INCREDIBLE INDIA WONDERFUL WORLD AVIATION ONLINE TECHNOLOGY AUGUST 2022 VOL. 25 NO. 04 Pages 68 INCREDIBLE INDIA@75 tourismindia.org tourismindiamagazine tourismindiamag MONOCCOAKASABARSANAASSAMAIR
www.citrinehotels.com Hospitality Ventures Pvt. Ltd. For 9495553311,reservations7994799953 crs@citrinehotels.com WATER FRONT LUXURY RESORT & SPA A Smart Business Hotel Trivandrum, Kerala aravansHOLIDAY RESORT | Nelliampathi
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The advanced technology makes everyone capable to access and freedom to do business across oceans. Now prosperity is crossing borders into new lands by creating new jobs each day and even we have a chance to become mobile in our business.
Through Travel we can test all the assumptions that underlie our fears, will get a chance to make new conclusions, and evolve our thinking. Travel helps us to press the edges of our perceived limitations so that we may re-imagine them and continue to reach beyond and then countries are no longer just shapes on a map or hotspots on the news but instead are places filled with memories and stories.
Rajani A Editor
Editor’s Note
Travel was marked as an engine of social, economic, and cultural change during the colonial period. Travelling somewhere whether it represents a medium kind of escape from society or the workplace, or an ideological expression of political freedom, evokes a myriad of interpretations and constructions of freedom.
Many aspects of tourism symbolize the expression of human beings’ desire for freedom and to explore new experiences. In this age of globalization, international tourism evokes notions of freedom with a range of individual choices and social status. The freedoms we consider including free time and the freedom to travel are part and parcel of a society that is more ordered and regulated. Freedom to Travel means the right to travel and it is equally important to travellers as individuals, to the communities they visit, to the world, and to the shared humanity.
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Travel can cultivate our independence while revealing our greater interdependence. Whether it is solo travel, with family, or in a group, travel flexes the “get out there” independence muscle. At the same time, the experience of travel always reminds us that we need one another to get there and to enable those personal victories. Travel can serve as a remarkable platform for cultural pride and self-esteem.
This is a milestone year of India’s journey as an Independent nation. To mark the 75 years of India’s Independence, the Government of India has organized Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the 75week grand celebration that focuses on spreading awareness about the rich history, diverse population, magnificent culture, and great achievements of India. Independence celebration also flashes the right to travel fully and freely. Let us enjoy and experience the freedom of travel as responsible Travellers.
TRAVEL – THE PERFECT FREEDOM
8 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA Contents 10 18 25 14 22 12 20 15 23 16 24 PROMOTE ADVENTURE TOURISM AS A NICHE TOURISM PRODUCT: MR. G. KISHAN REDDY DEEPAK MENEZES JOINS ITC WINDSOR, BENGALURU AS THE NEW GM NATIONAL STRATEGY FOCUSES TO DEVELOP INDIA AS BRAND FOR WELLNESS DESTINATION MR. ISADA SAOVAROS AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE TOURISMAUTHORITY OF THAILAND-MUMBAI OFFICE FIRST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT FROM AKASA AIR LIFTS OFF 5 MEASURES FOR TOURISM GST RATIONALIZATION: FAITH TAAI ALL SET TO HOST ITS 66TH CRUISING CONVENTION IN SINGAPORE HILL STATIONS EMERGED AS THE PREFERRED DESTINATION “GO BIG & GO FORWARD” ITB ASIA CONFERENCE 2022 INDIGO INTRODUCES “THREE-POINT DISEMBARKATION SYSTEM” AUGUST 2022 VOL. 25 NO. 04 MANAGING EDITOR Ravisankar K V EDITOR Rajani A EXECUTIVE EDITOR Raadia Mukadam ASSOCIATE EDITOR G. Ajithkumar ART EDITOR N Bhattathiri DIRECTOR - DESIGNS Anand Sankar PHOTOGRAPHERS Vivek R. Nair, Murukesh Iyer BUSINESS & EDITORIAL ASSOCIATES NEW DELHI D +91Anilkumar9868123311 MUMBAI K V +91Satyanath9745598126 KOLKATA Jayasree Singh +91 943306033 BANGALURU Damodaran K Nair +91 8310955261 EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICE TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD VRA A -33/1, JAGATH NIVAS, VELLAYAMBALAM, VELLAYAMBALAM, SASTHAMANGALAM P.O., TRIVANDRUM, KERALA, INDIA 695010 TEL: +91 471 2315256 MOB: +91 9745598126 Email: info@tourismindiaonline.com CONTACT US Editorial circulation@tourismindiaonline.commarketing@tourismindiaonline.comeditor@tourismindiaonline.comEnquiriesMob:+919847060531AdvertisementEnquiriesMob:+919745598126Circulation&SubscriptionEnquiriesMob:+919745598126OnlineEdition www.tourismindiaonline.comwww.tourismindia.org Digital Edition: https://issue.com/tourismindia No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD. All rights reserved Copyright @2022 Printed And Published By Ravisankar K V On Behalf Of Tourism India Publications Pvt Ltd, Vra A -33/1, Jagath Nivas, Vellayambalam, Sasthamangalam P.o., Trivandrum, Kerala, India 695010 and Printed at Maya Printers, Ernakulam for Aarsha Offset Graphix, Mettukkada, Thycaud.P.O., Trivandrum- 695014 Kerala, India Editor: Rajani A 42 TRAVELOGUE OF AN UNKNOWN INDIAN RNI No. KERBIL/1998/7642 VFS GLOBAL APPOINTS ADITYA ARORA AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
9AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA 9 www.tourismindia.org 58 28 60 271 30 31 ZINGBUS LAUNCHES FREE TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR ITS STAYCATIONCUSTOMERSATRENAISSANCE RACE COURSE HOTEL IBIS INDIA APPOINTS SUPREET GHAI AS CULINARY DIRECTOR PRAFUL NARCHAL AS DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING AT THE DEN HOTEL HILTON GOA RESORT CELEBRATES TEAM MEMBER APPRECIATION WEEK 32 STRANGE FESTIVITIES AT CITY OF BARSANA 34 36 38 40 ONAM -A JOYOUS ANNUAL NOSTALGIA FROM POACHERS TO PROTECTORS RESEARCHER TURNS NATURE CONSERVATIONIST TO PROTECT THE ENDANGERED GOLDEN LANGUR A JOB FOR EVERY DOOR IN NISHANGRAM ASSAM Contents 26 50 A CALIFORNIA TRIP FOR YOUR POST-BREAK ITINERARY 52 MAGIC OF MONACO AT FAIRMONT MONTE CARLO UNDERWATER PHOTOSHOOT 54 SPICE MONEY LAUNCHED ATM SERVICES AT KOMIC VILLAGE 56 TUMI FEATURED IN ‘BULLET TRAIN’ INTERNATIONAL TOURISM CONSOLIDATES STRONG RECOVERY INDIANS EMERGE AS APAC’S MOST CONFIDENT TRAVELLERS
Ace investor Mr. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air said it will start operating flights on the Bengaluru-Kochi route from Aug 13 and Bengaluru-Mumbai route from August 19.
Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Ahmedabad.Asasymbolic gesture to mark the occasion during the ceremony, Akasa Air’s boarding pass was handed over to Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Min
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FIRST FLIGHTCOMMERCIALFROM AKASA AIR LIFTS OFF
Akasa
Management Team: L-R: Belson Coutinho, Anand Srinivasan, Bhavin Joshi, Vinay Dube, Neelu Khatri, Sanjay Dube, Aditya Ghosh, Niraj Dube, & Praveen Iyer.
Air, India’s newest airline, has commenced its commercial operations with its first flight taking off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on August 7, 2022, bound for Sardar
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progress and building India’s greenest, most dependable, and most afford able airline. Akasa Air’s empathetic and youthful personality, employee-friend ly culture, customer-service philoso phy, and tech-led approach will make this commitment a reality for us. We are now focussed on delivering a flying experience unlike anything witnessed in the Indian skies thus far”, he added.
ister for Civil Aviation, and the General (Dr) V. K Singh, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India. Both guests of honour addressed the gathering and officially flagged off the event. Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra extend ed his wishes on the commencement of Akasa Air’s operations while ad dressing the gathering. The ceremony was also graced by Mr. Rajiv Bansal IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and <s. Usha Padhee IAS, Joint Secretary(J), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government ofCommentingIndia on the commencement of commercial operations, Mr. Vinay Dube, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, of Akasa Air said “Today marks a significant milestone in Akasa Air’s journey as we successfully commence our commercial operations with our maiden flight from Mumbai to Ahmed abad. This is not just a testament to the women and men of Akasa that have made this day possible, but also a testament to India’s ongoing econom
ic transformation and the country’s rapidly progressing civil aviation land scape. The Akasa story is aligned with the nation’s journey towards making air travel affordable through PM Mo di-ji’s clarion call – Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik. We want to serve our country by creating strong transportation links which are the underpinning of any eco nomic growth engine”.
“We are thrilled to finally begin our commercial journey and bring alive our vision of supporting India’s economic
Akasa Air will offer weekly flights between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Progressively adding cities and routes to its network, the airline has already announced a total of five routes in five cities, including Mumbai, Ahmed abad, Kochi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. With a fleet induction plan of two 737 MAX aircraft each month, the airline is looking to establish a strong pan-India presence, with a focus on the metro to tier 2 & 3 route connectivity. The fleet size will be raised to 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 and over the next four years, the airline will add 54 air craft, taking its total fleet size to 72.
The 66th Cruising Convention of Travel Agents Association of India will be held in Singapore from 22nd ~ 25th August 2022. Office Bearers and Managing Committee Members at both National and Regional levels of TAAI informed and invited their members to the 66th CruisingSpeakingConvention.about the event, Ms. Jyoti Mayal, President, of TAAI said that the association’s strength is in facilitating business-to-business and people-to-people contacts to support its members. And, therefore, we are inviting members to embark on a journey to rebuild the network and relationships post-pandemic. Sharing more details about the schedule and agenda for its annual flagship event, which is taking place on a Royal Caribbean vessel, including a halt in Penang, Jyoti Mayal said that this Convention is a special initiative and only a limited number of members and delegates would be able to become a part. Promotion of regional regional tourism is the main aim behind TAAI choosing Singapore as the destination
TAAI ALL SET TO HOST ITS 66TH CONVENTIONCRUISING IN SINGAPORE
strengthen bi-lateral relations, develop trade, investments & tourism, to experience the serene beauty of destinations like Singapore and Penang, Malaysia.
