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As per a study of 2004,carried out by theMarket Pulse for the

MOT, the annual supply ofskilled manpower to the hos-pitality sector was of about18,000 heads which furthercame down to about 12,000after attrition. This is againstan estimated annual require-ment of about 2 lakh persons.The recent study (of 2010) ofthe Market Pulse for the MOTreveals the growing dimen-sion of tourism in the countryas it estimates that the hos-pitality sector alone will openup additional 36.18 lakh jobsduring the 12th Five Year Planat the projected growth rateof 12 per cent, as envisagedby the Ministry during the12th Plan Period.

Reckoning the need toreduce this skill gap, MOThas stepped up its efforts tocreate institutional infra-structure for training and topromote programmes oftraining for skill develop-ment. In fact, at the recentlyheld national workshop to

promote the Hunar Se RozgarTak Yojna (HSRT), RHKhwaja, Secretary - Tourism,GoI said, “It’s heartening tonote that the states ofMadhya Pradesh, Odisha andPunjab have done well underthe said scheme. I don’t seeany insurmountable difficul-ties in all the states coming forward to reap the benefits of the HSRTscheme in a common vision mission mode, which was launched by the centrein 2009.”

“Presently, only 9 statesare participating in the HSRTplan. Servicing the sectoreffectively will be a pre-requi-site for the anticipated delivery

The 2010 study of the Market Pulse of MOT reveals thegrowth of tourism in the country as it estimates to openan additional 36.18 lakh jobs in the hospitality sectoralone during the 12th Five Year Plan.

More job opportunities

The maiden SAARCcountries’ TourOperators Conclave

convened by the Ministry ofTourism (MOT), emphasisedon various strategies to pro-mote tourist destinations and products in the SAARC region. The recentlyconcluded conclave was hosted as the follow-up ofaction by India sinceManmohan Singh, PrimeMinister, India made anannouncement in Maldiveslast year. During the 17th

SAARC Summit in Novemberlast year in the Maldives, hehad announced that Indiawould host a conclave of thetop tour operators from theSAARC countries in 2012. The conclave was inau-gurated by Subodh KantSahai, Union Minister forTourism, India.

The maiden SAARCcountries Tour OperatorsConclave was attended byover 30 participants fromseven countries of the region

The recently-organised SAARC Tour Operators Conclavefocussed on SAARC countries coming together on a common platform to promote tourism. The conclave was attended by over 30 participants from 7 countries.

SAARC for Tourism

ME G H A PAU L VI V E K SE T H I

The SAARCnations haveimmensegrowthpotential,which, till date,has not beenfully utilised

VoA facilities for travel within the SAARCregion shouldalso be lookedat to boosttourism withinthe SAARCcountries

It’s heartening tonote that MP,Odisha andPunjab havedone well underthe said scheme

RH KhwajaSecretary - Tourism, GoI

Contd. on page 12

Contd. on page 12

Sultan AhmedMinister of State for Tourism, India

Subodh Kant SahaiUnion Minister for Tourism, India

Charged up on the eve ofthe XXVIII IATO

Convention, Singh has a longlist of recommendation and astrong case to reinvent thepolicy paradigm in such amanner that facilitates theprivate sector initiatives todouble the inbound arrivalsinto India during the 12th FiveYear Plan Period.

“Looking at the eco-nomic scenario in USA,

Europe and many other lead-ing economies in the devel-oped and the emergingeconomies, We decided aboutour theme ‘Moving Forwardin Challenging Times -Together’ for the AnnualConvention. Look at the aver-age growth rate in the pastdecade. The private sectorcan’t achieve growth of morethan 6-7 per cent with thesupport of present policyparameters. There is anapparent need to create a

new policy paradigm to facil-itate the private sector’s ini-tiatives in line with the visionof achieving the 12th FiveYear Plan Period target ofdoubling the inboundarrivals,” said Singh.

“To move forward,the policy makersacross the variousministries can beassured of privatesector support ifthey give shape tomany of the policyinitiatives that otherwise had beenpending for years.

To begin with, the visaregime needs to be liber-alised, while we normallywitness ever increasing levelof difficulties in getting visasfor our clients. Similarly, thetaxation should be in line to

Sarab Jit Singh, Senior Vice President, IATO highlightsthe need of a new policy to double inbound arrivalsunder the 12th Five Year Plan Period.

Time for a new paradigm

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Sarab Jit SinghSenior Vice President, IATO

INTERVIEWS4 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

Elaborating on today’seconomic scenario where

inbound tour operator is fac-ing challenges in promotingIncredible India, ArunAnand, Hony. Treasurer,IATO said, “Today, informa-tion in all respect, is incom-plete, the competitive envi-ronment complicated andanalytic techniques inade-quate. Moreover, due to thedependence on partners likeairlines, hotels, surface transportation, restaurant services, it has now becomeimpossible for the tour oper-ators to promote India with acertain degree of assurance.Hence, becoming a challengein all respects.”

“To deliver tourist satis-faction is the concern of alltourism promotions. So weneed to think and deliberateon each segment, which hasdirect bearings on tourismactivities. Through the con-

vention platform, we wouldlook for the solutions viz. howto combat global terroristthreats by forming partnershipwith the Government, how toreach new markets in thepresent scene of global eco-nomic downturn, how we canform a competitive block inSouth East Asia or as SAARClike the GCC Countries, EU,ASIAN, COTAL, AFRICAN and be present in globaltourism marketing competi-tion,” he added.

As per Anand, thetheme of the IATO’s XXVIIIconvention has been chosenin line with the present sce-nario in tourism.

“It’s heartening tonote that even theMinistry’s old styleof working is finallychanging. Now,there is a continuousdialogue with all thestakeholders.

Hence, it’s the righttime to move ahead boldlyinto the future with courageand pride. We feel happy things are working in favour of the industry(though budget remainedvery dry for tourism) ourinputs are being acknowl-edge by government offi-cials. We as an industryhave the talent and thecommitment to deliver thebest,” he added.

The IATO Convention is moving ahead and is showcasing its might with its convention theme‘Moving Forward in Challenging Times - Together’.

Looking for solutions

Arun AnandHony. Treasurer, IATO

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Contd. on page 12

IATO is committed to getinbound tourists to West

Bengal and help in boostingthe infrastructure of the state.According to Sham Lal Soni,Chairman, IATO - WestBengal Chapter, the Chapterhas been instrumental inIATO’s liaisoning with theWest Bengal TourismMinistry, which has beenextremely cordial and effec-tive. “The West BengalGovernment has been proac-tive in promoting tourism inthe state and has conducted anumber of meetings with alltravel trade partners, includ-ing IATO, ADTOI, TAB, TAAI,TAFI and FHRAI,” he claims.

Talking about this initia-tive, the Chapter Chairmanremarks, “Such an initiativewill enable the tour operatersand travel agents of WestBengal to improve theirapproach in exploring newways and consequently havemore tourist inflow.Hopefully, the West Bengal

Tourism Ministrywould participatein a big way in theforthcoming XXVI-II IATO AnnualConvention being held inMumbai.”The WestBengal Chapter of

IATO has 44 registered mem-bers and six applications inline for approval currently,Soni informs.

Talking about the plansin the pipeline for the bet-terment of tourism in thestate, Soni opines, “There isa proposal for getting moretourist guides, especiallythose who are fluent inmany languages. TheChapter has also forwardeda proposal to the IATO headoffice for agent training pro-gramme to be conducted inKolkata, specifically for theWest Bengal Chapter.”

The West Bengal Chapter has forwarded a proposal to theIATO head office for an agent training programme to be conducted in Kolkata, specifically for the State Chapter.

‘More tourist guides vital’

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INTERVIEWS6 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

There is a proposal for getting more tourist guides, especiallythose who are fluent in many languages

Sham Lal Soni, Chairman, IATO - West Bengal Chapter

The State Chapter has alsoincreased its strength

from 11 members last year to19 this year. Happy with this development, RakeshChopra, Chairman, IATO -Madhya Pradesh Chapter, dis-cusses achievements for thisyear, “We wish to get everymember engaged in a pro-active way but this is still lack-ing due to the distancesbetween the cities. We have

done everything possible tokeep our principal agents andIATO updated with the devel-opments and problems.”

Though strengtheningtourism and increasingtourist arrivals has been themain agenda, the State facessome major challenges.

“We do hope that the TigerTourism issue incore areas is sortedout soon and comesout in the favour of tourism.

If the Court bars themovement of tourists in thecore area then WildlifeTourism will become thething of the past as the bufferzone does not have much tooffer. We have also been rais-ing the issue of non-availabil-ity of good English speakingtourist guides in places, such

as, Ujjain, Indore,Omkareshwar, Maheshwarand even Mandu. How can the tourist return satisfied if we do not have good quality guides?”asks Chopra.

Happy with the StateGovernment’s participationfor tourism, Chopra feelsthat now the state and pri-vate sector needs to worktogether to further boost thetourism sector.

IATO’s Madhya Pradesh Chapter is working hard to boost tourism in the state by addressing important issues,such as Wildlife Tourism and English-speaking guides.

Get English-speaking guides

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Rakesh ChopraChairman, IATO - MP Chapter

With 60 per cent forestcover, Uttarakhand has

attractive hill resorts,Chardham Hindu pilgrimageshrines, popular AdventureTourism destinations formountaineering and trekkingin Himalayas and watersports for the discerninginbound traveller. Hence, KPSharma, Chairman, IATO -Uttarakhand Chapter looks atthe state as a money-spin-ning IATO Chapter. “The new

avenue that this chapter canexplore is RuralTourism. It is a new concept with bright futurein the region.

Appropriate infrastruc-ture development here cangenerate self-employmentopportunities for the ruralyouth.” The UttarakhandChapter has only 13 mem-bers. Giving suggestions toincrease the membership

base of the chapter, Sharmasuggests, “Entrepreneurs inthe state are not inclined to take expensive membership of IATO. Theassociation must invest onpublicity to cultivate interest through its activities. The associationshould place an annualbudget of ` 50,000 at thedisposal of each Himalayanbordering states’ chapterchairman to promote IATO through regular peri-odicals, network meetingsand addressing their difficulties promptly.”

