Schengen Visa has made traveling between its 15 European member

countries much easier and less bureaucratic. Traveling on a Schengen Visa means that the visa holder can travel to any (or all) member countries using one single visa, thus avoiding the hassle and expense of obtaining individual visas for each country. This is particularly beneficial for persons who wish to visit several European countries on the same trip. The Schengen visa is a “visitor visa”. It is issued to citizens of countries who are required to obtain a visa before entering Europe. The purpose of the visit must be leisure, tourism, or business. Upon the issuance of the visa, the visa holder is allowed to enter all member countries and travel freely throughout the Schengen area.

151. Countries were we can travel with Schengen Visa. o Austria o Germany o Belgium

o Denmark o Finland o France o Greece o Iceland o Italy o Luxemburg o Norway o Portugal o Spain o Sweden o The Netherlands

Travel & Tourism - Presentation Transcript

1. TRAVEL ASSIGNMENT DONE BY : VARUN.T.V BATCH F4 2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT o First and foremost I thank Almighty. o I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our faculty Mrs.Sumathy for her guidance, timely support and encouragement

in completing this project. o I am grateful to my parents for their support in this work. o I am thankful to my training counselors & who all encouraged me to finish up this work successfully.

3. UAE-(DUBAI) ITALY SPAIN FRANCE DIFFERENT TOURIST SPOTS 4. ROUTING 5. DUBAI 6. HISTORY OF DUBAI o DUBAI is one of the o fastest developing country o DUBAI is the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Peninsula. 7.o The early history of Dubai is not very well documented, archeological discoveries suggests that, as long as four

thousand years ago, small fishing communities lived along the coast of the Arabian Gulf on the site of what we know today as Dubai.

o Dubai's enormous constructions and developments in various industries through innovative real estate projects, sports events, shopping festivals and conferences has attracted world-wide attention for Dubai City, establishing it as the world's leading business hub.

o Dubai has a rich cultural scene with art museums, film festivals (Dubai film festival) and performing arts centers, in addition to being a shopper's delight. Dubai is a city of excitement waiting to be explored holding the potential for one of the most significant international cities of the 21st century.

8. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF DUBAI o The Dubai world trade centre o Dubai Creek o Dubai Museum o Bastakiya o Grand Mosque o Wafi city o Deira city centre

9. The Dubai World Trade Centre o It is Considered to be one of Dubai's most important landmarks. o It has 39-storeys of local and international companies

10. Dubai Creek o Dubai Creek offers a picturesque glimpse of Dubai's trading heritage. o It can be crossed by Abra (water Taxi)

11. Dubai Museum o Al Fahidi Fort, built last century, was renovated in 1970 to house a museum where 4000-year-old

archaeological finds and dioramas of traditional life are displayed. 12. Dubai’s old Bastakiya o The earliest form of air conditioning, the wind tower, which was used to cool homes in the Gulf, can still be seen

in the Bastakiya area, to the east of Al Fahidi Fort where many traditional courtyard houses can be found. 13. Grand Mosque o The Grand Mosque was only rebuilt in 1998 and boasts the city’s tallest minaret, at 70m (231ft). Located on the

Bur Dubai side of the creek, near the Ruler’s Court, the Grand Mosque consists of nine large domes and 45 smaller ones. This huge religious edifice can house up to 1200 worshippers

14. Wafi City o Wafi City is a shopping complex that hosts a variety of designer shops, boutiques and other entertainment

facilities. 15. Deira City Centre o One of the biggest shopping malls in Dubai. o It is boasts of an extensive variety of popular shops for fashion, electronics, cosmetics, furniture and more.

16. ITALY 17. HISTORY

o For thousands of years, Italy has been at the forefront of modern culture. The birthplace of the Roman Empire and fountainhead of the Renaissance, Italy has retained a prominent spot atop the global radar since long before the time of Caesar.

o Giuseppe Garibaldi formed the current kingdom of Italy in 1861, but the roots of Italian history date back to a largely undocumented tribe called the Etruscans.

18. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF ITALY o Leaning Tower of Pisa o Vatican museum o Italian Opera o Piazza Navona o Mount Etna Volcano

19. Leaning Tower of Pisa o The Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral. Its construction began in the august of 1173 and continued

for about two hundred years, in full fidelity to the original project, whose architect is still uncertain. o Both because of its inclination, and its beauty, from 1173 up to the present the Tower has been the object of

very special attention. 20. Vatican Museum o Located on the north side of Vatican City, a spiral ramp leads visitors inside the Vatican museum, a haphazard

array of corridors and papal spaces. o Even though the Renaissance paintings garner much of the praise heaped on the museum, the Vatican library

holds an impressive and enchanting collection of crumbling documents, medieval treaties and antique books. 21. Italian Opera o The history of Italian opera is forever interweave with the aristocratic leaders of the time - the musical form was

derived from courtly entertainment in palaces all over the world and originally conceived as a recreational activity performed for only the very wealth

o Many Italian opera houses built during this time still exist today, and most of them still hold performances on a regular basis.

22. Piazza Navona o Piazza Navona Rome  is one of the finest squares found in all of the city, and anywhere else, for that matter.  o Three magnificent fountains occupy the Navona Square, built upon the ruins of the first century Stadium of

Domition. o This explains its long, oval shape and it is a place where ancient Romans used to watch a variety of games and

races.  23. Mount Etna Volcano o Standing at almost 11,000 feet, Mount Etna dominates the Sicilian skyline, a vague threat situated near the

island's eastern coast. o This is the most active volcano in the world. o The ancient Greeks believed it to be the home of Vulcan, the god of fire - to them, Mount Etna erupting merely

meant Vulcan was forging weapons for Mars, the god of war 24. SPAIN 25. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SPAIN o Picasso Museum o Pamplona o Guell Park o Caves of Drach o Toledo

26. Picasso Museum o The Picasso Museum highlights include: Picasso’s childhood drawings made in La Coruna between the ages of

10 and 14, his blue period paintings, and his 44 cubist Las Meninas studies. o Barcelona’s Picasso Museum is composed largely from the private collection of the artist’s longtime friend,

Jaime Sabartes. 27.o The running of the bulls in Pamplona Spain was first made famous in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also

Rises. Since then, tourists have flocked to the Basque town of Pamplona Spain every June to sing, dance, drink, and careen down the town’s cobbled streets with a herd of angry and confused bulls charging behind them during the running of the bulls Pamplona.

Pamplona

28. Caves of Drach o Of all of the beautiful and adventurous places to go in Mallorca Spain, the most famous tourist attraction is the

Caves of Drach (Caves of the Dragon). o The caves consist of 12 main areas and other impressive chambers such as the Black Cave, the White Cave,

and the Luis Salvator Cave 29. Guell Park o Park Guell Barcelona is the perfect setting to enjoy a cold drink, play a game of Frisbee, or simply take in the

fabulous views of the city and harbor. o The serpentine bench at Guell Park that encircles the main ground is one of the most unique features of this

Alice in Wonderland-like park 30. Toledo o Toledo is one of the most important centers of European medieval history o More than religious architecture, Toledo is known for the imposing Alcazar fortress.

