Galileo - Express Travel & Tourism Awards

The Awards Process

Five centuries ago, one of the greatest discoveries was made by accident. An accident, which earned Christopher Columbus, an Italian sailor and explorer, a place in the annals of history. On Friday, October 12, 1492, Columbus set foot on the shore of a Caribbean island and discovered a 'New World - The Americas'. The chance discovery of this huge continent was a happy accident of the vision and scheme of Columbus' sailing West to reach the riches of the East. The path-breaking journey was achieved after years of struggle against established beliefs and arguing his plans in courts of Portugal, England, France and Spain to secure patronage. Finally, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain backed Columbus. The discovery of the Americas not only brought wealth to Spain but also opened a 'New World' to western civilisation.

Travel, as we know it today has come a long way from the days of Columbus and has metamorphosed into a colossal industry worldwide. Pegged as potentially largest economic driver of the future, the travel industry in India is poised for exciting times ahead. Navigating through the fast expanding horizons of the travel trade, Express Travel & Tourism - India's Travel Business Magazine - from the Indian Express Group has constantly endeavoured to break traditional ground and chart areas hitherto unexplored in the Indian travel industry. In lieu with this philosophy, Express Travel & Tourism embarked upon an epic journey to promote professionalism and facilitate the benchmarking of higher levels of performance or standards within the industry. Express Travel & Tourism along with industry partner Galileo launched the first-ever Galileo-Express Travel and Tourism Awards for the Indian travel trade. These awards were instated to recognise and reward excellence in the Indian travel and tourism industry, which would prove as a catalyst towards achieving truly international levels of competence.

Columbus Rediscovered

Setting sail on a path-breaking voyage called for an extensive and detailed preparation. The Express Travel & Tourism editorial and marketing team got together six months ago, brain storming to get things shipshape for the long arduous journey to the awards night. First task at hand was to find a motif for the awards, one which would signify the highest respect that could be bestowed upon on a travel professional or an organisation and that would adeptly capture the spirit of excellence in an industry known for its exacting standards. The quest was for a motif that could capture the 'New World' vision that the Indian travel industry had absorbed in recent years. It would also be one that could be extended and expressed powerfully through a multi-media campaign and lend itself to weave a theme for the mega awards night function. As the awards were aimed to honour discovery, innovation, creativity and vision, Christopher Columbus was a unanimous and first choice as the 'Captain of the Ship' so as to speak, for the journey. He was the perfect icon, leader and pioneer, who explored new horizons and made one of the most unforgettable discoveries in history. He exemplified everything that was quintessential to the meaning of travel. Once Christopher Columbus was chosen as the motif, the team for the awards statute undertook an exhaustive research. After going through all possible data and material on Columbus along with innumerable pictures, the team decided to design the statute as Columbus standing tall looking ahead to conquer new horizons with a map symbolising his vision in his hand. Keeping in mind his stature as an ancient historical figure a fine polished bronze look and feel was picked for the statute.

The Journey

With the theme and motif for the awards in place, work began on a war footing. The next step was to choose various categories of awards and setting up a process of judging, which is transparent and non-biased. In order to authenticate the awards and ensure non-biased judging, Express Travel & Tourism appointed Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) India Pvt Ltd consultants of international repute and market credibility as research partners. Playing a key role, Deloitte not only provided transparency to the judging process by supervising the overall data collation and evaluation but also assured confidentiality of information supplied by the nominees. The framework for the first edition of the Galileo-Express Travel & Tourism Awards was carefully thought-out and put together by a panel of experts within the industry and the publications distinguished Editorial Advisory Board. The categories are derived based on the verticals of the pyramid of the industry.

The Categories

• Best Inbound Tour Operator
• Best Outbound Tour Operator
• Best Domestic Airline
• Best International Airline West Bound from India
• Best International Airline East Bound from India
• Best State Tourism Board
• Best International Tourism Board
• Best Luxury Hotel Chain
• Best Business Hotel Chain
• Most Innovative Marketing Campaign
• Best Technology Practices
• Editor's Choice Award

The Awards

Having analysed the journey, we will now take a brief look at the conceptualisation of every award, that was a tribute to innovation and technology putting India on the world map.

Airlines

This section was sub-divided into three segments namely:

• Best East Bound
• Best West Bound
• Best Domestic

The decision to divide the three sub-categories was to level the playing field and provide equal opportunity for airlines operating to either side of the globe from India.

Hotels

For this category, the decision was taken to honour chains rather than individual properties. This was done because service providers normally book their client on a specific chain rather than an individual property, hence, the focus was on a brand and not an individual property. Within that, the category is further sub-divided into two distinct segments namely:

• Luxury
• Business

Various operational segments of the hotel industry have been used as benchmarks for selection and excellence. Some of the segments taken into account were aspects related to food and beverage (F&B) such as variety and quality offered specialties related to world cuisine etc. In-house and in-room service, front office interaction taking into account facilities such as reservations, billing, travel desk as well as concierge services as well as back office interactions that would comprise interactions with reservations accounts department. Other details such as value for money promotional offers, loyalty schemes and also marketing and communications were considered.

