TRADE

SEPTEMBER 2019, PAGES 36, Rs. 60 VOL. 2, ISSUE. 8

Regal wedding and beyondRAJASTHAN

Weddings in India evolving around exoticness and exceptionality

FROM SIMPLISTIC AFFAIR TO BESPOKE EXTRAVAGANZA

Editorial & Marketing Office: Versatile Media: 207, Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, New Delhi-110008Contact: 011 - 45530380/83 • varun@versatilemedia.inAll information in MiceInsiders is derived from sources we consider reliable. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract or interviews are not necessarily shared by us. Material appearing in the magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s) without prior permission. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisement Code. The publisher will not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to appear.Owned and published by: Varun Malhotra, Editor & Publisher, EB-63, Maya Enclave, Hari Nagar, New Delhi - 110064 and printed on his behalf at Acme Tradex India Pvt. Ltd. ( Unit : Printing press) B - 70, Sector - 80, Noida - 201305

Dear Readers,

In September, we stand at the threshold of the remaining slice of the year that comes with festivities and celebration, with the highest significance given to weddings! Weddings are one of the most important events in an individual’s and Indian’s life. And so is equally important for the stakeholders contributing to that segment. An Indian wedding isn’t often prefixed with the term ‘grand’ for no reason. It is a stewpot of colours and hope and tradition, attended by a few hundred, sometimes even thousands and represents a cultural identity that subsumes millions. We have observed that the Indian wedding industry, often considered recession-proof, continues to cater to more than 10 million weddings, every year. Extracting the same thought, we have spoken to some of the leading brands from the Indian hospitality industry to comprehend how hotel weddings are progressively converting into a bigger business, shifting priorities of the industry.

Considered as one of the pivotal aspects of anyone’s life, weddings are reaching greater heights every day and the industry is remoulding itself for grand success. Hotels are gradually becoming the epicentre of all weddings, serving from A

to Z of all that is required to host a happy nuptial. From luxury hotels to exotic destinations, weddings in India are going places (literally)!

Interestingly, several international tourism boards have also sensed the pulse of the Indian wedding market and are aggressively promoting their respective countries as ‘the’ place to tie the knot. If you are slightly inspired by the idea of having an Indian destination wedding overseas, we bring some of the exotic and breathtakingly beautiful locations the Middle East that make for the perfect setting to get hitched. A tapestry of colours, cultures, flavours, landscapes, timelessness and heart-stopping beauty, Rajasthan is a winning blend of serene locales and regal weddings.

Other than this, we bring to you the latest and on-going news from across the segments of the industry including the names that join the travel and tourism clan.

I thank you all again for your kind support. We value your feedback and suggestions so please do write to us at varun@versatilemedia.in.

Happy Reading!

P u b l i s h e r ’ s N o t e

PUBLISHER & CEO Varun Malhotra

varun@versatilemedia.in

DIRECTOR Pranav Khullar

pranav@versatilemedia.in

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gagneet Kaur

ASST. EDITOR Sayanti Halder

REPORTER Kritika Dua

REPORTER & MARKETING ANALYST Lokesh Tuli

BUSINESS HEADShilpi Sharma

AGM SALES & MARKETING (MUMBAI) Aarti Rajkhewa

BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGERNitika Bisht

CONSULTANT Anindya Malhotra, Jitin Mann

DESIGNERShivnath

ACCOUNTS Saroj Thakur

ADMIN HEAD R Prem Lata

ASST. MANAGER ADMIN Deepa Kaur

EXECUTIVE-CIRCULATION Hari Puri, Raja Rari

4 SEPTEMBER 2019

HOMEWARD

HOTEL FEATURESPECIAL FEATURE

16 ICWF 2019 CONCLUDES WITH A PROMISES TO TAKE WEDDINGS TO NEWER HEIGHTSBRINGS TOGETHER OVER 650 INDIAN AND 70 INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES FROM 15 COUNTRIES