31. FRANCE 32. HISTORY o France is an independent nation in Western Europe and the center of a large overseas administration. It is the

third-largest European nation (after Russia and Ukraine). o Since the 17th century, France has played a major role in European and world events. o In the 20th century, it has experienced numerous crises, including the devastation of two world wars, political

and social upheavals, and the loss of a large empire in Indochina, Algeria, and West and Equatorial Africa 33. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF FRANCE o Eiffel Tower o Disneyland o Flea Market o Versailles and its Chateau o Grand Theatre - Opera National de Bordeaux

34. Eiffel Tower o The Eiffel Tower is the most recognizable landmark in Paris and is known worldwide as a symbol of France.  o The structure was built from 1887 to 1889 as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle (1889), a

World's fair marking the centennial celebration of the French revolution.  35. Disneyland o Disneyland Resort Paris, originally known as Euro Disney, is a theme park run by Euro Disney SCA, 39% of

which is owned by The Walt Disney Company, in Marne-la-Vallée near Paris o The park also has its own train station where the TGV (named Thalys when coming from Brussels) stops and

its own RER (commuter train) station, so when visiting Paris you can hop on the RER and stop right in the park. 

36. Flea Market o A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. o The origins of the term are disputed, but some have observed that buyers and sellers may be as active as

fleas, or that the original people and goods were infested. According to Word and Phrase Origins, the term was derived from the "Vallie Market" of Manhattan.

37. Versailles and its Chateau o Versailles used to be an unimportant village a few miles west of France until May 6, 1682 when King Louis XIV

moved his court to the Palace of Versailles there. Versailles is now a very bourgeois suburb of Paris.  38. GrandTheatreBordeaux o Considered by many to be the cultural heart of the city, this elaborately carved opera house surprises the

senses with its fine architecture and interior design as well as its world-class performances 39. CUSTOMES & DOCUMENTATION 40. Travel Documents for Dubai o A valid passport for minimum 3 months on arrival. o For a longer stay, a traveler must obtain a visa before arrival in the UAE.  In addition, an HIV/AIDS test is

required for work or residence permits; testing must be performed after arrival.  o The following DO NOT require a visa: 1) Nationals of United Arab Emirates 2) Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait,

Oman, Qatar & Saudi Arabia o No compulsory Vaccinations or immunization is needed.

41. Custom Rules In Dubai o Import allowance : o 2,000 cigarettes or 400 cigars or 2kg of tobacco) o 2 lit of spirits & 2 lit of wine (non-Muslims only)

o A reasonable quantity of perfume o Prohibited/Restricted: o Prescribed drugs or over-the-counter medicines may be restricted, check prior to departure. Natural or cultured

unstrung pearls except for personal use, firearms and ammunition, drugs. Wines, spirits & pork are restricted. 42. Travel Documents for Italy, Spain, France: o A valid passport up to 3 months from the expiry of the visa o Schengen Visa o No compulsory vaccination and immunization needed

43. CUSTOM RULES IN ITALY, SPAIN, FRANCE o Import Allowance: o 200 cigarettes or cigars or 250 grams of tobacco o 750ml of spirits (over 22% proof) or 2 liters of fortified or sparkling wine o 60 grams of perfume o 500 grams of coffee or 200 grams of coffee extracts; 100 grams of tea or 40 grams of tea extracts o Prohibited items: o Gold objects other than personal jewellery below 500 grams in weight

44. Why European Countries have less Documentation ? o Three of the Countries which I selected needs only less Documents because we are carrying a common visa

that is called Schengen Visa instead of carrying individual Visa’s for each country. o A Schengen visa allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen countries for a maximum stay up to 90

days in a 6 month period. 45. What is Schengen Visa ? o The Schengen Visa has made traveling between its 15 European member countries much easier and less

bureaucratic. Traveling on a Schengen Visa means that the visa holder can travel to any (or all) member countries using one single visa, thus avoiding the hassle and expense of obtaining individual visas for each country. This is particularly beneficial for persons who wish to visit several European countries on the same trip. The Schengen visa is a “visitor visa”. It is issued to citizens of countries who are required to obtain a visa before entering Europe. The purpose of the visit must be leisure, tourism, or business. Upon the issuance of the visa, the visa holder is allowed to enter all member countries and travel freely throughout the Schengen area.

46. Countries Accepting Schengen Visa o Austria Malta o Belgium the Netherlands o The Czech Republic Norway o Denmark Poland o Estonia Portugal o Finland Slovakia o France Slovenia o Germany Spain and o Greece Sweden o Hungary o Italy o Iceland o Latvia o Lithuania o Luxembourg

47. INFLIGHT MEAL SERVICES 48. Vegetarian Meal(VGML) o Meats, fish, poultry or eggs will be avoided. o Food included will be pure vegetarian in any style like Indian, Chinese, Continental etc.

49. Seafood Meal o Seafood is served in the main course. o Meal includes Appetizer , salad , Pan Fried Cod , Fresh fruit , Bread roll, cheese and biscuits

50. Child meal (CHML) o Strong spices, big pieces, gravies etc will be avoided. o This will include Bite-sized pieces of food liked by children, as they are easy to and digest and also it will

nutritionally balanced. 51. Veg-Lacto meal (VLML)

o Meats, fish, poultry or eggs will be avoided. o The meal will include vegetarian meal with diary products in it.

52. Muslim/Mohammedan meal (MOML) o Pork, pork products and alcohol will be completely avoided. o Food will be prepared according to the muslim-shariat laws. o Only halal meat is used.

53. INFLIGHT FACILITIES OTHER THAN MEALS ARE : 54.o Bassinet o Stretchers o Wheel chairs etc.

55. Bassinet 56. In-Flight Nursing Services 57. Stretcher service 58. Special In-flight Services 59. How The Itinerary Is Good For The Client ? o The countries which I mentioned are one of the best tourist destinations of the world. o The client and his family can enjoy the wide range of cuisine that are provided during the flight. o They can explore Dubai which is one of the best ever shopping destination. o The whole family can learn more about the history and visit the historical places of Italy & Spain. o The client can enjoy the different domestic flight exposure in Spain o They can have pleasure and enjoy the places in France.