International Tourism Boards

Most International Tourism Boards or better known as ITB's function as the nodal agency that bridge the world with India. They have brought in various international destinations on the Indian soil and given the Indian traveller a gamut of choices where international holiday destinations are concerned. In a way, these tourism boards have changed the perceptions and impressions of the Indian travel and tourism business. New international destinations have made inroads into the Indian market giving the trade new business options, which in turn has resulted in an increase in forex earnings.

State Tourism Boards

This section of the trade plays a pivotal role in highlighting the travel and tourism potentials of India. Be it heritage, culture, art or even nature, each state aims to project and promote these aspects aggressively with the help of their respective boards. They also play an important role in attracting foreign tourists to theirs respective states.

Tour Operators

This category had been further sub-divided into:

• Inbound,
• Outbound

This section was conceptualised to differentiate and recognise efforts of trade in promoting India both in the domestic and international market.

Editor's Choice Award

This award has been instated to acknowledge significant contributions of an individual in the travel trade. This award is not in the nature of a lifetime achievement award but an award that recognises an individual's achievements and contributions toward the industry over the past couple of years.

After a brief run-down on all segments, the only segment omitted what the travel agent segment. This segment was not earmarked as a category for the awards primarily because their business module is dependent on the volume of tickets issued, which in this case, clearly boils down to a handful of consolidators.

The Process

The first edition of the awards were based on a healthy mix of objective facts and information derived from operations of the nominated companies and some selective polling from within the industry on various qualitative and subjective criteria.

The Advisory Board of Express Travel & Tourism formulated the nomination forms. A qualifying period of April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003 was stipulated for information, facts, and figures required for validating the nomination forms. Alongside the nominations, a countrywide polling process was conducted amongst all IATA agents. This entire polling process was personally executed by the Express Travel & Tourism team based in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai and Kochi.

A total of 500 forms were collectively duly completed and handed over to Deloitte, who then conducted an evaluation and analysis of the data. The polling forms were a mix of subjective and objective questions designed to keep a healthy balance of facts and opinion from users of the services in each categories.

The Evaluation

Under the objective criteria, nomination forms were received from entities who desired to participate in the appropriate category (ies). There were considered under the following factors:

• The duly filled objective form solely on the information provided
• A CA certificate / annual report
• Where information has not been provided or where incomplete information has been provided, these inputs have not been considered
• Technology Practices decided by an independent jury of key Deloitte members
• Innovative Marketing Campaign by an independent jury

Under the subjective criteria, polling forms were sent to a group of all IATA agents all across India. Where the objective criteria was applied, the following factors were considered:

• Revenues earned in the particular line of business
• Operational efficiency as demonstrated by parameters like the profitability and standard industry ratios.
• The reach of the service in terms of destinations/number of clients serviced
• The infrastructure to service the Indian market

The subjective criteria considered the following factors:

• Service levels as perceived by the trade.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully market and promote the services offered.
• Demonstrated ability to innovatively increase market share.
• Demonstrated ability to retain market share.

Apart from the well-established verticals of the industry, the think tank for the awards came up with the idea of introducing two non-traditional categories of awards. They are were:

• Best Marketing Campaign
• Best Technology Practices

Best Marketing Campaign

Marketing in the present era works as the most effective tool that ensures product success and publicity. It works as a vital channel for business building and brand development. Marketing is also the most effective tool to highlight a product that is ready for sale. The travel and tourism industry is no exception to the rule. In fact, it plays a very important role in this business as products are sold or promoted in the tourism industry are rather intangible and abstract. The emphasis is based on selling and experience rather than a hardcore tangible product. It thus brings to light catchy highlights of the respective destinations. The right marketing strategy can give a destination an all-new beginning. Bearing all these above-mentioned factors in mind, the Most Innovative Marketing Campaign award category aimed to bring out the innovative and direct communicative strategies used by nominees across all categories to convey what they had to offer as a product to focused and well-informed traveller. To judge the award, a special marketing jury consisting of eminent experts and noted personalities from the advertising fraternity and top corporate giants of the country had been set up to evaluate the marketing campaigns submitted by various nominees.

Best Technology Practices

Information Technology has touched every aspect of our lives and has become an indispensable tool of modern living, more so in the travel trade. The award was instituted to recognise verticals of the trade that have incorporated technology to revolutionise the way business is done especially in the present times. It also considered the use of state-of-the-art tools in the area of business as it is more of a necessity in the present times to avoid the word passé or redundant to be attached with a brand.

With all the categories well in place and the process underway, a sustained advertising campaign was launched over a period of three months to create a buzz and build up for the mega awards night. The publication carried a series of advertisements and a teaser campaigns leading up to the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) annual convention in Genting, Malaysia, where the Columbus statute was unveiled for the first time amidst great fan fare. The advertisements were also in accord with the theme and were given a feel of parchment paper embossed with accessories used during the era of Columbus. In addition, a telemarketing exercise and multi-media campaign was also undertaken to create general interest and awareness for the awards.

The Grand Finale

After all the hard work and rigors of the journey, the grand finale was an unforgettable event. The entire awards night was theme-based, designed and conceptualised by Fountainhead, a leading event management company in Mumbai. As promised, the evening had the who's who of the travel fraternity in attendance. Jagmohan, union minister for tourism and culture, government of India was the chief guest for the function along with minister for civil aviation, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who was the Guest of Honour. The awards night promised to be an 'affair to remember' and it certainly was definitely worth the wait!