Sharma also bets big onAdventure Tourism in Indiathat has crossed ` 400 croreby the end of the 11th FiveYear Plan and will continue togrow at the rate of 15 percent year-on-year. “There isa growing interest in the fieldand Uttarakhand holds a lotof potential. This is also inline with the Ministry ofTourism’s efforts to createmore employment locallywhile promoting RuralTourism,” he adds.

The Uttarakhand Chapter has immense potential fortourism and is now exploring Rural Tourism as anavenue for attracting more tourists to the region.

Focussing on Rural Tourism

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INTERVIEWS

Talking about the impor-tance of the State, Capt

Anil Gour, Chairman, IATO -J&K Chapter says,“Pilgrimage for Mata VaishnoDevi arrivals crossed the 10mmark last year and for

Amarnath Yatra, it crossed the6 lac mark this year. J&K hasthree distinct regions; Jammu,Kashmir & Ladakh regions forthe incoming tourists.”

Talking about why thestate is still not receiving for-eign tourists, the Captainrevealed, “Unfortunately, the22 years of militancy and tur-moil have wrecked havoc forthe tourism industry in thestate. Right now, the varioustravel advisories are prevent-ing the international tourists

to plan their visits here butthe domestic tourists haveincreased in numbers.”

The IATO State Chapterhas one active member and29 allied members. Thegroup will thus, look atincreasing the membership

now. Going forward, the IATOState Chapter has held vari-ous meetings with NawangRigzin Jora, Minister forTourism & Culture, J&KGovernment and AirportsAuthority of India (AAI) todiscuss certain issues. “Wehave organised talks to pro-mote Jammu as an independ-ent tourist destination andthe various projects thatshould be undertaken toachieve this aim. Facilitationservices at the Jammu &Srinagar airports due to the

high security involved also isof utmost importance.”

Introduction of radiotaxi services in Jammu &Kashmir provinces has alsobeen discussed. “The J&KChapter is pleased to informthat the same has started inthe Kashmir province andwould shortly also be takenup in the Jammu province,”

he reveals. Introduction ofHop On-Hop Off tourist busservice in Jammu & Srinagarcities is also in the pipeline.

The J&K Chapter of IATO has introduced Radio Taxiservices in the Kashmir province and will shortly startsuch services in the Jammu province as well.

Better transport facilities

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KP SharmaChairman, IATO - Uttarakhand Chapter

The J&K Chapter is pleased toinform that Radio Taxi services havestarted in the Kashmir province

Capt Anil Gour, Chairman, IATO - J&K Chapter

Hotel Relations Develop-ment Committee is an

integral part of the IATOgroup. Talking about the rolethat this committee is play-ing in the recent times,Gajendra Singh Panwar,Coordinator, Hotel RelationsDevelopment Committee,IATO says, “As per the IATOmanifesto, the role of thissub-committee is to resolveproblems between the smalltour operators and the hote-liers. The committee con-ducts a meeting everymonth to discuss and keep members updated onvarious issues.” Since thefunctioning of the new IATOteam, the Committee hasorganised three such meet-ings, he adds.

There are severalissues that the sub-commit-tee has to deal with.According to Panwar, onekey issue is the Best

Available Rates (BAR) for thehotel rooms. “This keepschanging on a real time basisdue to the ubiquity ofInternet and individual hotelwebsites. The small touroperators are mostly oblivi-ous about these fluctuatingrates. Hence, the lack ofinformation and/or opportu-nity to offer competitiverates turns bane for theirbusiness growth,” helaments. This is an issue thathas emerged in all the meet-

ings and the sub-committeeis trying to find a solution to this. Talking about a recent benchmark, “Veryoften, the tour operatorscould not receive contractedrates from bigger hotelchains such as the Taj andthe Oberoi.

We invited KanhaiKapoor, Director ofSales - TravelIndustry, Delhi atTaj Group for a long discussionwith tour operatorsirrespective of their turnovers. Due to this initiative, the hotelis now willing togive contractedrates to the smallertour operators aswell,” he claims.

The Hotel Relations Development Committee is aimingto resolve issues such as contracted rates to tour operators and Best Available Rates (BAR) for hotel rooms.

Settling trade disputes

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The travel and tourismindustry in India is fac-

ing a lot of challenges withissues like Supreme Court’srestrictions on tourism incore areas of tiger reserves,Service Tax, among others.This calls for the need of theLegal & GrievancesCommittee, especially nowwhen IATO has formulatedand implemented a code ofethics for its membership.

This Sub-committeeboosts the proper function-ing of the IATO as an associ-ation. Talking about thecommittee, Jyoti Kapur,Coordinator, Legal &Grievances Committee,IATO informs, “The commit-tee aids and advices mem-bers on the settlement oftrade disputes and byelawsgoverning IATO as an association.” Regarding the important achievements

of this committee this year,Kapur reveals,

“The committee has been able tosuccessfullynegotiate severaltrade complaints.

The Code of Conducthas been drafted and for-warded to the IATOExecutive Committee forapproval and adoption.”Going forward, reviewingand revising theMemorandum of theAssociation would be themost important task of thiscommittee. In the time wherethe role of tour operators ischanging so rapidly in theindustry, the committee facesa lot of challenges. “We needto educate and enlighten thetravel trade members on busi-ness trends and possibilitiesin the changing economic andpolitical scenario,” he adds.

IATO’s Legal and Grievances Committee aids andadvises members, on the settlement of trade disputesand byelaws, governing IATO as an association.

Educating the members

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Gajendra Singh PanwarCoordinator, Hotel Relations DevelopmentCommittee, IATO

Jyoti KapurCoordinator, Legal & GrievancesCommittee, IATO

INTERVIEWS1 0 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

of a unique travel experience.It’s a primary concern for MOTand ought to be a concern forall stakeholders including state

authorities. Hence, we urgeother states and union territo-ries to come on-board andfacilitate and harness theemployment creation potentialof tourism,” he added.According to Khwaja, HSRTwill prove to be a boon for the industry as it will gettrained manpower.

INTERVIEWS1 2 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

The Monument &Infrastructure

Development Committee(MIDC) has been given thekey responsibility of keeping the treasures of Indian heritage in good functionality. This not only includes the visitors but even the travelorganisers who face a lot ofproblems regarding theentrance tickets, cleanliness,guides, touts, etc. Theseissues need to be tendedproperly, as the functions ofthis committee, is reallyimportant for IATO to achieveits promised targets.According to Rocky Kerney,Convener, MIDC-IATO,

“The major focusinitially was on sanitation facilitiesat various heritagemonuments such asthe Red Fort,Humayun’s Tomb,Qutab Minar, etc.

This is just the begin-ning. Going forward, issues pertaining to theentrance tickets, parking,landscaping, cleanliness,licensed guides, touting etcare on our hit list.”

The new team is work-ing towards bringing the less-er known monuments in thetourist map of India. One ofthe challenges the committee

is facing is the lack of coop-eration from the relevantauthorities to enable thefunctionalities properly andthe slow system. “We need astrong support from thebureaucracy,” he feels.

Issues pertaining to entrance tickets, parking, landscaping, cleanliness, licensed guides, touting are a few concerns, on the hit list ofthe IATO’s Monument & Infrastructure Development Committee.

Keeping the monuments clean

Liberalise visa regime: Singh

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Rocky KerneyConvener, MIDC-IATO

(Afghanistan, Bhutan, SriLanka, Maldives, Bangladesh,Nepal and India) includingpolicy makers and privatestakeholders of the tourismindustry. Deliberating onways to promote travel withinthe region by removing thecurrent entry barriers, Sahaipointed out, “We must moti-vate each SAARC country insuch a way that tourismbecomes the focus of eco-nomic and political motto.The SAARC nations haveimmense growth potential,which, till date, has not beenfully utilised.”

Looking at the economicsignificance of these nations,he further highlighted, “TheSAARC region has the poten-tial to steer the economy ofthe world. Most of the SAARCnations have already realisedthis potential at individuallevel but with a concertedeffort, the success achievedwill be manifold.”

To give an impetus totravel within these countries,MOT will hold the InternationalBuddhist Conclave duringSeptember 29-30 at Varanasi.India will also host the 25th jointmeeting of UNWTOCommissions for Far East andthe Pacific and South Asia inApril 2013. This meeting isexpected to be attended byapproximately 100 delegatesfrom 27 countries, whichinclude tourism heads, tourismofficials and officials fromUNWTO, he added.

Talking about variouschallenges in boosting tourismwithin the SAARC countries,Sultan Ahmed, Minister ofState for Tourism, Indiaremarked, “Connectivity, bothair and by road within theregion, is a big roadblock. Airconnectivity should beimproved by adding moreflights and making them cost-effective as well. Visa-on-Arrivals facilities for travelwithin the region should alsobe looked at.”

The tourist arrivals fromSAARC countries in Indiahave been growing over thenumber of years. An impor-tant source market, India,received 10,13,516 touristsfrom SAARC region in 2011as compared to 9,98,179 vis-itors in 2010.

Joining hands: SAARC

Hunar Se Rozgar TakThe HSRT scheme waslaunched by the centre in 2009

Presently, only 9 states areparticipating in the HSRT plan

Other states and UTs are beingurged to participate

Servicing the Sector

Connectivity, both air and by road within the region, is a big roadblock

Visa-on-Arrivals facilities for travel within the region should also be looked at

Challenges

Contd. from page 3

Contd. from page 3

make India a competitivedestination. If, we levy taxes, higher than the global levels or the destinations that aggressivelycompete with us, IncredibleIndia loses the battle by out-pricing itself. We also need to cut the travellingtime between the variousdestinations via rail androad,” he added.

Singh also insists thatthe airports charges shouldnot be phenomenally higherthan the world average or those prevalent in our competitive destinations.Likewise, along with thecleanliness of tourist attraction, we should beequally concerned about thesustainability, maintenanceand overall upkeep of such tourist attractions, he stressed.