60. FLIGHT DETAILS COK-DXB o Cochin to Dubai o Air India flight 098 o Airline code: AI o Departure: Cochin , India at 8:30am on Jan 20 o Arrival:  Dubai , UAE at12:45pm o on Jan 20 o Class: Economy

61. DXB - ROM o Dubai to Italy o British Airways Flight 125 o Airline Code: BA o Departure: Dubai, UAE at11:30pm on Jan 22. o Arrival : Italy,Rome at 10am on Jan 23. o Class: Economy

62. ROM - MAD o Italy to Spain o Alitalia Linee Aeree Italiane Flight 055 o Airline Code: AZ o Departure : Italy, Rome at 7pm on Jan 25 o Arrival : Spain, Madrid at 11:30pm on Jan 25 o Class: Economy

63. MAD - ORY o Spain to France o Iberia Flight 075 o Airline Code: IB o Departure : Madrid-Barajas o at 11pm on Jan29 o Arrival : France, Paris at 1:30am on Jan 30 o Class: Economy

64. ORY - COK o Paris to India o Air India flight 098 o Airline code: AI o Departure: France, Paris at 2am on Feb3

o Arrival: Cochin , India at 12pm on Feb3 o Class: Economy

65. DAY TO DAY ITINERARY o Day 1 - (Jan 20) o Departing from India by 8:30am, Arrival at Dubai by 12:45pm.Mr. Rohan Aluvalia ,Our representative will guide

in Dubai. Stay at hotel Grand Hyatt. Dubai creek ride visit at 5pm. o Day 2 – (Jan 21) o Visit to museum at 9am.Trade Centre and grand mosque visit by 12pm.Visit to Wafi city by 5pm. o Day 3 – (Jan 22) o Visit to Bastakiya by 9am.Shopping at city centre by 2pm. Depart to Italy by 11:30pm. 66.o Day 4 – (Jan 23) o Arrival at Italy by 10am.Mr.David will guide in Italy. Refresh and stay at hotel Milan. Visit to leaning tower of

Pisa by 3pm. o Day 5 – (Jan 24) o Vatican museum visit by 9am.Spend an hour or two there. Visit to Piazza Navona by 3pm and Italian opera by

6pm.Night stay at hotel. o Day 6 – (Jan 25) o Mount Etna Volcano visit at 10am.Back to hotel room by 3pm, Refresh and Depart to airport by 7pm.Arrival to

Spain by 11.30pm.Mr. Tom Sharon will guide to see Spain. Stay at Victoria 4, Madrid. 67.o Day 7 – (Jan 26) o Visit to Toledo by 9am. Sight seeing till afternoon. Back to hotel by 4pm. Depart to Pamplona in domestic flight

by 7pm. Night stay at hotel . o Day 8 – (Jan 27) o Pamplona visit at 8.30am. Depart to Barcelona in domestic flight by 3pm.Refresh at hotel. Head to Picasso

museum by 5pm.Night stay at Barcelona. o Day 9 – (Jan 28) o Visit to Guell park by 9am.Enjoyment at park till 4pm.Depart to Palma in 8pm flight. Night stay at Palma. 68.o Day 10 – (Jan 29) o Visit to Caves of Drach at Mallorca by 8am. Utilizing some hours at caves. Back to Madrid in 5pm flight from

Palma. Depart to France by 11pm. o Day 11 – (Jan 30) o Arrival at Paris by 1.30am.Our representative, Mr. Richard will guide in France. Refresh and night stay at Le

Méridien Etoile . Disney land visit at 9am. Fly to Bordeaux by 8pm. o Day 12 – (Jan 31) o Grand theatre visit by 9.30am and shopping. Fly to Paris by 6pm. Night stay in Paris. 69.o Day 13 – (Feb 01) o Visit to Eiffel tower by 10am. Shopping at Flea market and sight seeing at Paris. o Day 14 – (Feb 02) o Versailles Palace visit by 10am. By evening 6pm, checking out the hotel and moving to airport. o Day 15 – (Feb 03) o Depart to India by 2am. Arrival at India by 12pm.

70. Why my package is better than somebody else ? o The tour spot offered is not so common o We have designed the package purely depending on personal interest of the client. o Another thing, that we have given priority to your safety and security. We have selected the countries keeping

the political condition prevailing there in mind. So we make sure that you and your family is safe. o And we make sure that you get the best service through out your journey and you have a pleasant holiday.

71. TICKETS o Ticket-1

72.   73.o Ticket-2

74.   75. A COPY OF PRINTED TICKET – CLASS ECONOMY

76. WHAT IS IATA ? o IATA is an international organization for Air Transport o Association. o It was founded by the airlines in April 1945 in Havana, Cuba. o The main objective of the organization are to promote safe, reliable, secure travel and to assist airline

companies to achieve lawful competition and uniformity in prices. 77. Activities Of IATA o Promote the global harmonization of aircraft equipment o Reduce concerns for environmental emissions o Develop plan to address future airline training and qualification requirements o IATA offers a suite of financial services to the airline industry and associated partners to help them contain

costs, improve their cash flow and maximise revenues. 78. WHAT IS UFTAA ? o The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) originate from the Universal Federation of

Travel Agents’ Associations created in Rome, Italy, on November 22nd, 1966. UFTAA was originally founded as a result of a merger of two large world organizations, IFTA and UOTAA, recognizing the need to unify travel agencies and tour-operators into one international federation.

79. Activities Of UFTAA o To unite and consolidate the Federations of Travel Agents National Associations o To represent the travel agents’ activities before various world-wide bodies, governmental authorities and

suppliers o UFTAA encourages the preparations and publications of legal, economical and social surveys in connection

with the travel agency. 80. WHAT IS PATA ? o The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a membership association acting as a catalyst for the

responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. In partnership with PATA’s private and public sector members, we enhance the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within the region.

81. Activities Of PATA o PATA promotes developing and facilitating travel within the Pacific area region and the South-East Asia region

including India. o It provides the meeting point for all the people involved in the travel trade and all the activities related to it from

a large number of countries. o It provides up to date information on the field of tourism and the practical and theoretical experience in the field

of tourism. 82. WHAT IS ICAO ? o The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, created as a permanent

body on April 4,1947 for codifying the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.

o Its headquarters are located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Canada. o The ICAO is composed of 185 member nations 83.o The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, prevention of

unlawful interference, and facilitation of border-crossing procedures for international civil aviation. 84. Activities Of ICAO o Ensure the safe and orderly growth to international civil aviation throughout the world. o Encourage the arts of the aircraft design and operation for the peaceful purposes. o Encourage the development of the railways, airports and navigation facilities for ICAO o Meets the needs of the people of the world for safety regular efficient, economical air transport.

85. WHAT IS CHICAGO CONVENTION ? o In the year 1944 The Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviations developed. o The Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention, established by the

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations charged with coordinating and regulating international air travel.

o The Convention establishes rules of airspace, aircraft registration and safety, and details the rights of the signatories in relation to air travel. The Convention also exempts air fuels from tax.

86. Activities Of Chicago Convention o It governs relations between states on technical as well as commercial subjects connecting ICAO. o They govern the air services, customs, Facilitation, Documentation, Technical assistances etc..