Ms. Jyoti Mayal, President of the Travel Agents Association of India shares that theme of the 66th Cruising Convention is Namaste India and that it will explore at ways to boost Cruise Tourism.
A strong and committed travel trade professional for four decades; Mayal has been advocating the need for bilateral and multilateral tourism promotion even before taking over as the President in 2019. She shared that the close proximity of Singapore & the opportunity to promote regional tourism is the need of the hour to
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Mr. Jay Bhatia, Vice President added that the TAAI’s 66th Cruising Convention will be a lifetime experience. The Cruise-to-Cruise
experience will begin and end in Singapore. We have roped in the Royal Caribbean International and shall be boarding the ‘Spectrum of the Seas. The largest, best, and newest Cruise ship in the world, ‘Spectrum of the Seas’ offers great food, warm hospitality, and various other unique experience, apprised Bhatia.
Mr. Shreeram Patel, Hon Treasurer
informed that TAAI will soon be rolling out the registration opportunity. This 66th Cruising Convention is designed to be numbers restricted, however, basis availability we shall accommodate the maximum number of members, Patel assured.
the delegates, which will take care of any unforeseen challenges and we are confident that this Cruising Convention will raise the bar for association conventions in India.”
“TAAI’s 66th Cruising Convention has created an excitement amongst the trade, as members are looking forward to an opportunity to interact, deliberate and find ways of growing and boosting their business of cruising on the high seas. India, with its 7000 km of coastline and rivers is a major attraction for International Cruise companies and our government must explore opportunities in boosting tourism along the Indian shores. Amidst many others, the TAAI Cruising Convention will be touching upon this very topic of creating cruising opportunities in India and its surrounding countries, thereby enabling growth of inbound tourism and more”
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Those looking forward to learning; networking; exploring; connecting to situations and people beyond their current, ones must immediately plan their participation and not miss out on exciting and momentous opportunities emphasized Mr. Lokesh Bettaiah Hon. Secretary General, TAAI. He also added that “Royal Caribbean International’s latest ship - the ‘Spectrum of the Seas’ will be the dazzling host of the 66th TAAI Cruising Convention from August 22 - 25, 2022. Showing solidarity to our members who would be participating at the cruise convention, TAAI is offering a complimentary comprehensive Insurance Cover for all
PROMOTE ADVENTURE TOURISM AS A NICHE TOURISM PRODUCT: MR. G. KISHAN REDDY
In addition, Coastal Circuit was identified as one of the thematic circuits under the Scheme of Swadesh Darshan for providing financial assistance to States/UT Administrations for infrastructure development. Apart from the above, the Ministry of Tourism, through National Institute for Water Sports (NIWS), Goa, provides training to water sports operators through various skill-developing courses and certifies the trainees.
Ministry of Tourism has recognised Adventure Tourism as a Niche Tourism Product, which inter alia includes Water Sports activities, to promote India, including Bihar, as a 365 days destination and attract tourists with specific interests.
To position India as a preferred destination for adventure tourism
globally, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy for Adventure Tourism. A National Board for Adventure Tourism has been constituted under the Chairpersonship of Secretary (Tourism), comprising of representatives from identified Central Ministries/ organizations, State Governments/UT Administrations,
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To position India as a preferred destination for adventure tourism globally, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy for Adventure Tourism
and Industry Stakeholders, with the objective of operationalization and implementation of the strategy to promote and develop adventure tourism in the Country which covers Detailed action plan and formulation of the dedicated scheme, Certification Scheme, Safety guidelines, Capacity building, replication of national and global best practices, Assessment of state policies and ranking, Marketing and promotion, Destination and product development, Private sector participation, Specific strategies for adventure tourism and any other measures for growth of adventure tourism in the country.
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its‘Medicalchairman.Visa’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purposes to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment. To promote Medical Tourism in the country, the Government of India is extending medical visa facilities to the nationals of 156 Ministrycountries.ofTourism provides financial Assistance under Market Development Assistance Scheme to Medical Tourism Service Providers accredited by NABH for participation in Medical/ Tourism Fairs, Medical Conferences, Wellness
NATIONAL STRATEGY FOCUSES TO DEVELOP INDIA AS BRAND FOR WELLNESS DESTINATION
Conferences, Wellness Fairs, and allied Road Shows. Financial assistance to the tune of Rs.17,70,499 has been released to the Wellness Tourist Service Providers and the Medical Tourist Service Providers under the Marketing Development Assistance Scheme during the last four financial years.
In order to provide a dedicated institutional framework to take forward the cause of promotion of Medical Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism has constituted a National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board with the Hon’ble Minister (Tourism) as
‘Medical Visa’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purposes to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment.
Recognising
medical value travel and wellness tourism as important sectors having the potential of accelerating the country’s development, the Ministry of Tourism has taken several steps to promote India as a Medical and Wellness tourism destination.Inorder to create a robust framework and synergy amongst the Central Government Ministries, State Governments and Private Sector for promoting India as a Medical and Wellness Tourism destination, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism. The strategy document focuses on the key pillars Develop a brand for India as a wellness destination, Strengthen the ecosystem for medical and wellness tourism, Enable digitalization by setting up an Online Medical Value Travel (MVT) Portal, Enhancement of accessibility for Medical Value Travel, Promoting Wellness Tourism, Governance and Institutional Framework.
In order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, the Government has announced various measures for the revival of the tourism sector in the country, which includes medical and wellness tourism.
“GO BIG & GO FORWARD” ITB CONFERENCEASIA 2022
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Go Big & Go Forward: Travel Industry on the Road to Recovery and Growth will be the overarching theme for this year’s conference. “Tourism reopening across countries worldwide has been having a positive impact on global travel demand, and the Asia Pacific is seeing a strong and growing pent-up demand for travel. Travel and MICE businesses need to go big to tap on and maximise the growth potentials created by various trends in specific industry sectors and go forward to overcome the challenges in the market including the competition and also the global economy”, said Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia, and Travel Tech Asia.
with his keynote presentation named “Travel in Action, Digitally”, where he discusses how technologies transform products, enabling a seamless traveller journey, as well as empowering the travel industry for greater efficiency and creativity. The following keynote address. will be delivered by Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (Excluding Greater China), Marriott International, who will be talking about “Rebuilding Confidence: How COVID-19 Fostered a More Resilient Future for Travel”. The morning keynotes conclude with a Fireside Chat on “Looking Toward 2025: Where Travel Will Be”. The keynote speakers, Michael Dykes and Rajeev Menon offer a glimpse into the future. The talk will be moderated by Monica Pitrelli, Editor at CNBC Travel. Knowledge Theatre: Sessions’ Highlights
The series of NTOs’ Talks will feature leaders from National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) across APAC and beyond discussing ideas and setting actions for destinations to come back stronger than before. The NTOs’ Talks
ITB Asia has announced an exciting line-up of conference and keynote sessions for this year’s ITB Asia Conference. Co-located with MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, ITB Asia will once again be held as an inperson event from 19 – 21 October at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
On 19 October, ITB Asia’s keynote presentations focus on what’s happening in Asia Pacific’s travel, tourism, and MICE markets and discuss strategies driving the industry forward. Michael Dykes, Vice President, Market Management (APAC), Expedia Group will kick off
The 15th instalment of the annual trade show and conference also welcomes several new and established conference partners including Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE).
ITB Asia 2022’s main stage will be the Knowledge Theatre, where industry experts and leaders share their thoughts and leadership visions on “The future of travel”, “New trends” and “Key issues facing the travel industry”. MICE Show Asia will take place on the leading MICE & Corporate Travel conference stage. Speakers and partners from IAEE, IAPCO, ICCA, MPI, SITE and many more will discuss topics ranging from “MICE global trends” and “Sustainability and wellness in MICE” to sessions on topics, including “Inclusive: Events that embrace everyone”, “New Normal: New requirements, new contracts, new relationships” and “New era of Corporate Travel: How TMCs & tech companies are joining forces”. Travel Tech Asia is the most important travel technology marketplace for digital travel leaders. This conference will feature a series of talks on “How technology is changing the way we travel and the need for companies to adapt to the changing trends” and “How the travel industry can leverage technology to take their business to the next Excitinglevel”.keynote presentations to discuss strategies that are moving the industry forward
The Knowledge Theatre features an address by Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Booking.com, titled: “Adapt and Pivot: Delivering Authentic Experiences While Prioritising Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Growth”. Houldsworth will highlight the real opportunity for the industry to realise its potential as a key sector in the transition towards a greener economy and how to rebuild with a renewed focus on sustainability.
Travel Industry on the Road to Recovery and Growth
“Destination Rediscoveries” will be led by senior executives from the South African Tourism, Tourism Australia, Saudi Tourism Authority, Spain Tourism Board, and Visit Maldives, who will identify the changing behaviors, priorities, and preferences of travelers to pay attention to.
The Tech Leaders’ Panel, titled “The
In the session, “A Smarter and Greener Global Tourism Industry: The Big Long-Term Game for Travel Tech”, Tom Kershaw, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Travelport, will talk about how the industry needs to use technology and collaborate to inform, integrate and neutralise so that smarter, greener travel becomes the standard for our industry and future travel experiences.
The next frontier in travel will be driven by super apps and the technologies behind the platforms.
“Recovery and Opportunity” is the name of the Hotel Leaders’ Panel which will be moderated by Kwee Wei-Lin, Senior Vice President, Hotels, Pontiac Land Group, and President, Singapore Hotel Association. Together with C-level speakers from Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), Pan Pacific Hotels Group, and The Ascott Limited, they will discuss how the post-pandemic psyche affects the way people travel in 2023 and their choice of accommodation.
