travelBizMonitor.com

Thailand records over 900,000 Indian arrivals in 2011

The Tourism Authority of Thailand recently revealed that Thailand last year received a record 917,832 Indians; a growth of more than 16 per cent as compared to 791,185 Indian visitors to the country in 2010.

Commenting on the growth, Sethaphan Buddhani, Director ─ Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Mumbai, said, “We are delighted to have welcomed so many Indians to our nation and look forward to welcoming even more during 2012. We have achieved this consistent growth due to our result─oriented marketing strategies that are matched with performance indicators. We are also grateful to the Indian travel trade fraternity which has been actively supporting our initiatives through joint promotions that showcase Thailand as a value─for─money destination.”

Thailand has been consistently increasing in popularity amongst Indians from all parts of the country. TAT has used strong B2B and B2C marketing campaigns to promote its varied offerings to both the Indian travel trade and consumers.

New Environment Ministry guidelines may restrict tourism in core areas of tiger reserves

The Environment Ministry is all set to inform the Supreme Court this week that tourism activity inside core areas of tiger reserves would be prohibited as per its new guidelines. This is being done to make core areas inviolate for tigers. As per a report by Hindustan Times, resorts within five kilometres of tiger reserves will have to pay a minimum of 10 per cent of their total turnover as taxes.

The new guidelines, based on a set of recommendations by a committee of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), state that tourism will be allowed only in fringe areas of tiger reserves through special safaris. “These safaris will be regulated by state forest departments,” a senior government official said.

The exhaustive guidelines also prescribe a minimum cess of 10 per cent, called conservation cess, on the total turnover of the tourist resorts around 41 tiger reserves in India. The government, however, did not agree to hike the cess to 30 per cent, as suggested by Tiger Task Force report of 2006.

Burma seeking to renew membership in UNWTO

Burma is seeking renewed membership in the United Nations World Tourism Organization, according to Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UNWTO. He said Thein Sein, President, Burma, officially said that Burma wanted to rejoin the organisation.

Rifai said UNWTO paid special attention to developing countries because of the strong relationship between tourism and development, as per a report by Mizzima. “Tourism may help create jobs, infrastructure, trade, investment – all of these are part of tourism. Burma has tremendous natural and environmental access. It is also located in a region that is booming,” he said.

During a meeting with Tint Hsan, Minister for Hotels and Tourism, Government of Burma, Rafai said issues of education and training, promotion, branding and sustainable development growth were discussed.

Goa Tourism Department gives initial approval for floating hotel on Mandovi River

In a bid to draw high─end tourists to Goa, the next tourist season will see the first non─casino vessel function on the Mandovi River. Highstreet Cruises and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (HSCEPL), which runs off─shore casinos in the state, have received initial permission from the Goa Tourism Department to go ahead with the proposal for a floating hotel.

The state government had floated an expression of interest for the project after which HSCEPL applied for the project. “We (Tourism Department) have given initial approval for the proposal and now they have to take permission from the Captain of Ports for mooring the vessel on the Mandovi River,” said Swapnil Naik, Director ─ Tourism, Goa.

According to a report by The Times of India, the initial proposal stated that HSCEPL would anchor the vessel below Mandovi Bridge. Naik also said that the department has asked the company to submit a detailed project report by June. The floating hotel will have 14 rooms, including a conference hall, restaurant, gymnasium, etc.

Jammu & Kashmir may have an Eco─Tourism development board soon

The Jammu & Kashmir Environment Department has pushed a proposal to the government for constituting a J&K Eco─Tourism Board to recommend measures and identify potential sites for promotion of Eco─Tourism in the state. Sources said the proposal was under the consideration of the General Administration Department (GAD) and a final decision in this regard was likely to be taken in near future.

As per a report by Greater Kashmir, the proposal for creation of the Eco─Tourism Development Board was sent to the GAD before the annual Darbar move from Jammu to Srinagar.

“J&K has great potential for Eco─Tourism. The government has taken the issue seriously and is making every effort to ensure a major breakthrough in the promotion of Eco─Tourism. The creation of the J&K Eco─Tourism Development Board will prove a major step forward in this direction,” sources said, adding that a fully─fledged board would be created after the proposal received the GAD's nod.