87. WHAT IS WARSAW CONVENTION ? o The principal purpose of the Warsaw Convention is to determine the liability of air carriers in the case of an

accident, both in regards to passengers and also baggage and cargo. o Originally signed in 1929 in Warsaw (hence the name), it was amended in 1955 at The Hague and in 1975 in

Montreal. United States courts have held that, at least for some purposes, the Warsaw Convention is a different instrument from the Warsaw Convention as Amended by the Hague Protocol.

88. Activities Of Warsaw Convention o It deals with claimants which includes the liability of airlines death or injury to passengers and for loss, damage

or delay to baggage and cargo in most international travel. 89. How IATA & UFTAA Play An Important Role In Travel Industry ? o International Air Transport Association (IATA). o Universal Federation of Travel Agent’s Association (UFTAA).

90. International Air Transport Association (IATA) o Air transport is one of the most dynamic industries in the world. The International Air Transport Association

(IATA) is its global trade organization. o Over 60 years, IATA has developed the commercial standards that built a global industry. Today, IATA’s

mission is to represent, lead and serve the airline industry. Its members comprise some 230 airlines - the world’s leading passenger and cargo airlines among them - representing 93 percent of scheduled international air traffic.

91.o IATA’s aim is to help airlines help themselves by simplifying processes and increasing passenger convenience

while reducing costs and improving efficiency. The groundbreaking Simplifying the Business initiative is crucial in this area. Moreover, safety is IATA’s number one priority, and IATA’s goal is to continually improve safety standards, notably through IATA’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). Another main concern is to minimize the impact of air transport on environment

92. Universal Federation of Travel Agent’s Association (UFTAA) o The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) emanates from the Universal Federation of

Travel Agents’ Associations created in Rome, Italy, on November 22nd, 1966. UFTAA was originally founded as a result of a merger of two large world organizations, FIAV and UOTAA, recognizing the need to unify travel agencies and tour-operators into one international federation.

93.o UFTAA’s mission is to be an international forum where matters affecting the world travel industry are

addressed, representing and defending the interests of incoming and outgoing tour operators, travel and tourism agencies before the governmental bodies, suppliers and other entities of international scope. It also aims at strengthening its members’ image and enhance the world travel and tourism industry and a sustainable tourism. - To comply with its mission, the Confederation develops the following functions : - To unite and consolidate the Federations of Travel Agents’ National Associations and to globally enhance the interests of their members ; - To represent the travel agents’ activities before various world-wide bodies, governmental authorities and suppliers ;

94.o - To work towards the adoption of measures that will ease travel for the consumer and to offer services to its

member federations ; - To be an investigation and information centre supporting the member Federations’ work and to offer information for technological development ; - To offer, as a voluntary mechanism, an arbitration service which assists in solving conflicts resulting from commercial relations for which amicable settlement cannot be reached ; - To organize a world congress of travel agents and other meetings necessary to the exchange and transmission of knowledge.

95. Why IATA Is Considered As One Of The Best Organizations? o IATA is an acronym for International Air Transportation Association, and is an organization which is self owned. o IATA identifies and develops operational solutions for all areas affecting aircrafts and airlines, either on ground

or in flight. o Key Features of IATA’s are as follows : o Promote the global harmonization of aircraft equipment. o Identify and mitigate priority operational cost issues. o Identify reduction opportunities in fuel consumption. o Reduce concerns for environmental emissions.

96. BENEFITS INVOLVED IN IATA o For consumers , IATA simplifies the travel and shipping processes, while keeping costs down. Passengers can

make one telephone call to reserve a ticket, pay in one currency and then use the ticket on several airlines in several countries.

o IATA allows airlines to operate safely, securely, efficiently and economically under clearly defined rules.

o IATA serves as an intermediary between airlines and passenger as well as cargo agents via neutrally applied agency service standards and centralized financial systems.

o A large network of industry suppliers and service providers gathered by IATA provides solid expertise to airlines in a variety of industry solutions. 

o For governments, IATA seeks to ensure they are well informed about the complexities of the aviation industry to ensure better, long-term decisions

97. Alternative Countries o CHINA o JAPAN o MALAYSIA o SINGAPORE

98. CHINA 99. HISTORY OF CHINA o China is the World’s oldest continuous civilization. o The World’s Third largest Country, China covers a vast area of eastern Asia. It has, by far, the largest

population in the World. o Ruled by the Communist Party since 1949,China is divided into 22provinces,5 autonomous regions, & 3 special

municipalities. 100.TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF CHINA o Temple of Heaven, Beijing o Macao o The Great wall of China o The Forbidden City o Xian museum

101.Temple of Heaven, Beijing 102.Temple of Heaven, Beijing o The Temple was built in 1420 A.D. during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven. As Chinese emperors

called themselves 'The Son of Heaven' ,they dared not to build their own dwelling, 'Forbidden City' bigger than a dwelling for Heaven.

o The Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall. The northern part within the wall is semicircular symbolizing the heavens and the southern part is square symbolizing the earth.

103.Macao 104.Macao o A tiny peninsula in Southeast China, Macoa is a popular tourist destination, with fragrant woods, and a sandy

coastline onto the South China sea. o Historical attractions such as St Paul’s Church, built by the Portuguese in 1602. o Popular casinos are the major attractions of the city.

105.The Great Wall of China 106.The Great Wall of China o The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained

between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire. o Stretching from Central Asia to Yellow sea, the wall’s total length is 6,400km o It is the world’s longest human-made structure.

107.The Forbidden City 108.The Forbidden City o The Forbidden City is located at the center of Beijing. Rectangular shaped Forbidden City is the world's

largest palace complex that covers the area of around of 74 hectares. It is also known as the Palace Museum or Gugong in the Chinese language.

109.Xian museum 110.Xian museum o The Terracotta Armyare the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang the First Emperor of China. o The terracotta figures,were discovered in 1974 by several local farmers near Xi'an, Shaanxi province,

China near the Mausouleum of the First Qin Emperor. o The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. Current estimates

are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits.

111.JAPAN 112.HISTORY OF JAPAN

o Japan, the Land of Rising Sun, stretch about 1,900km into the pacific Ocean. Ethnic Japanese makes up 99percent of the population.

o Its “ring of fire”, where the Earth’s plates collide, makes the country vulnerable to earthquakes and erupting volcanoes.

o Japan’s booming economy is a global phenomenon, and its future lies in new technology for the 21st century 113.TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF JAPAN o Tokyo Disneyland o Hiroshima o Aya Castle o Japanese Sword museum o Kyoto

114.Tokyo Disneyland 115.Tokyo Disneyland o Tokyo Disneyland is a 115acre theme at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan,

near Tokyo. o The park was constructed by Walt Disney. o There are seven themed areas, each complementing each other yet unique in their style. Made up of the World

Bazaar, the four classic Disney lands: Adventureland,Westernland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, and two mini lands, Critter Country and Mickey's Toontown.

