asian traveller march 2013

4 ASIAN TRAVELLER | MARCH 2013

through the pagesVol. 6. No. 7. MARCH 2013

P 20-21

Krishnaprasad athena niLaY saran

TEN QUESTIONS

P 6-7

on

ATM DUBAI

WOMAN OF THE MONTH

P 8-9

FIRST PERSON

P 15

P 36-37

10 Alpine Jewel: Innsbruck

13 National Tourism Awards Announced

16 Temple Towns in Tamil Nadu 20 SPLASHING GOA 24 The Brighter Side of Maldives

28 Madhya Pradesh- The Mighty Tourism

32 Thailand - Gateway to ASEAN 36 The Tell Tale Villages of

Portugal 44 Kerala Tourism Wins Das

Goldene Stadttor Award

April Issue

our special focus

T rr acrin a G. Biju KrishnanEditor & Publisher

[email protected]+91 9447555222

Today the tourism and hospitality industry in India contributes around 6.23 per cent to the national GDP and 8.78 per cent of the total employment in the country. The constant transformation has made the Indian hotel industry more functional and practical and

has gained a level of acceptance world over. The standards of facilities and services offered have evolved over the last decades towards the extensive use of technology, environment friendly services, pricing, market segmentation, regional preferences etc. The Indian hotel industry has seen a significant growth in room inventory across categories from upscale luxury to limited services and boutique and budget hotels. The occupancy and the room rates have seen continued gains both from the domestic and the international traveller in both the business and leisure segment. With the continued growth in India’s GDP, improvement in the per capita income and increased aspirational spending, the Indian hospitality sector is expected to grow faster than most countries around the world.

The effect of the union budget 2012-13 on travel and tourism can be dissected from two different angles – the short term effect and the medium to long term effect. In the

short term the budget is negative for the tourism sector and may lead to a demand pullback. Across the board increase in taxes on luxury

products will hurt demand for luxury travel in the short term as the additional expenditure on luxury products will reduce

disposable income of high net worth individuals for discretionary purchases such as travel. Although there is

no change in slabs for personal income tax and there is only a marginal relief in the form of tax credit, the budget through

its far reaching tentacles of fiscal consolidation will hurt demand for travel from low and middle income group segment.

The strengthening of macroeconomic fundamentals will have a multiplier effect on demand for travel and tourism.

Having said that the budgets have traditionally been disappointing for the travel and tourism sector as the subsequent governments have

failed to recognize and encourage the potential of this industry. In fact there is a long pending demand of the industry for a ‘priority industry sector status’ for travel and tourism which yet again has failed to find favours. The finance minister has talked about rationalization of direct taxes and efforts to fast track the GST roll-out, but he has failed to address the long pending demand of easing out service tax complexity and ambiguity in the travel and tourism industry. Among other pending issues not addressed in the budget are the rationalization and reduction of taxes on ATF, tax concessions to tourism industry for infrastructure spending and fast track and single window clearing system for tourism and hospitality projects. As usual the expected consideration was not given for the tourism and hospitality sector in this budget also.

Impact of Union Budget on Tourism Sector

Editor & Publisher : G. Biju Krishnan

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EDITOR’S NOTE

5ASIAN TRAVELLER | MARCH 2013


TEN QUESTIONS

Exploring new avenues and utilizing the opportunities to the maximum is the success of Krishnaprasad, General Manager of Vivanta by Taj, Surya Coimbatore He has a wide knowledge and vast expertise in the hospitality industry and the key to his success to the top level is his hardwork and determination. ASIAN TRAVELLER in an exclusive interview unveils his views and ideas to the readers in an elaborate manner.

Inspirational LeadershipYou have been in the hospitality industry for the past several years. Could you tell us about your early days? What made you enter into the hospitality sector?

A career in the hospitality industry can be very rewarding and will take you along paths you may never have considered. The hospitality industry can be very exciting and glamorous, and it will afford you the opportunity to travel and work with thousands of people. New challenges and increasing job opportunity is what makes the hospitality industry so great and why it has survived for so many years. This industry, like many other industries, seeks and requires a certain personality to be successful. Although these qualities

may seem simple, they are constantly put to the test due to the requests of people served by this very demanding industry. Regardless of where you work within hospitality, you will be required to exceed customer expectations to ensure the experience they have at your facility is valuable, pleasant, and memorable. Apart from the above one of the vital reason’s I had decided to join the Indian Hotels Company Ltd as the organization is part of the Tata’s and Tata’s believe in ethics, very strong value systems and practice “giving back to the Society and Community”.

What plans do you have for the company?

My goal is to ensure

that we continue market leadership in this extremely competitive environment. With many multinational brands opening shop in the country, attrition level is in on a high in the hotel industry. I would like to retain talent and nurture the youth to grow in the company and set directions for their career path.

How do you see the role of a hotel in developing a destination? What all things can hospitality sector do in this regard?

For any destination to be on the global map, hotels play a vital role in creating a destination. Take examples of Goa or Kerala, Taj Hotels were the first to set foot in these destinations. Today these destinations are a must visit

for any tourist. What I mean is that a hotel can add value to tourism.Taj hotels have carved a niche for itself in all the major tourist destinations and the destination and the hotel industry are intertwined.

Would you please share with us the proudest moments and some of the unforgettable moments in your professional life?

My proudest moment is working for the house of TATAs and the Taj group of Hotels. Unforgettable moment is the various interactions I have had with Mr. JRD Tata and meeting Princess Diana. The other moments would be the times when we did CSR activities, where we served Destitute under Privileged Children.

In your career, have you


TEN QUESTIONS

ever worked abroad? What according to you are the advantages of working overseas?

Yes, I have worked abroad. I have worked in Maldives & Sri Lanka. I think overseas makes you better professionals and teaches you the value of Time Management and manpower management.

Where would you like to see yourself, say, 10 years from now?

I would like to enjoy a retired life and still contribute to the Hospitality Industry.

How do you see the growth prospects of Indian hospitality sector?

The hospitality industry is one of the most dynamic industries and continues to grow year after year. The World Travel Organization predicts that it will triple in size by the year 2020, becoming one of the largest industries in the world. This

growth will provide many employment opportunities for people with the right qualifications.

Even when the world economy is showing a sluggish growth with uncertain employment prospects, the fast growing hospitality industry is heralding a pivotal change in career options with an exciting variety of career choices thereby increasing scope and future prospect of hospitality and tourism industry. However, it is projected to grow at a rate of 8.8% by 2016, which would place India as the second-fastest growing tourism market in the world.

Over the last decade or so the mad rush to India for business opportunities in the hospitality industry has intensified and elevated room rates and occupancy levels in India. The successful growth story of ‘Hotel Industry in India’ seconds only to China in Asia Pacific. The Hotel Industry is inextricably linked

to the tourism industry and the growth in the Indian tourism industry has fuelled the growth of Indian hotel industry. The thriving economy and increased business opportunities in India have acted as a boon for Indian hotel industry. The arrival of low cost airlines and the associated price wars have given domestic tourists a host of options.

The hotel industry in India is going through an interesting phase. The industry has a capacity of 110,000 rooms. According to the tourism ministry, 4.4 million tourists visited India last year and at the current rate, the demand will soar to 10 million by 2010 – to accommodate 350 million domestic travelers.

Also India has been ranked as the fourth most preferred travel destination and with Lonely Planet selecting the country among the top five destinations from 167 countries; India

has finally made its mark on the world travel map. Thus, the increase in the need for accommodation has hugely increased the demands for hotels which in turn has boosted the growth of the hospitality sector in India especially that of the hotel industry

About your family?

My lovely wife Asha and two Children, daughter Upasana in College &Pushkal in his final year of school.

Please tell us about your hobbies and other interests?

My hobbies include playing cricket, listening to music, watching movies and reading.

Which is your favorite destination? Why?

My favorite destinations are Singapore and Thailand; Singapore is a very disciplined country and Thailand is famous for its tourism attractions and the way they promote it.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | MARCH 2013

Q & A

In the challenging world of hospitality industry, there are some amazing women who handle the tough situations with impeccable finesse. Athena, General Manager, Keys Hotel, Hosur Road, Bangalore is one such woman who has made her mark in the hospitality industry. She, in an exclusive interview with Asian Traveller, shares her experiences in the industry…

The hospitality sector is a very inspiring and change savvy sector. Being a woman what was the motivation behind your idea of venturing into this sector and that too with great confi dence?

I was aspiring to be a medical student and wanted to be a pediatrician. However, my parents strongly felt that I was better suited for the hospitality industry. My upbringing has exposed me to various global cultures, arts and cuisines which I have learnt to appreciate since I was child. I enjoy travelling and exploring new places. Learning about Food and Beverage during my three years of hotel management kept me intrigued with the

vastness of the subject. After completing my three year course, I had the opportunity of doing my post graduation at The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development which was

instrumental in giving me the confi dence of venturing

into the industry.As the GM of Keys hotel what were the initial changes you adopted to give the hotel

a new look in the business area?

Keys Hotel is a brand of Berggruen Hotels Pvt. Ltd. The company has set up a leading chain of mid market hotels, resorts and service apartments across India under its brand of Keys Hotels, Resorts and Apartments.

The focus is on providing value for money accommodation for the young mid-segment traveler. All properties follow the Keys Brand Personality of being stylish, cheerful, cutting edge and International. Keys Resorts are more up-market, and have enhanced facilities to cater to the discerning holiday and MICE segments. This is my second year with the company and I have had the privilege of running a Keys resort last year and currently running a business hotel. In a business hotel, the team has minimal opportunities of interacting with the guest. The focus has always been to ensure that the quality of service extended during that limited interaction creates value for our guest and ensures comfort, convenience and effi ciency in line with the product design. This strongly refl ects the distinction of the Keys brand in the market.Brief us about your fi rst assignment in the hospitality sector?

My fi rst assignment was with The Oberoi Group in training and development. It was an unusual start to a career, but when the opportunity came, I was open to developing myself and progressing in the training fi eld of the hospitality industry. I had the advantage of joining at a supervisory level and be a part of a fantastic team which looked after training for both the hotels in Mumbai. The role was challenging and required creativity which is one of my strengths. This role gave me a lot of space to conceptualise and deliver various assignments which involved team welfare activities and making training activities fun and engaging

Learning about Food and Beverage during my three years of hotel management kept me intrigued with the

vastness of the subject. After completing my three year course, I had the opportunity of doing my post graduation at The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development which was

instrumental in giving me the confi dence of venturing

into the industry.As the GM of Keys hotel what were the initial changes you adopted to give the hotel

a new look in the business area?

Keys Hotel is a brand of Berggruen Hotels Pvt. Ltd. The company has set up a leading chain of mid market hotels, resorts and service apartments across India under its brand of Keys Hotels, Resorts and Apartments.

AthenaGeneral Manager,Keys Hotel, Hosur Road, Bangalore


Q & A

for team members. The experience added tremendous value at a very early stage in honing skills like planning, organising, directing and executing at a practical level with a team of people. I was working with a team of people who were older than me but were extremely supportive in helping me achieve my objective.

Working with an experienced team at an early stage in your career has a huge learning advantage especially when one is working in a people’s industry. One’s experience and learning is drawn largely from these people who have had similar experiences at some point of time in their professional tenure. My first assignment gave me a strong foundation as hospitality professional and has largely contributed to my learning at every stage of growth.You will be having great moments of glory which you have achieved in the long run of your career. Can you share with us your proudest moments of achievements ?