The MICE Leaders’ Panel, “Return to a World Transformed: Revitalising MICE for a New Era” features a discussion where professionals, buyers and sellers of travel and meetings services explore how different players in the MICE ecosystem can work together to deliver a better bottom line and future for the industry. The panel talk will be moderated by Richard Ireland, President, Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS), who will lead a discussion with C-level executives from Marina Bay Sands, International Conference Services (ICS), International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Tourism Promotions Board Philippines.Whenthe pandemic brought business travel, personal meetings and events (M&E) to a near standstill, it prompted companies to take a closer look at the environmental impact of their employees’ travel around the globe.
As international tourism resumes, it is time for the travel industry in Asia to quickly seize the opportunities to recover in the new contexts. In the Travel Associations’ Talks, titled, “Where to Next? The New Adaptive Strategies”, Nigel Wong, Honorary Treasurer, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), Eddy Soemawilaga, President, ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) and Tadashi Shimura, President, Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) will discuss how the industry can reinvent itself. What strategies it needs to reopen and expand connections with international markets and other issues will be addressed by a variety of C-level speakers and experts from Agoda, Austrian National Tourist Office, BWH Hotel Group, Collinson, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, The Travel Corporation, TUI Musement, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and more.
The Fireside Chat: “The road to net zero – A combined approach to travel & meetings, with sustainability at its core” welcomes Ian Cummings, Global Head M&E, CWT Meetings & Events, Maura Geertsma, Vice President, Global Retention Center of Excellence, CWT, and Raphaël Pasdeloup, Managing Director, Enterprise Customers, CWT, as speakers. They will be joined by other high-level key speakers from Amadeus, BCD Meetings & Events, Dusit International, Egencia, FCM Travel, George P Johnson, HelmsBriscoe, HRS Group, MEP Meeting & Exhibition Planners Sdn Bhd, MOI Global, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and UNIGLOBE Travel International to talk about various topics on the new normal, emerging importance of sustainability, the future of event technology and more.
Amanda Woo, CEO, of AirAsia Super App explains to the audience how super apps are not just a glimpse into the future in her presentation “Reimagining Global Connectivity and How Air Transport Can Successfully Integrate with Super Apps”.
MICE Show Asia: Sessions’ Highlights
future ready and how the industry has rebounded to take the MICE industry forward.Laura Ruffles, Executive Director, Global COO, Corporate Travel Management (CTM), will explore the challenges and opportunities for corporate travelers and how to navigate the new travel environment in her session, titled, “The Value of Corporate Travel”.
Nicholas van Breda, AVP Global Distribution, Shangri-La Group identifies distribution strategies for hotels in the session, named, “A Fresh Look at Hotel Distribution Strategies”. Other high-level speakers from KAYAK, MG Group, OYO, STR, trivago, Trip.com Group, and Winsar Group will discuss various topics on digital transformation including direct bookings, metasearch optimisation, revenue management, andITBmore.Asia’s
annual B2B trade show and convention will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the AsiaPacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market but also MICE and corporate travel. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities, and travel technology companies are expected to attend.
Future is Digital,” will bring together experts from across the travel ecosystem to talk about the latest innovations that will impact travellers’ next journeys, as well as strategies for travel brands to up their 4.0 game. Confirmed panelists include Khang Trieu Nguyen, CTO at Accor, Terrence Eng, CTO at FCM Travel Asia, Bryant Kok, Director, Digital Transformation & Information Technology at Gardens by the Bay, and Jane Lim, Vice President, Global Markets at Tripadvisor. The panel will be moderated by Jeff Pan, Venture Builder, McKinsey & Company.
Travel Tech Asia: Sessions’ Highlights
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What the future holds for an inperson event, especially in the wake of a global pandemic, is the main topic of the CVB panel moderated by Ciaran McQuillan, Head of Special Events, Asia, Global Media Services, Associated Press. Titled “How Largescale Meetings, Conventions, and Live Events Are Surging Anew”, C-level executives from Business Events Perth, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), NYC & Company, Sapporo Convention Bureau and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau will explore what it takes to be
Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, FAITH, the policy federation of all the ten national associations representing the complete tourism, travel, and hospitality industry of India - ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI & TAFI, has thanked the Fitment Committee for considering favourably the drawback of taxes on foreign tourists on their goods purchases in India. They have recommended five rationalisation measures across the tourism, travel, and hospitality value chain for consideration for the next GST CouncilHotelsmeetingtobe allowed to charge IGST which will enable seamless availability of credit across India to all travel agents and tour operators and will thereby lead to building up a sustainable domestic holiday and meetings and conventions business within the country.
FAITH mentioned, that Indian tourism has an immense inherent potential to create up to 10 crores additional jobs pan India over the long-term period, triple its GDP contribution and create forex earnings up to $ 75- $100 bn and GST is a key enabler for creating this global and domestic competitiveness in tourism directly and through its indirect impact.
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Restaurants should be also allowed the additional option of charging GST at 12% with full Input tax credits and the rate should be delinked from any room tariffs if they are part of hotels.
around 27.8% which is an inherently flawed assumption of the prevailing business models. This by default creates an inherent linkage to value addition only and prevents a tax on tax.Travel Agents be also allowed the option of exploring the reseller model for charging as they are distribution arms for airlines. This option will enable travel agents to structure optimal partnerships as per their business requirements between their clients and their airlineTouristpartners.transporters are allowed the provision for availing GST setoffs on interstate Tourist transport taxes, taxes on parking
Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality has thanked the Fitment Committee for considering favourably the drawback of taxes on foreign tourists on their goods purchases in India
5 MEASURES FOR TOURISM RATIONALIZATION:GST FAITH
fees and on taxes on fuel which are their biggest input costs.
Tour operators are to be enabled a special presumptive GST rate of 1.8% with full GST setoffs. The current rate of 5% without setoffs structurally implies that tour operators have an inbuilt margin of
Indian travellers expressed high travel intent for intercity roadtrips, especially surrounded by nature with a majority of respondents opting for hotel rooms with mountain & lake views
Most years, summer is one of the highest travel seasons in India and traveller sentiment tapers off as the monsoons arrive, owing to the reopening of schools, traffic
and driving conditions due to rain, among other factors. However, postpandemic, travel trends have shifted -- travellers are now looking to make up for lost vacations. As per global
hospitality technology company, OYO’s Monsoon Travel Report 2022, Indian travellers expressed high travel intent for intercity road trips, especially ones surrounded by nature, with a majority
HILL EMERGEDSTATIONSAS THE DESTINATIONPREFERRED
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NEWS / TRAVEL TRENDS
of respondents opting for hotel rooms with mountain & lake views. This indicates the rise in monsoon tourism across the country with a strong consumer preference to spend holidays closer to nature.
As per the hospitality technology platform’s domestic travel study, Indians have a mixed bag of preferred destinations for monsoon. Among preference for the state, with nearly 18% of respondents opting for Uttarakhand, the famous pilgrimage & leisure destination becomes the top monsoon destination of choice, followed by Goa, Kerala, and Maharashtra. Interestingly, among cities, the hill destinations of Ooty (20%), Lonavala (16%), Munnar (11%), Shillong (11%) and Coorg (8%) raked in maximum consumer intent for travel.
SVP - Product & Chief Service Officer - OYO said,“In 2022, we’re seeing a shift in traveller mindset to pre-lockdown times. We’re observing more and more consumer demand to travel throughout the year, for shorter trips. This monsoon, as per our findings, consumers are looking forward to travelling to scenic destinations and making the most of the rains, closer to nature. As a majority of travellers looking to book their stays closer to the date, our applevel features such as ‘Pay at Hotel’, easy cancellation and refund policies, 3-click booking process, and Nearby stays enable travellers to make their travel choice on the go without any hassle.”
attributed to flexible remote and hybrid work policies popularised by corporate India during the pandemic. Approx. 84% of consumers prefer booking their travel and staying closer to the date.
While short trips are usually popular during the monsoon season, with 54% saying they would take a trip between 1-3 days, a significantly high 33% also expressed interest to head out for a week-long monsoon trip. The trend to head out on longer vacations can be
21AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA www.tourismindia.org
As experiential travel becomes one of the top trends in the travel and tourism economy, consumers are looking at serene locations to spend quality time with family and friends. As per the survey insights, a majority of consumers (40%)were inclined towards booking hotels with a view, followed by unique stays such as tree houses and cottages in the woods, stays surrounded by scenic lush hills and/or by the beach. This indicates consumer desire for “ecotherapy”, a rising trend among today’s evolved travellers since the pandemic restricted travellers within the periphery of their residence due to lockdowns.
When it comes to go-to travel essentials for monsoon trips, an astounding 48% of respondents picked earphones as their top choice, while raincoats were a far second with nearly 30% votes, followed by umbrellas, zip-lock bags for electronic devices, warm shawls, sunglasses, books and mosquitoSheeranrepellents.Godbole,
NEWS / AVIATION
to make the experience a little sweeter for our customers – as they can get to work or meet their loved ones quicker.”
IndiGo
has introduced a new revolutionary Three Point Disembarkation process that will enable its customers to exit the aircraft faster than ever before which will set new standards in customer experience on its 16th anniversary. The new Three Point Disembarkation process will be carried out from two forward and one rear exit ramp, making IndiGo the first airline in the world to use this process.
At the historic occasion, Sanjeev Ramdas, Executive Vice President – IndiGo, said, “At IndiGo, we have always looked at newer ways to enhance our customer experience and make flying, as well as our ground operations, efficient and hassle-free. Adding a third ramp for disembarkation is a simple yet effective way to complete a smooth travel experience for our customers. We have always been known for setting new benchmarks in innovating travel and our 16th anniversary is the perfect occasion
Initiative to enhance customer experience by improving operational efficiencies and punctuality
INDIGO INTRODUCES SYSTEM”DISEMBARKATION“THREE-POINT
Ronojoy Dutta, CEO, and Wholetime Director said, “It brings us immense pride to be the first airline in the world to use a three-point system. At IndiGo, we constantly and dynamically keep reinventing our internal standards to enable a
22 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA
hassle-free customer experience as well as contributing to operational efficiencies for all stakeholders including airport operators and ground handling companies.