116.Hiroshima 117.Hiroshima o The name Hiroshima is synonymous with the horrors of a nuclear holocaust. o The Peace Park commemorates the memories of all the victims with a Cenotaph listing all their names. o The Atomic Bomb museum, with its macabre photographs of the city and its victims is not for the faint-hearted o A memorial called the Children's Peace Memorial signifies the regeneration of Hiroshima

118.Aya Castle 119.Aya Castle o Aya Castle (Aya-jo) is believed to have been built in the first half of the 14th century. o It came to be called Aya Castle as the person who built this castle identified himself as Aya. o The present three-storied castle tower was built in 1985. It houses a historical reference museum that exhibits

armour worn by samurai in battle, swords, and ancient documents related to the castle. 120.Japanese Sword museum 121.Japanese Sword museum o The Japanese Sword Museum collects and preserves 152 items, including swords such as the ones

designated as National Treasures made by Nobuyoshi, Kuniyuki (Rai) and Kuniyuki (Taima), sword fittings, armor, and documents of metal working.

o Usually, exhibitions such as the "Koto (old sword) and Shinto (new sword) Exhibition" are held and the works of famous swordsmiths from the Heian to Edo Periods (782-1867) are on display.

o The Archives Room houses about 1,500 historical documents and archives on swords. 122.Kyoto 123.Kyoto o The spectacular sight of an eleven-story elevator at the train station, greets visitors to Kyoto. Kyoto, once the

capital of Japan, has some of the most significant temples and shrines in Japan. o The spectacular Kinkaku-ji, or literally the Golden Pavilion is covered with gold leaf, is mirrored in the small

lake, which is nearby. o The 17th century Nijo castl, the Kiyomizu Temple, and the Nanzen Temple are places to visit in this town also

famed for its pottery. 124.MALAYSIA 125.HISTORY OF MALAYSIA o One of the most dynamic countries in Southeast Asia, Malaysia has developed their economy at a dramatic

rate. o Malaysia’s 13states are ruled by sultans and governors, from which a new king is chosen every five years. o Malaysia posses a “plural society”, the term means people who live together, but keep their own culture,

language, and way of life. 126.TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF MALAYSIA o Langkawi: The island of mystical legends o Batu Feringgi o Petronas Twin Towers  o Sepang International F1 Circuit 

o Gunung Mulu Caves 127.Langkawi: The island of mystical legends 128.Langkawi: The island of mystical legends o Langkawi-This cluster of 99 islands has the best of many worlds. o Beautiful beaches, world-class infrastructure, mangroves rich in flora and fauna, ultra-cheap duty-free shopping

and fascinating legends. 129.Batu Feringgi 130.Batu Feringgi o Batu Ferringhi is situated along the coastal road north-west of Georgetown o It is lined with a string of international-standard resorts and is the most popular beach in Penang.

131.Petronas Twin Towers  132.Petronas Twin Towers   o The 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, otherwise known as KLCC the world's tallest twin structures. o These twin icon pierce the city skylines and are a truly magnificent sight.

133.Sepang International F1 Circuit  134.Sepang International F1 Circuit  o In step with the global rise in motor sports, Malaysia now has a challenging Formula 1 circuit just outside the KL

International Airport. o The circuit hosts international motoring events and is also available for private bookings.

135.Gunung Mulu Caves 136.Gunung Mulu Caves o Mulu Caves National Park is home to one of the longest networks of caves in the world. o Here lies the world’s largest underground chamber, the Sarawak Chamber, capable of accommodating forty

Boeing 747 airplanes. 137.SINGAPORE 138.HISTORY OFSINGAPORE o In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles set up a British trading post in Singapore, formerly known as Temasek, which

enabled the island to be a free trade centre for the East Indies. o One of the World’s most densely populated countries, Singapore has a myriad of traditional cultures and

buildings alongside towering skyscrapers and space-age shops. 139.TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SINGAPORE o Chinatown o Kampong Glam o Arab Street o Singapore Zoo Night Safari Tour o Sentosa Island

140.Singapore Chinatown 141.Chinatown o Singapore's Chinatown evolved around 1821 when the first Chinese junk arrived from Xiamen, Fujian

province in China. o Chinatown’s local name - Niu Che Shui (Bullock Cart Water) arose from the fact each household at that time

had to collect fresh water from the wells in Ann Siang Hill and Spring Street, using bullock-drawn carts. 142.o The Al Abrar Mosque along Telok Ayer Street, and the Jamae Mosque and Sri Mariamman Temple along

South Bridge Road lay witness to the harmonious racial and religious atmosphere in Singapore. o Chinatown can be divided into four main districts - Kreta Ayer, Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Pasoh -

each with its own distinctive flavour. The heart of activity is in the Trengganu/Smith Streets area. 143.Kampong Glam 144.Kampong Glam o Named after the Gelam tree which used to grow in the area, Kampong Glam was the historic seat of Malay

royalty in Singapore. o Today, the former Istana Kampong Glam (Sultan’s palace) has been converted into a heritage museum,

the Malay heritage Centre, to showcase the rich history and culture of Singapore’s Malay community. o A key building in Kampong Glam is Sultan Mosque (or Masjid Sultan) at Bussorah Street, the largest mosque in

Singapore 145.Arab Street 146.Arab Street o Arab Street is the centre of the Muslim community where it used to be the main selling place of Muslim men’s

headgear (or songkok), the holy Quran, prayer mats and textiles.

o Today, Arab Street is a designer’s dream locale! Glittery and lavish fashion items abound, like the finest lace, sparkling semi-precious stones, ostrich feathers, iron-on diamantes, gold thread, and wholesale bales of silk, organza and lame which dazzle in rainbow hues and intensities.

147.Singapore Zoo Night Safari 148.Singapore Zoo Night Safari Tour o The world's first nighttime zoo safari takes you through 40 hectares of secondary jungle adjoining

Singapore Zoo, enhanced by subtle moonglow lighting. o The mystery and drama of the tropical jungle comes alive after dusk, and you'll experience a thrilling

sense of roaming through the jungle as you travel through the grounds by open tram. o You'll pass a large reservoir and weave through habitats specially designed to replicate the natural

environment, from the Himalayan foothills to the Southeast Asian rainforest and Indian subcontinent. 149.Sentosa Island 150.Sentosa Island o Singapore's relaxing island resort. o pink dolphins at play in the Dolphin Lagoon, Underwater World oceanarium. o See “Images of Singapore” story and after dinner enjoy the multi-sensory sound and light water show “Songs of

the Sea”. o This action-packed, family-friendly afternoon tour to Sentosa Island is guaranteed to please children and adults

alike. 151.Travel Documents Documents required to visit china o Visitors to China require a passport that is valid for at least six months prior to entry. o A return ticket . o All visitors are also required to fill in a health declaration certificate on arrival, entrance will be refused to HIV

positive travelers. o No vaccination is required.