Tadoba Tiger Reserve to open new tourism route in buffer areas

In a move that is sure to ease some tourist pressure from the near─saturated Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra, the administration of TATR has decided to open a new route for tourists in its buffer areas.

While safaris in the buffer areas will be cheaper than those inside the reserve, tourists can also enjoy some special perks which are not allowed inside the TATR on this new route. Tourism in the buffer area is being promoted with the sole objective of economical development of buffer villages and providing employment to local youths, according to a report by The Times of India.

The new 14─km─long tourist route will begin from Navargaon Chauki and end at Jakana gate near Junona village in the buffer area. "Local eco─development committees of the Devada and Junona villages will shoulder the responsibility on this route. While gate fees will be charged, youths from the villages will also take up jobs as guides for the safaris. Modalities over the gate fees and timings of the safari are being finalised. Tourism in the buffer zone will start in the next 10 days," said P Kalyankumar, DCF, Forest Division, Chandrapur.

Kerala records more than one crore tourist arrivals in 2011

Kerala registered over one crore visitors during 2011, said A. P. Anil Kumar, Tourism Minister, Government of Kerala. Revenue earnings recorded by the sector during the period stood at Rs 19,037 crore, the minister said in an update of the government's performance in its first year in office yesterday in Thiruvananthapuram.

Of all inbound tourists, 7.3 lakh were foreign and 93.7 lakh domestic. This represented a year─on─year rise of 73,720 in the number of foreign tourists and as much as 7.86 lakh in domestic tourists, according to a report by The Hindu Business Line.

Foreign exchange earnings have gone up from Rs 3,797.37 crore in 2010 to Rs 4,221.99 crore in 2011. The Kerala Department of Tourism achieved 94.5 per cent utilisation of the annual plan funds during the period under reference. This was the best performance in at least the last 20 years, Kumar claimed.

Cox & Kings planning to raise up to USD 140 million for UK subsidiary

Tour operator Cox & Kings plans to raise up to USD 140 million from an institutional investor for its UK subsidiary, the company said in a statement.

Cox & Kings will issue shares to the investor for a minority stake in Prometheon Holdings (UK) Ltd, it said.

At 0423 GMT, shares in Cox & Kings, which also has operations in the United States, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Greece and Singapore, were down 2.55 per cent at Rs 141.5 in a weak Mumbai market.

Sovereign Hill to launch incentive programme for Indian travel trade

In a bid to promote the Australian attraction of Sovereign Hill in the Indian market, The Sovereign Hill Museums Association is all set to launch an incentive programme for Indian travel agents and tour operators. The programme will offer agents the opportunity to win gold worth AUD 6,000 and will be valid from October 2012 to March 2013.

Garry Burns, Director – Marketing, The Sovereign Hill Museums Association, said, “The final details of the incentive programme which is being launched exclusively for the Indian market will be revealed in a month's time.”

Sovereign Hill is an open air museum in Ballarat, Victoria in Australia and it depicts Ballarat's first ten years after the discovery of gold there in 1851. It comprises over 60 historically recreated buildings, with costumed staff and volunteers. Gold digging is the main attraction of the complex, featuring a winding creek in which visitors can pan for real gold.

Cathay Pacific to increase flight frequency on Chennai─Hong Kong route from September 2012

Cathay Pacific Airways will increase flight frequencies between Chennai and Hong Kong from the current four flights a week to daily, with effect from September 1, 2012.

Tom Wright, General Manager ─ South Asia, Middle East and Africa, Cathay Pacific Airways, said, “An increase in operations will enable us to provide passengers with greater flexibility for travel from Chennai to Hong Kong and onward to other destinations, specifically Mainland China, Asia, North America and Australia.”

He added that demand to and from India in general has held up remarkably well despite the challenges the airline is facing in its network.

Cathy Pacific currently operates to Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai and sister airline Dragonair offers flights to Bengaluru.