There are many. As a hospitality professional, one is always humbled when one

drives a team that contributes towards creating fond memories for a guest. Besides, being a mentor to fellow team members and adding value to their growth is also gratifying. The opportunity of being a lady General Manager with Keys Hotel is one of the proudest achievements that motivates me, especially when many guests express it as a pleasant surprise. Being a woman what were the hurdles you faced from the industry?

It’s what you perceive as a hurdle. Hurdles are important because they fortify your spirit to get up and get back to achieving your objective. The environment continues to get competitive as you advance in your career. That will remain inevitable. Conviction of how you (as a woman) manage your priorities and deliver the expected result at the end of the day is what matters and gets valued. It is really nice to see more women join the industry but I would like to see more opportunities given to women at senior positions or more women take up more opportunities for the same.How do you rate your success story so far?

It has been a fantastic journey so far. I have been privileged in obtaining a varied exposure in the industry, be it Food and Beverage, Front Office , HR and Training. Each of these fields have had a significant impact on where I am today, though they are not the only aspects of contribution. My upbringing and exposure to the Creative fields also adds a strong dimension to my success.

You can be passionate about your profession but your profession should not be your only passion to be successful. And I strongly believe that every time you reach a pedestal of sorts where you get comfortable, it’s time to break the mould. Besides, the quest of learning, your experience and success does depend on the number of times you have broken that mould and grown as a person/professional.From the career point of view, hospitality industry job is not a story of bouquets and batons all the time. Brief us from your own experience how you handle these situations with calm and dignity?

You cannot afford to stress over situations. Situations are transitory and should not be considered bigger than you for it to be treated as over whelming at any point of time. Between reacting and buying a bit of time to deliberate and review, it’s best to choose the latter most of the times.Who is the most influential person in your life?

My family (parents and brother) has been influential and have always added more perspective towards my outlook besides making

me have a holistic and liberal approach towards life. Their influence also lies in the fact that they are my strength.Share with us the lighter moments of your life which you spend with your family?Good food and laughter are mandatory requisites when the family is together. The cultural diversity in the family does not require us to find an occasion to celebrate. Lighter moments would include endless cups of coffee and conversations in the morning, to trying out new restaurants, or the entire family getting together and cooking with wine which need not necessarily be added to the food.What are your future aspirations and plans about your career?

When I entered, the industry, I wanted to become a General Manager in a given period of time. Now, the journey as a General Manager has just begun. The current period is work in progress and a lot of learning. The next few years would help in clarifying the aspiration further. Will wait till it’s time to break the mould again .

10

Austria


The scenery around the Olympic city of Innsbruck is quite

breathtaking and almost everywhere you look you will see distant, snowcapped mountains and a true Alpine landscape. However, when you are strolling around the medieval Old Town (Altstadt) of Innsbruck, the mountains begin to vanish from view and your eyes are drawn to the architecture and shop windows, particularly along streets such as the Herzog Friedrich Strasse, home of the city’s extravagant Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl).

Innsbruck is the provincial

capital of Tyrol and the fifth largest city in Austria by population. Innsbruck has twice played host to the prestigious Winter Olympic Games, in 1964 and again in 1976. The surrounding mountain range comprises the Alps and also the Tuxer mountains, and in the winter months, becomes nothing short of a skiing Mecca. In fact, you can even ski in the summer on the nearby Stubai Glacier, which stands just a short distance from the south of central Innsbruck.

Many visitors choose to purchase the Innsbruck Card upon their arrival, which provides entrance to

museums, free use of buses, and is available from the Tourist Information Office on the Burggraben. For the latest tourism offerings, check out the office’s very own newspaper, the ‘Innsbruck Hallo!’, which even features a good map and plenty of further information, including events listings.

The Alpine scenery around Innsbruck has always been one of the city’s biggest drawcards, particularly when it provides such superb skiing. However, during the summer months, there is still much to see around the city, including many mountain creatures at the Alpine Zoo

(Alpenzoo), seasonal flowers at the University Botanical Gardens, and some historic medieval architecture, such as the Stadtturm. Also known as the Town Tower, the spectacular views from the top of the Stadtturm are worth experiencing. Alternatively, there is usually something of interest at the Olympia World complex and its Tivoli Neu Stadium.

Much of Innsbruck has a noticeable Baroque influence and St. Jacob’s Cathedral is one such building exuding this character, as is the Old Federal State Parliament on the Maria Theresien Strasse. The 14th-century City Hall is

Alpine Jewel: Innsbruck


Austria

located close to the University of Innsbruck and is rather medieval in its appearance, as is the city’s magnificent Kaiserliche Hofburg Palace. A much more recent addition to the Innsbruck cityscape is the Bergisel Tower, which is perched high above the ski-jump stadium and offers almost overwhelming panoramas as far as the eye can see.

The Tyrol region is very much celebrated within the museums of Innsbruck, where information about the city and its Olympic past is plentiful. Make time to visit the recently extended Swarovski Kristallwelten, where you can see some wonderful crystal creations, displayed in subterranean caves. Also of

interest is the Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum and its Gothic statues, the Alpenvereins Museum and its collection of Alpine art, and the Galerie Augustin, where Austrian art is both promoted and displayed.

Outside of Innsbruck, the beautiful Alpine scenery really warrants a closer look and there are endless holiday resorts close by. Just minutes to the south is the resort of Aldrans, where summer hiking and winter skiing are the main drawcards. Similar recreational activities attract tourists to Axams, Birgitz, Igls, and also Götzens, which is one of the largest holiday resorts in Austria’s Tyrol region and literally minutes from Innsbruck. Ischgl is yet another neighbouring resort and known as much for its amazing ‘Top of the Mountain’ rock concerts as it is for skiing.

Innsbruck Landmarks and Monuments

The main landmarks in Innsbruck consist of historical buildings and prominent monuments to the past, such as the Old Federal State Parliament (Altes Landhaus), the City Hall (Stadtsaal), and the rather showy Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl).

The twin-towers of the St. Jacob’s Cathedral have long been one of the most recognisable landmarks in the city of Innsbruck and date from the early part of the 18th century.

Also of interest is the Kaiserliche Hofburg, a grand palace, which is currently home to an interesting history museum. Over the course of the year, this landmark hosts a number of notable local events and functions. The Café Sacher at the Kaiserliche Hofburg is on hand should you require a bite to eat while you

explore the grounds.

Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof)

Famous all over Innsbruck and throughout Austria, the Golden Roof dates from the 16th century and was built at the order of Emperor Maximilian I, as a public display of his considerable wealth. In total, 2,657 copper roof tiles have been gilded in solid gold, glistening when they catch the sun. Maximilian could regularly be seen standing on the balcony directly beneath his Golden Roof, watching the street entertainment below.

Altes Landhaus (Old Federal State Parliament)

This beautiful Baroque-style building dominates

the Maria-Theresien-Strasse and is without question one of the most impressive landmarks in Innsbruck. The Altes Landhaus stands in the very heart of the Inner City and was constructed during the 1720s. Inside, the interior is quite sumptuous, with an elaborate staircase, a vast parliamentary room, many statues depicting ancient gods, colourful frescoes and many period landscape paintings.

Domkirche zu St. Jakob (St. Jacob’s Cathedral) / Innsbrucker Dome

This imposing Roman Catholic cathedral boasts a noticeable Baroque flavour and this is particularly apparent when you step inside. Of particular interest in the high altar painting

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12

Austria


of Mary of Succor, and the cathedral’s spectacular dome (Innsbrucker Dome), which can be seen for miles. Following considerable damage during the Second World War, much of St. Jacob’s Cathedral was rebuilt, although its original character remains.

Stadtsaal (City Hall)

The historic Innsbruck City Hall is known locally as the Stadtsaal and is of great local importance. Many annual events and gatherings are staged here, and the City Hall is well used, retaining a number of original period features. The Stadtsaal dates from the mid-14th century, when it was the very first city hall to be built in the whole of Austria’s Tyrol region. At the turn of the new millennium, the landmark Stadtsaal was given a whole new lease of life, with some reconstruction

work and the addition of the City Hall Galleries and a modern glass roof, allowing visitors to enjoy views of the nearby mountains. The entrance is located alongside the Rathaus Galerien shopping mall.

Kaiserliche Hofburg (Imperial Court)

The Kaiserliche Hofburg was once the seat of the Archduke of Sigmund Münzreiche, an important Tyrolean prince. This medieval Gothic-style landmark was completed in the mid-15th century and the palace was then remodelled some 300 years later, when the character became more Baroque and in keeping with the style of that period.

Bergisel Tower

If you have ever tried to picture just what it must be

like to stand at the very top of an actual Olympic ski jump, then you will certainly get a feel for this unique experience if you visit the city’s futuristic Bergisel Tower. The famous landmark lies on the outskirts

of Innsbruck and alongside the recently modernised Winter Olympics ski-jump stadium. With panoramic windows, the Cafe im Turm atop the Bergisel Tower completes the experience.


Overview

with diverse interests and to promote India as a year-round destination,” he added.

Andhra Pradesh has bagged the Best State/UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism. Warangal city in Andhra Pradesh has won the Best Heritage City award Amritsar Heritage Walk and Delhi Heritage Walk have been declared joint winners of the best Heritage Walk award.

The Tourism Minister said that in an attempt to encourage states and union territories to adopt effective mechanisms for maintaining cleanliness at tourist destinations, a new category of award for

M inister of State with Independent Charge for Tourism

Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, recently announced the National Tourism Awards for 2011-2012 in New Delhi. He said that every year the award categories are reviewed with new categories being added to recognize excellence in diverse fields, in accordance with the requirements of changing times. “It is an ongoing endeavour of the MoT to diversify the tourism products of the country by developing and promoting new niche segments, so as to attract different categories of tourists

National Tourism Awards Announced

National Tourism Award Winners

Best Hotel (Five Star Deluxe) -TheOberoi,NewDelhiBest Hotel (Five Star) -VivantaByTaj-Ambassador,NewDelhiBest Hotel (Four Star) - VivantabyTaj,Kumarakom,KeralaBest Hotel (Three Star) - GatewayHotel,Vadodara,GujaratBest Hotel (Two Star) - ResorteMarinhaDourada,GoaBest Heritage hotel (Basic) - SamodeHaveli,Gangapole,Jaipur,Rajasthan

Best Heritage Hotel (Grand) - SavoyHotel,OotyBest Eco Friendly Hotel - ITCHotel,ITCMaurya,NewDelhiHotel providing Best Facilities for the Differently Abled Guests:ITCMaurya,NewDelhiBest Hotel Based Meeting Venue-TheAshok,NewDelhi

Best Overseas Tour Operator to India from UK -M/sCoxandKings,UKBest Overseas Tour Operator to India from North America-M/sIndusTravels,CanadaBest Overseas Tour Operator to India from Latin America -M/sRaidhoTourOperator,BrazilBest Overseas Tour Operator to India from Europe-M/sAsiaVoyages,Paris,FranceBest Overseas Tour Operator to India from West Asia & Africa-M/sSerendipityTours,JohannesburgBest Overseas Tour Operator to India from East Asia-M/sHISTravelsBest Overseas Tour Operator to India from Australia-M/sAdventureWorldBest Overseas charter operator for India-M/sThomasCookTourist Transport Operator Category I :Firstprize–M/s.AjayTravelPvt.Ltd,NewDelhiSecondprize–M/s.Carzonrent(India)Pvt.Ltd,NewDelhiThirdprize–M/s.KTC(India)Pvt.Ltd.,NewDelhiTourist Transport Operator Category IIFirstprize–M/s.Touraids(I)TravelServices,AgraSecondprize–M/s.RajindraBusService(P)Ltd.,NewDelhiThirdprize–M/s.Ex-SoldiersTouristTaxiService,NewDelhi

Tourist Transport Operator Category III:Firstprize–M/s.DelhiAirportServicePvt.Ltd.,NewDelhiSecondprize–M/s.ShreyaTravels,NagpurDomestic Tour Operator (Rest of India)Firstprize–M/s.SouthernTravelsPvt.Ltd,NewDelhiSecondprize–M/s.MyLeisureBreaksPvt.Ltd,GurgaonThirdprize–M/s.Panicker’sTravel(India)Pvt.Ltd,NewDelhiDomestic Tour Operator promoting Jammu & KashmirM/s.RaoTravels,NewDelhiDomestic Tour Operator promotiong North East Region including SikkimM/sSouthernTravelsPvtLtd.,NewDelhiBest Adventure Tour Operator - M/s.Sea&SkyTravel(I)Pvt.Ltd.,NewDelhiBest MICE Operator -M/s.SelectWorldTours(India)Pvt.Ltd.,NewDelhiMost Innovative Tour Operator - M/s.FarHorizonToursPvt.Ltd.,Faridabadfortheirentryon“MVMahabahuLuxuryRiverCruise”onBrahmaputraRiver,Assam.Tour Operator Promoting Niche Segments other than Adventure and MICE-ThomasCook(I)Ltd.Tour Operator Propagating/ Promoting Campaign Clean India (Special Award) M/sBakshiTransportServicePvt.Limited.

Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India)-AndhraPradesh(FirstPrize),Rajasthan(SecondPrize),Gujarat(ThirdPrize)Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism–(NorthEast,JammuandKashmir)-Jammu&KashmirBest Civic Management of a Destination Category ‘A’ City -GreaterHyderabadMunicipalCorporation,AndhraPradeshBest Civic Management of a Destination Category ‘B’ City -MunicipalCouncilofMandav(Mandu),DistrictDhar,MadhyaPradeshBest Heritage City -WarangalCity,AndhraPradesh

Best Heritage Walk -AmritsarHeritageWalk(JointWinner)-DelhiHeritageWalk(JointWinner)Best Responsible Tourism Project -BaramatiAgriTourismResearch,TrainingandDevelopmentCentre,Pune-GreenRiderProject(Specialaward)Best Rural Tourism Project -RuralTourismprojectatKumarakom,KeralaMost Innovative and Unique Tourism Project -Project–AirTaxi(RecommendedWinner)-Rajasthan–ReliefRidersProgramme(Specialaward)

HOTeLS

TOUR OPeRATORS

STATeS

‘Best State: Campaign Clean India’ was introduced in 2012 along with categories of ‘Best Heritage City’ and “Best Heritage Walk’. He said that recognising the importance of cinema as a powerful tool for the development and promotion of the destinations, the MoT has instituted a National Tourism Award for ‘Best Tourism Film’.

Chiranjeevi said the Tourism Ministry has also announced special National Tourism Awards for Yann Martel, author of the book, Life of Pi, for promoting India (Puducherry and Munnar) through the film.

The MoT annually presents National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. These awards are being given since the early 1990s and are presented to state governments / union territories, classified hotels, heritage hotels, approved travel agents, tour operators and tourist transport operators, individuals and other private organisations in recognition of their performance in their respective fields and also to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promote tourism.

London-Paris5 nights & 6 days, 3* hotels with continental breakfast. Arrival transfer, Cityrama tour of Paris, Hop on hop off tour of London. Travel from Paris to London on the Eurostar in second class.

Athens6 nights & 7 days, 3* Accommodation All transfers, city tours, Delphi, Poros, Hydra, Acgina Cruise Dinner & folk dance All taxes.

Europe11 nights & 12 days. 3* Accommodation in Paris, London, Nice, Interlaken, Geneva, Lucern. All transfers & Eurail Pass

Russia5 nights & 6 days. 3*/4* accommodation in Moscow and St. Petersburg. All transfers and tours.

Kerala3 nights & 4 days. Accommodation in houseboat, sightseeing and transfers included

Honeymoon in Kerala2 nights & 3 days. Accommodation in Kerala

Ootty2 nights & 3 days Accommodation sightseeing and transfers in Ooty.

Munnar3 nights & 4 days Accommodation, sightseeing and transfers in Thekkady.

SOUTH INDIANPASSAGE

“Loveshore”, No. 32/2819-A1, Labour Colony Road, Behind Chevrolet Showroom, Thammanam, Kochi, Kerala-682032, S.India Phone : +91 484 2343647, 2343747 Email: [email protected], www.3mtoursandtravels.com

Bengaluru: +91 9343983719 l Chennai: +91 9841008588 l Hyderabad: +91 9441236010 l Mumbai: +91 9702493708 l Indore: +91 9893559563 l Thiruvananthapuram: +91 9946654666 l

A sister concern of Media Steps India

3M, an exclusive tour company, offers a world cruise ingeniously orchestrated to leave you bewitched. It’s a perfect ensemble of exotic destinations, impeccable services, and happy price tags for an unprecedented travel

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Incredible India

Key Player in Marketing

Sales and marketing is considered as the pillar of any organization and you being the head, tell us how you came to this fi eld?

Sales is a fi eld where you get an opportunity to handle overall guest experience, it acts as a bridge between the guests and the entire hotel. After completing my Hotel Management from IHM Bangalore in 1998, I always wanted to be more involved with direct guest and also wanted to be part of the decision making process, and hence I took a plunge into Sales and Marketing, which was not a very conventional fi eld for IHM graduates. With more than a decade now in sales and marketing it was a very wise decision taken.

Tourism and travelling is a fun fi lled and change oriented business. How do you enjoy your job?

I love this job. It is the

only job that can give you an opportunity to learn so much on client interactions. No two clients are same, even in a similar situation and that is what makes sales very exciting. Sales job is all about winning, be it your

clients’ trust or their business every day is an adventure.

Is there any inspirational factor for you to come to this fi eld?

My father was the best host I have ever known, and it was that sense of hospitality he instilled in me that inspired me to join this industry. The joy of making people happy, delivering on to their expectations and consistently over exceeding them is the greatest inspiration that drives me daily.

Describe us about the art of marketing? Give us a few tips on your marketing tactics?

The art of marketing is all about knowing your target clientele. It is all about how well you are able to connect with them and how you are positioning yourself. A great marketing tactic would be a combination of clear

understanding of your target clients, there requirements and how your offer can give them more value compared to your competitors. We often do a mistake of expecting our clients to buy what we have to offer, without realizing that whether it gives them any value or not.

When you help people explore the world what sort of satisfaction do you derive out of it?

Ours is the only industry where we don’t sell a product but we sell an experience, we sell good memories to our guest and it has an everlasting shelf life. When a guest send an acknowledgement note to me or my team, it is the biggest sense of achievement.

How do you manage your own holidays amidst your business schedule?

IHG is a very people focused company, and it believes in creating a work life balance. We have people focused policies that allow us to take mandatory breaks, and you can plan your vacations well in advance.

Any future agenda for your clients?

It has been really important to offer higher value to your clients in this highly competitive environment.

Future is about being a trusted advisor to our clients than just to sell.

How do you market the changes in the industry?

Change is inevitable. We are living in a very dynamic world and our industry is not exempted from the same. IHG is very focused on training to deliver the world class service that our guest expects from us. And it is by virtue of these regular trainings we are updated with the latest changes in the industry, and it allows us to communicate with our clients on how we can offer them more value and benefi ts.

Personally speaking which is your favourite tourism spot?

India – There is still so much to explore

Have you ever thought of selling some new ideas and concepts for the people who really go for changes?

As Hospitality professionals we have to be innovative in our approach to offer the best to our guests. Small details make a big difference. Guests are now constantly looking for new experiences.

Any secret tips for the marketing professionals?

“If you are out of inspirations, then invent”

Enjoying the art of marketing is a tactics. And if it is done with high spirits nothing can go wrong. Nilay Saran, Director of Sales, Holiday Inn has achieved every milestones with ease and tells ASIAN TRAVELLER on how he opted for marketing as a profession. The excerpts of this tete-a-tete.

1st Person



The Tamilnadu government recently declared 15 towns

famous for their temples as heritage spots. The list includes Chennimalai and 14 other towns that marks the rich culture, tradition and architectural excellence of the ancient times. The towns have

Temple Towns in Tamil NaduDr. S Bakthavatchalam writes about the old towns in Tamilnadu which are declared heritage spots recently.

been given the heritage status because of the presence of ancient temples. Tamil Nadu is concerned about preserving its heritage.

Giving heritage tags to these spots is a remarkable move because each town would get Rs 1 crore grant from the town and country

planning development fund for implementing conservation projects. As a result, roads will be widened and restrooms, cloak rooms and guesthouses will be built to promote tourism. The move will save these towns from environmental degradation, caused by unplanned urban development.

The heritage sites include Chennimalai, Mannargudi, Namakkal, Mayiladuthurai, Thenthiruperai, Alwarthirunagari, Perunkulam, Tirukoilur,

Srimushnam, Tharamangalam, Tiruparankundram, Sholingar, Tiruvattar, Suchindram and Kodumudi. Namakkal is famous for poultry farms and is known as a truck hub, but there is also the famous Namagiri temple,which is said to have inspired the famous mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. Suchindram in Kanyakumari district has Pandya and Chola temples,which have magnifi cent columns emitting musical notes. The town, which was part of the Roman trade network, has the Thanumalayan Shiva temple with rare 15th century inscriptions. Mayiladuthurai is the heart of ancient Chola kingdom.

Mannargudi is known for the Rajagopalaswamy Temple, which is an important Hindu pilgrimage site. This temple is known for its massive compound, and reminds one of the adages “Mannargudi Madhil Azhagu”. With its 154 feet high Rajagopuram, the temple is situated over and extensive area of about 15 acres. Sri Vasudeva Perumal about 7 feet tall with his divine consorts Sri Devi and Bhudevi in standing posture is the presiding deity of this temple and the Goddess is Hemabja Nayagi. The deity is Sri Vidya Rajagopalan with his Divine consorts Rukmani and Satyabhama is taken out in procession.

Namakkal has great potential for Tourism as the famous Anjaneya temple and Namagiri Amman temple are located here and visited by pilgrims all over India. The town is in close proximity to Kolli hills, which is a hill resort of natural endeavour.

The Anjaneya temple is located right opposite to Lord Narasimha temple at a distance of 100 Mts. The temple are aligned in such a way that the face of Lord

Tamil Nadu Traveller



Anjaneya is focussing Lord Narasimha. The idol Lord Anjaneya is 13 feet high gaining importance among people from both North and South. This is one of the important temples visited by the pilgrims who make trip to south Tamil Nadu.

Mayiladuthurai, the town in Nagapattinam district is known for the Mayuranathaswamy (Shiva) temple . This is also called the ‘Big temple’ of the town, and the goddess here protects her devotees who surrender and worships her. Hence she is called Abayambikai alias Anjal Nayaki (Abayam means giving protection). Famous poets like Appar, Sambandhar, Arunagiri nadhar have rendered songs in praise of the deity. Sri Muthuswamy Dikshidar and Saint Thyagaraja who were among the famous Sangeetha Mummoorthis, met in this temple and sang in praise of the god. Dikshidar has rendered nine krithis on Abayambikai called Navavarna krithis. This temple is under the control of Thiruvavaduthurai Adhinam and Dharmapuram Adhinam.