On the need of thetrained manpower to doublethe inbound visitor arrivals,Singh said “A lot of work isneeded on the capacity build-ing side. From, our inboundtour operator’s perspective,nothing has been done underthe Hunar Se Rozgar Tak scheme for enhancing the skill of our staff, which has mostly beenaddressing the requirementsof the hospitality industry.”

“Going forward, there isa need of building niche segments. Bollywood forinstance holds great potentialto attract incremental touristinto India across various cul-tures. Hence, in line with theHollywood district in USA,Maharastra to begin with,should have a similar attrac-tion with historic movie setsand amenities that showcasethings behind the camera totourists,” he added.

Contd. from page 4

IATO will look at manyissues like exempting theservice tax imposed on touroperators, granting anexport status for foreignexchange earning forinbound tour operators etc.The job of an association isnot just to hold conventionsbut also to facilitate business

of its members. Upholdingthis objective, IndianAssociation of TourOperators (IATO), soon afterthe elections, has outlinedits plans for the next twoyears. They took up currentissues and problems andaimed to resolve the road-blocks faced by the travel

fraternity pan-India. IATO,decided to look into theexemption in service taximposed on the tour opera-tors, export status for for-eign exchange earnings forinbound tour operators,issuance of e-visas, etc.

Talking about theissuance of e-visa, Subhash

Goyal, President, IATOremarked, “The tediousprocess and long queuescan be avoided if e-visas areissued. Till the procedurefor visa-on-Arrival comes in place, we have demanded for the introduc-tion of e-visa facility for theinbound traffic.”

IATO lends ears to burning issues

However in the past fewyears, Mumbai has

earned itself a bad reputationas far as infrastructure andtransportation are concerned.But, now it is once again edg-ing itself as being the MICEcapital of the country withworld-class spaces to conductmeetings, exhibitions, con-ferences and tours.

D Kavarana, AreaManager (West) & General

Manager, ITC Maratha says“Mumbai is fast becominga huge MICE destinationbecause, besides being thefinancial hub, the city hasa great mix of leisure andrelaxation options as well asincreasing MICE facilities.To leverage this segment,

the city is gearingup to new supplies,more conferencevenues leading to both domesticand internationalcompanies choosingMumbai.

Therefore, Mumbai willalways be a good option tohold conventions.”

Some of country’s majorconferences, meetings andexhibitions take place inMumbai. The city has some-thing to offer to anyone inter-ested in Business Tourism.ITC Maratha, Trident,

Renaissance MumbaiConvention Centre Hotel aresome of the venues for amajority of MICE events inthe city. Renaissance MumbaiConvention Centre Hotelhosts a lounge with a totalarea of 12,500 sq ft. Thehotel also has an expansivespread of 2,30,000 sq ftindoor and outdoor conven-tion space.

Properties like ITCMaratha take advantage of

the close proximity to domes-tic and international airportsand offer 7,360 sq ft column-free ballroom thataccommodates up to 600guests. The hotel also hasRoyal Gardens which has 1.5acres of landscaped gardensand is one of the most soughtafter venues for social andlaunch events.

Apart from hotels,MMRDA Grounds andBombay Convention &

Exhibition Centre (BCEC)are the other favourite ven-ues in Mumbai. BCEC has 4centrally air-conditionedhalls ideal for conventionsand can accommodateapprox 7,000-20,000 per-sons along with parkingfacilities for over 2,000vehicles. They also offer adiscounted tariff structureto encourage organising ofconventions, meetings, cul-tural events. What alsofavours, Mumbai is the factthat many head offices ofmajor companies are basedout of the city and it also hasa big percentage of Expatmovement. In addition tothat, high volumes ofinbound and outbound tradeare conducted through thesea in Mumbai besides theland movements giving it anedge over other cities.

However, there are stilla few issues plaguing thecity and hampering MICEevents. Mumbai needs a

makeover in certain aspectsand the local governmentneeds to take on a biggerrole and help establish aMICE bureau in the city.

Saeid Heidari, GeneralManager, RenaissanceMumbai Convention CentreHotel adds,

“There is a need toestablish a body(bureau), whereassociationmanagementcompanies, MICEand meetingplanners can expectto have all thepossible assistanceextended to them,to enable potentialcorporate to chooseour city as thedestination for their events.”

Mumbai is forever buzzing with both business and pleasure activities and is bound to attract MICE activitiesfrom across the country. It is because of this trait that the city is considered to be the pulse of India.

Mumbai: India’s Mecca for MICE events?DE N CY MAT H E W

D KavaranaArea Manager (West) & GeneralManager, ITC Maratha

Saeid HeidariGeneral Manager, RenaissanceMumbai Convention Centre Hotel

ANALYSIS1 4 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

India is providing hotelchains exponential oppor-

tunities for growth, withinwhich Mumbai is one of themain focus for the businessdevelopment efforts of hotelchains. Known as the ‘Sapnoki Nagri’ (City of Dreams), themetropolitan city of Mumbaiis indeed the city which offersluxury at the most. Be it theMarriott, Starwood, Oberoi,Taj, Accor, etc., and everyinternational hospitalitybrand, either has a presenceor is in the process of makingone in Mumbai. Today,Mumbai houses more than11,000 branded hotel roomswith more than 7,000 roomsproposed by 2015. With highland cost, intense competitionto tap the same audience, dif-ficult times to balance thequality and value prepositionand saturating market condi-tions; hotel developers arenow turning their focus on theneighbouring urban area ofMumbai – Navi Mumbai. Atpresent, the city has close to1,000 rooms under five, fourand three-star category. Withthe latest addition of two moreinternational brands, the totalis close to 1,400 rooms withadditional 3,000 proposed innext three years. The city willsoon welcome a king-size con-vention centre and an inter-national airport. So, what is it

that is attracting the develop-ers to Navi Mumbai?

Test Drive is a must:Kiran Andicot, Vice

President – HotelDevelopment, India and

Subcontinent, MarriottInternational, Inc recom-mends testing the market asper the brand of the HotelGroup. Every hotel groupstudies and understands themarket before planning tocome up with a property, butit is also necessary to checkthe brand and category of thehotel that will suit the mar-ket. By explaining with anexample, Andicot said, “Navi Mumbai is still a pre-mature market toaccommodate a full-serviceproperty like a JW Marriott.However, as per the demandand needs of the market, it isperfect for a brand like FourPoints, which is apt for cor-

porate guests. Commercialoffice space demand is alwaysfollowed by hotel roomdemand. Presently, NaviMumbai is still a growingmarket but in next five to six years, it will be

ready to absorb a 5-stardeluxe brand.”

Nonetheless, the cityalready got its first 5-stardeluxe property in Augustthis year – first in Asia Pacific- Royal Tulip Navi Mumbaimanaged by Louvre HotelsGroup. Vimal Singh,Managing Director – SouthAsia, Louvre Hotel Groupsaid, “There is enoughdemand from Navi Mumbaifor us to grow and sustain ourbusiness. By positioning ourbrand at the top end in thismarket, we are marketingourselves primarily as a com-mercial property. Occupancywill take time to build in thismarket but the time will

come soon when we will beregistering cent per centoccupancy with healthy com-petition from other players.”

Micro-market ofMumbai:

Nikhil Manchharam,Vice President – Acquisitionsand Development – SouthAsia, Starwood Asia PacificHotels & Resorts tagged NaviMumbai, as one of the ‘micro’markets of Mumbai.According to him, in the longterm, Navi Mumbai willbecome an important marketfor the greater Mumbai area.He said, “The airport devel-opment is an important mile-stone (with the current dis-pute as a short term bumpnot unusual from an infra-structure perspective) thatshould be successfullyachieved to. Induce newdemand into the NaviMumbai area.” However,every coin has two sides.Similarly, there are opportu-nities and challenges to oper-ate a property in Mumbai andNavi Mumbai.

Highlighting few factsabout Navi Mumbai,Manchharam said, “With agood planning for the devel-opment of Navi Mumbai, it islikely that the urbanisationof this area may happen, asquickly as the next develop-ment of Mumbai. The infra-structure development andcity planning has been rela-tively sound till date whichshould continue to be a focusto showcase itself and attractfurther investment activity.While developing sound fun-damentals to induce newdemand through infrastruc-ture development includingroads, airports, businesshubs, convention centresand entertainment activity,Navi Mumbai has the poten-tial to complement Mumbaiin the long term.” Accordingto him, hotels and brandsshould be viewed as infra-

structure that has positiveimpact on urban develop-ment. With this, some easetowards regulations on hoteldevelopment includingmixed-use can help acceler-ate the urbanisation ofMumbai itself.

Making a destina-tion work:

Most hoteliers focus onbuilding properties in devel-oped markets while MaverikMukerji, General Manager,ibis hotel Navi Mumbaithinks the other way.According to him, it is often

the hotel which makes upthe destination. Accordingto the General Manager, theproperty was planned look-ing at the commercial avail-ability of the space and thedemand index of the city.After Chennai, Navi Mumbaiis the most vibrant city in

India showing 10 per centgrowth every year (evenPune is showing the samerate but is already gettingenough supply of hotelrooms). Explaining the des-tination building concept byhotels, Mukerji said, “Whenbranded hotels startedopening up in Pune, theproperties started marketingthe city instead of just thebrand. So, it’s the hotelswhich induce the demand ina destination. Navi Mumbaiis still at a nascent stage wherein it’s a cosmo-politan corporate market

which is high during weekdays and low duringweekends. However, withmore and more brandedproperties entering NaviMumbai, the demand will surge higher and it will become a strong marketlike Mumbai.”

With hospitality players keeping a keen eye on properties in and around Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, ropesin a few experts to talk about the pros and cons of these two markets and the way forward for them.