IndiGo has conducted trials and has received encouraging feedback from customers. The cabin crew shall make the necessary announcements to inform customers at the time of deboarding. This new disembarkation procedure will be implemented on IndiGo’s A320 and A321 fleet for flights arriving at remote stands at Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru airports to begin with, and will be progressively deployed across the network.
ITC
Hotels has appointed Deepak Menezes as the new General Manager at the iconic property ITC Windsor, Bengaluru. With over two decades of experience in hospitality, Deepak brings with him an astute sense of business and markets.
Deepak is a highly dynamic, goal-driven, and accomplished professional with luxury hospitality experience in customer service, hotel, and resort management, complemented by a proven record of success in pre-opening assignments and overseeing daily hotel operations. He has been associated with ITC Hotels for over 7 years and his previous assignments include the tenure of 5 years and 2 years at ITC Grand Bharat, Gurgaon and ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata respectively.
In his role as the General Manager at ITC Windsor, Deepak Menezes will be responsible for day-to-day operations and management of the hotel, while leading the teams to drive revenues and increase brand value. With extensive and practical knowledge of Food & Beverage concepts & operations, enhancing guest experiences, product, and hotel development, he brings with him the perfect skill set and experience required to carry forward the legacy of ITC Windsor and achieve the desired goals amongst the competition set in the city of Bengaluru.
DEEPAK MENEZES JOINS ITCBENGALURUWINDSOR, AS THE NEW GM
In his personal time, Deepak likes to indulge in golfing, yoga, gourmet cooking, gardening, listening to slow rock and retro, travelling, meeting people and networking.
23AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA www.tourismindia.org
24 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA NEWS / APPOINTMENTS
Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, announced the appointment of Aditya Arora as its Chief Operating Officer.Aditya will be responsible for managing the company’s global operations, focusing especially on developing greater efficiencies and synergies across all its services and products for applicants and client governments. He will be responsible for the transformation of systems and processes through increased technology leverage.
VFS GLOBAL APPOINTS ADITYA ARORA AS OPERATINGCHIEF OFFICER
“Completing 20 years of successful operations in 2021 was the beginning of a new growth chapter for us. I am delighted to have Aditya join us in this exciting growth-focussed phase as we continue enhancing our services and operations through investments in innovation, technology, and human capital development and remain committed to business excellence overall. Given his robust experience and leadership skills, I am confident Aditya will play a pivotal role in our transformation journey forward,” said Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of VFS Global.
Arora said, “VFS Global is a shining example of how a visionary idea can be translated into a global enterprise through strong customer orientation, service innovation, and dedication to business excellence. I am excited to work with this outstanding team to build upon this legacy and shape its new growth phase.”
In a career spanning over 26 years, Aditya spent over two decades in the outsourcing industry. He has set up several large businesses with cross-cultural teams, across multiple verticals, bringing in strong deployment practices and an agile leadership in business development and planning, transformational practices, operational excellence, change, and risk management including governance and regulatory compliances.Beforejoining VFS Global, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Teleperformance – India where he led a 75,000+ member workforce and managed one of the most profitable businesses from the Teleperformance group. Prior to joining Teleperformance, Aditya worked with Bank of America, CitiFinancial, and Genpact.
VFS
MR. ISADA SAOVAROS AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE TOURISMAUTHORITY OF THAILAND - MUMBAI OFFICE
Grand Palace Indore is delighted to announce that Seema Taj has been elevated as the Director of Sales. In her new role she will be responsible for sales, revenue management, marketing and business operations and will overlook all aspects of sales department.
With over 17years of experience in the hospitality industry, she has been instrumental in initiating and organising many successful sales initiatives. She started her career in 2005 and has worked diligently with many renowned brands in the industry
According to the Thailand Tourism Ministry data, the country recorded over 300,000 Indian arrivals between January to July 2022, ranking India in the top 5 tourism markets for Thailand.
25AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA www.tourismindia.org
like ITC Fortune, Radisson and Sayaji Hotels before joining Sheraton Grand Palace Indore. She possesses a strong business acumen and seeks to work towards implementing strategies to elevate the brand presence.
An ardent learner and visionary, bringing along a wealth of experience in the industry, her elevation is a testament to her hard-work and dedication. Sheraton Grand Palace Indore is proud to have her as part of their team and looks forward to her continued success in her new role.
SEEMA TAJ ELEVATED AS DIRECTOR OF SALES AT SHERATON GRAND PALACE INDORE
Sheraton
Authority of Thailand (TAT) has appointed Mr. Isada Saovaros as the Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Mumbai Office effective from August 1st, 2022. He will be in charge of western and southern India as well as Sri Lanka and the Maldives.Withover 23 years of experience, Mr. Saovaros is well versed in the travel industry. Prior to joining the India office, Mr. Saovaros was the Director of Trat province. “I am looking forward to working closely with trade partners and media in this region to make sure Thailand remains one of the top overseas destinations in the Indian market,” “We are aiming that the numbers will hit 500,000 by the end of the year” Mr. Isada Saovaros added.
Tourism
In his free time, the Chef Supreet likes to explore new restaurants and try new dishes, read culinary books and spend time with his son. He stays with his family in Mumbai and fondly recalls that his cooking knack developed because of his mother as she used to make him try new dishes often.
brands. He started his career with the Oberoi Hotels and was associated with Trident, ITC & Accor which gave him a great variety of experiences and a unique perspective that have contributed to his culinary leadership. His last assignment was with Food Hall where he was Culinary Country Head for 4 years.
Will be responsible for all F&B decisions for 18 ibis propertiesand aims to curate an immersive dining experience for the guests
India, an Accor group hotel, appoints Supreet Ghai as Culinary Director. A seasoned epicurean with more than 14 years of experience in the hospitality and retail industry, Chef Supreet brings a creative flair to his dishes by adding a twist of traditional flavours and an elevated gastronomy. He will be based in ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai and will oversee curation of F&B offering not only for the resident guests but for the guests who will walk in from the neighbourhoods and markets around all ibis hotels. With Supreet onboard, ibis aims to design a high-quality food menu that has an offering for everyone.
Vinay Gupta, Director of Operations at Ibis, said “We at ibis India, are excited to have Supreet on board as Director Culinary. With his rich and diverse experience, we are sure he would be creating F&B inspirations. He has a unique interpretation of the local and international flavours. In line with our brand promise of delivering memorable, youthful, fun and enjoyable moments, I am hopeful these F&B innovations will bring a fine experience for our guests.”
Feeling excited to join ibis India, Chef Supreet, Director of culinary, ibis India said, “I am honoured to join ibis India as Culinary Director. I believe in leaving our guests with a meaningful experience. I believe one should not feel intimidated by cooking. Everyone has it in their own unique way! Never underestimate your abilities because all of us know what good food tastes like & it’s all about trusting that good feeling and giving it a shot.”
Ibis
26 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA NEWS / APPOINTMENTS
IBIS INDIA APPOINTS SUPREET GHAI AS CULINARY DIRECTOR
Chef Supreet is a gold medallist from Rizvi College of Hotel Management & has worked with some of the most prestigious Indian hospitality
worked with prominent 5-star hotels all of his professional life, which has made him a highly motivated man.
Adding more to his impeccable contributions towards the places he was part of, Sathender played an instrumental role during the preopening of the hotels like Courtyard & Fairfield by Marriott Bangalore, Hyatt Regency Gurgaon and Westin Sohna Gurgaon.
Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel is delighted to welcome Sathender Singh as the new Associate Director of F&B. Sathender, a veteran in the industry, will now be responsible to carry out overall beverage and food operations which include financial, managerial and operational aspects of the hotel’s F&B endeavors. He comes with exemplary knowledge and experience in the hospitality industry especially food and beverage, which will enable him to establish a formidable brand presence in the market.
Den Bengaluru, which is a part of Dan Hotels, Israel has appointed Mr. Praful Narchal as Director of Sales and Marketing. The Den Hotel strengthens its leadership team, by including an industry veteran with more than 16 years of experience in the industry across renowned hospitality brands in India.
27AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA 27 www.tourismindia.org
Sathender Singh has over 15 years of experience working in the food and beverage sector, managing restaurants, running banquets, and organizing events. His outstanding administrative and leadership abilities in the aforementioned fields have served him well in the past. He has
PRAFUL NARCHAL AS DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING AT THE DEN HOTEL
RENAISSANCE BENGALURU RACE COURSE HOTEL APPOINTS
SATHENDER SINGH AS THE NEW ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF F&B
The
A passionate and result-oriented professional, Praful has a wealth of experience in enhancing sales, marketing, and revenue streams through careful planning, extensive research, and innovative solutions.
Over the years he has orchestrated and accomplished impactful business, sales, and marketing initiatives to drive business growth,
and greater brand awareness. At the Den, Praful’s primary responsibilities will include – managing the overall sales and marketing strategy and programmes, annual budgets, revenue, and distribution management, and overlooking all aspects of the sales and marketing department for the five-star luxury property.Praful has proved his mettle by working with some of the leading hospitality brands across India such as Marriott International, Taj Group of Hotels, and The Lalit. Prior to joining The Den Bengaluru, he worked with Roseate Hotels & Resorts as Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing.
Singh started his career associating with a brands like ‘Ananda In The Himalayas’ in the year 2005, after which he never looked back and started climbing up the hill all through his career and worked with different hotels across India like; Westin Sohna; Le Meridien; Hyatt Regency; Courtyard and Fairfield by Marriott Bangalore; Jaisalmer Marriott Resort & Spa, Rajasthan; and Courtyard by Marriott Madurai, holding various positions.
Over the TMAW week, several exciting activities including a treasure hunt, singing contest, fashion show, and other games were planned for employees, creating a culture of appreciation across the hotel and its team members. A grand cake-cutting event with surprise gifts for all the team members, along with decadent lunches and dinners were organised throughout the week.