Thenthiruperai, the Village on the bank of Tamirabharani

river in Tuticorin district, has Makara Nedunkuzhaikadar temple . This temple is one of the Nava Tirupathi, nine Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamilnadu, India in the banks of Thamirabharani river. All these 9 temples are classified as Nava Tirupathi, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars.

Alwarthirunagari, the Birthplace of 9th century saint Nammalvar, who sang in praise of Vishnu, has Alwarthirunagari Permual

temple. Alwarthirunagari The Sri Adinathaperumal Temple enshrines Lord Vishnu’s parathuvam - as one who is the beginning and end of everything. Two rare specimen of art that can be found here are the Musical Pillars and the Stone Nadaswaram.

Perunkulam, a village in Tuticorin district, is famous for Sri Mayakoothar temple. This is the 6th temple in the Nava thirupathi temples and comes under Pandiya naatu divyadesams of Sri Vaishnavas. The presiding deity is Srinivasa perumal

or Soranadha perumal in standing posture, utsavar is known as Mayakootan and thayars are known as Alamelu mangai and Kulanthaivalli. The upper two hands of the Lord have prayoga chakra and shanku while the other two are in the posture of varadha hastam and kadi hastham. The temple represents the Shani sthalam among the Nava graha kshetrams. A unique feature of the temple is the presence of Garuda along with the utsavar inside the sannadhi.

Thirukoilur is a pilgrimage town in Viluppuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As the name says “koil” (means temple in Tamil language) it is famous for the temples. It has Vishnu and Shiva temples. Lord Vishnu in the name Thiruvikkrama Swamy & Vedavalli Thaayaar (Vaamana Avathaaram) temple is located in the center of the town. Town revolves around the temple. This temple comes under 108 Divya Desams. East of the town has the Sivan Temple situated on the banks of River Thenpennai. Near to the temple, middle of the river, there exists Kabilar(Poet) Kundru (hillock).

Lord Shiva’s temple has a separate sannadhi[sacred

18



room] for Lord Ganesha, which has historical and epic importance. Here is the place where “Avvaiyar”[Tamil Poetess - Tamil king’s court had many Women Poetess, Ministers and Warriors] got the blessings of Ganesha and wrote the famous verse “VINAYAGAR AGAVAL”, which has wonderful Yoga Techniques and has lot of Meta-Physics in it. Tamil poet Avvaiyar composed Vinayagar Ahaval (a treatise on Ganesha) here

Srimushnam Vishnu is worshipped here in the form of a wild boar in this temple in Cuddalore district. The temple was renovated by Vijayanagara rulers . Tradition states that Lord Vishnu resides in Srimushnam in three forms: the ‘Ashwatha tree’, ‘Nithya Pushkarani’ and ‘Bhoovaraha Swamy’. The temple cistern, the ‘Nithya Pushkarani’, contains water known for its

medicinal value as a panacea. The towering ‘Ashwatha tree’, stands near the sacred cistern and is believed to have the

beneficial effect of blessing sterile women with progeny. Meditation and chanting of the ‘Gayathri Mantra’ under the tree after bathing in the holy cistern are said to vouchsafe a place in the heavens.

Tharamangalam: In Salem district, has Kailasanathar (Shiva) temple with intricate carvings and an underground Shivalingam . The temple features exquisite stone carvings of the Yali (mythological dragon), depicted with an actual stone ball inside its mouth (one can even put one’s finger inside the Yaali’s mouth and rotate the ball). The Kailasanthar Temple also has a carving of Manmathan looking at Siva and Parvathi, where if you look from Manmathan’s side both Siva and Parvathi are visible but if you look from Parvathi’s side, Manmathan is not visible since he is supposed to be hiding from Siva’s view. Also depicted at the temple is a scene from the Hindu epic Ramayanam (Vali & Sukrivan fighting, depicted on one pillar, and Lord Ram

with bow and arrow aiming to kill Vali depicted on another pillar).

Tiruparankundram: A hill temple on the outskirts of Madurai. Thiruparankundram is known for its ancient temple of Hindu Deity Murugan. The town is in the news every year during the lighting of the Karthigai deepam. Best captivating feature of Thiruparankundram Temple are the 48 pillars with elegant carvings!Assurance is given that sculptural dexterity revealed in the seven tier gopuram leaves a mark on your mind. Each of the five cells within the sanctum of the temple is dedicated to a particular deity.

Sholingar: Located in Vellore district,the town houses the Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple, which is on a steep hill on the Chennai-Tiruttani road. The Stone hill which is the abode of Lord Yoga Narasimha Swami is of 750 feet height with a step of 1305. The incarnation of Lord Narayana in the famous form



of Yoga Narasimha who gave mukthi to Prahalatha give Darsan to all and fulfill all the wishes of the devotees. Lord Narasimha with Sangu Chakram, Salakirama Haram,yoga peetam, korai teeth, long nails and strong hair give darsan to the people as santhamurthi.

Chennimalai: This town in Erode district famous for the handloom industry houses a temple for Muruga on a hill. This temple is situated at about 600 meters above sea level and this hill is noted for its natural flora and fauna. This hill also has rare medicinal herbs in its lush

green forests. In Devanagiri this hill is called Siragiri and Chenniyangiri. In Tamil it is called Chennimalai. The city underneath the hill is also called Chennimalai.

Suchindram: In Kanyakumari district,has Thanumalayar (Shiva) temple with a statue of Anjaneya

whose feet are not visible above ground. Suchindram temple is unique in the whole of India in that it is dedicated to three different deities represented by one image in the sanctum and is called Sthanumalayan (Sthanu-Shiva; Maal-Vishnu and Ayan-Brahma) kovil. The temple is rich in sculpture and architecture and a visitor to this temple is amply rewarded with the sight of such exquisite art of hundreds of years old

Kodumudi: In Erode district, is home to Trimurthy kovil (Shiva temple).Many Saivaite saints have sung in praise of the deity . This is a vast temple with grand shrines to Kodumudi nathar, Vadivudaiammai and Perumaal and Taayaar. There are 3 entrances leading to the Kodumudi nathar, Ambal and Veeranarayana Perumal shrines. Kunchitapaada Natarajar has both his feet on the ground, in contrast to the raised left foot. The sun’s rays illuminate the sanctum of Shiva and Ambal for a period of 4 days in the months of Panguni and Aavani (Pisces and Virgo)

Tiruvattar: Near Marthandam in Kanyakumari district,has Adikesavaperumal temple,one of the 108 divya desams of Vishnu . Temple is situated 6 km north-east of Marthandam and 30 km north-west of Nagercoil (in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu). The temple is surrounded on three sides by rivers (Kothai,Parali and Thamirabarani). Paraliyar takes a turn in this place and it is called vattaru and when the temple of Adikeasav Perumal was created it came to be known as Thriuvattaru. This Temple is older than Padmanabha Swamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram and its structure is similar to that of Padmanabha Swamy Temple.


SPLASHING GOA

Cover Story

Plunge into the world of azure, waters, glistening sands

and majestic beaches. Goa offers you an opportunity to explore fascinating

churches, pulsating nightlife, scrumptious cuisine and tempting beaches. The rich culture of Goa is evident as you tour the streets of this mesmerizing place.

The harmonious existence of different cultures and beliefs is endorsed by the co- existence of churches, temples and synagogues. Every arenas of life including music, food,

festivals and architecture is influenced by the Portuguese life style.

Goa, a tiny emerald land on the West Coast of India, with its natural scenic beauty,


Cover Story

abundant greenery, attractive beaches and temples and churches with distinctive style of architecture, colourful and lively feasts and festivities, friendly people with a rich cultural has an ideal tourist profile. The main asset that comprises the high profile product is Goa’s 105 kms coastline studded with 29 beaches lined by golden

sand, a natural harbour, large network of inland waterways, century old temples and churches, renowned for worship and pilgrimage, cultural diversity that has no parallel in the world. The greatness of Goa perhaps lies in its smallness with roots firmly entrenched into the hoary past with richly built heritage. In terms of

tourist attractions too, Goa’s offerings are superb with their traditions of hospitability, varied lifestyles, cultural heritage and colourful fairs.

The success of tourism in Goa is largely due to the marketing strategy adopted by the Government and the Private Sector through participation in tourism related events in India and

abroad and by organizing road shows/presentations in major cities of India. In addition, the Department has launched its campaign through electronic media, satellite, TV channels along with private media and most important by launching its own websites. One of the reasons that Goa has succeeded in attracting large number of tourists both domestic and international is due to the fact that Goa is perceived as a small tourist paradise. Amongst large number of tourist destinations and innumerable choices available, it is a clean, beautiful place, has no overpopulation, no slums, no poverty, no beggars, no law and order problem, no pollution and most important hospitable and peaceful people which are the essential ingredients for enjoyment of holidays

Goa has developed excellent transport linkages through air, rail, road and sea with the rest of the country and the world. A number of airlines connect Goa to major metros in the country on a daily basis.

Goa’s climate is nature’s special gift to Goa. It enjoys moderate climate throughout the year. There is no extreme unbearable heat during summer nor extreme unbearable cold during winter. Even Goa Monsoon is the most enjoyable. There is always a sunny day for every rainy day. To sum up, Goa is gleaming right through the year.

Goa enjoys high rate of literacy. As a result local people in general and those engaged in tourism industry in particular are able to communicate with the visitors either in English or the national language Hindi. This helps tourists to relate themselves with locals easily


and enjoy their stay.

Goa enjoys a unique image that “There is always something different to experience”. This image is truly justified as a lot of activity hubs have been created all over Goa particularly along the coastal belt which provide entertainments and experiences desired by tourists. Besides, there are

traditional festivities round the year taking place in Goa. New concepts like Night Bazar, Cruise Casinos, etc. are also emerging.

The History of Goa dates way back to centuries and is quiet intriguing. The reminiscences of the past, different rulers and cultures have made Goa a remarkable monument of yesteryears. Different dynasties and

western cultures can boast of leaving some unique culture on Goa and even today it is one of the best historical places in India.

Goa is a place blessed with lot of geographical features. The physical shape of Goa is well protected by the Sahyadari Ghats to the east where the height of this coastal state, rises to 1022 meters above sea level. The

Arabian Sea lines at the Western coastline and the state’s rivers empty into the Arabian Sea.

Goa is the perfect place where you will find a blend of traditional and modern aspect of life. Onthe one hand you have plush beaches and on the other you have the most mesmerizing natural landscapes that make you wonder if time ever dared to touch this place. Goa is the perfect place to go on a sightseeing tour. These tours will truly show you an entirely new side of Goa that is sure to take you by surprise. The waterfalls, the forests, the spice farms, all are unique in their own way and are a must visit on your tour to India in Goa. The ideal combination of sun, sand, sea and surf is enough to send a person packing his bags and go on a short holiday to this breathtaking destination.