How strong a market is Navi Mumbai?AN I TA JA I N

Navi Mumbai isstill a growingmarket but inthe next 5-6years, it will beready for a 5-star deluxebrand

By positioningour brand atthe top end inthis market, weare marketingourselves as acommercialproperty

Vimal SinghManaging Director – South AsiaLouvre Hotel Group

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With more hotelbrands enteringNavi Mumbai,the demand willsurge higherand become astrong marketlike Mumbai

Navi Mumbaihas thepotential tocomplementMumbai in the long termwith goodinfrastructureplanning

Nikhil ManchharamVP – Acquisitions and Development– South Asia, Starwood Asia PacificHotels & Resorts

Maverik MukerjiGeneral Manageribis hotel Navi Mumbai

Kiran AndicotVice President – Hotel DevelopmentIndia and Subcontinent Marriott International, Inc

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“Trident, Nariman Pointis proud to be the host

hotel for the prestigious IATOConvention. We play host toevents of all kinds, throughthe year, from the most inti-mate, exclusive events, to thelargest, high-profile conven-tions, such as IATO. From theGeneral Manager to everyteam member, everyone isthoroughly trained and

equipped to play a crucial rolein ensuring that the conven-tion goes seamlessly. Everydetail is looked into and noelement is too small, thereare numerous briefings priorto the event and also duringthe event, to ensure the bestpossible service and facilitiesat all times. Our USP is ourattention to detail and ourservice; no stone goesunturned for events large andsmall and the kind of empha-sis we put on service is quiteunmatched,” says Sanju Soni,General Manager, Trident,Nariman Point, Mumbai.

The Hotel has severalgeographical and infrastruc-tural advantages that makesit an ideal location to holdconventions and MICEevents. The elegance,warmth and sheer luxury ofthe hotel makes it one of themost sought after banquetand conference addresses inthe city. So it comes

as no surprise that MICEbusiness accounts for approx-imately 20 per cent of thehotels total occupancy.

The hotel offersover 20,000 squarefeet of banquetingspace in the heart ofSouth Mumbai, includ-ing the Regal Room,the largest, pillar-lessballroom in SouthMumbai, which canaccommodate up to1,500 people to the‘The Rooftop’ &‘Malabar’ perched 35floors above the lobbywith a breathtakingview of the Queen’s Necklace.Since 1973, when the hotelopened its doors, they havebeen welcoming the most dis-cerning guests and accommo-dating a plethora of requestsand preferences. TheExecutive Chef of the hoteland his team combine theiryears of experience with

tremendous expertise and agenuine passion for their craft.This result in the most inno-vative menus, based on guestpreferences, but all with the

special Trident touch thatensures the use of the freshest and highest qualityingredients and highly per-sonalised menus, that perfect-ly suit the occasion and theguest’s preferences.

For the IATOConvention, the staff at

Trident is all geared up togive the members a qualityand comfortable experience.“While our Concierge team isavailable for all guests of the

convention, any additionalservices provided are those that have beenrequested by IATO. We have worked closely with theIATO team to ensure thattheir every need is met, andwe have accommodated asmany of their requests aspossible,” adds Soni.

Trident Hotel at Nariman Point has been among the iconic hotels in Mumbai. With a marvelous view of theQueen’s Necklace from the hotel, IATO preferred Trident, Nariman Point, to conduct its XXVIII IATO AnnualConvention 2012 in the city of Mumbai. explores further about the property and its USP...

Trident hosts the IATO 2012 Convention

DE N CY MAT H E W

Sanju SoniGeneral ManagerTrident Nariman Point, Mumbai

Our USP is ourattention to detail and ourservice whereno stone goesunturned forevents large and small

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Indana Palace is slated toopen in October 2012 at

Shikhargarh, 2 km away fromthe Airport and 7 km from

the city centre. The hoteloffers 80 rooms, 7 suites anda Grand Presidential Suite. ItsF&B offerings comprise a

multi-cuisine restaurant witha menu of Rajasthani special-ties as well as popular inter-national dishes, a bar and a24-hour coffee shop.

The hotel’s palatialcourtyard, which canbe viewed from most ofthe rooms will make avibrant entertainment

venue, holding colourful cul-tural programmes and host-ing themed buffets. Indana isan ideal venue for MICE(meetings, incentives, confer-ences and exhibitions) withan array of facilities includingbusiness centre, a boardroomand a conference hall.Jodhpur is also increasinglybecoming a popular destina-tion for weddings. And,Indana’s 3,000 sq ft pre-function area along with asprawling 10,000 sq ft ban-quet hall & attached 40,000sq ft landscaped lawn makesit a wonderful venue to create unforgettable fairytale

weddings. The property’sstate-of-the-art amenitiesensure that the travellers

feel well-looked during theirstay. Facilities include aconcierge service, traveldesk, swimming pool, health

club & spa,beauty salon,billiards room,children’s playarea, Wi-Fi on-demand in allrooms and freeWi-Fi in the cof-fee shop.

IndanaHotels & Resortis an endeavour

of visionary leader, ParasGundecha who heads theGundecha Group asChairman and DeepakGundecha as ManagingDirector. Gundecha, theGroup’s head has extensiveexperience in the hospitalityindustry and was previouslyrunning Hotel Sea Princess,Mumbai. This is slated to bethe first property of manyIndana hotels, with morecoming up in Jaipur,Udaipur, Nagpur andMumbai.

The Gundecha Group,an ISO 9001:2000 corpora-tion, stands as one of theleading entities in the housing, education and hospitality industry.Established in 1966, it wentfrom strength to strength,making relationships withbonds of trust and a refusalto compromise on customersatisfaction. It has over a 100 residential, commer-cial and industrial projectsunder its belt and is greatly involved in severalcharitable institutes.

The city is set to get a new addition to its hospitality landscape – Indana Palace, Jodhpur. The hotel is an ideal combination of the old world charm and new world luxury with architecture and interiors modelled on palaces with services and facilities that include modern comfort.

Indana Palace: Opening soon in Jodhpur

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Indana Palace is a perfectblend of modern luxury andold palatial charm whichserves the needs of leisuretravellers. It also makes astrong offering for businessusage through its state-of-the-art convention facilities and services

Highlight

Paras GundechaChairmanGundecha Group

Holiday Inn Refresh isexpanding its operations

in South India with Holiday InnCochin. The brand commits todeliver best-in-class serviceand physical quality level.Holiday Inn Cochin is a fullservice, mid-market hotel thatboasts of 212 spacious and lav-ishly furnished rooms includ-ing 199 rooms and 13 suites.

“This latest addition tofive star hotels in Cochinoffers impeccable hospitalitycoupled with high standardsof excellence for the guests toindulge in sheer luxury,” saidKunal Shanker, ExecutiveAssistant Manager, HolidayInn Cochin.

Holiday Inn Cochin islocated in the cosmopolitancity of Cochin with itsbustling commercial port. Itis known as the financial cap-ital and biggest urbanagglomeration in Kerala.Holiday Inn Cochin is conve-

niently located on NationalHighway 47 at a distance of5kms from the city centerand with approximately 40minutes drive time from theCochin International Airport.

Apart from the closeproximity to the airport and

major IT hubs in the state,advanced technology andmodern facilities at all themeeting rooms make HolidayInn Cochin cater to all theneeds of the business andleisure travellers. “One canexperience the very best ofthe hospitality world at the

spectacular Holiday InnCochin enjoying unparalleledtranquility and peace,” addsShanker.

The hotel houses fivespecialty restaurants. It alsohas banquet facilities whichcan be divided into three

halls to accommodate varioustypes of meetings and gath-erings. The three meetingrooms can accommodate 15to 60 people. The meetingrooms are fully equipped withstate of the art audio-visualfacility and video conferenc-ing facilities.

The recently opened Holiday Inn Cochin is a full service, mid market hotel that boasts of 212 rooms. Its closeproximity to the airport and major IT hubs makes the hotel an ideal choice for business and leisure travellers.

Latest star in the Cochin skyline

One canexperience thevery best of thehospitality worldat the spectacularHoliday InnCochin enjoyingunparalleledtranquility andpeace

Kunal ShankerExecutive Assistant ManagerHoliday Inn Cochin

Holiday Inn Cochin cater tobusiness and leisure travellersIt also has banquet facilitieswhich can be divided into threehalls to accommodate meetingsand gatherings

USP

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Jaipur-based MansinghGroup of Hotels, Resorts

and Entertainment believesin the corporate philosophywhere the emphasis is onpersonalised service. With adecade of excellence in hos-pitality services, theMansingh Group has setculinary benchmark at itspopular F&B outlets in all itsproperties. Says BharatAggarwal, Managing

Director, Mansingh Group ofHotels, “Many of our F&Bjoints have become gourmetlandmarks, such as Hightzat Hotel Mansingh, Jaipur,Garden Court at MansingthTowers, Jaipur and SheeshMahal at Mansingh Palace,Agra and Ajmer.”

Talking about revamp-ing its properties, Aggarwal reveals,

“The company is currentlyinvolved in upgrading and reno-vating all its properties in Agra,Jaipur and Ajmer.

The lobby at MansinghPalace, Agra and MansinghPalace, Ajmer have beengiven a new fresh look.”

The group sees maxi-mum growth in the domesticmarket, particularly in the

MICE segment. Hence, notonly is the group enhancingits facilities but is alsoexpanding its footprints tocater to the growingdemands of the discerningtraveller. “We are soon goingto complete the Jodhpurproject that is spread across11 acres. Another propertyin the pipeline is a resortproject of 150 rooms, which would be unveiled by March2013,” he adds.

The Mansingh Group of Hotels, Resorts andEntertainment is enhancing its facilities and expandingits footprint to cater to the growing demands of travellers.

New look, same old warmth

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Bharat AggarwalManaging DirectorMansingh Group of Hotels

Anature lover’s delight onLake Bagela, overlooking

Nagda temples amidstAravali hills is the HeritageResort. Promoted by a familywith expertise in hotel man-agement, cookery, landscap-ing, interior designing andagriculture; the HeritageResort is all set to give a com-prehensive environmentaland cultural experience. Thehotel has adopted the mantraof being a green hotel and

hence, all amenities in theproperty are eco-friendly. The

first priority of the hotel is topreserve the surroundings intheir present pristine form.Vegetables and fruits being

used in kitchenare grown in thegroup’s ownfarms, devoid ofany chemicals,fertilisers, insec-ticides and pesti-cides. Thus, theconcept of greenfood has beenintroduced at thehotel. Using

green design approach,attempts have been made to

minimise wasteproduction in dif-ferent processes.Vast acreage ofland is beingdeveloped toprotect localfauna & florawhile minimis-ing habitat loss.