152.Documents required to visit Japan o A valid passport o A return ticket is required by all visitors to Japan. o Visas are required o No vaccination is required o One should take out travel insurance before visiting Japan, including insurance against medical costs, loss of

belongings, theft, cancellation of journey. 153.Documents required to visit Malaysia o Excluding US & UK citizens, everyone need a visa o A valid passport is required with at least six months remaining beyond the date of entry. o A return or onward ticket is needed. o Vaccinations - International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever required if arriving from infected area.

154.Documents required to visit Singapore o All visitors must hold a passport which is valid for at least six months after the date of departure. o Indians need a visa o International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever required if arriving from infected area within 5 days

155.Import& Export regulations Import& Export regulations in China o Free import o 2 liters of alcoholic beverages ,400 cigarettes o 50g of gold or silver o 1 still camera and reasonable amount of film o All the receipts of the valuable articles, such as jewelry, jade, gold and silver ornaments, handicrafts, artifacts,

paintings and calligraphy, you bought in China should be kept for the exit check. o Antiques are not permitted to leave China without the proper "Certificates for the Export of Cultural

Relics" from the Chinese Authorities 156.Import & export regulation in Japan o You are required to make an oral or a written declaration to Customs about the goods that you bring into Japan. o When the amount of your goods exceeds the limit of tax exemption, submit the Declaration of your

accompanied and unaccompanied baggage. o Commercial goods and commercial samples are taxable and are not subject to tax exemption indicated below o Alcoholic beverages-3 bottles o Tobacco- 400 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, or 500 grams of other tobacco products

157.Import & Export regulations in Malaysia

o Free import :  - 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 grams of tobacco;  - max. 1 litre of wine, spirits or malt liquor; - max. 100 matches;  - max. 3 pieces of new wearing apparel;  - one pair of new footwear;  - one unit of each portable electrical or battery operated appliance for personal care and hygiene;  

o Free export of reasonable quantities of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages. 158.Import &export regulations in Singapore o Visitors above 18 years of age arriving from any country (except Malaysia) who have spent more than 48 hours

outside Singapore are allowed duty-free concessions of the following o - 1 litre wine o - 1 litre spirit and o -1 litre of beer. o All these items must be for personal consumption only. There are no duty-free concessions on cigarettes or

other 159.Prohibited items Prohibited items in China o Radio transceivers and secure communication devices. o The national currency of China, with every traveler restricted to carrying a total of 6,000 o Endangered species of fauna and flora (including their specimens) as well as their seeds and reproductive

materials. o Explosives& weapons. o Counterfeit currency bills & fake securities. o Manuscripts, printed matters, films, photos, phonograph records, movies, audio tapes, video tapes, laser optic

discs, computer memory media and other articles whose contents are related to State secrets of China. 160.Prohibited items in Japan o Heroin, cocaine, MDMA, opium, cannabis, stimulants, psychotropic substances, and other narcotic drugs

(excluding those designated by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Ordinance); o Firearms ,bullets and pistol parts; Explosives o Precursor materials for chemical weapons; o Germs which are likely to be used for bio-terrorism; o Counterfeit, altered, or imitation coins, paper money, bank notes, or securities, and forged credit cards; o Books, drawings, carvings, and any other article which may harm public safety or morals o Articles which infringe upon intellectual property rights.

161.Prohibited items in Malaysia o Intoxicating liquors containing more than 3.46 milligrams per liter in any lead or in any compound of copper. o Daggers and flick knives. o Broadcast receivers capable of receiving radio communication o Cloth bearing the imprint or duplicate of any verses of the Quran. o Pen, pencil, and other articles resembling syringes. o Poisonous chemical o Explosives and Fireworks o Imitation arms, toy gun / pistols. o Imitation hand grenades. o Illicit drugs are strictly prohibited

162.Prohibited items in Singapore o Intoxicating liquors and cigarettes marked with the words "SINGAPORE DUTY NOT PAID" on the

labels, cartons or packets

Sri Lanka

Geography

An island in the Indian Ocean off the southeast tip of India, Sri Lanka is about half the size of Alabama. Most of the land is flat and rolling; mountains in the south-central region rise to over 8,000 ft (2,438 m).

Government

Republic.

History

Indo-Aryan emigration from India in the 5th century B.C. came to form the largest ethnic group on Sri Lanka today, the Sinhalese. Tamils, the second-largest ethnic group on the island, were originally from the Tamil region of India and emigrated between the 3rd century B.C. and A.D. 1200. Until colonial powers controlled Ceylon (the country's name until 1972), Sinhalese and Tamil rulers fought for dominance over the island. The Tamils, primarily Hindus, claimed the northern section of the island and the Sinhalese, who are predominantly Buddhist, controlled the south. In 1505 the Portuguese took possession of Ceylon until the Dutch India Company usurped control (1658–1796). The British took over in 1796, and Ceylon became an English Crown colony in 1802. The British developed coffee, tea, and rubber plantations. On Feb. 4, 1948, after pressure from Ceylonese nationalist leaders (which briefly unified the Tamil and Sinhalese), Ceylon became a self-governing dominion of the Commonwealth of Nations.

S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister in 1956 and championed Sinhalese nationalism, making Sinhala the country's only official language and including state support of Buddhism, further marginalizing the Tamil minority. He was assassinated in 1959 by a Buddhist monk. His widow, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, became the world's first female prime minister in 1960. The name Ceylon was changed to Sri Lanka (“resplendent island”) on May 22, 1972.

The Tamil minority's mounting resentment toward the Sinhalese majority's monopoly on political and economic power, exacerbated by cultural and religious differences, erupted in bloody violence in 1983. Tamil rebel groups, the strongest of which were the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers, began a civil war to fight for separate nation.

President Ranasinghe Premadasa was assassinated at a May Day political rally in 1993, when a Tamil rebel detonated explosives strapped to himself. Tamil extremists have frequently resorted to terrorist attacks against civilians. The next president, Chandrika Kumaratunga, vowed to restore peace to the country. In Dec. 1999, she was herself wounded in a terrorist attack. By early 2000, 18 years of war had claimed the lives of more than 64,000, mostly civilians.