The Indian state of Goa, also known as ‘the pearl of the east’, is known for its Gothic churches, age-old ruins, palm-fringed beaches, coconut groves, ferry rides,

Cover Story


Cover Story

and bubbly folk music. With its 131-km-long coastline, Goa is an important tourism destination in every tourist’s itinerary. Sun, sand and sea being the major attractions, it is a perfect tourism heaven for the ones who wants to relax. This place is one of India’s special tourism places, a State seemingly blessed with fabulous weather, even more fabulous beaches, delightful people, good food, hill-top forts, little white-washed churches, soaring Portuguese-era cathedrals, and a unique cultural legacy which is a great wonder for anyone who ventures on a Goan trip. Goa is one of India’s prime tourism

and holiday destinations and is packed with jaded yuppies hoping to switch off and unwind for a few days, and even sun-starved Europeans, soaking up all that glorious sun and food.

The evergreen destination of Goa is a holidaymaker’s paradise. Breathtakingly beautiful blue beaches, sensuous silvery sands, fabulous flora and fauna, rich cultural heritage, captivating churches, and terrific temples, Goa has it all. The feasts and festivals of Goa are the other things not to be missed. The Indian state of Goa beckons you for the time of your life. Experience a wonderful

journey while enjoying a pleasant stay at Goawith a never before charm which rejuvenates your mind and body and takes you to a new scale of pleasure. So, get set for a holiday in Goa– which is live for twelve months in a year!

It becomes even better when that holiday is in one of the popular Goan beaches. Goa has a long coastline that makes it the ideal state to have beaches. The beaches of Goa are the perfect destination for a relaxing vacation..

The waterfalls, the forests, the spice farms, all are unique in their own way

Goa is literally synonymous with churches. They are living testimonies of the rich historical past of Goa. During the early days of the Portuguese rule in India, church building was the primary concern and occupation in Goa.

Goa Carnival

The most colorful and popular festival of Goa is the Goa Carnival. This three day extravaganza of fun, frolic, amusement and merry-making, takes place in the month of February. The Goa

Carnival festival is one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year. Though essentially a Christian festival, all people of Goa, irrespective of their faith and religion take part in this festival..

Goa is well known for its exotic beaches and pulsating nightlife.Touristscome here to enjoy the relaxed pace of life and rediscover themselves in peaceful and serene surroundings. But there is more to Goa than just beaches, churches, nightlife and casinos. A major attraction in the rural side is the spice plantation of Goa.

Goa cuisine

A taste of Goa cuisines is incomplete without digging into the delicious seafood platter. Spicy treats to delicious sweet dishes of Goan cuisine are mouth- watering and carry the rich heritage of the state. The basic food of Goa is however a preparation of rice, fish and curry.

Goa, the land of splashes and fun is always in the front to give every tourist an enchanting never- before experience and will give the traveller sweet memories and lingering experiences.

24

Maldives


The Brighter Side of MaldivesThe islands of Maldives

appear in-between the trading route of the Indian Ocean. Thus settlers, and visitors from neighbouring regions

and around the world have come in contact with the islands for as long as history has been recorded. Such is the to-and-fro flow of people

Maldives may be best described as a string of beautiful low lying coral islands, located in the bluish roaring Indian Ocean.


Maldives

and their cultures, that a marked effect has been left in the Maldivian people, the language, beliefs, arts, and attitudes.

The looks of the Maldivian people may differ from one atoll to the other, attributing to the genes passed on by

South and Southeast Asians, Africans, and Arabians. The language, Dhivehi, differs in dialect in some regions in the south of Maldives, possibly due to the secluded nature and subsistent ways of island life. Maldivian beliefs have been very much based around

religion and superstition, often used together in matters of significance but given separate positions in society. In matters of faith, Islam dominates, but influence of the supernatural still continues to play a major role in most island communities, possibly giving credit to the folklores and Buddhist traditions of the islands’ first settlers before conversion to Islam in 1153 AD.

The mixing of cultures is very much seen in Maldivian arts. The music played with the local bodu-beru (big-drum) resemble that of African drumming. The dhoni (a unique Maldivian sailboat) is an art form itself built with skilled craftsmanship, with significant similarities to the Arabian dows. The fine artistry of Maldivians, seen in the intricate details on wooden beams in antique mosques, represents what we have gained from Southeast Asian architecture. Then there is the undefined: the distinct geometric designs used in mats woven from local materials, the embroidered neckline of women’s traditional dresses and their ornaments too, expose another story brought in from an unknown culture that has seeped in to Maldivian society.

Male, a small island around 1 Km long and 2 Km wide, is a vibrant place pulsating with life and is the capital of Maldives. Male is dotted with many aesthetically built mosques, broad roads and salubrious parks. The grandNational Museum is a landmark place in Male situated in theSultan’s Park. The museum is a relic of the previous Sultan’s Palace. The National Museum exhibits some rare items of the erstwhile Sultanate - thrones,

palanquins, statues and many other antique articles showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Maldives.

The HuskuruMiskiiy -with its eminent golden dome - more fondly called theFriday mosque is a magnificent 17th century structure reflecting the unique architecture of bygone eras. It is the chief mosque in Maldives and it also houses the Islamic Center. The mosque is extremely commodious and can accommodate more than five thousand devotees at a time. The splendid coral engraving, artistic wooden doors and grand minarets single out the Friday mosque as a unique heritage of the country.Seenu Atoll

Previously an air force base, the picturesque Seenu Atoll is known as the ‘Second City’ of the Maldives. Seenu Atoll is indisputably one of the major tourist destinations in Maldives. The total number of islands found here is 23 and Seenu Atoll, is one of the principal atolls in the archipelago of Maldives.

The frothy waves of the sparkling blue Indian Ocean has a charm all its own. There are as many as 25 excellent diving locations and almost all of them offer a chance to explore the marine world. That is why apart from divers these islands are also intermittently thronged by groups of scientists and marine biologists.

Travelers who are particularly fond of water adventures can opt for the Makunda and Muduka. The reefs in these two places are the favorite place of the gray reef shark as well as of the white tip reef shark. The exotic sea mammals found here include manta ray, green turtles, eagle ray and lobsters.

26

Maldives


Among all other Maldives Tourist Destinations this one holds a special place in the heart of every traveler. Maldives tourist destinations hold a special place in the heart of every traveller. Naifaru

Naifaru is a romantic island and tourists will adore the view of the blue sea, white silver beaches and the sand mountains that are found here. You can spend your holiday in this island in a relaxed mood far from the madding crowd. If you are looking for a holiday spot to spend quality time with your family then Naifaru,Maldives is definitely the ideal spot. The main culture prevailing here has the strange mixed influence of Buddhism, Islam, British and that of India and Sri Lanka – though people here predominantly follow the

religion of Islam.During your sojourn

in Naifaru, Maldives you can take a trip to the sand mountains which your young one will find exciting. Once you are through with the sand mountains you can then indulge in shopping and you have a variety of shopping malls here.Thinadhoo

Situated within 78 kilometers fromMale, Thinadhoo, Maldives offers everything that a tourist would legitimately expect in a dream holiday destination. But special mention must be made of the picturesque landscape for which Thinadhoo is renowned. Thinadhoo, Maldivescan aptly be called an emerald island as it abounds with greenery and a variety of full-grown trees and the entire area is

free from pollution. Thanks to the proliferation of trees the climate here is absolutely salubrious and most places are shady. Travelers who come here will find Thinadhoo, Maldives the ultimate serene get away.

The beach here is just ideal for strolling down or lying down to tan under the sun. You can also enjoy swimming and snorkeling which are the most popular activities here. Thinadhoo, Maldives is specially known for its colorful marine life. Other chief attractions of Maldives

Fuamulaku is known throughout theMaldives for its abundant fruit and vegetable farms. You can taste the delicious locally grown pineapples, mangoes and oranges on the tropical island of Fuamulaku and a visit

to this place will certainly prove a memorable one. Kudahuvadhoo Island is located in South Nilandhoo Atoll and the series of unique mounds found here, are possibly the remains of earlier Buddhist temples. However it is not certain what these mounds once were but it is worth seeing them. There is also an ancient mosque – an uncommon structure made of masonry and carved stone.

Travelers visiting Maldives this holiday season can spend some time in the localities of Kulhudhuffushi, Maldives that is undoubtedly one of the most attractive places not only in Maldives but in the entire world. Scientists love to visit this place because it gives them ample opportunity to closely study the behavior and life cycle of sharks. There are various resorts, shops and sightseeing places here that make it one of the most popular destinations in Maldives.

Maldives may be best described as a string of beautiful low lying coral islands, located in the bluish roaring Indian Ocean. For the water sports enthusiasts and for those who love sunbathing, Maldives is decidedly a paradise. Many of the islands also boast of having enormous lagoons which lend additional charm to Maldives. Maldives is a fabulous holiday destination, with acres of white sandy beaches with swaying coconut palms running alongside. Almost every island in Maldives has venues for swimming, snorkeling and catamaran rides – apart from scuba diving, surfing, jet skiing, para-sailing, night fishing and sport fishing on tours to Maldives.


NEWSLINE

Karnataka Tourism Triumphs for the Seventh TimeMSI Newswire | Karnataka

Karnataka Tourism was awarded the ‘Best Tourism Promotional

Publicity Material’ in the National Tourism Awards for 2011-2012. The function conducted by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India was held on March 18th, 2013 in VigyanBhawan, New Delhi.

Karnataka Tourism has received this honour for the fourth time in the last five years.. The Honourable President of India, Sri Pranab Mukherjee, who was also the Chief Guest for the evening, bestowed this prestigious award. Additional Chief Secretary – Tourism, Sri Arvind Jadhav, IAS, received the award on behalf of Karnataka Tourism.

Mr. Jadhav was delighted to receive this award and he said “This is still a great achievement for us and has encouraged us further to continue to exceed

expectations by coming up with more innovative promotional strategies.” He also added that. “Given our success in important events like the Surajkund Mela and ITB Berlin, this is a well-deserved win. The promotional materials in both events impressed many visitors. We still stand proud as a State with an undeniably vibrant culture, and our excellent tourism campaigns have put us in the recommendations of the leading tour operators.”

Six beautifully designed collaterals were submitted as entries. The Karnataka Tourism Calendar was a fine depiction of the State’s various art forms and was titled ‘The Stage is Karnataka’. The Cricket World Cup Kit 2011, which was given to all the visiting delegates of the ICC Cricket World Cup, was a folder that vibrantly illustrated Karnataka’s rich culture. It included a

notepad, a personal message from the Director-Tourism and a brochure titled ‘Eleven Things to do in Karnataka.’

Also submitted was the Karnataka Tourism carry bag - a cleverly designed user-friendly bag containing various touristic information of the state. The carry bag was distributed during various national and international trade shows with different promotional materials inside it. The Karnataka Tourism Brochures and Circuit Leaflets gave useful information on

the magnificent destinations of the State.

Spain Tourism to Conduct 3-City Road ShowMSI Newswire | Mumbai

Spain Tourism will conduct a three-city road show in Mumbai

(September 24), Bengaluru (September 25) and New Delhi (September 26) this year. Arturo Ortiz Arduan, Tourism Counselor, Embassy of Spain – Tourism Department, Tourism Office of Spain – Mumbai, said, “We want to create a stronger presence in the main cities like Mumbai,

Delhi and Bengaluru and that is the reason this year also the road show will be conducted in these cities. The roadshow will comprise 20 supplies from Spain representing Destination Management Companies (DMCs), hotels, tourism boards and shopping centres.”

Furthermore, Spain Tourism will host 15-20 Indian tour operators for a Familiarization (FAM) trip to Madrid and heritage

cities of Spain in October this year. With 60,000 Indian tourist arrivals to Spain in 2012, which is a 50 per cent increase compared with 2011, Spain Tourism is expecting a growth of ten per cent from April to June this year from the Indian market.