18 RAJASTHANREGAL WEDDING AND BEYOND

26 MAYFAIR LAKE RESORT, RAIPURPRESENCE OF FASHION AND VANITY IN THE CENTRE OF INDIA

Located amidst lush greenery, that overlooks the gorgeous Jhangh Lake, with sweeping panoramic views all around the property, the spellbinding MAYFAIR Lake Resort, Raipur is a haven occupied with extravagance and vanity. With an array of various services and facilities laid out for this Chhattisgarh’s property’s prestigious, the MAYFAIR Lake Resort, Raipur makes sure that not even a single requirement is left unattended

Weddings in hotels have become grander over the past few years with a grand transition. From under-explored destinations, bespoke trousseau, custom hashtags, themed buffet spreads, personalised offerings, larger-than-life invites, carefully synchronised sangeet routines and more, new elements have been added on to the current wedding scenario in India. The wedding industry has been transitioning from being only organisational to becoming experiential than ever before and the entire wedding experience means serious business. To understand how the weddings segment is contributing a larger chunk of revenue for the hotels and how they are further taking a leap forward by giving an equal importance to mood and moolah while making this emotional affair a precious celebration

6 ........................................................................................................................ Inbound14 ..........................................................................................................................Trade22 ...................................................................................................................Outbound28 ............................................................................................................... Hospitality 32 ..................................................................................................................... Aviation34 .........................................................................................................Appointments

OVERSEAS20 VISUALISING WEDLOCK INTHE MIDDLE EAST

Everyone across the globe knows about the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’ and how seriously the Indians take their nuptial ceremonies especially the destinations weddings. And that’s where the Middle East acts as the star! Whether it’s a wedding taking place along a glittering coastline, amidst the lavish splendour of some of the world’s most iconic hotels or an intimate celebration of love in the desert – Middle East has it all

REGULAR NEWS

CONTENTCENTRE STAGE Page No. 8

WEDDINGS IN INDIA EVOLVING AROUND EXOTICNESS AND EXCEPTIONALITY

FROM SIMPLISTIC AFFAIR TO BESPOKE EXTRAVAGANZA

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6 SEPTEMBER 2019

Bird Group Signs MoU with MoT for Multi-lingual Audio Guide App

Maharashtra forts to boost tourism

Tourism Minister inaugurates the illumination of Qutub Minar

Ministry assures support in preparing a new Tourism Policy for Ladakh

In a bid to live up to its commitment to promote heritage tourism in India, Resbird Technologies Private Limited (part of Bird Group) signed an MoU with the Ministry of Tourism to launch ‘Audio Odigos’ - a mobile audio guide app for travellers. The handing over ceremony of ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ and ‘Letter of Intent’ (for Beatles Ashram - Uttrakhand) by the Ministry under ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ was held recently

in Delhi wherein Himanshu Kumar, Business Head - BirdApps and Geetanjali Nanda, Senior Executive Assistant – Business & Projects received the MOU at the ‘National Conference of Tourism Ministers’ amidst the gathering of delegates from the ministry.

Audio Odigos will equip users with information on each monument with pictures, content and voice-over support in a variety of languages including English, Hindi, Japanese and Korean.

Maharashtra Government’s “heritage tourism” policy will allow use of historical forts not in the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected list for promoting tourism, a senior official said here on Friday. The move has come under flak from opposition parties who said the plan to rent out forts for heritage hotels and wedding venues was an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his followers. There are about 350 forts in Maharashtra and this move will give impetus to the local economy, state Tourism Secretary Vinita Singhal.

“We don’t plan to touch heritage forts which have historical value and are protected under the ASI like the Raigad fort. The state government has already budgeted over Rs 500 crore for its upgradation,” she said. Singhal said there are many which are not in the protected list which are frequented by people for picnics, hiking etc. “These are blessed with beautiful landscape and have history and tradition and can be used for tourism as we want to give impetus to the local economy,” she said.