President: Mahinda Rajapaksa (2005)

Prime Minister: Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka (2005)

Land area: 24,996 sq mi (64,740 sq km); total area: 25,332 sq mi (65,610 sq km)

Population (2010 est.): 21,513,990 (growth rate: 0.9%); birth rate: 15.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 18.1/1000; life expectancy: 75.3; density per sq mi: 809

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Colombo, 2,436,000 (metro. area), 656,100 (city proper). Legislative and judicial capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 118,300

Other large cities: Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 214,300; Moratuwa, 181,000; Kandy, 112,400

Monetary unit: Sri Lanka rupee

More Facts & FiguresCurrent government officials Languages: Sinhala 74% (official and national), Tamil 18% (national), other 8%; English is commonly used in government and spoken competently by about 10%Ethnicity/race: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001)Religions: Buddhist 70%, Islam 8%, Hindu 7%, Christian 6% (2001)

Literacy rate: 92% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2009 est.): $96.43 billion; per capita $4,500. Real growth rate: 3.5%. Inflation: 3.4%. Unemployment: 5.9%. Arable land: 14%. Agriculture: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish. Labor force: 8.08 million; services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.). Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining. Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower. Exports: $7 billion (2009 est.): textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish. Imports: $9.6 billion (2009 est.): textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment. Major trading partners: U.S., UK, India, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Iran, Japan, Malaysia (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 494,509 (1998); mobile cellular: 228,604 (1999). Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998). Radios: 3.85 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 21 (1997). Televisions: 1.53 million (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000). Internet users: 121,500 (2001).

Transportation: Railways: total: 1,508 km (2002). Highways: total: 96,695 km; paved: 91,860 km; unpaved: 4,835 km (1999). Waterways: 430 km; navigable by shallow-draft craft. Ports and harbors: Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee. Airports: 15 (2002).

International disputes: none.

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state which is governed by a semi-presidential system with its official seat of government in Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, the capital.

As a result of its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia.[12] It has also been a center of the Buddhist religion and culture from ancient

times and is one of the few remaining abodes of Buddhism in South Asia along with Ladakh, Bhutan and the Chittagong hill tracts [13] The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population; Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, form the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include Moors, Burghers, Kaffirs, Malays and the aboriginal Vedda people.

The country is famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber and cinnamon, the latter which is native to the country.[14] The natural beauty Sri Lanka has led to the title The Pearl of the Indian Ocean, it is full of lush tropical forests, white beaches and diverse landscape throughout along with a rich biodiversity. The country lays claim to a long and colorful history of over three thousand years, having one of the longest documented histories in the world. Sri Lanka's rich culture can be attributed to the many different communities in the island. Sri Lanka is a founding member state of SAARC and a member United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, G77 and Non-Aligned Movement.

Tourism is one of the main industries in Sri Lanka. Major tourist attractions are focused around the islands famous beaches located in the southern and eastern parts of the country, ancient heritage sites located in the interior of the country and lush green resorts located in the mountainous regions of the country.[1][2] A large majority of tourists come from the United States, the United Kingdom [3] , Canada, Australia, the People's Republic of China, and India

Sri Lanka is home to seven world heritage sites: Galle, Kandy, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruva, Dambulla cave temple and Lion King Singahraja tropical rain forest[4].

Furthermore three prime ecological sites in the central highlands[5] of Sri Lanka were submitted by Secretary, Ministry and Natural Resources of Sri Lanka to UNESCO on 20 March 2006. As at present these sites appear on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites:Peak Wilderness Sanctuary (19,207 ha),Horton Plains[6] (3 109 ha) and Knuckles Range (1 7,825 ha).

In addition to above mixed (culture and nature) sites the ancient cultural site of Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihar at the village of Toppur, Koddiyar Pattu of Trincomalee District of Eastern Province of Sri Lanka was submitted to [7] UNESCO by the government of Sri Lanka on 30 October 2006.

Sri Lanka's many beaches are often visited by tourists. The historical city of Colombo is considered as the "Commercial capitol of Sri Lanka" which attracts many tourists from Asian region to visit for businesses. National parks in Sri Lanka are also popular visitor attractions. Tourists are also attracted to Sri Lanka by its natural beauty.

[edit] List of famous tourist attractions

[edit] Beaches and lagoonsMain article: List of beaches in Sri Lanka

Negombo beach.

Negombo beach & lagoon Bentota Hikkaduwa coral reef Matara Polhena Unawatuna Nilaveli Arugam Bay Pasikudah & Kalkudah Batticalo beach & lagoon Kalpitiya - beach and islands Trincomalee

Polonnaruwa

[edit] Archeological Sites

Anuradapura - Ancient Kingdom Sigiriya - Ancient Kingdom & fortress Polonnaruwa - Ancient Kingdom Kandy - Ancient Kingdom with temple of tooth relic Galle - Fortress

Dambulla - Rock cave temple Maligawila - Ancient Monastery with largest statue of Lord Buddha in Sri Lanka Yapahuwa - Fortress

[edit] National ParksMain article: List of national parks of Sri Lanka

Yala National Park - Most visited, and second-largest in Sri Lanka Udawalawe National Park - Famous for Elephant watching Kumana National Park - Famous for Bird watching Bundala National Park - Famous for Bird watching Wasgamuwa National Park - One most attractive national park Wilpattu National Park - Largest in Sri Lanka, famous for leopards Minneriya National Park - Famous for Elephants Horton Plains National Park - Only national park in hill country and famous for sambar

[edit] Elephants

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Udawalawe Elephant Transit Centre

[edit] Adventure Sports

White water rafting - Kithulgala Surfing - Arugam Bay Boating - Bentota, Bolgoda, Madhu ganga, Koggala Trekking - Knuckles Mountain Range, Hortan plains, Sripada aka Adam's peak

[edit] Precious stone mining

Main article: Gems of Sri Lanka

Ratnapura where the city of famous Sri pada mountain located is the center of precious stone mining

The precious stones such as rubies and sapphires frequently found in Ratnapura and 90% of the rocks of the island are of Precambrian age, 560 million to 2,400 million years ago. The gems form in sedimentary residual gem deposits, eluvial deposits, metamorphic deposits, skarn and calcium-rich rocks. Other gems are of magmatic origin[8].

The blue sapphires from Sri Lanka are known as Ceylon Sapphire. Ceylon Sapphires are reportedly unique in colour, clarity and lustre compared to the blue sapphires from other countries, also Marco Polo wrote that the island had the best sapphires, topazes, amethysts, and other gems in the world[9].

The tourists are interested in precious stones also can visit Adam's Peak, Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Udawalawe National Park and Kitulgala (place of "The Bridge on the River Kwai" was filmed).

[edit] Tourism industry

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami [10] and the past civil war have reduced tourist arrivals but Sri Lanka received over half a million tourists in 2006.[11]

The International media reports published about the improvements in industry of January 2008 by 0.6%[12], March 2008 by 8.6%[13] when comparing to last year's (2007) figures

Negombo lagoon

Main article: Negombo Lagoon

The fishermen of the Negombo lagoon live in abject poverty in small, thatch palm villages on the water's edge. They rely on traditional knowledge of the seasons for their livelihood, using outrigger canoes carved out of tree trunks and nylon nets to bring in modest catches from September through till April.