HILTON GOA RESORT APPRECIATIONTEAMCELEBRATESMEMBER WEEK
Apicturesque
together to acknowledge and celebrate each other’s hard work and dedication, through a series of fun-filled activities. Harsha Vallary, HR Manager, Hilton Goa Resort said, “Our people are at the heart of our success and the Team Member Appreciation Week is only a small way of expressing gratitude towards their exceptional service throughout the year while nurturing team spirit and leadership.”
retreat amid Goa’s coastal landscape, Hilton Resort Goa, celebrated its ‘Team Member Appreciation Week’ (TMAW) recently with a spectacular gala night to remember. Film Actor, Mouni Roy and, Prime Show Anchor at CNN News18, Anand Narasimhan graced the event with their presence and addressed the Team Members of Hilton Goa Resort. The hotel staff and management came
Over the TMAW week, several exciting activities were planned for employees, creating a culture of appreciation across the hotel and its team members
28 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA NEWS / HOSPITALITY 28
“We aim to develop a sense of belonging within the team and ensure that every member feels valued and appreciated for their commitment and efforts throughout the year. A cohesive team effort by all our employees is a significant contributor
29AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA www.tourismindia.org
showcasing their talent on stage and bonding with each other. The team spent some relaxing quality time and discussed ideas and plans to appreciate employees’ hard work throughout the year.
towards exceeding guest expectations and delivering exceptional service consistently,” asserts Amandeep Grover, General Manager, Hilton Goa Resort.On the gala night, employees entertained the crowd while
Speaking on the launch, Prashant Kumar, CEO & Co-Founder of Zngbus said: “We’re excited to launch this unique and remarkable insurance cover for bookings exclusively through our web & mobile platforms. This reflects our mission to focus on making intercity travel affordable and safe for everyone. “
ZINGBUS LAUNCHES FREE TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR ITS CUSTOMERS
NEWS / NATIONAL
Zingbus would offer this all-in-one insurance package as a comprehensive & exclusive benefit to all its travelers while covering unforeseen circumstances. The insurance will benefit the travellers with personal accidental cover up to 7, 50,000 Emergency medical cover up to INR 3,00,000, Baggage loss claim up to INR 5,000, Out-patient expense coverage up to INR 25,000 & Medical evacuation up to INR 10,000.
Prashant Kumar further added:
Zingbus, the technology-enabled intercity mobility startup, has announced the launch of the firstever free insurance cover for all user bookings made via the Zingbus web & mobileBasedapp.on the strategic partnership with ManipalCigna (primary insurer) & Bimaplan (as an aggregator), this freeof-cost travel insurance will safeguard travelers and enable them with the most vital trip protection benefits.
ensure additional protection for our passengers. This added benefit will help us to improve the customer experience while they’re traveling with Zingbus.”Thefree insurance is certainly in-line with supporting the company’s major expansion plan to deploy 700+ buses by the end of this year and aims to have 2,000+ buses on the road by the end of next year.
“We’re always on the lookout for new ways to elevate the safety coverage for our travelers.” The scope of this integrated free insurance cover is to serve as a safety net, from the point customers are on board Zingbus till they complete their journey. It would offer personal accidental cover & baggage loss cover, among others. And, having these risks covered will
30 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA
Based on the strategic partnership with ManipalCigna & Bimaplan, this free-of-cost travel insurance will safeguard travellers
Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, the city’s premium five star property has always been known as one of the best for the service and hospitality provided. Having served their guests for a while now and promising to only get better, the hotel is happy to introduce their anniversary special package. This package will help to find the perfect balance between work and leisure with an escape at a home not so far from home. And with the kind of experience the property has to offer, it is time you discover your neighborhood with a fresh pair of eyes.
STAYCATION AT RENAISSANCE RACE COURSE HOTEL
Discover your neighborhood with a fresh pair of eyes
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In addition to all these, Renaissance is calling out for guests to take a staycay that offers scrumptious breakfast at Lush – the all-day dining restaurant serving global cuisine, moreish dinner, fun activities like baking for kids and family, complimentary wine, good high-speed internet to keep yourself entertained or catch up with work, executive lounge benefits with happy hours, complimentary spa therapies and lots more to explore!
FESTIVITIESSTRANGE AT CITY OF BARSANA
Barsana is a historical town and nagar panchayat in the Mathura district of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Barsana is believed to be the birthplace and home of the Hindu goddess Radha, the consort of Krishna. It is in the Braj region. The main attraction of the town is Radha Rani Temple.
32 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA FEATURE / DESTINATIONS
Here’s the history. The birth place of Lord Krishna’s beloved Radha, Barsana, celebrates Holi with extreme enthusiasm as Krishna was famous for playing pranks on Radha and her female friends. In fact, it was Krishna who started the tradition of this gambol and caper play of colours by first applying colour on Radha’s face.
of Nandgaon in colours of ‘kesudo’ –a kind of flower from which colour is made, naturally occurring orange-red dye and colour made from the flower, palash. This day, women of Nandgaon beat the invaders from Barsana. These playful mocking festivities take place well before the actual Holi in town.
Seldom
escape from the spirited women. Men are not supposed to retaliate on the day. The unlucky ones are forcefully led away and get a good thrashing from the women. Further, they are made to wear a female attire and dance in public, all in the spirit of Holi.
heard city of Barsana in Uttar Pradesh enjoys the luxury of coming to the limelight on the vibrant festival of ‘Holi’. Known as the festival of colours, on Holi, Barsana gets to be the hub and the festival is called here as ‘Lathmaar Holi.’ Not music to the ears?
Completely aware of what welcome awaits them in Barsana, men come fully padded and try their best to
The next day, it is the turn of men of Barsana. They reciprocate by invading Nandgaon and drench the womenfolk
Barsana View from Shriji Temple
33AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA www.tourismindia.org
Womenfolk, of Barsana it seems, after thousands of centuries want to take a sweet revenge of that prank of Krishna. Even men have not left their mischief and are still eager to apply colour on the women of Barsana. Men from Nandgaon, Krishna’s birth place, come to play Holi with the women of Barsana but are instead greeted with sticks. Males also sing provocative songs in Braj language, in a bid to invite the attention of women. Women then go on the offensive and use long staves called ‘lathis’ to beat men folk who protect themselves with shields.
34 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA FEATURE / FESTIVALS
ONAMA JOYOUS NOSTALGIAANNUAL
himAccordingwell. to the legend, Kerala witnessed its golden era during the reign of King Mahabali when everybody in the state was happy and prosperous. This meant that the king was highly regarded by his subjects and it was this that even the Gods under Indra became jealous of. They approached Mahavishnu
The major festival of God’s Own Country will takes place in the first week of September 2022
Onam, the biggest festival of Kerala originated as a joyous annual nostalgia for the golden reign of King Mahabali, a mythical king, who ruled Kerala for a very long time. The celebration which lasts for ten days is not just a festival to the Keralites and falls during the first month of the Malayalam calendar which is
Chingam.Itreflects the faith of the people in Kerala- a belief in the legendary past, religion, and power of worship. Onam is unique since king Mahabali is revered by the people of Kerala from prehistory. Onam celebrations welcomes the spirit of the great king and assures him that his people are happy and wish
Onappottan, A traditional Theyyam performers from North Kerala region
claiming that Mahabali is now equivalent to an Indra and because a world with two Indras represents imbalance, Mahavishnu assumed the form of a bhramin dwarf: the Vamana avatar, and tricked him to Pathalam, the Underworld where he was granted the rule the underworld and by the grace of Mahavishnu, Mahabali was granted another wish to visit his people on an annual basis. Mahavishnu serves Mahabali as a gatekeeper in the world of Pathalam as the Lord himself serves his greatest devotees.Thiscan’t just be called history, because the whole of Kerala still celebrates Onam just like in the olden days. Although this festival has its origin in Hindu mythology, Onam is for all people of all classes, creeds, and religions. Onam reflects the secular character of this land where unity had always coexisted with diversity. People from all walks of life Hindus, Muslims, and Christians, the wealthy and the downtrodden, all celebrate Onam with equal fervor. The union and coexistence of Kerala are peculiar, especially during festivals when people come together to celebrate life’s unlimited joys.
“Pookalam” also known as the floral carpet, is laid in front of every house to welcome the advent of the vanquished king, and earthen mounds representing Mahabali and Vishnu are placed in the dungplastered courtyards. The most important things about Onam are the Onakkodi, the new clothes worn on this day, and Ona- Sadya, a feast which is quite elaborate and sumptuous home-cooked delicacies on plantain leaf and the lingering aroma of the sweet Payasam. Thinking of Onam these are the thoughts that strike every single Malayali. And so all this adds to the synonyms of Onam.
35AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA 35 www.tourismindia.org
One of the most wonderful façades of Onam is the unfolding of its rich and well-established culture. Known as the Malayalam New Year, Kerala is seen as its personified beauty at this time. The celebrations of Onam start on Atham, followed by Chithira, Chothi , Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketa,
Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradom, and last but not least Thiruvonam.Each of these has its own significance and activities Normally Onam celebrations end by Thiruonam. However, two following days after Thiruvonam is also celebrated as Third and Fourth Onam, which are called Avvittom and Chathayam . Avvittom marks the preparations of King Mahabali for his ascension to the heavens. The main ritual for the day is to take the Onattappan statute placed in the middle of Pookalam for the past 10 days and immense in nearby rivers or seas. The Pookkalam will be cleaned and removed and marks the finale of the Onam Chathayamcelebrationsday is also important, as it marks the great dance of lions, known as Puli Kali where men in costumes of lions. Chathayam marks the birthday of one of the famous social reformers of Kerala, Sree Narayana Guru, and is celebrated as Narayana Jayanthi in his honour. The official government Onam celebrations end on this day in the capital cityThiruvananthapuram.
FEATURE / DESTINATIONS
FROM POACHERS TO PROTECTORS
Fighting erupted in Assam in the 1990s. There were calls for the formation of a breakaway state,
for both wildlife and people, they needed to focus their efforts on the community. As a result, they founded the Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society (MMES) in 2003, an effort aimed at involving the community in the conservation of the land and its species. The first order of business should be to put an end to the poaching.
MMES’ conservation accomplishments have been recognized as a model that can be reproduced in other places
Sightings
which resulted in a violent conflict. When the Boro people were in urgent need of food, they turned to hunting the local fauna. The Greater One-horned Rhino population experienced the brunt of this fear, as they all vanished, with the last known sighting in 2002.
36 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA
of the Greater Onehorned Rhino often generate excitement among the local indigenous Boro people, as locals converge to see one of Manas National Park’s most iconic animals. The presence of rhinos, according to Kalicharan Basumatary, a member of the Boro community, is the conclusion of bringing back what was considered to be lost forever.