The hotelis cashing in on

its location to attract moreleisure customers. The hotelis located midway betweenUdaipur and Nathdwara. Inthe lap of the Aravallis, area group of 108 temples,which is also in the nearbyproximity. Situated at the foothills of Eklingji, this hotel is a place of greatantiquity and was the firstcapital of Mewar rulers.Legend has it, that it wasfounded by Nagaditya, theFourth Mewar king in thesixth century and soonbecame a stronghold of the Sisodia’s.

The Heritage Resort falls midway between Udaipurand Nathdwara and is located next to the BagelaLake. The resort is dotted with scenic spots.

A treat for nature lovers

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As God’s Own Countrybeckons one and all,

five-star property with seven-star amenities -- The Raviz -- on Lake Ashtamudi rede-fines luxury. In the heart ofKerala’s lush backwaters inKollam, The Raviz welcomesyou to the state that isrenowned for its legendaryhospitality, service and exqui-site facilities, steeped in thevalues of Incredible India.

The property completed oneyear of its operations onAugust 19 this year.

Talking about the prop-erty, Jaychandran, VicePresident, The Raviz says, “We had a wonderfulyear and the hotel hasattracted attention from theleisure segment.”

True to the state’s spe-ciality, the resort is bettingbig on Wellness Tourism. Theresort has nine speciallydesigned chambers allottedto Ayurveda &Spa and a medita-tion room. ThesoothingAyurvedicMassages areknown for theircurative proper-ties - offeringlasting relief fromchronic aches andpains such asbackache, jointpains, stiff neck,

migraine and rheumaticpains. Trained masseurs con-duct the massage under thesupervision of expertAyurvedic physicians.

The hotel also makes agreat MICE and Weddingvenue. From an informal con-ference to a large social func-tion, holiday celebration orspecial function, the team atthe property will ensure thatone has the corporate expe-rience with added benefits ofa lake view and beautiful sur-roundings. The hotel also has

the experience and theexpertise to ensure that theevent is hosted smoothly andstylishly and can offer a won-derful palette of hotels tochoose from, each with itsown individual flair.

“Adding to the USPof the property, thehotel is soon goingto introduce aconferencehouseboat, whichcan accommodate70 pax for anonboard conferencefor the first time inKollam in LakeAshtamudi,” he informs. To cater to thewedding segment, the prop-erty offers dedicated teamthat will offer a bespoke, lux-ury service. “A key aspect isthat the dedicated team willwork with the guests and the

chefs to tailor-make the wed-ding menu – anything fromcanapés to a full banquet,” hereveals. The Raviz is built ontraditional Kerala architectur-al styles with 93 exquisitelyfurnished rooms and suites,including heritage villas andprivate villas with pool.Majority of the rooms over-look the pristine waters of thelake Ashtamudi. Buoyed byits current portfolio, the com-pany has recently acquiredLeela Kovalam – a five starluxury beach resort andKadavu Resort and AyurvedicCentre at Calicut.

The Raviz on Lake Ashtamudi in Kollam is tapping leisure travellers and paying special attention to MICE and wedding segments. The resort completed one year of its operations only recently.

The Raviz takes luxury to the Backwaters

JaychandranVice PresidentThe Raviz

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The property completed oneyear of its operations onAugust 19 this year

The resort is betting big onWellness Tourism

The hotel also makes a greatMICE and Wedding venue

The Raviz Way

In 2011, the tourismindustry (globally)accounted for nine per

cent of GDP, a total of sixtrillion dollars. The industrysupported 255 million jobs.This means one in 12 jobson the planet. UNWTO fore-casts reports that by the endof 2012, tourism will reachone billion internationaltourist arrivals. One seventhof the world populationwould have crossed interna-tional borders as tourists ina single year.

“I believe tourism is amain pillar for economicgrowth.

India along with China andBrazil will emergeas the new wave ofplayers bringing apositive change inthe tourism sector.

It is a resilient and flex-ible industry, but it’s time wecome out stronger. Greece,last year, saw an 11 per centgrowth in tourism,” saidTaleb Rifai, Secretary-

General, World TourismOrganisation (UNWTO).

By 2020, travel andtourism will account for 10 percent of the global GDP, 10 tril-lion dollars and one in ten jobs.

“At present ourindustry is the thirdlargest in the world.It is larger thanautomotive manufacturing,mining and chemical manufacturing.

In the future, we will seean enormous tourism growth

in the BRIC countries. Onemust have a strategy for thesecountries, as they are the mar-ket of the future. It is worthnoting that with 98 millionpeople directly employed in2011, the industry’s leadingorganisations have committedto work in a coalition for thecommon good, through co-ordination communication,open sharing of informationand coalescing around thosekey global issues where effect-ing change is priority. Togetherwith UNWTO, our coalitionincludes IATA, ACI, CLIA,PATA, USTA, ASTA and WEF,”explained David Scowsill,President and CEO, WorldTravel & Tourism Council.

Despite the key issues that the travel and tourismindustry in India is facing, international travel industryleaders praise the country for its potential.

India, market of the future

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David ScowsillPresident and CEOWorld Travel & Tourism Council

Taleb RifaiSecretary-GeneralWorld Tourism Organisation

Tamil Nadu, which has wit-nessed consistent jump in

business traffic, is grapplingwith the challenges thrownupon due to higher taxes.

As per Prasad, “Chennaihas emerged as the centre forautomobile and other indus-tries, which has led to anincrease in business traffic. Wehave the state-of-the-art con-vention and exhibition facili-

ties in Chennai andCoimbatore.

But, the high taxeson published tariffon hotels, VAT andother taxes areaffecting conferenceand MICE potential.

Similarly, most of thehotels have 40-60 roomsinventory, which during thepeak season, creates problemsin accommodating groups.”

“To address many of theemerging challenges, werequire the state-recognisedguides who should chargeless than Govt of IndiaGuides, being used for for-eign tourists primarily. Wealso require better road signsin English besides local lan-guage to show monumentsand temples,” he added.

Elaborating further onthe strengths of the destina-tion, Prasad told that TamilNadu has wide roads to con-nect all these places andlately, many 3-star hotelshave come up even at reli-gious places.

“Tamil Nadu is a round-the-year tourist destination. Ithas temples, 5-world heritagesites, beaches, wild life and hillstations which attract both thedomestic and the foreigntourists. UNESCO has declaredMamallapuram as an exampleof Dravidian art and architec-ture,” he added.

CN Prasad, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Chapter, IATO highlights the adverse impact of high taxes, VAT and othertaxes on hotels, conference and MICE potential of the state.

High taxes affecting MICE

In an increasingly competi-tive world, all destinations

compete and are committedto build an environment thatfacilitates tourism inflow. Butas per Harmit Singh,Chairman, Punjab, Haryana& Himachal Pradesh-Chapter, IATO- the travel andtourism in India is a high-taxed industry, which makesIndia expensive as a touristdestination.

“The most important issuerelated to tourismgrowth is taxation.

Various taxes are leviedacross the entire industry rightfrom tour operators, trans-porters, airline industry tohotels and these include serv-ice tax, luxury tax, tax ontransportation, tax on aviationturbine fuel (airline industry),and various taxes on trans-

portation. In addition, thesetax rates tend to vary acrossdifferent states in the country.It is affecting the growth of theindustry in India and India islosing out to other low-costdestinations. In fact, theinbound tourism segment isthe one that gets the most-affected,” said Singh.

Further, to undo thenegative image of IncredibleIndia as an expensive desti-nation, Singh recommends

that the government at stateand central level should pro-mote travel sector as indus-try. He also insists that theservice standards in theindustry should also beraised. Singh is also wary ofthe online industry, wherethere is ample scope toincrease transparency.

“Use of Internet in thetravel and tourism industryhas increased rapidly inrecent years and hasemerged as one of major seg-ments for online spends.However, some of the biggestfrauds have been detected inthis segment. While theonline travel industry hasregistered robust growth,major concerns relating tosecurity of online transac-tions persist. The industryneeds to take measures tomake the process of onlinebookings more secure andtransparent and also needs tocreate awareness regardingthis,” said Singh.

Harmit Singh, Chairman, Punjab, Haryana & HimachalPradesh-Chapter, IATO highlights the loss of competitiveedge because of high taxation, which varies across states…

India expensive credit taxes

Harmit SinghChairman, Punjab, Haryana & HimachalPradesh-Chapter, IATO

CN PrasadChairman, Tamil Nadu Chapter, IATO

2 6 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2 INTERVIEWS

What has the IATONorth East Chapter beenworking towards thisyear?

Tour operators based inthe seven states of North EastIndia are comparativelysmaller in scale. Hence, it isimportant that the IATONorth East Chapter carriesout short-term capacity-building courses for touroperators of this region at aminimal cost.

Courses on presentationof tourism destinations,tourism marketing, trainingfor wildlife guides and natu-ralists etc. would greatlyenhance quality and standardof service.

IATO North East is intouch with the IATO headoffice in Delhi to conductsuch courses at the minimumpossible cost and would offersuch courses to junior andmid-level employees of touroperators based in the sevenstates of Northeast this year.

How has tourism in theNorth East been affectedby the airline turbulencein the country? Jet has

asked for Governmentclearance to reduceNorth East flights...

The terrain of North EastIndia is such that a lot of peopledepend on the airlines operat-ing in this region. Obviously,the recent turbulence in theairline industry has affectedthe people of this region. Thereduced number of flights toand from the North East andrising prices of air tickets areaffecting not only touristarrivals to the region but alsothe residents of the region.