Thailand records over 900,000 Indian arrivals in 2011

New Environment Ministry guidelines may restrict tourism in core areas of tiger reserves

Burma seeking to renew membership in UNWTO

Kerala records more than one crore tourist arrivals in 2011

Business to Leisure: Middle East's Transformation in India

Business to Leisure: Middle East's Transformation in India

Cathay Pacific to increase flight frequency on Chennai─Hong Kong route from September 2012

Prescription for 'Railwoes'

Hugh and Colleen Gantzer
Prescription for 'Railwoes'

ATM 2012: India records new 'high' in business opportunities

ATM 2012: India records new 'high' in business opportunities

Going Beyond Vidya Balan

Going Beyond Vidya Balan
By Anurag Yadav

Sadhana Sharma, General Manager Sales & Marketing – Private Travel, Abercrombie & Kent India Private Limited

Sadhana Sharma
General Manager Sales & Marketing – Private Travel
Abercrombie & Kent India Private Limited

International Focus: Hong Kong Disneyland Resort: A Mix of Nostalgia and Endless Fun

International Focus: Hong Kong Disneyland Resort: A Mix of Nostalgia and Endless Fun

Round Up

Tourism Minister launches Pearl of India brochure at ITB Berlin 2012

Lama Tours: A Dynamic Growth Story

In the normal scheme of things, governments, tourism boards and overseas offices or representation companies, are usually the only entities to promote a tourist destination or travel products. However, the case seems to be taking different route when it comes to Dubai, as the Dubai administration's Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is not the only organisation promoting Dubai in overseas markets. Through the years, Lama Tours has taken upon itself the onus to promote Dubai as a destination. The 15─year─old tour company (Lama Desert Tourism LLC, 1997), a part of the Lama Group, has set its sights on growing to be one of the biggest tour operators in the Emirates. Lama Tours, which initially aimed to be a safari operator and provide desert adventures, forayed into the tourism business with a modest capital and a few cars to start a desert camp in Al Habab in 1997. Since then there has been no looking back, as Lama Tours went on establishing new business verticals and set up various divisions. The company also has other subsidiaries such as Color Creation, Smart Solutions and Lama Kiosks LLC.

DTCM's Success Mantra: 'Definitely Dubai'

The success of any tourist destination depends on the way it has been promoted. For instance, if we consider the Indian market, international tourist offices such as Switzerland, South Africa and Thailand, with their innovative marketing─mix have managed to secure a large chunk of Indian tourists. Dubai for that matter, with its enhanced business and political strategy, has set an example for others to follow. “If you are looking for a unique destination that is a dynamic business centre as well as a tourist paradise offering attractions, shopping, fine dining and quality accommodation, it's Definitely Dubai,” exclaims the official tourism portal of Dubai in a large bold font; and why shouldn't it? Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has outdone itself in promoting the destination in international markets and the results are out there for all to see.

Mission DTCM
To give a thrust to tourism, the Dubai government formed the Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board in 1989, which was later replaced by the DTCM in January, 1997.

“We would like to see more growth in MICE traffic from India” ─ Paul Roll, Director, Paris Tourism Office

Paul Roll
Director,
Paris Tourism Office

Expedia to join hands with Thomas Cook for free visa services

Online travel company Expedia will tie up with travel and travel─related financial services firm Thomas Cook to offer free visa assistance services to travellers. “Next month, we will launch a free visa assistance service in collaboration with Thomas Cook,” Vikram Malhi, Expedia India, said.

“We will send a person to the traveller's home to collect documents and through our partner Thomas Cook's help, we will get the visa done in a seamless and easy process for the traveller. We wanted a credible partner for visa services and that is why we picked Thomas Cook as they have been in this market for a long time,” he added.

This is the second online travel portal after Yatra.com that is offering visa services, according to a report by The Financial Express. Competitors MakeMyTrip and Cleartrip do not offer such services. One can, however, download visa forms from MakeMyTrip. The launch of the new service could help the website attract more first─time passengers for booking international holidays.

Qatar Airways wins two awards at Skytrax 2012 World Airport Awards

Qatar Airways has won two accolades at the annual Skytrax 2012 World Airport Awards held in Vienna recently. For the second year in a row, Qatar Airways' Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport (DIA) has been named the 'World's Best Premium Service Airport'. While Qatar Airways─owned Oryx Rotana, a five─star hotel at Doha International Airport, has won the 'Best Airport Hotel in the Middle East' award it has also been ranked as the tenth best airport hotel in the world.