The historic Qutub Minar came alive as it saw the first-ever architectural LED illumination inaugurated by Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (I/C) Prahlad Singh Patel in New Delhi. With the illumination, the architectural beauty of the 12th-century monument will display its historic majesty after sunset. Speaking on the occasion, The Minister said that the Qutub Minar complex is a true reflection of India’s culture and contains the history of several eras. The bottom to top illumination of this magnificent monument will highlight the true beauty of its elements. The systematic development of the Qutub

complex will not only increase the footfall of visitors but also benefit communities around it, he added.

Highlighting the importance of public facilitation at such monuments, Patel said that recently MoT has setup an infant feeding centre at the Taj Mahal, Agra and many such facilities will also be set up in all ASI-protected UNESCO world heritage sites. He further added that the Prime Minister has set the goal of doubling foreign and domestic tourists in the next five years. “To achieve this goal, we must change the global perception about our country to promote tourism,” he explained.

On the third day of the Leh tour, the Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (I/C), Prahlad Singh Patel held a meeting with all local stakeholders related to the tourism sector in Ladakh. DG- Tourism Meenakshi Sharma; ADG- Tourism Rupinder Brar; Principal Secretary Tourism (J&K), Naveen Kumar Chaudhry and senior officers of Ministry of Tourism and officials of local bodies were present in the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister announced that the Ministry of Tourism will provide full support to the local administration in preparing a new tourism policy for Ladakh. He also assured them that if needed, the Ministry people will visit every month to Ladakh to provide their support and help regarding this matter. The Minister also said that right now, Ladakh region has only 14 monuments under ASI supervision and the Ministry is willing to increase it to double or triple-fold. He further added that there are several unknown yet important monuments available in the Leh and Kargil regions, which can be protected by ASI.

News

INBOUND

8 SEPTEMBER 2019

Centre Stage

Weddings in India evolving around exoticness and exceptionality

From simplistic affairto bespoke extravaganza

By Gagneet Kaur and Sayanti Halder

Weddings in hotels have become grander over the past few years with a grand transition. From under-explored destinations, bespoke trousseau, custom hashtags, themed buffet spreads, personalised offerings, larger-than-life invites, carefully synchronised sangeet routines and more, new elements have been added on to the current wedding scenario in India. The wedding industry has been transitioning from being only organisational to becoming experiential than ever before and the entire wedding experience means serious business. To understand how the weddings segment is contributing a larger chunk of revenue for the hotels and how they are further taking a leap forward by giving an equal importance to mood and moolah while making this emotional affair a precious celebration

SEPTEMBER 2019 9

Centre Stage

Primarily known as a major inbound destination, Agra has noticeably picked up its domestic market, over the past few years. The locals now prefer to host their weddings in a one-stop solution venue, catering to all their functions and needs, in a more professional and organised fashion. Taking a cue from this progression, Bhowmik states that Hotel Clarks Shiraz is posing itself as “one answer to several matters” for all the wedding groups residing in or visiting Agra to host the ‘D day’. The property is establishing itself as one of the premium properties with unmatched wedding facilities that host an average of 40 to 45 weddings, of large scale, in a year. Ranging between massive stretches of all communities of wedding groups, the hotel can accommodate

the size of 300 to 1000 people, in one time. Along with its geographical advantage and vicinity from the Taj Mahal, the property also possesses the benefit of hosting two weddings, simultaneously.

“Considering ourselves as a prime alternative for the ever-rising inbound market, we address the wedding segment as a huge revenue-generating source for our property, especially observing its increasing demand. Since we have a huge spread of plot over five acres with a vast landscape of lawns, we are steadily experiencing a fair share of weddings in our hotels. We are aggressively promoting the property for a further influx of wedding segment of guests,” shares Bhowmik. Furthermore, he informs that the hotel organises FAM trips

for the wedding management companies, travel trade and media for the added promotion in the market.

Bhowmick boasts that the hotel is located away from the crowded neighbourhood of Agra, over the verdant stretch of land, its location is exceptional and attractive. To survive in the competitive wedding market, he suggests that constant

innovation is the key to success due to which, innovations are coming in the kitchen as well owing to the evolution of palate and food selections. Seeing the ongoing trends of the millennials and how

they get the appeal from the current fashion, Bhowmick affirms that the property is actively participating in digital and social media platforms.