Fishing boats in Negombo

Their boats are made in two distinct forms, oruvas (a type of sailing canoe) and paruvas (a large, man-powered catamaran fitted with kurlon dividers), and are said to have originated in the islands off the Mozambican coast; they were brought to Sri Lanka by Portuguese traders in the 17th century.

For generations the lagoon has provided the fishermen with a plentiful supply of crabs, shrimp and many of the native species of fish, but with the onset of global warming these sources of food have dwindled. The men are regularly forced to head out to the ocean to fish, often losing money in the chartering process. In recent years, the villagers have supplemented the income earned from fishing by collecting toddy, or palm sap, which is used to brew arrack.[1]

History

While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real Polonnaruwa Hero of the history books is actually his grandson, Parakramabahu I. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the King, who was adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted, and each be used toward the development of the land; hence, irrigation systems far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign, systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems, of course is the Parakrama Samudraya or the Sea of Parakrama, a tank so vast that it is often mistaken for the ocean. It is of such a width that it is impossible to stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main city like a ribbon, being both a defensive border against intruders and the lifeline of the people in times of peace. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign.

However, with the exception of his immediate successor, Nissankamalla I, all other monarchs of Polonnaruwa, were slightly weak-willed and rather prone to picking fights within their own court. They also went on to form more intimiate matrimonial alliances with stronger South Indian Kingdoms, until these matrimonial links superseded the local royal lineage and gave rise to the Kalinga invasion by King Kalinga Magha in 1214 and the eventual passing of power into the hands of a Pandyan King following the Arya Chakrawarthi invasion of Sri Lanka in 1284. The capital was then shifted to Dambadeniya.

The city Polonnaruwa was also called as Jananathamangalam during the short Chola reign.

[edit] Present Situation

Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned Archeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers. Its beauty was

also used as a backdrop to filmed scenes for the Duran Duran music video Save a Prayer in 1982. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Near the ancient city, there is a small town with several hotels (especially for tourists) and some glossy shops, and places to fulfill day to day needs. There are government institutions in a newly built area called “new town,” about 6 km away from the town and the main road. The largest school in the district, Polonnaruwa Royal Central College is situated at new town.

Polonnaruwa is the 2nd largest city in north central province. But it is known as one of the cleaner and more beautiful cities in the country. The green environment, amazing ancient constructions, Parakrama Samudraya (a huge lake built in 1200 A.C.), attractive tourist hotels and most importantly nice people with hospitality, always attracted local and foreign tourists. One recent scientific observation is that of its climate changes. Historically Polonnaruwa had a tropical climate most of the year, although it was occasionally chilly in December and January. But in recent years the rain and chillyness has been increased noticeably. Although this is surprising to some people, it is more enjoyable for tourists. But sometimes paddy field farmers suffers when there is too much rain.

0

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage and breeding ground for wild elephants which is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Department of Wildlife Conservation on a 25-acre (10 ha) coconut plantation on the Maha Oya river. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned elephants found in the jungle. As of 2008, there were 84 elephants.

The aim of the orphanage is to simulate the natural world. However, there are some exceptions: the elephants are taken to the river twice daily for a bath, and all the babies under three years of age are still bottle fed by the mahouts and volunteers. Each animal is also given around 76 kilograms (170 lb) of green manure a day and around 2 kg (4.4 lb) from a food bag containing rice bran and maize. They get access to water twice a day, from the river.

This elephant orphanage is also a breeding place for elephants. More than twenty-three elephants have been born since 1984, and the orphanage has the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. While most of the elephants are healthy, one is blind, and one, named Sama, has lost her front right leg to a land mine.

History

Pinnewela was first established by the Sri Lankan Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1975 on a 25-acre (10 ha) preserve for feeding and providing care and sanctuary to orphaned baby elephants that were found in the wild. In 1978, the orphanage was taken over by the Department of National Zoological Gardens, and in 1982 an elephant breeding program was launched.

[edit] Tourism

The orphanage is very popular among local and foreign tourists. The main attraction is the opportunity to observe the bathing elephants from the broad river bank as the herd interacts socially, bathing and playing.

The orphanage is open to the public daily, and all admission fees are used to look after the elephants. Visitors to the park can view many different aspects of the care and daily routine of the elephants, such as

bottle feeding of elephant calves, feeding of all other elephants, and bathing. Cost (2010) for foreign adults: 2,000 LKR

[edit] Animal Welfare

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is also the subject of a report by the Born Free Foundation which calls into question the animal welfare at the orphanage.[1]

[edit] Gallery

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Elephants (Elepahs maximus maximus) bathing in Maha Oya river

An elephant at Pinnawala

Tourists attraction on elephants bathing

Handling an elephant at Pinnawala

Baby elephants with their mothers at Pinnawala

Blind tusker "RAJA" at

Maligawila, or Maligavila is a village in Sri Lanka, approximately 15 kilometers (9 mi) south from Moneragala and 9 kilometers (6 mi) from Okkampitiya in the Moneragala District. It is the site of several important archaeological pieces, including a free-standing 11 meters (36 ft 1.1 in) or 12 meters (39 ft 4.4 in) tall limestone statue of Buddha, claimed in some quarters to be the tallest free-standing statue of Buddha in the world, though the Avukana Buddha Statue is also said to be taller.[1][2] This Buddha draws many tourists to the region.[3] It also boasts the Avalokitesvara statue, a 10 meters (32 ft 9.7 in) limestone portrait. These statues, which were discovered in the 1950s and restored between 1989 and 1991, are believed to have been commissioned by the 7th century prince Agghabodhi.[4] There is additionally a 10th century historical pillar placed in the 10th year of the rule of Mahinda IV (956-972 AD).

Trek or trekking means a long journey to be undertaken on foot in areas where common means of transport is generally not available. Trekking always refers to walking on trails[citation needed]; it does not entail cross-country hiking or climbing over rough terrain. Trekking is not mountaineering; it is days of walking, along with adventure.

Contents

[hide]

1 Etymology 2 Trekking in the Himalayas 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Etymology

The term derived from South African Dutch word trek (noun), trekken (verb), (literally meaning to "pull, travel"), became a word in English language in mid 19th century, and means a long arduous journey, typically on foot.[1]

[edit] Trekking in the Himalayas

The Himalayan regions are famous for trekking/hiking. Typical trekking areas in Nepal are Mount Everest, Annapurna, Langtang and Dolpo. The most popular trekking routes in India, which gets fewer trekkers than Nepal, include Kedarnath, Satopanth tal, Pindari Glacier, Gomukh, Sar Pass, Chandra Taal, Kafni Glacier, Milam Glacier, Saurkundi Pass, Richenpong, Singalila Ridge, Hemkund, Valley of Flowers, Nanda Devi Sanctuary, Kedartal and Roopkund.

The Himalayan routes attract a large number trekkers.