According to a release from the airline, the Premium Terminal which opened in 2006 is is for exclusive use of Qatar Airways' First and Business Class passengers and offers facilities like fine dining, spa, business centre etc. DIA emerged as a winner in face of stiff competition that included Frankfurt Airport's Lufthansa First Class Lounge and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport's Thai Airways First Class check─in and lounge facilities. The 400─room Oryx Rotana, a business hotel in the capital of Qatar features six signature dining options, high─tech business facilities, limousine car rental, multi─lingual staff and wireless Internet connection in all its guest rooms.

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2012 India: WTTC report

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2012 India: WTTC report

Double whammy for Indian travel agents By Hector D'souza, President, L'orient Travels, Mumbai

Double whammy for Indian travel agents
Hector D'souza
President,
L'orient Travels

Ireland extends short─stay visa waiver programme

Encouraged by the positive response to the short─stay visa waiver programme which was introduced for the first time last year, Alan Shatter T.D, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, recentlly announced that the Government has agreed to extend the Programme for a further period of four years. The programme had originally been due to last until the end of October 2012 but on consideration of a review of the Programme, the Government agreed to extend its duration.

The Minister also announced the following changes to the Programme; Bosnia and Herzegovina will be added to the existing list of 16 countries already covered by the Programme. As a further measure to encourage tourism, the fee for visas will be waived for long─term residents from the countries covered by the Programme who live in the Schengen area. This will be reviewed after six months, as per a release.

Indian MICE market expected to grow by 10─15 per cent in 2012

Undeterred by the global slowdown, Indian corporates are spending on corporate travel, pushing up the outbound market for MICE. The Indian outbound MICE market is estimated to be around USD 550─600 million and is expected to increase by 10─15 per cent in 2012. Forecasting a strong growth, Heena Akhtar, COO, Travelport said, "The slowdown meant that regular companies cut down on their corporate travel last year. But this year, we are expecting a revival in incentivised travel and meetings by corporates,'' she said.

About 1.5─1.8 million passengers travelled outbound for Meetings and Conventions. Pharmaceuticals, cement FMCG, IT and financial services are the major industries contributing to the sector.

According to a study on India's MICE market by Synovate Business Consulting, the most popular destinations in Europe in the last two years included Germany with 73 per cent opting for the destination followed by UK (52 per cent), France (51 per cent) and Switzerland (45 per cent).

Indonesia Tourism to target Indian MICE segment

India has been identified as an important market and the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia plans to focus on tapping the Indian MICE segment in order to boost Indian visitor arrivals and also to help achieve the target of eight million foreign tourist visits this year. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia organised a workshop for the Indian travel trade on the sidelines of the recently concluded SATTE exhibition in New Delhi to educate and promote Indonesia as a MICE destination. Berman Lubis, Director of MICE, Indonesia did a presentation showcasing various destinations, products and facilities for MICE. “India is a significant and an active MICE market, especially Incentive segment for Indonesia,” stated Lubis. Indonesia, according to Lubis, recorded 168122 Indian tourists last year, a 15.8 per cent increase over 2010, which witnessed 145179 Indian tourist arrivals.

Mandip Singh Soin, Managing Director, Ibex Expeditions

Mandip Singh Soin
Managing Director,
Ibex Expeditions

Cards & Payments Asia 2012 to be held in Singapore in April 2012

The 17th edition of the Cards & Payments Asia 2012, a smart technology exhibition, will showcase new technologies in Near Field Communication (NFC) and contactless payment together with ta spectrum of smart technology initiatives. The event will be held in Singapore from April 25─27, 2012 at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre. Richard Ireland, Chief Executive, Terrapinn Asia Pacific said, “This year's Cards & Payments Asia not only allows attendees to gain valuable insights on how to capitalise on the exponential growth of e─commerce and mobile commerce, but leverage on cutting─edge knowledge of multi─channel strategies for effective customer engagement, making it a must-attend event for all stakeholders seeking an edge over their competitions.”