“We try and match all the requirements necessary for a destination wedding”Debashish Bhowmik, Senior Vice President, Hotel Clarks Shiraz

Earlier, hotels were perceived as

the source of F&B that gradually shifted to the need

of a banquet hall, as well. The demand has evolved as the

crowd is becoming more cosmopolitan

10 SEPTEMBER 2019

Since weddings are an emotional affair, the situations are straight and efficient and they, fundamentally, have to be dealt with more care, flexibility and high EQ. In an Indian wedding, plans keep altering from the basic ones, especially where several decision makers are involved. With such an ideology, Rai boasts the fact that one of the major reasons of his property gaining a high delivery of revenue and reputation is due to their attention to detail and personalisation. As he further opines, wedding is a segment where one may capture several generations and individuals of varied tastes and therefore, The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Delhi is constantly evolving.

“In our property, we have a wedding specialist team that not only showcases the facilities and services that the hotel can offer for a wedding but also, focuses on

building a comfort and relationship with the clients. We have created a ‘celebration studio’ for the initial days’ meets with client where we sit across a round table to exhibit what all we offer along with exchanging ideas, in a congenial manner. We use technology to share thoughts and images and that is where, we stand out from the clinical approach that other hotels generally deliver,” adds Rai. “Every client is different; gone are the days of ‘three non-vegetarian and two vegetarian’ habit of demands. Each of them is unique with separate ideas and demands. Before the commercials are discussed, we urge on building a connect with our clients.”

Rai is of a firm belief that it is the hotel ambiance and open spaces that are taking up the place of ‘wedding venues’ in a property and clients nowadays are showing the propensity of utilising all available corners of

a hotel. “Our hotels and the way it is positioned are seamless; we have open courtyards, open gardens, pre-function areas, welcome area and a separate premise for the ‘baraat’ to arrive. Therefore, our hotel provides facilities for outdoor socials without posing any restrictions from other guests who might as well be discouraging of the pandemonium,” he explains. Blessed with ample of spaces, The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Delhi holds the

capacity of up to 3,000 to 4,000 people, on an average. Keeping together, small and big, Rai informs that the property hosts around 30 to 40 weddings every month, with over 200 weddings in a year. “Wedding is more about how it is

spreading through word of mouth and therefore, the property engages with the guests directly having the relationship breakup of 70:30 in B2C and B2B perspective,” shares Rai.

The Indian wedding industry is very dynamic and persistently evolving, bringing new business and scope to the wedding service providers. Standing out in this crowd of competition is Marriott India with its unique concept of ‘Shaadi by Marriott’ intending to create an exclusive and diverse wedding experience. The concept debuted this year in Chennai and Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Center was one of the hosts to campaign that. “We recently had a 2-day event of ‘Shaadi by Marriott’ in association with wedding planners, where we organised destination weddings to promote our resort and the services provided by the property,” informs Krishnan and further mentions that the property has hosted around 40 to 45 weddings and related events.

Krishnan further tells that his team is always on the lookout for expanding our reach in terms of marketing and promotional activities. “We are aware that community-specific weddings require special requests when it comes to the type of food ad preparations. This year, we have plans to organise a customer event for specific communities including Jain and Marwari weddings. We

have the expertise to hire our team of maharajas and halwai’s for such occasions,” he adds and continues, “Recently we organised FAM trips inviting various journalists to showcase our property. Apart from this, we also participated

at prominent wedding fairs, nationally and internationally with a very positive response.”

Upon asking about the ever-shifting segment of wedding and

its business, Krishnan exclaims that weddings are a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ event that has grown at a considerable pace, over the past few years. “The expectation of guests is also changing with time. People are exploring new trends but also want to be close to their roots and have the element of tradition in their functions. We are also seeing that people who are settled outside India are looking for more traditional marriage with a bit of new world added to it,” he adds. From typical Indian marriages for the family and friends to a grand wedding spread over a few days that could be held in different locations known tagged as ‘destination weddings’, Krishnan seems confident of the rising market that Indian families give all the importance and priority to.

