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 COVERSTORY

OTAs – Are they getting it right?
In the current online travel booking scenario, Online Travel Agents (OTAs) in India are not only innovating various revenue generating products but are making the online experience more reliable. TravelBiz Monitor analyse the preferred OTA websites to measure their user-friendliness.
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 IN CONVERSATION
‘India and the Middle East are yet to show their true growth potential’
Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) talks to TravelBiz Monitor about the effects of global economic slowdown on the aviation industry in Asia, its opportunities and the emerging markets in Asia
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 GUEST COLUMN
Destination marketing: India By Peter Leitgeb, President & CEO, The Claridges Hotels & Resorts
With Western markets nearing saturation, global hospitality players are looking for newer emerging markets. India with its booming economy and growing middle class is 'the' market for these multi-nationals
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 SPECIAL FEATURE

Finland: More than just the land of the Mid-Night Sun
Popularly known as the land of Santa Claus, Finland is the new entrant on the Indian travel scene. Finnish Tourist Board has outlined various strategies and aggressive plans for Indian market. TravelBiz Monitor explores what the country has in store for India
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 DESTINATION INSIGHT

International Focus: Magical Manila
The archipelagic country of Philippines is vying to attract Indian tourists with its mega shopping malls; beaches and water sport activities. TravelBiz Monitor takes a closer look at Manila, the `English speaking’ city that is fast emerging as a tourist hotspot
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This Week's Top Headlines
Kingfisher Airlines plans to extend operations to South East Asia by May this year
  Kingfisher Airlines, after expanding its international operations to London and Colombo, is now looking at operating in South East Asian countries in the next three to four months. Apart from expanding its ...read more>>
   
Travel advisories adversely affect bookings on Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
  After catering to 23 guests on its first trip, which comprised ten Indian tourists and thirteen foreign tourists, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels (RROW) has registered zilch bookings for the second trip. The second trip of . ...read more>>
   
IITE to organise six-eight roadshows across various parts of India this year
  India International Travel Expo (IITE), a company backed by Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) is slated to arrange a host of events for this year as well as the next year. For this year, IITE is planning to ...read more>>
   
Neesa Leisure Limited to add five properties to their portfolio
  Gandhinagar-based, Neesa Leisure Limited is in the process of adding five properties to their portfolio. The Group is currently developing properties at Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and ...read more>>
India among priority markets for Macau Tourism
  At a recently held press conference at the Macau Tower, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) unveiled its marketing strategies for the year 2009. Making a presentation at the conference, ...read more>>
   
Third ADTOI Convention opens with call to promote domestic tourism
  The third annual convention of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) commenced yesterday at the The Ashok Hotel in New Delhi with a call to promote domestic tourism for sustainable ...read more>>
   
QuickSilver Group to adopt the wholesaler route to tap Indian market this year
  QuickSilver Group, a Reef Tourism operator based in Queensland, Australia, which offers various products like cruising, sailing, diving, and other activities at the Great Barrier Reef plans to aggressively tap the ...read more>>
   
Srilankan Tourism to consider more state-specific tie-ups
  The state of Gujarat had recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Srilanka in order to promote the Ramayan Trail in Srilanka and vice versa at the recently concluded Vibrant Gujarat Investors ...read more>>
   
Club Med promotes its Club Med Bali resort through concept of ‘All Inclusive Holidays’
  Club Méditerranée (commonly known as Club Med), a French corporation of vacation resorts which has about 80 resorts worldwide, recently renovated one of its oldest resort (outside France)- Club Med Bali after ...read more>>
   
Tourism Ireland to strengthen destination awareness in India through media campaign
  Tourism Ireland is now strengthening its destination awareness by introducing a media campaign targeted directly at end consumers. Through the media campaign, which is expected to start this month, ...read more>>
   
All Four Season Travels to diversify into MICE and tourism representation for Gujarat market
  All Four Season Travels, which caters to the outbound market in Gujarat plans to diversify with a slew of initiatives. The company will focus on the outbound MICE business this year. It is also in the process of ....read more>>
   
Rail Europe to focus aggressively on enhancing trade communications
  The year 2008 ended on a positive note for Rail Europe which registered an 18 per cent growth as per target. The company now has aggressive plans to promote its B2B portal through strategic initiatives. Talking to ...read more>>
   
Travel Agents continue commission disagreement with Singapore Airlines
  The 17-day long fight of the travel associations namely TAAI, TAFI, ETAA, IAAI, IATO and ADTOI with the first international carrier, ...read more>>
   
Akshar Travels Pvt Ltd to foray into River Cruising on Sabarmati by 2010
  Ahmedabad-based, Akshar Travels Pvt Ltd which caters to the outbound market, will foray into River Cruising on the Sabarmati River in ...read more>>
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