IATO greatly opposesthis move by Jet Airways.With the virtual exit of oneairline from the region, weare already facing problems.If the government allows Jetto reduce flights, it will set adangerous precedence. Otherairlines too will ask for thesame and may even want toexit the region altogether.The government shouldactively help airline compa-nies to continue operating inthe region and should alsohelp to set up operationsusing smaller aircraft.

The Asian DevelopmentBank and Governmentof India have signed a

$74.8 million loan toimprove connectivitywith the northeasternregion of the country.How will this move helpthe tourism sector of theregion?

One of the major chal-lenges of promoting tourismin the Northeast is the rudi-mentary connectivity inmany areas. The tourism inthe region will receive a greatboost if connectivity bymeans of better road and rail-way network is spread allacross the region.

Since Northeast India isfar closer to South East Asiancountries, airports with bet-ter facilities, expansion of

runways, night landing facil-ities will see increased trad-ing relationship with neigh-bouring countries. And thesame will bring in moretourists from this region too.

How are tour oper-ators coping with natu-ral disasters and thepolitical situation in theNortheast to ensure thattourist inflow is notaffected?

Natural disaster andpolitical unrest affects touristinflow adversely in any region.While the direct responsibilitylies with the government incharge to ensure that the statereturns to normalcy as soon aspossible; it is equally importantfor stakeholders in tourism tokeep in regular touch withpartners elsewhere and passon correct information aboutprevailing situation in theregion.

The sporadic politicalunrest has been mostly con-tained in three districts ofAssam (which does not haveany particularly importanttourism destination) and weare confident that the gov-ernment and the right think-ing population of Assam will

ensure that these problemswill end soon and life in theseareas goes back to normal.

While it is true that thefloods this year in the state ofAssam has been particularlysevere, we must also remem-ber floods in Assam is anannual affair and the indus-trious people of Assam havealways managed to overcometheir flood-related problems.

It is important thatIATO presents the actualfacts and situation to theentire membership so thatwe can pass on the messagethat though the current sta-tus of certain small parts ofthe region is tense, it is alto-gether likely that it willimprove soon and will becompletely back to normal bythe onset of winter when thetourist season starts.

What are the issuesthat need to beaddressed to improvetourism inflow in theNortheast?

Tourism in theNortheast is still in a nascentstage. We need to put partic-ular emphasis on develop-ment of road, rail and air con-nectivity in the region. The

other important aspect ofinfrastructure developmentwe need to focus on is devel-opment of accommodationfacilities at all importantplaces, wayside amenities ofhigh standards etc.

A lot of hotels in impor-tant places of the Northeastare coming up in recent years.However, most of these hotelsare brick and concrete affairsand do not blend in with theirnatural surroundings.Government agencies shouldensure that new accommoda-tion projects are built of locallyavailable material as much aspossible and in the local ethnicstyle, so as to retain a specificidentity as well as remain eco-logically balanced.Governments of the regionshould also promote homestayfacilities and communitybased facilities. This in itselfcould be an attraction anddraw more people to the area.

The region’s state gov-ernments should jointly focuson promotion of tourism andconduct joint FAM Tours fortour operators from all partsof India as well as from otherparts of the world to show-case the Northeast.

Besides suggesting ways to improve tourism inflow in the region, Ashish Phookan, Chairman, IATO North East States,proposes commencement of short-term capacity-building courses for tour operators of the region at a minimal cost.

‘North East tourism is in a nascent stage’

Ashish PhookanChairmanIATO North East States

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Concept Hospitality sets upand operates hotels, clubs,

resorts and restaurants for dif-ferent owners. Says ParamKannampilly, Chairman andManaging Director, ConceptHospitality, “The companyhas just finished the launchof its new brand The Fern,which will soon become atrademark for environmen-tally sensitive hotels acrossIndia. Within the next two

years, we will be operatingFern Hotels in the three dif-ferent categories based onfacilities viz, the Fern Luxury,the Fern Residency and theFern Select across India.”

By 2014, the group willhave hotels in Guwahati, twothree-star hotels in Udupi, onein Asansol in West Bengal,four-star hotel in Sholapur,three-star hotel in Jalgaon andfour-star hotel in Koregaon.“All these would be mid-tierproperties. We are soon going

to launch our resort propertyin Mahabaleshwar as well.

Our aim is to position our brandEcotels, as the environment-friendly hotel brand in Indiaand grow our number ofrooms from 1000 to over2000,” he adds.

About challenges, heopines, “There are threekinds of challenges we arefacing right now. Firstly, weneed to establish the marketfor our new hotels. Toachieve this goal, we haveincreased our sales team toabout 40 people acrossIndia. To get quality opera-tional staff is another bottle-neck. There is an acuteshortage at the middle andjunior levels.”

As environment-sensitive travellers become the fastestgrowing segment in the travel industry, ConceptHospitality is pulling all stops to cash in on this.

Concept’s go green mantra

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Param KannampillyChairman and Managing DirectorConcept Hospitality

KSM Hotel ConnectionsIndia is one of the most

prominent and professionallymanaged hotels marketinggroup headquartered at New Delhi.

Discussing the existingportfolio of KSM HotelConnections India, KBMahanta, Director, KSMHotel Connections Indiainforms, “At present, wehave a total inventory of 800rooms to sell in the marketper day. We cater to 20hotels in 14 destinationsbroadly categorised in threegroups. In the first sector,we have chosen prime loca-tions of royal Rajasthan,including Jaipur, Bikanerand Udaipur. In the secondcategory, there are the busi-ness hubs like Kochi,Chandigarh, Kolkata,Bengaluru and Mumbai. Thelast category is for leisuresectors such as Rishikesh,

Amritsar, Corbett andShimla.”

According to Mahanta,the main focus of the com-pany is on the corporate sec-tor, especially in South

India. “We are looking for afew more properties inSouth India for marketingand management tie ups.We are also adding manage-ment support service to our

new tie up hotels along with marketing support,” he adds. The group has recently added a newproperty -- Swagat HolidayResort at Kovalam in Kerala with inventory of 850 rooms.

“We plan to increase our emphasis on both the corporateand the domesticmarket.

Also, we have receivedgood response from our corporates for the interna-tional sector. Currently, we are also promotingThailand, Hong Kong and Ma\cau.”

KSM recently opened itsthird office in Jaipur onAugust 16. Thus, now thecompany has three associateoffices in Ahmedabad,Kolkata and Jaipur.

KSM Hotel Connections caters to 20 hotels in 14 placesand has recently added an office in Jaipur. The companynow has offices in Ahmedabad, Kolkata & Jaipur.

Boost for the hotel business

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KB MahantaDirectorKSM Hotel Connections India

Acting as a clearinghouse, A To Z Barter

offers flexibility, in that atrader can trade with anyother participant withoutthe need for a directexchange. This has beenextended to its hospitalityvertical as well. Aiming toincrease its portfolio inthe leisure destinations inIndia, A To Z is planningto acquire more propertiesin destination such asJaipur, Agra, Mussorie and Rishikesh.

“Our first venture isShilon Resort atChail near Shimla. Itis a five-star resortwith a picturesqueview. The resort isspread over 3.5acres and has50 cottages. The property iswell-equipped withall modern facilitiesand entertainmentfacilities.

We have a bar as well asa gym, spa, restaurant and aconference hall that canaccommodate 250-plus people,” says AshishChaturvedi, ManagingDirector, A TO Z Barter.

Talking about thegroup’s recent initiatives,Chaturvedi informs, “We, atA To Z group, are keen towork on destinations, whichcan cater to the corporatesand individuals in Delhi andNCR. We want to help ourclients relax during their hol-idays.” According toChaturvedi, the rupee slideand existing turmoil in theinternational travel scenario

will drive travellers to thedomestic leisure destinationsand therin lies the big oppor-tunity in India’s domestictourism sector. “As domestictravellers explore India,domestic hoteliers have a lotof potential to seek newavenues from this ever-increasing pool of clientele.We have seen a rise in domes-tic travel over the past year.”

He further adds thatShilon Resort at 7,200 ft is anideal destination for domestictravellers to unwind. “Wehave got a great responsefrom corporate as well as fre-quent individual travellers(FITs),” he concludes.

Aiming to increase its portfolio in leisure destinations ofIndia, A To Z Barter is planning to acquire more propertiesin Jaipur, Agra, Mussorie and Rishikesh.

Fillip to leisure tourism

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The New Age Hotels &Resorts endeavours to

position itself as India’s finestchain of business budgethotels. Created especially forthe discerning business andconference travellers whowant quality services at areasonable price, a typicalhotel under the New AgeHotels & Resorts will belocated in or close to a busi-ness district, managed byprofessionals and will providestandardised services.

Manmohan SinghChawla, MD, New Age Hotels& Resorts, says,

“All our propertiesare located at goodlocations in thecities. Owing to thispositioning of ourhotels and the fastgrowth in thetourism sector, we have witnessedan increase in occupancy in thelast few years.”

According to Chawla,three factors determine theUSP of the hotel – these arelocation, comfort and valueproposition. Talking about thenew initiatives the company,Chawla informs, “In the pastyear, our group has launcheda business hotel near IGIAirport, New Delhi, calledClassic Diplomat. We havealso explored new dimen-sions in hospitality and reno-vated our property located atChamba in Uttarakhand thatis spread across a hill. Thisproperty till date remains anattraction point for leisureand corporate travellers.”

The group sees maxi-mum growth in business

generated from inboundtourists. “The B2B segment isvery vital as it can help in driv-ing customers to our proper-ties in Chamba, Delhi, Nainitaland Haridwar,” he adds.

The group currently hasfour properties under its port-folio of Classic Group ofHotels – Classic Diplomat inDelhi, Classic Residency inHaridwar, Classic Hill Top inChamba and Classic The Mallin Nainital. The group’s resortin Chamba has 32 well-facil-itated rooms, which give apanoramic view of theHimalayan peaks and valleysall the year. “We have anoth-er 47-room property namedClassic Residency atHaridwar. Nowadays, theconcept of religious tourismis on the rise and people, bothIndian and foreigners, throngHaridwar for a holy dip in theGanga. The city is alsobecoming a business hubwith a number of industriescoming up here,” he adds.