28

State Scan


Madhya Pradesh is a state of architectural and ancient beauty.

Many ancient must – see places adore the beauty of Madhya Pradesh and these places are in and around of Bhopal. Here we take a tour

around Bhopal to find out the most mesmerizing scenes of ancient beauty.

MANDU – The Secluded Fort

Mandu is a secluded fort away from madding crowd of Bhopal city.Here everything

Each of Mandu’s structures is an architectural gem; some are outstanding like the massive Jami Masjid

Madhya Pradesh-The Mighty Tourism


State Scan

resembles the stone age with most of the monuments and carvings done on stone., A tribute to the love shared between the poet-prince BazBahadur and his beautiful consort, Rani Roopmati. The balladeers of Malwa still sing of their euphoric romance.

Perched along the Vindhya ranges at an altitude of 2,000 feet, Mandu, with its natural defenses, was originally the fort capital of the Parmar rulers of Malwa.

Towards the end of the 13th century, it came under the sway of the Sultans of Malwa, the first of whom named it Shadiabad - ‘city of joy’. And indeed the pervading spirit of Mandu was of gaiety; and its rulers built exquisite palaces like the Jahaz and HindolaMahals, ornamental canals, baths and pavilions, as graceful and refined as those times of peace and plenty.

Each of Mandu’s structures is an architectural gem; some are outstanding like the massive Jami Masjid and Hoshang Shah’s tomb, which provided inspiration to the master builders of the TajMahal centuries later.

PACHMARHI

Pachmarhi is Madhya Pradesh’s most verdant gem. A lovely hill resort girdled by the Satpura ranges, it offers absolute tranquility. Complementing the magnificence of nature are the works of man; Pachmarhi is also an archaeological treasure- house. In cave shelters in the Mahadeo Hills is an astonishing richness in rock paintings. Most of these have been placed in the period 500-800 AD, but the earliest paintings are an estimated 10,000 years old.

In Pachmarhi, Bagpipes skirled in a flower-bright valley while ancient dancers cavorted on a rock. The pipes and the dancers were separated by thousands of years: typical of this little town in the Saptura Mountains. Contrasting cultures and ages exist in harmony as if time and trends mean little in this serene, wooded place. Pachmarhi is for unwinding, effortlessly. Roads meander gently groves of trees, open spaces and heritage cottages sitting contentedly in their old gardens.

The town has a quiet

gentility about it as if Victorian traditions and high collars still governed most people’s lives. Much of this ambience has been set, and

is still being maintained, by the strong presence of the Army whose Education Corps is headquartered here. The old cottages, meticulously

30

State Scan


maintained by the Military Engineering Serivces, have changed little since the days of Kipling.

BHIMBeTKA

Executed mainly in red and white with the occasional use of green and yellow, with themes taken from the every day events of a eons ago, the scenes usually depict hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animals fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bisons, tigers, lions, wild boars, elephants, antelopes, dogs, lizards, crocodiles, etc. have been abundantly depicted in some caves. Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently.

The colours used by the cave dwellers were prepared combining manganese, hematite, soft red stone and

wooden coal. Sometimes the fat of animals and extracts of leaves were also used in the mixture. The colours have remained intact for many centuries due to the chemical reaction resulting from the oxide present on the surface of the rocks.

SANCHI

The Sanchi hill goes up in shelves with Stupa 2 situated on a lower shelf, Stupa 1, Stupa 3, the 5th century Gupta Temple No.17 and the 7th century temple No. 18 are on the intermediate shelf and a later monastery is on the crowning shelf. The balustrade surrounding Stupa 2, carved with aniconic representations of the Buddha, was added in the late 2nd century BC under the Satavahanas.

The adjacent Gupta temple no.17 was hailed

by Sir John Marshall as one of the most rationally organized structures in Indian architecture. Though small, it was a herald of all the principles which went into the engineering of an Indian temple in the early medieval period. The Buddhas in the perambulatory surrounding Stupa 1 are not contemporary with the Stupa but belong to the Gupta period in the mid-5th century AD. The monastery and the temple with the tall pillars adjacent to Stupa 1 and the temple near the monastery on the crowning shelf illustrate the

evolution of the architectural form after the 5th century Gupta temple.

A Chunar sandstone pillar fragment, shining with the proverbial Mauryan polish, lies near Stupa I and carries the famous edict of Ashoka warning against schism in the Buddhist community. Stupa 1 was found empty, while relics of the two disciples of Buddha enshrined in the adjacent Stupa 3 were carried away to England. The nearby modern temple has a reliquary containing the remains of a Buddhist teacher from another Stupa outside Sanchi.


NEWSLINE

ICON 2013 Addressed the Problems of Travel AgentsMSI Newswire | Mumbai

The Fifth Biennial National Convention of IATA Agents

Association of India ( IAAI ) ICON 2013 , held in

Mumbai from 01 -03 March 2013, discussed the various challenges faced by Travel Agents from various quarters.

The zero commission by majority of international airlines, pittance commission

of 1% paid by Domestic carriers, the flawed distribution system being ushered in by the Airlines favouring a few big Consolidators and OTAs, disparity in airfares across various platforms and various other factors have almost strangled the small and medium sized Travel Agents and driven them to the brink of bankruptcy. It was advocated that the root cause for the above disturbing scenario is zero commission to the Travel Agents. Whereas commission in the only form of legitimate remuneration and forms the basis of Principal – Agency relationship and contract, the above logic has been buried under the carpet by the Airlines operating in India.

In sharp contrast, John Powell, Country Manager-India, Qantas Airways, in his speech, underlined commission being the only legitimate remuneration

ICON eXPO inauguration

to travel agents, as being practised by their Airlines.

The Convention was inaugurated by R K Maheshwari, Retd. Joint Director-General of Civil Aviation. The inaugural function was graced by Dr. Parag Diwan, Vice-Chancellor, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, New Delhi and Subhash Goyal, President - IATO. The Presidential address was delivered by IAAI National President Biji Eapen.

The Convention Chairman Naresh Rajkotia gave out the welcome speech. The Felicitation speech was given by Subhash Goyal. The Vote of thanks was given by IAAI General Secretary V.L. Jaghannathan.

IAAI Director Board - 2013

ICON Inauguration - Dias

National PST + Kerala Team @ ICON

Chief Guest - Shri. R. K. Maheswari

S. Saldanha National Treasurer - IAAI

e. M. Najeeb President - CKTI

Subhash Goyal President - IATO

Dr. Parag Diwan

32

THAILAND


Thailand - Gateway to ASEAN

Thailand’s location in the heart of Southeast Asia makes it a natural

gateway to the emerging economies of the Greater Mekong Sub-region, while its membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) provides easy access to this fast-growing economic market. ASEAN’s 10 member states aim to create an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015, an integrated market that will have a combined population in excess of 600 million people. The AEC will feature a free flow of goods, services, investment, capital and labor within ASEAN, while creating a Single Aviation Market with an open-sky arrangement.

Over the past 20 years, Thailand has developed the personnel, facilities, infrastructure and experience to become a regional leader in the international MICE industry. The five major venues for conferences and exhibitions in Bangkok,

plus venues in Pattaya, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai, have hosted numerous successful domestic, regional and world events, supported by the latest technology and communications equipment, and by a well-developed MICE supplier sector that includes PCOs, PEOs, contactors, freight forwarders and event organizers.

Through its location in the center of Asia, Thailand is a major aviation hub with Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport as the main entry point. Suvarnbhumi Airport handles flights from over 100 airlines, providing easy connections to most of the world’s major cities. Current capacity is 45 million passengers a year, with plans under way to raise this capacity to 60 million passengers by 2014. Thai carriers provide links from Bangkok to 26 destinations in Thailand, none more than one-hour’s flight away.

With 15 million international visitors a year,

Thailand is an extremely popular travel destination offering year-round sunshine, fabulous beach and island resorts, eco-tourism adventures in rain forests, national parks and highlands populated by ethnic hill tribes, unique culture and a cuisine that is world renowned for its spicy flavors. There is plenty to occupy active visitors, including world-class diving and sailing in southern Thailand, outstanding golf challenges at courses designed by top golfing names, cycling tours, elephant trekking, as well as shopping in Bangkok’s street markets and huge malls offering imported brands and superb local products. Thailand has some of the finest spas in Asia, where pampering & holistic treatments are an art form; you will not regret trying them to revitalize your body.

Thailand’s multifaceted industrial sector is geared towards export. The country’s top five exports are categorized as automatic data processing machines automobile and parts; jewellery; refined fuels; and electronic integrated circuits. Other major exports include rice, textiles, fishery products, rubber products, chemical products and electrical goods.

Thailand’s trade exhibition industry has grown to become ASEAN’s largest in terms of space sold per event, net total space and annual growth rate, according to the Global Association for the Exhibition Industry (UFI) in its 2012 Report on the Trade Fair Industry in Asia. The industry is supported by the world’s leading exhibition organizers, world-class venues and many of the region’s leading trade shows.

The governments of ASEAN have identified 12 priority industries – agro-based products, air travel, automotive, e-ASEAN, electronics, fisheries, healthcare, rubber-based products, textiles, tourism, wood-based products and logistics – and are formulating the appropriate policy support for the industries. For investors, AEC is a huge consumer market with a rising middle class and disposable income. MNCs are well-prepared for AEC and local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are answering their governments’ call to capitalize on the emerging opportunities. They are aware of the imminent competition and are investing in technology and management systems to boost productivity and overcome non-tariff market barriers.

34

NEWSLINE


Keys Hotels’ New Hotel in Pimpri

MSI Newswire | Mumbai

Keys Hotels, the flagship brand of Berggruen Hotels,

recently opened a property in

Pimpri in Pune, Maharashtra. Key Hotels Pimpri is the company’s sixth self-owned property. The brand now operates 12 self-owned and managed properties across

India. The company plans to expand to 100 hotels in the next five years through its business model of owned hotels, management contracts, and franchises, a press release

stated.

The hotel features a 24/7 fitness centre, a world cuisine restaurant with ala carte menu and buffet facility, a lively activity centre and sports bar for the guests to indulge in various indoor sports activities, and a fully equipped business centre. The rooms are equipped with wi-fi to aid non-stop internet access. One of the unique features about Keys Hotels is the one-point access to every guest with their key cards.

Keys Hotels has reserved a complete floor with specially designed ‘Women Secured Rooms’. Apart from the special amenities and designs with full-length mirrors, these rooms have a video.

Goa Tourism Wins PATWA Award in Best Beach Destination CategoryMSI Newswire | Goa

Goa Tourism has witnessed a historical moment at the

ITB-Berlin when it bagged the prestigious PATWA (Pacific Area Travel Writers Association) award in the Best Beach Destination category.

Dilip Paruleker, Tourism Minister, received at a glittering awards ceremony held at the International Congress Centre(ICC) on the sidelines of ITB Berlin. The award has been given in recognition of the positive steps being undertaken by the state government for improving the image of Goa as a safe and attractive tourism destination by implementing the concept of tourist police, proper regulation of beach

shacks and watersports, improvement of infrastructure on all beaches, formulation of tourism master plan and new tourism policy for the state, innovative marketing and promotion methods etc.

Speaking on the occasion,

Paruleker expressed his satisfaction and felt that the award will cement Goa’s position as one of the best beach destinations in the world. He further said that the state government will rapidly ensure completion of all tourism infrastructure

works and ensure that Goa becomes a safe and a year round tourism destination. He felt that the award will boost international tourist arrivals in the state. He thanked PATWA for conferring this award on Goa.