“Before the commercials are discussed, we urge on building a connect”

“We have plans to organise a customer event for specific communities”

Ashish Kumar Rai, General Manager, The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Delhi

Girish Kumar Krishnan, Hotel Manager, Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Center

Every wedding, today, has

to be “Instagramable”. Ballrooms and chandeliers

are no longer important and people are seeking outdoors

and overall ambiance

Technology is taking charge of how weddings

are planned and executed. There is a growing demand for

theme-based or conceptual weddings and destination

weddings are getting more and more popular

Centre Stage

115 Gokula Extension, BEL Circle, Bangalore 560054, India. Phone: +91 80 4300 1000 www.gokulamgrandblr.com

Gokulam Grandbeckons you to transcend

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12 SEPTEMBER 2019

In the gradual passage of time, weddings have become a personalised event and no longer just a social congregation. Therefore, the wedding market has become active and competitive to fetch the maximum amount of business in a vast, capital-rich nation. All of these are associated to create a wow experiential wedding and guests are more curious to associate with the brands. With the continuing rise of both profits and distinction, placing itself as a prime wedding hotel in the NCR region, Radisson Blu Hotel Greater Noida is leaving no stones unturned for establishing its ethos and brand value in the Indian wedding market of north Indian region. With utmost supervision to all the hotel’s facets, Srivastava

discloses how Radisson Blu Hotel Greater Noida is strengthening its foundation by esteeming its vendors and suppliers that augment the wedding business. “We have empanelled different vendors for decoration, music and additional services about weddings and social events. Cordial relationship with them brings business to us, which helps us in expanding the wedding business. Also, there are other wedding planners and travel agents, who have started wedding verticals, are also helping us in increasing the wedding commerce and excelling in such competitive wedding market. Apart from travel trade partners, we treat our vendors as our first customers who, in return, bring business for us,” he explains.

Currently, the property is

positioning its venues by creating a ‘wow factor’ for its guests with its wedding specialists and customised services to plan a dream wedding. “We keep our unique selling points, such as clam location away from the hustle-bustle of crowded cities and hotel’s nearness from Agra, Delhi, Noida, Bulandsahar and Aligarh, in mind. Another USP would be our open-air venue at the rooftop with a

wonderful view, perfect fit for pre- and post-wedding events,” boasts Srivastava. As he further informs, the hotel does approximately 60 to 70 weddings with a mix of pre-, post- and on-going wedding events. Apart

from the weddings, social events such as birthday and anniversary events are also hosted as filler to the revenue.

While weddings were a simpler affair about two decades back, economic liberalisation and the change in interests of the middle class have prompted alteration in attitudes. The wedding industry has transformed through the years with the current trend of weddings being personalisation and bespoke experiences. A similar concept created with an intent to craft unique and bespoke wedding extravaganzas, those come alive with great food, fabulous venues, exquisite décor and unparalleled service levels, ‘Shaadi by Marriott’ conceived to turn the hotel into a one-stop wedding destination.

“The Marriott Group has seen a potential in the wedding segment and wants to have a fair share in this growing space. We organise ‘Shaadi by Marriott’ at our hotel with different designers, where we invite prospective clients and

prominent personalities from this industry. With an intent to attract the domestic tourists, NRIs and the international audience alike, the main objective is to create a wedding experience that is superlative in its offerings,” says Ramaswamy and adds, “With the concept of ‘Shaadi by Marriott’, Indore Marriott Hotel is becoming a one-stop wedding destination to make our guests’ wedding, a happy and memorable occasion. Indore Marriott Hotel takes the

onus to curate a perfect wedding by deputing a specialist to take care of every ritual that is part of the marriage ceremony. To cater to such an audience, the hotel has a dedicated Shaadi specialist team

who takes care of everything from pre-wedding preparations to post-wedding plans such as helping plan the honeymoon and making arrangements at the behest of the couple.”