Seeing the harm that was being done to the wildlife, members of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) decided to take action. They realized that in order to make a long-term and significant difference
Student leaders like Kalicharan knew who the poachers were in their villages since they were members of the Boro community.
“We compiled a list of folks who
industry will generate revenue and jobThepossibilities.”GreaterOne-horned Rhino was also reintroduced to Manas thanks to collaborations with other local and international NGOs. “They’d brought about 30 rhinos in from the outside.” The Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society was given the task of protecting the area. The rhino population has grown. “Now there are 48 of us here,” Kalicharan grins.
37AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA www.tourismindia.org
MMES’ conservation accomplishments have been recognized as a model that can be reproduced in other places, and Kalicharan is pleased with the community’s essential role. “Manas’ pride is Rhino.” They were all gone at one point, but now they’re back. Manas has regained his old brilliance. We’re quite pleased with ourselves for being able to bring it back to life. Our children’s lives should be better than ours. All of this will be feasible if Manas is Source:preserved.”First-hand research
“To stimulate them, we went house to house and spoke to them in front of their wives and children.” We inquired about their family’s support for their hunts. Their spouses and siblings, on the other hand, would not. Their children, too, were opposed to their poaching operations. They eventually surrendered when their families began to support us.” The ex-poachers were persuaded to put their skills to work as patrol guards, keeping out other poachers and dismantling hideouts and traps they come across while earning money. The sum was insignificant, but it was significant at a period
constructed their own guns and hunted with them. To encourage them to lay down their arms, we sent them letters and invited them to the ABSU office.” Only a few people decided to quit poaching at first. With varied degrees of success, other meetings were organized. MMES is being pushed to try new approaches.
when many people were struggling to make ends meet. A more compelling approach was required for those poachers who feared for their livelihoods. Those who continued to resist were arrested and their weapons confiscated by border guards and the Indian troops.Stopping the poaching was only the beginning of the transformation. MMES also focused on increasing the ability and infrastructure for ecotourism, which would help the community financially. It has aided in the training of people to work as safari guides, drivers, and homestay proprietors. Boro weaving and silk workshops, organized by local selfhelp groups, are also part of the one-of-a-kind experience offered to“Ifeco-tourists.weconserve, the number of animals will increase, and people will come to observe them,” Kalicharan says. As a result of the influx of tourists, the ecotourism
38 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA FEATURE / DESTINATIONS
CONSERVATIONISTTURNSRESEARCHERNATURE TO PROTECT GOLDENENDANGEREDTHELANGUR
These striking creatures are listed as one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world by the IUCN.
As always, it’s important to include local communities as they’re the ones living alongside wildlife and sharing the same resources. Jihosuo knows he needs to make them care about the future of golden langurs too and plans to make the langurs a flagship species of the region. By training up locals to engage with the monitoring, they’ll have a vested interest in the success of the project. Eco-tourism will be a real possibility in the future which will help bring increased revenue to the area.
India’s rarest monkeys face a bleakGoldenfuturelangurs are incredible creatures found only in the forests of India and Bhutan. Their stark
black hands and faces contrast sharply with their cream-coloured fur which glows gold under the sun. They’re one of the 61 species of colobine monkeys, found across Africa and Asia. Each species has striking colouring, whilst some also sport unusual facial features ranging from bulbous noses to pink lips and what looks like theatrical eyeSadly,make-up.golden langurs are now severely threatened. Their numbers in Bhutan have dropped by more than 60% than previously thought in just over three decades. In India over half their habitat has been destroyed in the last few decades. As a result, the IUCN Primate Specialist Group listed golden langurs as one of the ’25 most endangered primates in the world’ in 2016-18 and again in 20182020. These monkeys need our help. Luckily we have a partner in India who has successfully worked on primates for years. Jihosuo Biswas, from the Primate Research Centre in NE India, has a plan to halt their decline.
Jihosuo and his team will gather all the information they need about golden langurs in Assam including; what their true numbers are, which areas are critical for them and what are the main threats they face. Thankfully he also has the support of the Forest Department, which will use Jihosuo’s data to give the langur habitat better protected status. The Forest Department staff will respond with immediate management intervention in degraded and isolated areas.
Over the past decade PTES has supported Jihosuo’s work on the hoolock gibbon in the same region. Now we’re entrusting him to give the same help to one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world.
Source: First-hand research
then their forest home has been continuously depleted. What’s more, the remaining groups have become isolated from each other. If individuals cannot move between groups, then they become even more vulnerable and at greater risk of extinction. Jihosuo’s earlier work shows that fewer babies are born in these fragmented groups and mortality rates are higher. Up until now, these langurs have been neglected by the authorities. They need an action plan to ensure their numbers stabilize and then increase.Putting
In India, golden langurs are found in one region, penned in by three rivers: Sankosh in the east, Manas in the west and Brahmaputra in the south. Very little of their range is in protected forests. Just over ten years ago it was thought there were about 6000-6500 golden langurs in this region, but since
primates back on the map
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In response to an earlier study the team carried out, Manas National Park was extended to give protection to a greater area of forest. Now, with newly gathered information, Jihosuo will be calling for other forest to be upgraded to the status of Protected Areas.
The International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN) describes the rare Golden Langur as one of the 25 most endangered primates for the year 2018-2020. While most would just spare a thought of sadness expressed through a singular social media post, some heroic efforts are being made to help India’s golden langur; Anindita Chakrabarty a nature researcher turned conservationist from Assam has been working dedicatedly to prevent further endangerment of theHerprimate.personal discovery of the striking golden-orange primate inspired her to take steps to preserve the species from going extinct.Shehas conducted an extensive survey of the golden langur, in Kokoijana Reserve Forest, Assam. In her survey, she found out the comprehensive population size, troop size, distribution, and demographic structure. She believes that her extensive research will contribute to finding a solution. Till now, she has published two papers on this subject and continues to take it as her mission to ensure that they don’t go extinct.
Nishangram in Assam is primarily known for its cleanliness and for being a rural tourism hub. Besides banning plastic and the circulation of polythene, the villagers have made bamboo dustbins and placed them at different corners of the village to prevent littering.
HOW HOMESTAYA IN THISTOHELPEDVILLAGECUSHIONITDURINGTHEHARSHTIMESOFCOVID-19
A JOB EVERYFORDOOR IN NISHANGRAM ASSAM
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The picturesque village faced a massive challenge with the outbreak of COVID-19 when a large portion of its residents lost their livelihoods.
This homestay initiative initiated by the Block Mission Management Unit, Kushdhowa TD Block of ASRLM has been promoting sustainable livelihood, apart from empowering women and providing them with job opportunities by creating Self-Help Groups (SHGs) thus in its own way sheltering several villagers against the rude shocks of unemployment that Covid 19 Pandemic brought upon them.
FEATURE / DESTINATIONS
Sensing opportunity in adversity, Ajoy Kumar Haloi, Block Project Manager, Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM), came up with an idea to build a rural homestay at Nishangram to provide employment to the deprived section of the society.
First-hand research
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According to Census 2011 information the location code or village code of Nishangram village is 282449. Nishangram village is located in Dudhnai subdivision of Goalpara district in Assam, India. It is situated 7km away from sub-district headquarter Dudhnai (tehsildar office) and 45km away from district headquarter Goalpara.
As per 2009 stats, Damra is the gram panchayat of Nishangram village. The total geographical area of village is 179.43 hectares. Nishangram has a total population of 1,250 peoples, out of which male population is 624 while female population is 626. Literacy rate of nishangram village is 83.84% out of which 84.78% males and 82.91%
females are literate. There are about 201 houses in nishangram village. Pincode of nishangram village locality is Goalpara783122. is nearest town to Nishangram for all major economic activities, which is approximately 45km away.Source:
Deborah and Roger were taming the waves of the Arabian Sea on a morning beach session, when I met them in the Niramaya Beach resort, in Pulinkudi near Vizhinjam, on the southern coast of Trivandrum. My mission was to lead their Kerala Visits, being a German-speaking professional guide belonging to India Tourism by handling the academic, linguistic, and aesthetic sides of their holiday. Apart from being a tourism professional, I enjoy every travel with my clients as an inquisitive traveller. That makes me scribble down my travel impressions and play my second role as a Travel Writer.
Text & Photographs by AJAI KUMAR K S
Due to the unforeseen pandemic that prolonged for two years, after two years of their wedding, Deborah and Roger from Switzerland have selected Kerala to be the first venue of their honeymoon Trip. They are one of the first tourists to land in Kerala after the national borders across the world are opened for “human travellers”. Claire Martignier and Rita Rosser of India &You, the Neuchâtel City-based tour operator in Switzerland, have done all the ground arrangements through their Indian Counterpart, Dravidian Trails, a Cochin-based Tour Operator.
“Kerala’s world-famous health standards also influenced the guests’ preference in selecting Kerala as their longest stay in India”, said Aneeshmon, the Team Manager of Dravidian Trails who has chalked out the tour by carefully including all the spices of Kerala experiences, ranging from beaches, wildlife, backwaters, cities, and heritage.
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“They were particular in selecting Kerala as their first gateway to India as they were lured by the fables on the state’s contribution to the Tourism World,” says Rita Rosser, the Travel Manager of India &You.
TRAVELOGUE OF AN INDIANUNKNOWN
The former Surya Samudra Beach Garden renamed as Niramaya Beach Resort is the very first Heritage Resort in Kerala commenced in the early 80s, by transplanting the traditional Kerala Houses of Nalukettu, and Ettukettu as the rooms, the style of accommodation became a spree in the Kerala Tourism later.