The group’s property inNainital also bets big on itsscenic location. There are 25-lake facing suites and familycottages which come withtheir individual kitchens.

The New Age Hotels & Resorts’ property will be createdespecially for discerning business and conference travellers who want quality services at a reasonable price.

An address for biz travellers

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Manmohan Singh ChawlaMDNew Age Hotels & Resorts

The hospitality segment isby and large a fragment-

ed sector, with majority of itsinventory falling in the unor-ganised sector, while only aminiscule proportion fallsunder being the organisedone. This is where; WhiteFeather Hospitality is makinga strong stride to create busi-ness platforms for all smalland medium sized hotels.

“Our company ensuresproviding a ‘business plat-form’ to all small and medi-um sized hotels in theindustry across India. Indiabeing a diverse country as adestination has everythingthat the travellers want toexperience and offers them a complete holidaypackage soothing both theiremotional and physicalneeds. India amidst thecountless ways that it cancapture world attention as a tourist paradise, also open a dynamic business opportunity as a splendid venue for international confer-ences and conventions of no less than global standard.This is very near to how weaim to project India,” said Mrinal Upadhyay,Principal Consultant, WhiteFeather Hospitality.

“Currently we are work-ing on business customisa-tion for every small andmedium sized hotel enter-

prise and their differentneeds and proposals to suitacordingly. We make tailor-made business deals and pro-motions which involve an in-depth market research.

We also deal with all possiblebudget and luxuryhotel properties andwork out on theirbusiness and bestpossible deals thatcan take place andhelp them grow inthe market.

B2B is the first step for us to achieve these goals,” he added.

Moreover, Upadhyayinsists that after years of eco-nomic downturn and shrink-ing budgets, it is the B2Bmarketers who have weath-ered challenges and at the same time have learnedto embrace a variety of mar-keting tools.

“Today, the budget out-look is strong and the major-ity of marketers will useboth traditional and digitalchannels to reach andengage potential customers.However, the Internet is themost effective channel toreach the B2B audience.And our marketing growthstrategy helps us agree onone fact that digital is an all-rounder and the most effective channelfor businesses to reach

their target audience,” he added.

As per Upadhyay, Indiais like no other destination,this country has a uniquestrength which manifests interms of its Travel friendly,warm and welcoming natureand even if you are not bornhere, within a short time, youwill experience a unique fac-tor of its own. India offers adifferent aspect of her per-sonality – exotic, extravagant,elegant, eclectic; to eachtraveller to the country. Inhis opinion, what makes Indiadifferent from any other des-tination is the myriad ofexperiences that it offers.

“This is one land wherethe ancient and the modernco-exist. And the most obvi-ous manifestation of what Isaid is palpable when youobserve places like Rajasthan,Ladakh, Kerela in terms ofwarmth and enjoyment andMumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru interms of Business. Every for-

tune 500 company wants tomark its major existence inIndia as it has become a bigmarket for global compa-nies,” said Upadhyay.

He further added,“Email marketing ranks asthe best way to prime, closeand maintain customers. Weare also making this a 2-way process for an easyaccess through traditionalchannels in market likeevents/tradeshows, DisplayAds and Other.”

“We are trying to workour way out however it wouldbe an applaudable and win-ning task if the Governmentworks out on tax policies andhelps in making communica-tion easy and accessiblethroughout, which could bethe only way. Technical literacy is gaining a bigimportance as all modes ofcommunication require a certain literacy level; which is easy to understandfor all,” he concluded.

White Feather Hospitality is working on business customisation for every small and medium-sized hotelenterprise to create tailor-made business deals and promotions based on in-depth market research.

Platform for small & medium-sized hotels

Mrinal UpadhyayPrincipal ConsultantWhite Feather Hospitality

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While talking about thecompany, Pronab

Sarkar, Managing Director,Swagatam Tours said, “We

have completed 26 successfulyears in the business.Fortunately, since our compa-ny started in 1986, we neverhad to look back while ourbusiness grew every year. Forinstance, amid several hur-dles in business last year, wecould finish with a positivegrowth of over 13 per cent.

We are now focussing on thefuture growth of our compa-ny. We are looking for newmarkets for business devel-opment, which we were notconcentrating on earlier.”

“We hope with thenew business policyof Government ofIndia with SouthAmerican countriesand BRICS nations,there is ample scopeof increased busi-ness from there.

Also from those coun-tries, our Government hasextended the new visa rule of getting visa upon arrival i.e. Indonesia,Philippines, Cambodia,Vietnam, Singapore, Finland,Luxembourg and NewZealand, which shall show apositive growth in the nearfuture,” added Sarkar.

Elaborating on the keyto their success, Sarkar hap-pily attributes it to their

strong hard working dedicat-ed team of young executives,who are making it possiblefor Swagatam. “We value ouremployees’ inputs and sug-gestions in our day-to-daywork. We also give value tothe present growing and everchanging technology andmarketing strategy andbelieve that unless we follow the present trend, we shall not be able to sur-vive,” he added.

In fact, Sarkar is of theopinion, “The entire Indiantourism industry can growmuch faster and get moretourists from abroad, if weget good support from theGovernment by allowing Visaupon arrival from majortourist generating markets inEurope and America.” Healso insists that rationalisa-tion of Central and StateGovernment taxes on hotels, transport, road andfuel for airlines will helpIncredible India have a betterstance in the increasinglycompetitive world.

After the completion of their 25th year in the industry,Swagatam Tours registered a splendid growth of over13 per cent in 2011 and is now exploring new markets.

26 years and still growing

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AGENTS3 2 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

The company offers uniqueluxurious experiences and

emphasises on the fineraspects of travelling. BlueMoon Travels has been suc-cessful in executing the vari-ous requirements of our globalcustomers. Vijay Dadhich,Managing Director, Blue MoonTravels says, “A visit to Indiacan no longer be delayed;India may be the last and onlyreal adventure that lives on ascivilisation and riddle.

With a finecombination of foodfit for royalty andshopping that’s asseductive as itsvaried and comfortlevels that raise thebar; India is truly onthe map as one ofthe most sought fordestinations in the world.

Come and discoverIndia with us. India being adiverse country needs touroperators who have thoroughknowledge of the country toconduct unique tours.” BlueMoon Travels comes withseveral years of work experi-ence behind them and a wideknowledge of the country,leading to distinctive Indianholidays. A lot of researchgoes into tour selection,ensuring maximum comfort,enjoyment and a multi-

dimensional look at India.“We use our personal knowl-edge to augment holidays forour clients while ensuringthroughout that the customergets their special brand of customised service,”explained Dadhich.

Airtravel EnterprisesGroup (ATE) has been

contributing to the travel andtourism industry for the last36 years, mainly focussing ontravel, tourism and hospital-ity. The Group Chairman,Najeeb suggests somechanges to increase theinbound figures,

“The immediate aimof India Tourism isto double itsinbound tourismtraffic. This requiresmore infrastructureand facilities.

We need almost1,00,000 more classifiedrooms in the country. Oursanitation and garbage dis-posal system should beworld-class. Safety and secu-rity of tourists should bestrengthened. Hygiene infood production should bemade mandatory. Apart fromall these, soft infrastructure

should be in place, such as,systems, procedures, proto-cols and also tourism-friendlytaxation. India is one countrywith high taxation ontourists. Our taxation shouldideally be less than 10 percent, all put together. Thatwill surely show immediateresults in increased inflow oftourist. We need more trainedmanpower for the industry.We should have a network oftraining institutes to produceprofessionals for all levels.”

ATE Group has 15 ven-tures under its brand, 600

professionals working and agroup turnover of ` 450crore. The Great India Tour Company is the company under this brandengaged in tourism. Thecompany has pioneered indifferent specialised seg-ments, such as MedicalTourism, Golf Tourism andHeli-Tourism in Kerala. Thegroup has diverse businessin travel, tourism, hospitalityamong others.

Discussing the future ofthe industry, Najeeb adds,“The future of the tourismindustry is excellent in thecountry. Tourist inflow willkeep on increasing, as desti-nation India is attractive inmany ways. We also havehuge potential for the touristtraffic within our country. We need to develop a conducive climate for the growth by providing right tourism policies, fairtaxation, better infrastruc-ture, trained manpower, out-standing facilities and atourism friendly attitude.”

For a bright future for tourism in India, infrastructurealong with other facilities, needs immediate attention,says EM Najeeb, Chairman, ATE Group of Companies.

Aim for 100% rise in inbound

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Pronab SarkarManaging DirectorSwagatam Tours

EM NajeebChairmanAirtravel Enterprises Group of Companies

Unique tours to sell Incredible India

The company offers uniqueluxurious experiences for thefiner aspects of travelling

Portfolio

Vijay Dadhich, MD, Blue Moon Travels says India needs tour operators with thorough knowledge to conductunique tours.

Vijay DadhichManaging DirectorBlue Moon Travels

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AGENTS3 4 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

In its tenth year of opera-tions, Shree Tours and

Travels has earned a goodwillwith its trade partners andmany of them have beenserving for over a decade,says S P Mohapatra,Proprietor, Shree Tours & Travels.

“The multi-dimensional diversity in culture,lifestyle, foodhabits, seasons andbiotic region ofIndia are ourstrength.

Our company offers tai-lor-made itineraries for indi-

viduals, B2B companies andcorporate. We create differentand unique itineraries as perthe guest’s demand and tryto provide a combination ofdifferent aspect of travelareas that can be visited. It ensures that our guests get sufficient time to

explore the areas along witha professional guide,”explained Mohapatra.

“Today, B2B plays animportant role in enhancingthe business. But I feel thatthe association should bebisymbiotic and not parasitic.

This will help the growth inastronomical figure, if theassociations are perfect.Here, the Governmentshould have rational taxstructure, as simplification of tax deposit helps in enhancing the business,”he added.

