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Lead Story
TAFI
recognises sub-agents as affiliate members
With a two-pronged objective to reach out to the large retail
agent fraternity and at the same time encash on enrollment
(fee) of sub-agents, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI)
has perhaps become the only Indian travel industry association
to recognise sub-agents as its affiliate members. T
Newstrack
MOT's
new mantra for tourism development: Convergence of resources
Realising the difficulty in developing tourism products in
isolation, the government is now focusing on converging resources
from different departments/ministries.
SAARC
tourism ministers hopeful of working towards joint tourism
co-operation
Though the recently held 14th SAARC (South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation) summit held in New Delhi recently
did not give tourism the required emphasis, the individual
tourism minister's and national tourism boards (NTOs) are
hoping to promote tourism within the SAARC region.
Tourism
Malaysia offers series of activity based events throughout
the year
As part of its Visit Malaysia 2007 celebrations theme and
campaign, Tourism Malaysia is offering its Indian clientele
a series of year round adventure, activity and theme based
events and festivals to visit and explore.
Uplink
Tourism
New Zealand develops 'layer' for Google Earth
Search engine Google, through its popular Google Earth™
product, has teamed up with New Zealand's tourism marketing
organisation to create a new ‘layer’ on Google Earth.
Akbar
to launch its online initiative in India
Come May 2007 and Akbar Travels is set to launch its first
e-commerce vehicle, which would be both B2B and a B2C initiative.
30 Minute Interview
‘We
will increase our emphasis on online media’
VisitBritain's specialist programme seems to be in its embryonic
stage at present but things may crystallise later this year
for the trade. Paramjit Bawa, its country manager (India),
speaks about the board's India-specific plans and strategies
for 2007-08 in an interview with Reema Sisodia
‘We
want to keep reinforcing our presence in the Indian market’
Kulwant Singh, managing partner of Lama Desert Tours &
Cruises, was recently in India with the support of Department
of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Indian Representative,
Government of Dubai. He speaks about the company's India focus
with Reema Sisodia
Interview
‘Our
focus is the high-end niche traveller’
Tourism New Zealand recently re-launched its Kiwi Specialist
Programme, an online training module for travel operators
seeking to sell the destination. Steena Joy met with Kiran
Nambiar, country manager (India), Tourism New Zealand to find
out what's different about the revised module and the NTO's
plans for the Indian market.
‘We
want to work with Indian travel associations’
With about 17,508 islands, most of them still unnamed, Indonesia
is among the most exotic neighbours that India has. Tito Dos
Santos Baptista, Consul General Of The Republic Of Indonesia,
Mumbai, speaks with Express TravelWorld about its India strategies.
Quick Bytes
New
offices
Channel Chat
ETAA
looks to trade for setting up regional chapters
Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA) has announced
that it will set up regional chapters across India, one of
which will come up in Bangalore in the next three months.
It will be headed by Shafi Ahmed, managing director of Seair
Travels & Trade.
Macroview
Delhi
gets a 'developmental' budget
Close on the heels of railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav,
Delhi's finance minister, A K Walia has presented an equally
positive state budget 2007-08.
E&Y
to chart tourism promotion strategies for Bengal
International consultancy firm Ernst & Young has been
given the mandate by the West Bengal Tourism Department to
draw a roadmap for promotion of tourism.
Incredible
India campaign to go vernacular, online
The new leg of the Incredible India campaign will go beyond
the existing source markets to concentrate traditional markets
like Spain, Italy, Western Europe, Germany, France and the
US.
Outbound
Rail
Europe speeds up growth with 'Destination Europe'
European Railways-owned Rail Europe has joined hands with
major European tourism boards to promote seamless travel in
Europe by trains. The tourism boards of France, Switzerland,
Italy and the UK came together in this Rail Europe initiative.
Tradebytes
Hyderabad
unveils one-stop shop for tourists
Hyderabad, which bagged the PATA 2008 event as the host city,
added another tool to its destination marketing strategy with
the unveiling of 'Paryatak Bhavan', a unique 2.18 lakh feet
space for tourism offices and others related facilities from
across the country.
Ezeego1.com
launches B2B module for agents
Ezeego1.com has launched a B2B platform for the travel agent
community with an aim to provide `next generation' online
travel solution to travel agents and tour operators.
Singapore
signs MoU to host Asian edition of ITB
Messe Berlin, organiser of the ITB, and the Singapore Tourism
Board have signed a deal that will see Singapore host the
show's first-ever Asian Edition annually from October 2008
onwards. Lim Neo Chian, deputy chairman and CEO of the Singapore
Tourism Board and Raimund Hosch, president and CEO of Messe
Berlin, signed an MOU at an inauguration ceremony held at
Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
HICSA 2007
India
Outlook 2010
To make most of the current boom in the Indian hospitality,
investors and hoteliers enrolled themselves for the Hotel
Investment Conference - South Asia (HICSA) held on April 4
- 5, 2007. Manav Thadani, managing director of HVS Hospitality
Services, in his presentation 'India Outlook 2010' laid down
hard facts from the research conducted by HVS.
Incredible
India!
Giving a glimpse into the meteoric growth India has witnessed
over the past decade, Amitabh Kant points out that India is
the fastest growing tourist economy where tourism has grown
at a whopping 13 per cent per annum in the past four years.
"
SA
regional outlook
Citing the example of the India Incredible campaign, Dr Daniel
Thorniley commented that India was doing great in almost every
sector and countries all over the world need to take inspiration
from the country.
Luxury
resorts as destinations
Though the first session at the second and the last day of
HICSA 2007 revolved around luxury resorts as destinations,
the atmosphere during the discussion was anything but relaxed,
as panelists, which comprised hotel companies with luxury
brands, debated as to the real meaning of luxury.
Alternate
hospitality: Timeshare, condos, fractional ownership, vacation
homes
Alternate hospitality is the concept of taking a resort, apartments
or urban accommodation unit and dividing its use rights each
year into increments of time such as a week or a month.
Snippets
Globetrotter
A
shift in the wind
Years after India launched the 'Look East' policy in order
to create a more balanced world order, the Arab world is beginning
to do the same - and both India and Asia stand to be substantial
beneficiaries.
Hotel Talk
Tourists
taken for a ride by taxi drivers in Goa
A taxi ride of just 30 kilometres from any hotel in Goa to
the beach could cost half as much as airfare from Mumbai to
Goa. Taxi drivers here are known to fleece unsuspecting tourists
stating astounding rates for even a short ride.
Starwood
to bring all its brands to India
Outlining its strategy for the Indian market, American hospitality
major Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is poised to
introduce all brands in its portfolio into India, preferably
through the joint venture route where the hotel chain will
have a 20-25 per cent equity stake.
Choice
Hotels teams up with Royal Indian Raj
Choice Hotels has signed up with Royal Indian Raj International
Corporation (RIRIC) to build at least 12,000 budget-style
hotel rooms under different brands namely the Comfort Inn,
Quality, Sleep Inn and Clarion Brands.
Chef
Satish Arora becomes first Indian to win international award
Satish Arora, director (Food Production) at Taj Sats - a joint
venture of Taj group of hotels and Singapore Airlines - has
been awarded the first international lifetime achievement
award by Curry Club of UK, London.
Global
hospitality majors keen on pampering Kerala
Following the quick footstep of international travellers,
global hospitality majors too are keen to cash in on Kerala.
Some of the big names from the West Asia and South East Asia
have shown serious interest in setting up a hotel in Kerala.
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