Robust growth in Indian domestic aviation market fails to translate into profits: CAPA

Robust growth in Indian domestic aviation market fails to translate into profits: CAPA

Top Luxury Travel Trends for 2012: Thomas Stanley, Head Cox & Kings, The Americas

"Ends of the Earth" Journeys: Intrepid travelers have always had a yen for far─flung sojourns, but are now looking beyond the more obvious alluring destinations like Thailand and South Africa for their exotic escapades. “More and more, modern travelers are craving locales that are way off the radar – and in most cases, that actually means 'under the radar'” says Stanley. “These include rarely visited European countries such as Albania and Serbia, the Russian Far East, and Greenland; Central Asian spots such as Uzbekistan; and offshore destinations such as the Falkland Islands and Papua New Guinea.” These quirkier, off─the─beaten─path destinations provide a more thorough and intimate look at remote corners of the world – not to mention afford the traveler a more unique story upon return.

Mind, Body & Soul Vacations: Travel insiders see a rise in holistic vacations, attributing the trend to travelers' shifting perceptions of personal growth. “True luxury is an experience that will last a lifetime, and destinations that offer these transcendent journeys provide exactly that," explains Stanley.

TAT strengthens branding via new Amazing Thailand campaign

Considering the appeal the 'Amazing Thailand, Always Amazes You' marketing campaign has evoked globally, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would be wise to stick to the same campaign in the coming years. Following its success, the agency will try to exploit modern communication channels to enhance the campaign's visibility in future. TAT will also sponsor events to reach target segments in key markets, globally.

Speaking about their targets for 2012, Suraphon Svetasreni, Governor, TAT, said, “Responding to constant and incessant change is now our biggest challenge. TAT has set a target of 19.5 million international tourist arrivals in 2012 to generate an estimated revenue of 760 billion Baht (USD 24.85 billion) – a growth of around nine per cent over 2011. The target for domestic tourism is 93 million trips with an expected revenue accrual of 453 billion Baht (USD 14.70 billion).” This year, greater focus will be on Domestic Tourism, with stress on boosting the image of domestic travel, organising activities to promote it, publicising new value for money products and services, and using domestic travel as a means for building national identity.

Thomas Cook introduces City Break package

Thomas Cook introduces City Break package

Joys of a Journey

We have, over the last four years, covered the business of travel from a very close range. While doing so, we have also very often been caught up in the nitty─gritties that make up this industry. However, it is very ironic ─ and I realised this only very recently ─ that the journey we had embarked on very coincidentally mirrors the journey of the travel industry itself during the same period. In TravelBiz Monitor, we have often spoken about the fact that the entire concept of travel is changing rapidly from seeing to actual engagement, and hence Experiential Tourism is undoubtedly the future. In our case, I must say that it has been quite the same. The journey has been an experience in itself. On our fourth anniversary, as I look back on all that has unfolded since we launched, I dare say that the good times of 2007, followed by the recession of 2008 and 2009 and now the consolidation phase of 2010 and 2011 holds true as much for us, as for the travel industry in general.

To establish a new publication in those trying circumstances would not have been possible if TravelBiz Monitor was perceived as an outsider to this industry.

ADTOI plans to organise road shows in Guwahati and Shillong in July 2011

The Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), in partnership with Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDONER) and North East Industrial Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi), has decided to organise road shows in Guwahati (Assam) and Shillong (Meghalaya) in July 2011. The road show in Guwahati will be held on July 7 & 8, while the on in Shillong will be held on July 9. As per the plan, the two day road show in Guwahati will also include Business to Business (B2B) meetings.

VisitBritain to organise MICE mission in Mumbai and Delhi this month─ end

With an aim to showcase its MICE offerings in the Indian market, VisitBritian has decided to organise a MICE mission in Mumbai on the 28th of this month and in Delhi on 29th of this month. For the mission, the tourism board will bring seven delegates representing various travel and tour companies offering MICE products. The tourism board is expecting about 100 to 150 Indian buyers for each of the MICE mission. Therefore, the board will be inviting event management companies, professional conference organisers, association heads and representatives, event organisers and corporates for the mission.

According to Paramjit Bawa, Country Manager (India), VisitBritain, “There is a huge growth opportunity in MICE business from India to United Kingdom.” United Kingdom records about 32 per cent growth in MICE and business travellers from India every year.