The Group also owns afleet of over 15 vehicles,which include medium sizedcoaches, Indigo’s, Xylo’s andother vehicles that serveunique requirements of thevarious clients. It has opened offices in Kolkata,Bhubaneshwar and Odisha.It also has sales representa-tives in different regions tocater to a strong number of inbound guests that are supplied by their B2B clients in Delhi, Mumbaiand Bengaluru.

Banking on its experience of customised itineraries for its B2B trade partners in the Western Region, Shree Tours and Travels is building on this segment in a big way. The group has its offices in Kolkata,Bhubaneshwar and Delhi.

‘Customised itineraries is our USP’

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Popular for providing acomprehensive travel

solutions for leisure, group,charters and small businesstravellers, backed by real-time websites andunmatched products, JaiShree Holidays & Tours havebeen spreading their wingsand capturing the market.“Since our inception, we havebeen growing rapidly, aspir-ing to emerge as one of theforemost travel companies inIndia. We are receptive tonew ideas and are flexibleand adaptable to our clients’needs. We started operationin the year 2006 and in thelast five years, the company,has grown substantially in

terms of volume as well ascustomer satisfaction,”informed Ajay Aggarwal,Managing Director, Jai ShreeHolidays & Tours.

The Company offers alltypes of packages; premier,standard and budget withpersonalised services in Indiaand abroad.

“We are involved inboth inbound andoutbound as tourOperator whileoffering specialisedservices to ourclients as per theirrequirements.

We are experienced inproviding tailor-made pack-ages in cultural, spiritual,religious, tribal, adventure,battlefields of India andwildlife tours, along withother basic packages ofRajasthan, Kerala and othermajor tourist destinations inIndia. Our future plansinclude tie-ups with luxuri-ous as well budget hotels in India and abroad,” adds Aggarwal.

Currently they spe-cialise in, China, Hong Kong,

Macau, Thailand, Malaysia,Singapore, Kenya, Oman,South Africa, Australia, NewZealand, Uzbekistan andKyrgyzstan. In the domesticmarket they focus on,Kerala, Goa, Manali,Mussoorie and Ooty.

Launched in 2006, Jai Shree Holidays & Tours has substantially expanded in the last five years. Happywith their progress, the company now plans to tie upwith budget and luxury hotels.

Budget & luxury tie up

Ajay AggarwalManaging DirectorJai Shree Holidays & Tours

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“To attract Internationaltourists we have

launched variety of packagesaccording to regional diversi-

ty and state packages, asevery state has its own tasteand occurrence few of themare Colourful Rajasthan,Vibrant Gujarat, Sun-N-SandTour for Pushkar, ThandaThanda Cool Cool Himachaland Goa too. Apart from this,we are targetting touristsaccording to occasions likeValentine’s and Friendshipday special,” said UmeshThanvi, Advisor, Shree Tours.

“One thing I also wouldlove to mention here that we

are also focussing on ournewly launched MedicalTourism packages and corpo-rate group packages. We dohave our packages for domes-tic market as well, wherein,

we are targettingdifferent age groups and diversities as wehave launched educational tours, small village trips andpromoting packagesfor Ladies andSenior Citizens too,”he added.

As per Thanvi, the geo-graphical and cultural diversification of India makes it different than any other destinations. He insists that the B2B segment in India is veryimportant and is an integralpart of any business.

“Our services are cus-tomer centric, which facilitates our clients tochoose the best destinationsand trade partners to beassured of the quality of serv-ice and the end experience.One needs to deal withhotels, transport channelsand other stakeholders,which is possible onlythrough B2B relationships,”said Thanvi.

“The Tourism sector inIndia has soared to greaterheights in the last few years.However, the tourism industry’s growth will need proper policy orienta-tion to ensure systematic,sustainable and orderlydevelopment. Hence, it isimperative that a clearlydefined policy paradigmaddresses issues related tofacilitating travel business,safety, security, and infrastructure developmentaspects,” he added.

Shree Tours, a Rajasthan based tour operator, is nowfocussing on the recently launched range of its Medical Tourism packages and the corporate market to attract international tourists.

B2B integral to our business

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Archana ThanviDirectorShree Tours

Umesh ThanviAdvisorShree Tours

Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) wasinitially offered to five coun-tries - Finland, Japan,Luxembourg, New Zealandand Singapore. In 2010,6,549 VoAs were issued toNew Zealand (1,944),Singapore (1,814), Japan(1,457), Finland (1,263) andLuxembourg (71). In January2011, Cambodia, Indonesia,Vietnam, Philippines, Laosand Mayanmar were includ-

ed in the scheme, bringing atotal of 11 countries underthe VoA scheme. In 2011, atotal of 12,761 VoAs wereissued that included NewZealand (2,762), Japan(2,344), Indonesia (2,063),Philippines (1,956),Singapore (1,848), Finland(1,335), Cambodia (149),Vietnam (145), Luxemburg(74), Myanmar (71) and Laos (14).

12,760 VoAs in 2011

S P MohapatraProprietorShree Tours & Travels

Arati Mohapatra PartnerShree Tours & Travels

Countries VoA in VoA in2010 2011

New Zealand 1944 2762Singapore 1814 1848Japan 1457 2344Finland 1263 1335Luxembourg 71 74Cambodia 149Indonesia 2063Vietnam 145Philippines 1956Laos 14Mayanmar 71Total 6549 12,761

Double VoA

Foreign touristsfrom South-East Asian countries, Nordiccountries and USA spend moremoney than touristsfrom other countries in Goa.

QUICK READ

HOTELS3 6 TRAVTALK I AT O D A I L I E S 2 0 1 2 – D A Y 2

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The Banon Resorts wasbuilt and is managed by

the descendents of Capt ATBanon who started the first hotel in Manali in the early 20th century. Theproperty is an expression of afamily’s efforts towards perfection spanning over a hundred years.

“With an experience of about 100 years in the hospitality industry,

the hotel has triedto create a uniqueexperience for ourguests by designinga resort which combines the pastand the present, togive a feel of theancient culturalheritage of KulluValley in a modernsetting with world-class comfortand exclusive style.

The resort is a combina-tion of traditional architec-ture and modern designswhich blends beautifully withthe environment and offers

its residents the best of bothworlds,” says Manohar Negi,General Manager - Sales andMarketing, Banon Resorts.

“Capt Banon, an Irishgentleman, disturbed by theBritish reprisals against theIndians during the 1857uprising, got himself out ofthe British army. He went tothe Himalayan shrine of

Badrinath and studiedAstrology under the headPriest. He married the headpriest’s daughter and even-tually settled in Manali in the1870’s. He imported Englishapple and other fruitsaplings, planted them andstarted Himachal’s famedapple orchards. The Banonsplayed an important part inmaking Manali known to themodern world. The descen-dents of the Captain builtroads, bridges, generatedelectricity which was alsosupplied to the circuit houseduring the late Indian PrimeMinister, Jawaharlal Nehru’svisits and were the pioneersof the tourism industry in theKullu Valley,” Recalls Negi.

While being a worldaway in terms of lifestyle andseclusion, the resort is withina kilometre from the town.The resort is situated in one

of Manali’s best preservedareas, close to the circuithouse, amidst apple orchardsand reserved deodar forestswith magnificent views ofsnow covered peaks of thegreat Himalayan range.

Elaborating on theinfrastructure of the resort,the General Managerinforms, “The Banon Resortis a beautifully designedresort. The resort has cottages and consists of a

main building with large pub-lic areas and cottages spreadover two acres of landscapedgardens which gives a feeling of great space and privacy.” Very soon 40 luxury cottages are going to beadded in the property.

The resort is centrallyheated and the cottages havebeautiful wood-fired stovesto make a traveller’s staycomfortable during the winter months.

Banon Resorts is a combination of traditional architecture and modern designs which blends beautifully intothe environment and offers its residents the best of both worlds. The brand is soon adding 40 luxury cottages.

Banon Resorts beckons tourists in Manali

Manohar NegiGeneral Manager - Sales and MarketingBanon Resorts

The Suryaa New Delhi isall set to garner more

business this year. The hotelhas beefed up its F&B seg-ment. Talking about the

development, Greesh Bindra,Vice President and GeneralManager – The Suryaa NewDelhi remarks, “Just recentlywe relaunched SAMPAN –our Rooftop Pan Asian restau-rant. This summer we are

looking at relaunching our24-hour coffee shop Le Caféand Indian restaurant Seven,which will be converted intoa 140-seater top-of-the-lineWorld Cuisine restaurant, willbe ready before Formula

One.” The hotel is also plan-ning to open several newproperties in India and over-seas, he adds.

Regarding the perform-ance of the hotel in calendar year of 2011 vis-à-vis the previous year,Bindra informs,

“The calendar yearof 2011 has shownencouraging results. With thestabilisation of thebusiness comingfrom varioussectors, the revenuehas definitely goneup. The last quarterhas been verypositive, although it has been achallenge as theinventory hasincreased.”

According to him, theupcoming year looks even more promising and the team is aggressivelyworking towards achievingthe set targets.

The Suryaa New Delhiwith its host of meeting &conferencing facilities is bet-ting big on MICE segment aswell. The hotel is cashing onits strategic location. Theproperty is suitably located inthe heart of the city, a mere30-minute drive from theInternational Airport withclose proximity to PragatiMaidan. It is also adjacent toDelhi’s business districts -Nehru Place, Jasola, Okhlaand Noida promotion zones.With banquet halls such asElysee, Vendome and CapriceLounge, the hotel is fullygeared to be the perfect hostfor wedding and otherevents. Recently the hotelhosted a pool party on abright sunny afternoon thatswayed into an enthrallingevening with splashes ofwater and fun pool games.

The Suryaa New Delhi is looking ahead to capture a big share of the hospitality market in the city with the recently relaunched SAMPAN – the Rooftop Pan Asian restaurant – and the yet to be relaunched24-hour coffee shop Le Café and its Indian restaurant – Seven.

The Suryaa beefs up its F&B segment

Greesh BindraVice President and General ManagerThe Suryaa New Delhi

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