Indore is growing fast in terms

of hosting destination weddings locally as well as internationally. According to Ramaswamy, one of the reasons why the Indore Marriott Hotel is seeing positive demand for such occasions is because of it being strategically located a few minutes away from the airport with smooth access to nearby entertainment options. “Last year, we had conducted 63 weddings and around 200 plus social functions. It is also noteworthy that our hotel has received a considerable amount of reservation for destination weddings,” he professes.

Further, considering that there are many aspects one needs to manage while planning and executing, the team at Indore Marriott Hotel has planned the complete wedding period in advance.

“We treat our vendors as our first customers who in return bring business for us”

“Our hotel has received a considerable amount of reservation for destination weddings”

Ravindra Srivastava, Director of Sales & Marketing, Radisson Blu Hotel Greater Noida

Sriram Ramaswamy, Director of Sales and Marketing, Indore Marriott Hotel

Indian weddings have

become lavish affairs and completely shifted from

simple weddings to a fairytale dream. Budgets have surged

depending on individual tastes and choices

Destination weddings are becoming

a trending segment in the Indian metro cities that has also made into tier II and III

cities. Weddings are planned with specific themes and

activities

Centre Stage

Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC)Exhibition Ground, RIICO Industrial Area, Sitapura,Sanganer, Jaipur - 302 022 Rajasthan, India

Email: sales@jecc.inCall: 9587884120

JAIPUR EXHIBITION & CONVENTION CENTRE

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PPre-function AreaPre-function Area of 9,000 sq. ft

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14 SEPTEMBER 2019

News

TRADE

mia links the industry with its latest Agent Day ITB China to co-host Business

Travel MICE Procurement Conference in Shanghai

Annual travel expo opens in Saigon Wings Travel Management launches new operations in Egypt and Cyprus

Mia’s Connect Agent Day programme was held in The Majestic in Harrogate. Around 100 delegates, including 14 agents representing Conferences UK, Venues and Events International, Hotel and Travel Solutions, Pineapple Events, Inntel, Off Limits, CBA Events, Hospitality Guaranteed, Successful Events, Right Angle Events, Mason Events, Calder Conferences, The Events Company and Bien Venue attended the day, which enabled delegates to invaluable insight from event agencies and seamlessly establish connections with their industry peers.

The highly anticipated event got off to a quick start as venues had their questions answered in the initial ‘30 in 30’ agents panel session. Key suggestions made by the panel included the need for venues to continually invest in the latest technology. They also stressed the importance of efficiency and quick response times. Venues

which are unable to precisely meet the brief, should respond with their best alternative solutions while they should not be afraid to make suggestions when they have ideas that will help further enhance the event experience.

During the ‘Think-in Talk-in’ session the debate continued, as delegates and agents addressed some of the industry’s most pressing questions, from the issue of single-use plastics to the impact the development of AI may have on the meetings and events market. Delegates were further given the opportunity to further network during a stimulating team-building challenge led by The Events Company, which saw eight teams take to the town of Harrogate in an interactive treasure hunt. Tailored specifically for the Connect Agent Day, delegates competed against the clock to discover and complete hidden challenges from instructions at various locations, in the race for first place.

ITB China along with China BT MICE organised the first edition of the “Business Travel MICE Procurement Conference – Shanghai Station”. The one-day conference took place on September 10, 2019 in Shanghai at the Royal International Hotel Shanghai. The event featured a multitude of keynote speeches and panel discussions about China’s MICE and business travel sector. There were over 300 senior industry attendees from all over China who attended the conference,

representing all branches of MICE and business travel.The Chinese MICE market has been steadily increasing its market share within the Chinese travel industry and still proves to be very dynamic and promising. The Business Travel MICE Procurement Conference has been taking place in Beijing for the past nine years and has made a name for itself in the MICE industry. For the first time the event will take place in the megacity of Shanghai, where the annual ITB China takes place, too.