NEWSLINE

The Philippines Adjudged ‘Top Destination’ by Tripadvisor for the Third Year in a RowMSI Newswire | Philippines

Boracay, the white beach in Philippines, has topped the list of

TripAdvisor.com’s Travelers’ Choice 2013 - Best Beaches in Asia 2013, The Department of Tourism, Philippines announced. The Philippines has been consecutively adjudged this title for three years for having the best beaches in the region. The White Beach was described as “a stunningly beautiful white powder sand beach with crystal clear, warm water that one can laze on for days on end.”

In order for us to continue reaping the benefits of

development and great publicity, we ought to seriously address the environment challenges. We call on all stakeholders to come as one in preserving our country’s jewels,” Ramon R. Jimenez, Tourism Secretary enthused.

Boracay has consistently made it to the poll results of the travel website, the previous one as second in the 2012 Best Beaches in the World Awards. In 2012, Boracay was also cited by Travel + Leisure Magazine in its World’s Best Awards as the Best Island Destination and one of the Top 10 Best Beach Party Destinations by Cheapflights.com.

Also making it to the list of 25 great beaches in Asia are the Secret Lagoon of El Nido, Palawan at number 9 and Boracay’s Yapak Beach at number 10. Secret Lagoon

Beach was tagged for its ‘wonderful view,’ while Yapak Beach (Puka Shell Beach) was acclaimed for its ‘big waves.’

Dr. Polly Mathew, CMD & Tresa Polly, Director Somatheeram Ayurvedic Hospital & Yoga Centre jointly receiving the National Tourism Award - 2011-12 from His excellency President of India, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee. Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, Minister for Tourism, is also seen.

Kerala’s Rural Tourism Project Wins India’s National AwardMSI Newswire | ernakulam

Kerala Tourism’s tourism model in Kumarakom area that

links the local community to hospitality industry has won the National Award for Best Rural Tourism Project.

Kerala Tourism secretary Suman Billa received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony at the Vigyan Bhavan recently.

Under the Kumarakom Rural Tourism Project, Kerala Tourism has forged partnerships with self-help

network Kudumbashree to sell fruits and vegetables to tourists in kiosks run by its units and with hotels and restaurants in the area to buy produce from the local community.

Kumarakom also picked up two awards for Vivanta by Taj in Best Four Star Hotel’ category and Coconut Creek Farm and Home Stay, Kumarakom for Bed and Breakfast Establishment.

Kerala bagged honours in three other categories at the 2011-2012 National Tourism Awards.

The Best Wellness Centre award went to Somatheeram Ayurveda Resort in Chowara near Thiruvananthapuram and Pioneer Personalised Holidays won in Best Approved Inbound Tour Operator and Travel Agent category.

36

Portugal



Portugal

The Tell Tale Villages of PortugalPortugal’s historic

villages, built from granite and schist

and located in the heart of the country, are among the country’s best kept secrets. A visit to these villages will give you an unforgettable experience of Portugal’s breath-taking landscapes, its historic fortresses and the warmth of its people.

They have witnessed over 900 years of Portuguese history. But while the villages are amazingly peaceful places to visit, they have not always been so tranquil.

In the past these villages, perched high on hilltops, played a crucial role in protecting the surrounding lands. Their vantage point made it almost impossible for would-be invaders to approach undetected. It was a hugely effective form of defence. Over the centuries, Moors and Christians, Spaniards and Portuguese, have all tried to take the villages for themselves. And as a result each village has its own spell-binding tale to tell.

Linhares da Beira

Situated on the western side of the Serra da Estrela, the imposing towers of Linhares da Beira’s mighty castle can be seen from afar.

With its green pastures, plentiful water and protective mountains, it’s no wonder that the Lusitanians, the Iberian tribe from whom the Portuguese are descended, chose this area in which to live.

Be sure to visit the igreja matriz (parish church), which is of Romanesque origin. Inside there are three valuable paintings by the great Portuguese master Vasco Fernandes (Grão Vasco). Also note the small stone dais in the town, a unique example of a medieval forum from which community decisions were announced to the populace.

The altitude and climate make this historical village the ideal venue for paragliding too, with the Open Championship held every year in August.

Trancoso

The walled town of Trancoso still retains much of its medieval atmosphere, a past full of Portuguese heritage.

Entering Trancoso is an impressive experience because of its large walls, which open to form the old gate known as the Porta d’El Rei. Inside, what catches the eye is the colour of stone that predominates in the town’s historic centre and its main monuments: the pillory, the castle and the Igreja de São Pedro. The medieval gate was built in homage to the king Dom Dinis, who married Isabel of Aragon in Trancoso in 1282. He gave the town to the queen and set up a fair that was exempt from the payment of taxes. This lies at the origin of the great Fair that is held here every year from August 15 onwards.

The houses inhabited by the Jews who settled here

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Portugal


in the 15th century can be identified by their two doors, one of which is wider and was used for trading purposes, whilst the narrower one was used as a domestic entrance.

The Casa do Gato Negro (in Largo Luís de Albuquerque), the former synagogue and rabbi’s residence, is one of the most emblematic examples of this phenomenon.

Castelo Novo Castelo Novo lies in the

superb natural amphitheatre of the Serra da Gardunha. The region is characterised by fine manor houses belonging to local noble families.

The village of Castelo Novo takes its name from its 12th century castle, which was severely damaged by the earthquake of 1755. It was called ‘new’ due to the existence of another abandoned fort nearby,

a structure not deemed adequate for military defence.

The medieval town hall in the Largo da Bica has various curious features, in particular a fine 18th century baroque fountain, topped with king D. João V’s coat of arms. The simple medieval structure itself has a formal façade of granite.

Behind the town hall - like a protective, watchful sentry - is the old castle donjon. Deprived of its military functions, it now acts as a giant sun dial, indicating the time to the population of the village.

Another intriguing feature of ancient village life is is the Lagariça, an enormous tank cut into the rock, where for centuries grapes were trodden to make wine for the villagers.

Marialva

The small village of

Marialva was an important military fortress in the Middle Ages due to its location on a remote, rocky hillside. It was inhabited as early as the 6th century BC by the Aravi tribe, who were followed by the Romans, Suevi and Arabs. The reason it was such a prized location becomes clear as soon as you arrive here and take in its location.

In 1063 Ferdinand the Great, King of León, captured the village and converted it to Christianity, giving it the name of Malva, later Marialva. But it is also said that King D. Afonso II of Portugal donated it in 1217 to D. Maria Alva, one of his lovers, and that this is the true origin of the name.

Marialva is also the old pilgrims’ way and still celebrates the annual holiday of St James the Apostle on 25th July.

As you walk through the

village, ancient streets flanked by walls and Gothic doorways lead to a small square with a distinctly medieval atmosphere. This is the site of the 15th century granite pillory, the tribunal and the former prison.

The 16th century parish church, with a Manueline doorway, is dedicated to Santiago (St James). And, if you still have enough energy, continue up the hill to the stalwart castle, one of the largest in the region.

Piodão

The harmonious, amphitheatre-like layout of houses gives Piodão the look of a crib built into the landscape. The village of Piodão lies on a curve in the road, like a little crib nestling at the foot of a hill.

The delightful, orderly appearance of the houses and streets, all built of schist, is


Portugal

interrupted by the deep blue of the windows and doors of some of the houses. This use

of colour is said to originate from the fact that the one shop in the village stocked

only blue paint, and due to the isolation it was not easy to travel elsewhere.

It was also the isolation that preserved the historic characteristics of Piodão as we see them today.

The charming, white washed parish church dedicated to N.S. da Conceição, with its unusual cylindrical buttresses, stands out among the small two-storey houses. The villagers built it with their own money and gold in the early nineteenth century.

Due to its hidden position at the foot of the mountains, Piodão also used to be a haven for fugitives from justice. One of the murderers of D. Inês de Castro, who had managed to flee the wrath of D. Pedro, is said to have hidden here.

Castelo Rodrigo

The town of Castelo Rodrigo, from which you can see as far as Spain and the Douro Valley, has not had a peaceful history. Yet the beauty of the village, and the moving image of Santiago Matamouros in the church of the Reclamador, will live long in your memory.

Founded by Afonso IX of León, who donated the town to count Rodrigo Gonzalez de Girón, Castelo Rodrigo retained the name of its settler. It passed to the Portuguese crown under the treaty of Alcanices, signed in 1297 by the poet-king D. Dinis of Portugal. The town is also a resting place for pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela, and St Francis of Assisi is said to have spent the night here on his pilgrimage to the saint’s tomb.

Belmonte

Crowned by the granite bulk of the ancient castle, Belmonte was the birth place of the navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral, who discovered Brazil in 1500.

Belmonte’s first charter was granted by D. Sancho I. in 1199, and the streets of this old village lead to its ancient hilltop castle. A document dated 1258 described its high donjon, walls and bulwarks. This austere defensive architecture is interrupted by an elegant Manueline window, featuring the armillary sphere associated with D. Manuel I, (symbolising the world), and the Cabral family coat

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Portugal


of arms featuring two goats (cabra meaning ‘she-goat’ in Portuguese).

Among the heroes produced by this illustrious family was Pedro Álvares Cabral, who was born in Belmonte in 1467, and discovered Brazil in 1500.

Next to the castle there is a small Romano-Gothic church dedicated to São Tiago. This contains a sculpted granite Pietà of simple rough beauty.

An annexe to the church houses the pantheon of the Cabral family, although the ashes of Pedro Álvares Cabral are entombed in the church of Graça, in Santarém.

A significant Jewish

community settled in Belmonte, mainly in the fifteenth century, when Jews fleeing persecution in Castile took refuge here. They lived in houses in the Marrocos district outside the castle walls, where the symbols of their professions, such as the tailor’s scissors, can still be seen engraved on the doorposts. Belmonte preserves its medieval atmosphere as effectively as the Jews secretly preserved their prayers, traditions and customs until today’s more tolerant climate allowed them to found a new synagogue, Bet Eliahu.

Monsanto

On a high cliff lies a village known as the most Portuguese

village in Portugal. As well as preserving the nation’s oldest traditions, the village’s climate and geography mark it out as the place where the north meets the south.

In the second century BC the settlement is said to have resisted a Roman siege for seven years. This feat is the origin of the Festival of the Crosses, which the village celebrates on May 3rd every year.

Added interest is provided by several large, emblazoned houses, Manueline doorways and the house where the doctor and author Fernando Namora lived, practised and found inspiration for his novel ‘Fragments of a Doctor’s Life’.

Those who feel energetic enough to make the climb up to the castle are rewarded with one of the most stunning views in the region. The bold knights of the Christian Reconquest were buried in hollowed out rocks in this stronghold.

However, perhaps the most important place in the village is Lucan’s Tower. Dating back to the 14th century, the tower is crowned with a silver cockerel, a trophy awarded to Monsanto in a competition in 1938 in which it was judged to be the most Portuguese village in Portugal.


NEWSLINE

MSI Newswire | Odisha

Odisha government, in a bid to attract more tourists to

the state and rope in more investors, fi nalised a new policy for the tourism sector, offi cial sources said. The state cabinet, chaired by Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha approved the new policy, which focuses on generating more jobs and giving better incentives to the tourism sector, sources said.

The government is hoping the policy would help increase the infl ow of domestic and foreign tourists.