Egencia releases 2011 Corporate Travel Forecast and Hotel Negotiability Index

Egencia, an Expedia, Inc. company, has unveiled its 2011 Corporate Travel Forecast and Hotel Negotiability Index, finding that Average Ticket Prices (ATPs) for top corporate travel destinations will remain relatively flat to slightly up and Average Daily Rates (ADRs) will be slightly up overall in North America, Europe and Asia─Pacific. New to this year's forecast is an Advance Purchase Advisory that identifies ideal advance booking windows and potential savings for flight purchase in nearly 40 markets around the world. After a year of significant flexibility, Egencia's Hotel Negotiability Index suggests that corporations will face a more challenging negotiating environment in
2011.

To arrive at these findings, the study evaluates global industry trends, macroeconomic factors, in─depth research of supplier markets and capacity across air, hotel and car rental channels in both domestic and international destinations, along with booking window analysis tailored for business travellers.

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Round Up

Dubai Calling

ItzCash Card Ltd. ties up with Cox & Kings to facilitate online air ticket booking

Cash cards have emerged as the preferred mode of payment in the rapidly growing online travel booking market. According to the 90Di Survey, in India, 54 per cent of air ticket booking is done online, with cash cards cornering a 28.8 per cent share of the total online ticket booking. ItzCash Card Ltd., one of India's leading cash card companies, to further consolidate its market share in this segment has tied up with Cox & Kings to facilitate online air ticket booking. With this tie─up, all Cox & Kings customers can now avail the benefits of booking their tickets online by using ItzCash card.

This tie─up is a part of ItzCash's plans to expand its market reach in the travel segment where it has tie─ups with prominent travel portals and travel agencies like Yatra.com, Cleartrip.com, Makemytrip.com, Thomas Cook and many more to provide better travelling experience to travellers. ItzCash, in a short span of five years has expanded its reach to service millions of customers in the travel segment.

Asian tourism organisations launch sellasianow.com, an exclusive website for travel agents

Eight Asian tourism organizations i.e. Hong Kong Tourism Board, India Tourism, Japan National Tourism Organisation, Korea Tourism Organisation, Macau Government Tourist Office, Philippine Department of Tourism, Singapore Tourism Board and Tourism Authority of Thailand in collaboration with leading tour operators and airlines operating to Asia have designed a website exclusively for travel agents─ www.sellasianow.com.

With Sell Asia Now, agents can access deals on packages and flights to Asia, exclusive booking incentives offered by Asia Now partner tour operators and airlines and become eligible to win cash rewards. According to a report in travelagentcentral.com, the top three agents to book the most packages and/or flights to Asia available on the website will win up to USD1, 500. Additional incentives can be found on the site, including a 12 per cent commission on Asia Classic Tours booked by this month end and USD 100 commission on all exclusive Sell Asia Now packages with Asia Luxe Holidays.

Optimising processes during downturn

The current economical downturn is the biggest challenge the hospitality industry is facing today. The industry has already seen significant downturn in the business and everyone is hoping that things do not get worse. Hotels are resorting to various traditional cost cutting ways in order to deal with this situation. Some of them are downsizing their overall HR needs, while some have dropped their expansion plans.

We think this is the time for hoteliers to have a serious look at all the internal processes and evaluate if they are effective and efficient. One needs to ask questions like is the process needed? Does it do the job the way it should? Is it the best way?

This is where we think our product Hospitality E─management which is specifically designed to cater to optimise the processes thereby making them most efficient, effective and economical is so criticial especially in areas like knowledge management, HR, guest relationship management, procurement, F&B management, finance, reporting and dashboard and complete suite of surveys and audits which are inbuilt.

Delhi International Airport tightens security after firing scare

According to a PTI report, the security at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi was put on high alert in the wee hours today following the reported hearing of gunshots. The scare followed a passenger claiming to have heard sound of two gunshots firing at around 1.15 am near gate no 4, but there was no eyewitness, Udayan Banerjee, Commissioner of Security for Airports (COSA) told PTI.

However, the airport was already on a high alert following intelligence warning that there could be a terror attack or a hijack ahead of the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary tomorrow. The Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) swung into action along with Delhi Police immediately after the reported incident.

”We received a call that some passengers heard a sound similar to two gunshots, but there were no eyewitnesses. No evidence has so far come up to suggest that it was a firing and we cannot confirm it as a gunshot. After the sound, the CISF and Delhi Police swung into action and intensified the checking at the airport,” Banerjee said.