An hour later, when the summer rain started to sprinkle, another one-hour journey took us to Kottoor Elephant Camp as the beginning of our Kerala exploration. The Elephant Camp teaches a visitor the day-to-day life of elephants. Vishnu V, a Vizhinjam resident, with his Toyota Innova car was behind the wheels for the whole
tour and took us to Duke’s Resort, Vithura. Duke’s resort- nestled on the lap of the southern part of Western Ghats - is a five-room resort famous for its personalized staying facilities. Deborah and Roger were the only guests in that haven rise on the banks of River Kallar- etymologically “the pebbled-river”, that flows down from
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with cooked tapioca, Local Biriyani, Beef fried in Pepper with Parotta, Duck Meat, to the local snacks like Dal Vada, Fortkochi Pathiri, Kerala deserts such as Payasam, Halwa, Unniappam, Masala Tea to the “one-meter Tea” of typical road-side teashops were tasted on every stop of the drive. These local food experiences took them with more vigour to the already planned, famous cooking class of Nimmy Paul in Fortkochi, at the end of the tour.
Another treat was the journey on the next day towards Thekkady through the winding roads of Western Ghats. Seven hours-long drive took us from Vithura through the SabarimalaErumeli route where the Ayyappa Temple and Vavar Mosque are situated which is considered to be an icon of religious harmony in Kerala. The summer rain of April has “chased”
us to the half number of days of the tour. The rain stole some parts of the second day’s journey that gave us only filtered views of nature at certain points. The day’s drive ended in Spice Village Resort for a three nights stay that is set up among the trees, bushes, and plants of the spice garden. The next 2 days were bustled with various programs based on nature and cultural activities.NatureWalk on the third day through the Periyar Tiger reserve was intended on a trail of wildlife accompanied by an experienced naturalist with a short Bamboo Rafting ride across the River Periyar. Later in the afternoon, the popular Periyar Boat Ride brought us before the wild animals hidden among the trees of Shola Forests and the grasslands. We could see the swimming elephants, herds of Indian gaur, wild boar, sambar deer, Nilgiri langur, Giant Malabar Squirrel etc. Deborah and Roger’s eyes sparkled when I could spot out and pointed to the aquatic birds like Cormorants and Darters feeding their babies on the nests which are clearly visible some foot away from the boat on the live tree branches still rising on the water.
the Ponmudi Hills. Here symphony of the nature is harmoniously rhythmic with the flowing streams in the vicinity giving a memorable experience of a lifetime.They have readily accepted my suggestions to make the tour far different from a conventional package tour into a local experience tour, which is my usual practice when I am on an assignment. Hence, we could amalgamate their Honeymoon vacation along with visiting and experiencing the local cultures, ways of lifestyle, working skills, etc by mingling with the folk of every spot, and culinary exploration of the indigenous and rustic cuisine. The exploration of palates began with tri-colored bananas, red, green, and yellow. When the tour progressed various native food like Kerala Sadya, Masala Dosa, Fish curry
The next forenoon made us busy with a traditional Spice Garden Visit that houses almost all plants and trees of spices except Saffron. The Garden Walk became a walk for knowledge on spices to the curious Swiss couple. Most of the spice plants, especially Cardamom-the Queen of Spices- were seen for the first time in Thekkady. A short rain spray in the afternoon forced us all to rest in the Resort itself. By twilight, we walked towards the traditional Martial Arts Centre to watch
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Their three-day-long stay in Thekkady was at an altitude of 900 MSL with multiple interesting activities. The next destination surprisingly lies below sea level in the Coconut Lagoon Resort on the shores of Kumarakom Backwaters. Again the winding roads downwards led our journey through the valleys of Western Ghats, passing blue mountains wrapped here and there with silver waterfalls, and streams, and later through the Rubber plantations and busy Kottayam town to the Kumarakom Backwaters. The 10 minutes long ferry took us to the hotel reception, right in front of the picturesque Vembanad Lake. Deborah and Roger along with me were welcomed by Tender Coconut with the Kerala Saree-clad ladies with their million dollars’ worth of smiling faces.
Another set of surprises was awaiting the guests in the aesthetically-rich resort, where again the rooms were transplanted in Kerala’s traditional wooden houses set amidst small canals, abundant tall coconut trees, and unparallel hospitality services. The proximity of the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary has made the innumerable indigenous water birds and the small population of migratory birds - those left behind there towards the end of their visiting season in the Vembanad Lake – come together and waved their welcome notes into their territory during our Sunset Boat Cruise. The Sun is set for the day with a red sky.
The next day was taken over by the romantic Kettuvallom Houseboat Cruise through the large Lake and then through small canals, on both sides paddy fields that offered a close view of village life. Mouthwatering Kerala Lunch cooked and served on board on fresh banana leaves. The already humid day was chilled by nature’s cool breeze. Local fishermen offered their catch of the day when Roger tried to photograph them as a token for their “Modelling”. While the Snake-bird dived into the water for its catch of the day, a
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the Kalaripayattu performance run by Thajudeen, which is some yards away from Spice Village. Kalarippayattu, the traditional martial art of Kerala is considered to be the forefather of Karate and Kung-fu. The one-hour program became another attraction to their Kerala visits. Later Deborah and Roger posed for photographs with the martial artists.
Rita of India & You handles the south Indian queries and her south Indian counterpart Aneeshmon, the Team Manager of Dravidian Trails chalk out the tour packages by carefully designing unique Itineraries, competitive services, and the available best accommodation facilities. Prior to and during the tour, Rita was constantly in touch with me through voice and video calls discussing dayto-day adventures and unconventional travel experiences I provide instantly and spontaneously to enrich the holidays of Deborah and Roger.
Rat snake swam away a bit afar. Then it was the turn of King Fishers to pose for Roger’s Camera. The cruise ended in Coconut Lagoon by early evening as a Butterfly Garden visit along with the bird-watching walk was scheduled for the couple in the resort.
The Physics Graduate Vishnu V, a Spice Shop entrepreneur turned tourist taxi driver due to the onslaught of covid crisis, with his appreciable co-operation and patience, played a vital role in the successful realization of the 09-day long honeymoon trip of Deborah and Roger. Vishnu is well versed with the routes of South India like the lines of his palms.
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As Cochin is the last destination of their Kerala Tour, we have proceeded for and checked in the Old Harbour Heritage Hotel in Fort Kochi. The late noon was devoured for a cooking class with the family of Nimmy Paul, who is a noted personality in the field of cooking classes for visiting tourists to Cochin. The couple was found immersed in the traditional cooking techniques of Kerala
FEATURE / TRAVELOGUE
While India & You, founded and headed by Claire Martignier promotes and sells Destination India to Swiss Tourists, by all its means-Dravidian Trails- with its head office in Cochin specializes in offering their unique, extremely professional hospitality services in South India as a specialized Destination Management Company.
“Heritagecuisine. Walks” through the colonial paths of Fortkochi and then through bustling Jewish Street unto the Jewish Synagogue were part of a half-day Cochin visit. A one-hour visit to the Dutch Palace protected by the
During the departure transfer at Cochin International airport, when we greeted each other “Auf Wiedersehen” in the German language, Vishnu also greeted us the same “till we meet again” in German that he learned from us during our travel.
On their last free day in Keralabefore leaving for New Delhi and then to Vietnam and Tanzania-I have accompanied them to experience Public Transport in view of making them mingle with the local folk. Travelling by state-owned Ferry boat,
Rita Rosser, later who met me personally during the Kerala Travel Mart held in Cochin in the first week of May 2022 conveyed the Excellent Feedback of the whole tour and for my services have ignited my happiness and self-esteem as a professional German speaking guide. I have passed my best regards to Deborah and Roger through Rita and awaiting the new dates to receive their new guests as mentioned by Rita during the visits. It was one of the wonderful assignments in my career that span over a score of years.
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Text & Photographs by AJAI KUMAR K S
Archeological Survey of India gave Deborah and Roger an insight into the historical and cultural legacy of Cochin. By visiting the tomb of the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama in the St. Francis Church, the oldest European Church in India, I could lead their mind into the debut of the colonial era in India.The Dhobi-khana visits in the vicinity of Fort Kochi busied my guests socializing with the local clothwashing community, situated under many gigantic rain trees. Debhorah was successful in using the traditional coconut shell charcoal-filled Iron Box, which is a rare one to find nowadays. Roger extended his helping hands to fold the dried clothes brought in bundles that filled the arena with an outburst of applause and triumphant laughs. Again, a photo session was enacted.Aview of tall Chinese Fishing Nets stands tall on the estuary in the background of the evening red sky adorning the beauty of Fortkochi Beach forcing the couple to spend more time there. Then we moved to Seagull Restaurant on the waterfront, the balcony of which is projected into the waters, where an array of Seafood was waiting for us with a clear view of the sinking Sun into the Arabian Sea.
Jangar Boat that ferries people along with the vehicles, State Transport local bus, Private Bus, Kochi Metrorail and the “Tuk-Tuk” - the chariot of common man, was the last-minute decision that turned out to be an unexpected fun of the tour.
‘YAS YAS BABY’ GOES VIRAL
YAS ISLAND’S
Taking inspiration from Vanilla Ice’s popular 90’s tune ‘Ice Ice Baby’, Yas Island Abu Dhabi, the region’s entertainment capital, has reached millions across social media with its catchy rendition, ‘Yas Yas Baby’ within the first 48 hours of its release.
With over 20 million views in less than 48 hours
The enjoyable video highlights to holidaymakers everything that this exciting destination has to offer, from luxury hotels, to beaches, theme parks and more, all with the charismatic stars of the music video bringing nostalgia with their classic 90’s dance moves.
“This is an amazingly entertaining
TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
The upbeat summer campaign generated millions of views across
Liam Findlay, CEO of Experience Hub, the trade and promotion arm of Yas Island and a subsidiary of Miral, “We are very proud of this campaign and are truly amazed by the results so far. We are very excited that our
ad”, said one commenter on Instagram, while another said, “This reminds me of the good old days”.
48 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA NEWS / DESTINATIONS
audience has found the video engaging and reminiscent of better times. Whilst working on our campaigns, we always try to think outside the box to truly reflect the island’s fun energy in the best way possible. We couldn’t be happier to see people across the UAE enjoying and engaging with our content.’YasIsland is one of the world’s fastest-growing leisure and entertainment destinations, located on the golden shores of Abu Dhabijust 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai. Yas Island offers holidaymakers a diverse mix of award-winning leisure and entertainment experiences, from one-of-a-kind theme parks, worldclass shopping, and superb dining, to a golf course, exciting water and motorsports, and spectacular musical, entertainment, and family events, all within the 25 sq. km Island.
49AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA www.tourismindia.org
No trip to California would be complete without visiting Yosemite National Park which is known for its deep valleys containing some of the world’s tallest waterfalls, giant sequoia trees and wild meadows.
Yosemite’s eastern entrance is just 45 minutes from Mammoth Lakes and together they make a great pairing on any outdoor enthusiast’s itinerary.
California’s Sierra Nevada
A national park, national monument, state parks, an official ghost town, and the world’s oldest trees are all within easy reach for amazing day trips.See the region’s most
To get there from Mammoth Lakes during summer and fall, take the Tioga Pass State Highway 120 to the eastern gate into Yosemite National Park. Or take Yosemite Area Regional Transit (YARTS) which
MammothDESTINATIONSLakesin
Mammoth
A CALIFORNIA TRIP FOR ITINERARYPOST-BREAKYOUR
mountains is a perfectly situated springboard to the ultimate in sightseeing adventures
Lakes is a perfectly situated springboard to the ultimate in sightseeing adventures in summers.
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unbelievable natural and historic site on a three-day trip to Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra.
FEATURE /
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
Catch the scenic shuttle from Mammoth Adventure Center to Reds Meadow (no private vehicles allowed), where you’ll find Devils Postpile National
offers transportation for visitors who would prefer to travel by bus from outlying communities into Yosemite Valley rather than drive themselves.
AN ANCIENT LAKE & GOLD RUSH HISTORY
Just 11.8 miles north you’ll reach the weathered buildings of Bodie State Historic Park, California’s official ghost town and the largest unrestored ghost town in the West.
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explore this unique area.
Back in Mammoth Lakes, you can explore additional mining history at the Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine in the Mammoth Lakes Basin or at the Hayden Cabin Museum on the bank of Mammoth Creek.
REDS MEADOW
Wrap up your adventure with lunch at the Mule House Café at Reds Meadow Resort before catching the shuttle back to Mammoth Lakes. When you’re back at the Mammoth Adventure Center, take a ride on the Scenic Gondola to the summit of Mammoth Mountain and admire the views from 11,053 feet.
Over a million years old and covering nearly 105 square miles, Mono Lake, is situated just north of Mammoth Lakes. Mono Lake is a sightseer’s fairy tale, a nature lover’s dream and an outdoor adventurer’s mecca. Whether launching kayaks through the tufa towers of Navy Beach or meandering along the boardwalks of the South Tufa Area during an evening sunset, there is a way for everyone to
Monument and the 101-foot Rainbow Falls.
Hike along the San Joaquin River to see the unique rock formation. Then, continue on the easy 2-mile hike downstream to Rainbow Falls, named for the colorful rainbows reflected in the mist by the midday sun.
52 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA MAGIC OF MONACO AT FAIRMONT MONTE CARLO PHOTOSHOOTUNDERWATER Be a part of a truly surreal & thrilling experience! FEATURE / DESTINATIONS
And with various accessories and even the option of a night shoot
This brand-new activity is offered in partnership with Bastien Soleil, an underwater artist, artistic director, and, most importantly, a free-diving instructor with extensive experience and expertise who will introduce guests to the joys of swimming underwater without the need for breathing apparatus and to capture these incredible moments on film. This
in the heart of the Principality of Monaco, the Fairmont Monte Carlo, a legendary hotel that is constantly reinventing itself, has created a unique and exclusive new activity for guests: an underwater portrait shoot, either in the Mediterranean or the hotel’s heated swimming pool, preceded by an introduction to free diving.
experience of a lifetime transports guests into a dreamlike yet challenging new world. Bastien’s skill has allowed him to develop a unique method that enables everyone, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, to discover free diving and then pose for a photo underwater.Guidedfrom start to finish, participants will soon move freely and effortlessly in this dreamlike underwater world. After their free diving lesson, the photographer will then explain options open to them: a choice of one of five tableaux developed specifically for this hour-long experience, ranging from a minimalist backdrop to a darker background.
The perfect activity to help you relax and refocus, this experience will teach you more about yourself, how to concentrate on your feelings and control your emotions, as well as how to relax and unwind. And whether you choose the hotel swimming pool or the Mediterranean, this is a unique opportunity not to be missed. An exhibition of beautiful underwater photos can be viewed in the lobby at the Fairmont Monte Carlo, providing a foretaste of what to expect from this underwater world full of surprises!
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available, the possibilities are limitless. Whether you’re an independent traveller or staying at the Fairmont with your loved one or family, this experience will provide you with an array of unique photos that will provide treasured memories of your holiday.
Situated
Spice
Money, the rural fintech that is revolutionising the way Bharat banks, has provided muchneeded access to essential financial services for Komic, the world’s highest motorable village in Himachal Pradesh, by introducing Spice Money Mini-ATM services. This major step takes Spice Money closer to its vision of driving financial inclusion for the last mile in
54 AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA NEWS / NATIONAL SPICE LAUNCHEDMONEY ATM SERVICES AT KOMIC VILLAGE
114 people. Bounded by snowcapped mountains and majestic valleys, the village receives a regular inflow of tourists, both international and Indian. The lack of essential banking and financial services along with sparse internet connectivity stood as a major roadblock for the residents as well as tourists. In order to get access to cash and payment services, they had to travel 18 km away to the district headquarters, Kaza for the nearest ATM. This was not only a great inconvenience for the residents but also hampered the economic growth of the village. Spice Money addressed this problem by empowering a local Kirana store owner to become a Spice Money Adhikari and open his Digital Dukaan at zero cost. This Digital Dukaan now will act as an AePS cash withdrawal, miniATM, bill payment, and loan collection center.While ATM penetration across the hinterlands of India has been inadequate, with one ATM per ten villages on average, Spice Money has been bridging this rural-urban divide with the help of its millionstrong network of mini ATMs, and
the remotest corners of a vast country like India. The company converted one of the only two Kirana Stores in the village into a Spice Money ‘Digital Dukaan’ to offer cash-in cash-out services to the residents and tourists.
Popularly known as the highest village in the world, Komic is located in the beautiful Spiti Valley at an altitude of 15500 ft. with a total population of
The rural fintech that is revolutionising the way Bharat banks, has provided much-needed access to essential financial services to the world’s highest motorable village in Himachal Pradesh
Spice Money has a vast network of 10,00,000 Adhikaris across semiurban and rural parts of the country who are constantly working towards assisting the rural population to get access to banking and financial services. Spice Money has established an extensive assisted-digital ecosystem that penetrates across 95% of rural pin codes, covering 700 districts and 5,000 blocks and serving over 10 crore households.
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Adhikari’s. Last year in May, Spice Money introduced Mini-ATM services in Chitkul, empowering the smallest towns and villages in the remotest corners of India and bringing essential banking and financial services to their doorstep.Mr.Sanjeev Kumar, Co-founder & CEO, of Spice Money, said “A majority of India’s villages still lack banking infrastructure and ATM network. At Spice Money, our mission is to empower the smallest towns and villages in the remotest corners of India and bring essential banking and financial services to their doorstep. Establishing a mini ATM service at Komic is a testimony to our dedication to solving the problem of access across the hinterlands of the country. We are thrilled to mark our presence at the world’s highest village and address the issues faced by residents and tourists through our digitally enabled platform”.
Sanjeev Co-founderKumar,&CEOSpiceMoney
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TUMI FEATURED IN ‘BULLET TRAIN’
In the film, Ladybug is an unlucky assassin determined to do his job
peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course
NEWS / PRODUCT LAUNCH
TUMI’s 19 Degree Aluminum Briefcase “The Case Everyone is After” makes its Hollywood debut in this non-stop thrill ride
TUMI, a leading international travel and lifestyle brand, unveiled its 19 Degree Aluminum Briefcase which is featured in Sony Pictures’
upcoming original action thriller “Bullet Train”, exclusively in theaters.
Leitch. Screenplay by Zak Olkewicz. Based on the book by Kotaro Isaka. Produced by Kelly McCormick, David Leitch, and Antoine Fuqua. Executive Producers are Brent O’Connor, Ryosuke Saegusa, Yuma Terada, and Kat Samick. The film stars Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio and Sandra Bullock.
EquallyEntertainment.strikingfrom a distance or at close range, the TUMI 19 Degree Aluminum Briefcase boasts a sleek, aluminum crafted exterior with bespoke design and durability top of mind. This limited-edition briefcase features a “Bullet Train” patch card pocket with the “Bullet Train” logo in addition to a branded luggage tag. Through the TUMI “Bullet Train” collaboration, only 150 limited-edition briefcases will be available starting July 20th worldwide across select TUMI stores and TUMI.COM. Please check your local TUMI website for pricing. For those unable to get one of these limited TUMI collector’s items, they can visit TUMI.COM to shop the full TUMI 19 Degree Aluminum collection, which is highly durable, and boasts a modern silhouette with fluid-looking, strategically contoured angles.
is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services, and technologies.
“TUMI is synonymous with quality, durability, and toughness and is always looking to the future for inspiration. As the screenwriters and director started laying out what the environment would look like in the film, TUMI was at the top of their list. They looked to TUMI for a hero case that has the aesthetics and durability to be able to surpass the battles that ensue throughout this epic journey,” said TUMI Creative Director, Victor‘BulletSanz.Train’ is Directed by David
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
“There was only one luggage brand that had enough style to fit in with the film’s all-star cast as well as the durability that could go head to head with an ensemble of assassins on one of the world’s fastest trains and that was TUMI, which perfectly fits in with this edgy, action-packed film,” said Jeffrey Godsick, EVP of Global Partnerships and Brand Management and Head of Location Based Entertainment at Sony Pictures
with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives— centering around the TUMI 19 Degree Aluminum Briefcase on the world’s fastest train. The end of the line is just the beginning of this non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan from David Leitch, the director of Deadpool 2.
Leading up to the film’s theatrical release in North America on August 5th, TUMI will be activating an integrated marketing program that includes a global red-carpet premiere and a variety of digital and in-store promotional activities.
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AUGUST 2022 TOURISM INDIA TOURISMINDIAAUGUST2022VOL.25NO.4Rs100