The policy aims at attracting fresh investments through provision of investments and interest subsidies for development of world-class tourism products and infrastructure. According to the new policy, all tourism projects shall be exempted from payment of entry tax on purchase of raw materials for the entire construction period

or for three years, whichever is lower.

The waiver of entry tax would be applicable to projects like hotels, heritage hotels, resorts, service apartments spa and wellness centres, amusement parks, art and crafts villages, golf courses, convention centres, Adventure Tourism projects and Ecotourism projects.

The Cabinet also decided that Biju Saharanchal Vidyutikaran Yojana,

aimed at providing electricity to people living in slums and habitations, with minimum population of 100 in urban areas, will be extended to habitations with population below 100.

MSI Newswire | Mumbai

Most Asian countries are witnessing a rapid move

towards planning and booking travel on the go, resorting to using mobile devices as opposed to the conventional desktops for travel search, travel search website, Skyscanner, found. In the Asia-Pacifi c region, South Korea leads the way in mobile travel search with 80 per cent of fl ight searches, followed by Japan, which recorded 71 per cent of fl ight searches coming from mobile devices to the travel search site. India is not far behind when it comes to mobile travel search, ranking third in the region with 70 per cent of all fl ight searches coming from mobile devices in the sub-continent. It is interesting to note that this trend of planning travel on the go is not limited to Asia with travellers from Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US are now using mobile devices for over 70 per cent

of fl ight searches, compared with a global average of 53 per cent.

Bonamy Grimes, Chief Strategy Offi cer and Co-Founder, Skyscanner, said, “It’s clear that online businesses need to be mobile to succeed over the coming years and thus we’ve focused our mobile strategy on making the most of the technology on each platform. It’s far more consumer-friendly this way and we’re seeing our users respond accordingly. For instance, Android and Windows users can pin live tiles to the homepage to keep an eye on fl ight price changes, while BlackBerry users can share and chat about a search using BBM technology. We’re continuing to build on our free text search and voice recognition

technology to make the mobile travel booking process as intuitive as possible.”

Skyscanner has seen its mobile applications (apps) grow by over 400 per cent in the past year as mobile visits overtake web for the fi rst time. The site’s fl ight search app has been downloaded over 20 million times.

There have been over 250 million searches made since the travel search site fi rst launched its apps. Amongst the mobile devices used for travel search, Android and iPhone emerged as the most popular devices amongst Indian travellers followed by the iPad, Windows phone and BlackBerry, respectively.

New Tourism Policy for Odisha

aimed at providing electricity

New Tourism Policy for Odisha

Asian Travellers Resorts to Mobile Device Travel Bookings: Skyscanner


COLUMN

V Duraikkannan

The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) was holding

its annual convention for the year at Durban in South Africa during Feb 23-26, 2013. I was one among the eight hundred and odd delegates who went for the event. There were the add-ons of pre- as well as post-convention tours to the main event. I opted for the pre-convention tour to two of the many places of interest in South Africa - the Hluhluwe Game Reserve past the small, beautiful town of St.Lucia and a visit to the famous Shakaland.

Before I go into the details of my stay and tour in S.Africa, I should share here some of those advisory notes which we got from the organisers for the first-time travellers to South Africa , the Do’s and the Don’ts in South Africa for our safety and security - that we should always move as a group and not venture out late in the evening on our own, that we should distribute money on our person in more than one location rather than carry all the money in one single wallet, and that in the event of a possible mugging we should give away whatever we have without any argument. One can imagine how eerie and unsettling this kind of forewarning could be! But to everyone’s big sigh of relief, we did not have to encounter any such thing there. Maybe the organisers wanted to caution us on the right side!

The same way for all my thirty three years of aviation business, I have not heard of any rave notice about South African Airways (SAA) which is the flag carrier of S.Africa. I need to confess that I was not expecting any great flight from Mumbai to Johannesburg from where I

would connect to Durban. The news that I happened to read co-incidentally that day about the airline that the SAA Board had placed its CEO Vuyisile Kona on ‘precautionary suspension’ (what would that mean?!) On February 11, 2013 was not doing any bit to improve my perception about the airline. But then the Airline did spring a surprise for me. The A-319 aircraft was neat and clean and the cabin crew were so very pleasing and courteous. The cockpit crew too was very courteous and caring to brief us on everything all through the eight and odd hour long flight, from departure to landing. The flight was a good note to start on the journey!

Our first landing was Johannesburg. The airport there is called O.R.Tambo after the former President of African National Congress (ANC), Oliver Reginald Tambo ( 1917-1993). The domestic flight from Johannesburg to Durban was about an hour. Durban’s airport is called King Shaka Airport, after the legendary Zulu king, Shaka of 19th century! The 2010 FIFA World Cup held there in Durban has added its two bits to enhance the standards and the looks of the airport for sure and the airport looks real nice!

King Shaka requires a separate paper on him for

he was such an inspiring leader for his age and time.Shakaland, the Zulu cultural village in KwaZulu Natal apart from re-living the history of the Zulu people, showcases the prowess and brilliance of King Shaka through arts, pictures, and films!

The staff at Durban Airport were more courteous than the ones at Johannesburg (it would do good for the African Tourism Board to look into this discordant note of not-so-pleasing behaviour of the Johannesburg airport staff and correct it). I also could feel the patriotic fervour of the African nationals everywhere, especially in Durban. They have high regard for the city of Durban( they fondly call it ‘ the City of Sun & Fun’ ) and perhaps that also make a difference to their better behaviour!

Durban is often famously called the largest Indian city outside India which is as good as true. Countries like US and UK might have even more number of Indians but they are all scattered across the country while the biggest concentration of Indians overseas is at Durban only. Indians form more than 27% of Durban’s population.

Durban’s native Zulu name is ‘EThekwini’ meaning a bay. Vasco da Gama who discovered the land in 1497 on a Christmas day called it ‘Rio

43ASIAN TRAVELLER | MARCH 2013 43ASIAN TRAVELLER | MARCH 2013

COLUMN

de Natal’ (Natal River) and the name ‘Natal’ continues even today in one of the nine provinces of South Africa namely KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), though the city as such had adopted the name of Durban from its one-time Governor, Sir Benjamin Durban.

The roads are well developed across the length and the breadth of entire South Africa and the three

key cities Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban have very impressive buildings, stadiums, and other civic facilities.

‘Big Five’ is a popular catch phrase in S.Africa. Of course, it refers to its famous fi ve animals - Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant, Lion, and Leopard! One can fi nd the mascot of these fi ve animals on T-shirts and other souvenirs. S.Africa is equally proud of its

belonging to another ‘Big Five’ - it joined the powerful bloc of four countries BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) on Dec 24, 2010 turning BRIC into BRICS, the Big Five!

South Africans have very great regard for India and Indians, the underpinning force being Gandhi who had lived in there for twenty long years (1895-1915). Nelson Mandela’s words have

tremendous beauty in them when he said : ‘You gave us Mohandas Karamchand. But we gave you back Mahatma Gandhi !’

I was also touched by their love for the country and more so

for Durban in specifi c. As I was wearing a straw hat with the hatband slogan ‘I Love Durban’ when I was checking through the immigration, the Immigration Offi cer at Durban took a loving glance at my hat and greeted me ‘ Oh, you love Durban! We all do!’ and took no time to clear me with a quick stamping on my passport in all his smiles!

Kerala Tourism posted an 11 per cent growth in revenues

to Rs 21,125 crore for 2012, as compared with Rs 19,037 crore in 2011.

The state was witnessing a growth of 12-13 per cent in earnings from foreigners, while from domestic tourists this was growing around 10 per cent every year. The department expects this momentum to continue and clock the same percentage of growth in 2013 as well, said Anil VS, tourism information officer.

Foreign exchange earnings of the state went up from Rs 4,221.99 crore in 2011 to Rs 4,548 crore in 2012. The state witnessed 749,000 foreign tourist arrivals in 2012 as compared with 733,000 in 2011. Compared with 9.3 million domestic tourists

in 2011, around 10 million domestic tourists came in 2012. This excludes the number of people visiting as part of pilgrimage to Sabarimala, he added.

The government of Kerala is rolling out two new initiatives to attract domestic and international tourists. The state will develop ‘Seaplane Project’ and ‘Project Muziris’ in order to enhance the travel experience and add to its array of tourist sites. The former project is aimed towards improving last mile connectivity by air to its destinations across state, while the latter is directed to reinstate the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris.

Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited (KTIL) has been appointed as the agency for the

implementation of the Seaplane Project. The plan is to provide service initially in the priority circuit, consisting of the three airports of Trivandrum, Cochin and Calicut. The prime destinations in the state include Astamudi, Punnamada, Kumarakom, Bolgatty and Bekal.

The Muziris Heritage Site (MHS) stretches across from the municipality of North Paravur in Ernakulam district to Kodungallor in Thrissur district. The project is aimed at promoting awareness and understanding of the cultural distinctiveness and diversity of Muziris.

Kerala Tourism Posts 11% Growth

44

NEWSLINE


MSI Newswire | Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala Tourism has won yet another international laurel,

silver prize again at the ITB Golden City Gate Awards that is billed as the Oscar for tourism. Kerala tourism won the Das Goldene Stadttor (Golden City Gate) Award in the print campaign category for its ongoing Ayurveda campaign.

The awards, given every year at the prestigious ITB Berlin fair, are considered to be the ultimate recognition for tourism communications.

Tourism Minister A P Anil

Kerala Tourism Wins Das Goldene Stadttor Award

Kumar, who was heading the state delegation to thefestival and Tourism Secretary Suman Billa received the award. This is the fifth time in the last decade that Kerala is getting an award in Berlin. Last year also, Kerala won the same award for its campaign, ‘Your Moment is Waiting’.

Anil Kumar said that it is

another big endorsement to Kerala Tourism’s marketing initiatives that played a pivotal role over the years to catapult Kerala as a must-see destination in the world.

“The award is an acknowledgement to our

attempts to provide a glimpse of our rich Ayurveda traditions before the world. It means that we are successful in our campaign to show the world that Kerala is also a destination for wellness, along with its pristine beauty,” Suman Billa said.


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5. What is the female of a cat called?

6. Who is Ruth Kedar?

7. Which airline’s Frequent Flyer Program is called ‘ Sheba Miles’?

8. How many countries in the world are member states of the United Nations?

9. What is the population of the Vatican City?

10. Air Force One is for the US President. What is it for the Vice President of USA? Compiled by : DEEKAY

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46

NEWSLINE


Australians Boost Tahiti’s Tourism Hopes

MSI Newswire | Australia

A ustralians flocked to Tahiti and her islands last year in a tourism

comeback that saw Tahiti listed as one of the fastest

growing overseas destinations and visitor numbers return to pre-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) levels.

Since the GFC hit in 2008, Tahiti has been steadily luring travellers back with a 40 per

cent increase in Australian visitors between 2009 and 2012.

According to annual tourism figures, Australian visitor numbers to Tahiti increased 24 per cent in

2012 – the third largest increase experienced by any international destination last year.

“The last time we saw Australian visitors around this mark was before the GFC so we couldn’t be more thrilled,” Tahiti Tourisme Australia Director Robert Thompson said.

“From what we’ve already seen this year and looking at forward bookings, it’s a trend that we expect to continue throughout 2013.”

May and June were the most popular months to travel to Tahiti in 2012, and Thompson said this was in line with Australians’ desire to escape winter.

asian traveller march 2013

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