Customised Packages v/s Dynamic Packages

Customised holiday packages are designed according to a traveller's requirements, preferences and budget. Customised packages are fast picking up among discerning travellers who have discovered relevant information about the destination from the Internet or have read books on the destination. The traveller has some idea with regards to what he wants to do on his holiday and which are the places he would like to visit. ─── Vishal Suri, Chief Operating Officer, Leisure ─ Outbound, Thomas Cook India Ltd

Dynamic packaging is a mechanism used in package holiday bookings, enabling consumers to build their own packages of flights, accommodation and car hire on the Internet instead of booking a pre─designed package from a travel agent. Dynamic packaging can be defined as the combination of different travel components, clubbed and priced in real time, in response to the requests of the consumer or booking agent. ─── Yogesh Rathi, CEO, Etours CRS

Airlines overhaul IT systems to adapt to changing travel industry

The aviation industry hit turbulent times when Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices went soaring high, leading to unimaginable losses. And delivering another crushing blow was the global economic crisis and liquidity crunch which has created a downturn in passenger movement across the globe, including India. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Indian carriers are expected to suffer cumulative operational losses of USD 1.5 billion (close to Rs 6,800 crore) in 2008 while the global aviation industry losses are expected to be around USD 4.1 billion. As a matter of fact, the tourism industry which recorded a steady growth of 15 to 20 per cent in the past few years might also face a slowdown in the coming year due to the fall─out effect of the financial crisis. With almost all airlines, global as well as Indian, moving to implement effective cost cutting measures, it is time that carriers use technology to their benefit by adopting the right practices. In this regard, Amadeus, the world's leading provider of travel distribution and IT solutions

Jewel Classic Hotels to set up second property in Karnal

Karnal─based Jewel Classic Hotels will set up its second hotel property at Karnal, Haryana, by end─2009. The property, which is under construction at a prime location on National Highway 1, will be the first five─star property of the Group. The hotel will come up on eight acres of land and will consist of 140 rooms.

Manbeer Chaudhary, Managing Director, Jewel Classic Hotels Pvt. Ltd. said, “The hotel will have a 2.50 lakh square feet area with a commercial space of 32,000 square feet. In Haryana, we are free to use 15 per cent of our total FAR for commercial purposes.” About the hotel having a spa, convention facilities and multi─cuisine restaurants, Chaudhary said, “We want to take the advantage of our proximity to New Delhi. Therefore, we will promote the hotel by offering special weekend packages.” The Group is in talks with international brands like Hilton, Sheraton, and Carlson for franchise agreements for the upcoming hotel. Jewel Classic Hotels currently has a four─star property in Karnal with around 45 deluxe executive class rooms and ten suites.

Omkar Properties to launch their first resort by Dec '08

Mumbai─based Omkar Properties Pvt. Ltd. will launch their first property, a resort 'Blue Ocean Resort & Spa' at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. The resort, to be operational by December 2008, will have villa style and five─star facilities. The resort will have around 15,000 sq ft area dedicated to a spa. The Group has acquired 40 acres of land near Ganpatipule in Ratnagiri and has developed around nine acres of that land. They will initially start up with 25 villas and two restaurants by December 2008 and will come up with a total number of 100 villas and six restaurants in the next two to three years. The Group recently acquired 25 acres of land at Ratnagiri for developing private villas. Construction work on the villas will begin in October, 2008. The Group is also considering the resort for franchise agreement.

Travel agents are here to stay...

Anil Punjabi
Chairman (Eastern India Chapter)
Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI)

Kerala launches home stay classification scheme

In keeping with the emerging trend of tourism based on home stays, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the Minister for Tourism, Kerala, recently launched the home stay classification scheme in the State.

Banerjee appointed as new Secretary Tourism

Sheelbhadra Banerjee, took over as the new Secretary Tourism at Ministry of Tourism, Transport Bhawan, New Delhi. A 1971 I.A.S. (A.P.)

Andhra Pradesh to get another airport

Brahmani Industries Limited (BIL) is planning to develop an airport in Cuddapah district, near the location of its proposed two million tonnes per annum (tpa) integrated steel project