Vietnam’s biggest tourism event of the year, the annual International Tourism Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2019 (ITE HCMC) opened on September 5. The three-day event that was held at the Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Centre has 315 booths set up by Vietnamese and foreign travel industry companies.

Visitors can experience tourism products and services in HCMC, Vietnam and other participating countries, get promotion tours and gifts

and enjoy entertainment shows. There was a seminar on the inbound travel market, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism, health and green tourism. The event has a dedicated area for tourism startups to help them seek investors and partners. The organisers, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the HCMC government, expect this year to get over 35,000 visitors, a 25 per cent increase than 2018.

Wings Travel Management, specialists in handling the complex travel and logistical needs of companies operating in the energy sector, is on track to experience 40 per cent energy sector growth of up to USD 100m, after already winning over USD 50m in new business around the globe over the last six months.

New business includes the regional appointment in the Middle East and North Africa to one of the world’s largest providers of drilling, pipeline and construction products and services with a contract value of approximately USD 35m.

In addition, Wings

has secured the global appointment to provide travel and logistics services to one of the world’s largest oil and gas drilling contractors in the USA, Canada, Mexico and South America. The contract will expand to include the Middle East in the coming months, meaning the total value will be in excess of USD 30m. The travel management company has also seen positive growth in Scotland, winning new Aberdeen-based clients with a total annual business travel spend in the region of £500K. This includes Subsea Engineering & Technical Services, Iocean Solutions and PTC.

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16 SEPTEMBER 2019

Special Feature

ICWF 2019 concludes with promises to take weddings to

newer heightsBrings together over 650 Indian and 70 international delegates from 15 countries

The 7th edition of the wedding extravaganza International Convention of The Wedding Fraternity (ICWF) commenced at the resplendent ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata. The three-day wedding convention brought

together the crème de la crème of the travel industry, hoteliers and wedding management companies to deliberate upon the various facets of this lucrative industry

By Team MI

Asia’s leading wedding convention (ICWF), in association with Sanya

Tourism, travelled all the way to the ‘City of Joy’ Kolkata and was held over a period of three days at ITC Royal Bengal on August 23 to 25, 2019. It seamlessly covers each and every aspect of wedding. Organised by Pritesh Sharma, Samit Garg, Rajesh Varma, Atul Nath, Jaideep Singh and Mandeep Malhotra, it acts as a significant platform for the wedding industry professionals to put forth their vision, dreams, achievements and goals. Hosted by ITC, ICWF extended a warm welcome to the speakers and guests in a true blue Bengali style followed by a lavish cocktail dinner. The wedding

convention witnessed a growth of around 50 per cent in guests and brought under an umbrella more than 650 Indian and over 70 international guests from around 15

countries. While describing the grandeur

of the recently concluded wedding convention, Ildirim Ganbarov from Pasha Travels said, “It has been so far

the best show that I have attended in India and is surely the best one around weddings. Undoubtedly, wedding as an industry is immune to recession and economic downfall which makes for a great opportunity for numerous industry professionals both in India and abroad to leverage it. It has been a great experience and to be precise, I would say that it’s very classy, well-organised and lucrative event for all delegates.”

The sessions in the three-day convention kick-started with the inaugural address by Sanjoy K. Roy, President EEMA and a speech by Atul Bhalla, ITC Area Manager East on the second day. Topics ranging from design to entertainment, fashion, food, wedding travel and tourism

SEPTEMBER 2019 17

Special Feature

among others were discussed during the invigorating sessions at ICWF 2019. The list of speakers included Anamika Khanna, Ceci Jonson, Luc

Petit, Emily Wallace, Surendra Singh Baghel, Roshan Abbas, Sabbas Joseph, JJ Valaya, Nitin Desai, Atul Bhalla, Badal Jain, Bina Ramani,

Chef Vijay Malhotra, Chetan Vohra, Dipak Haksar, Emmanuel Dufoing, Fiona Liu, Gitikka Ganju Dhar, Jai Thakore, Jaydeep Mehta, Joseph Radhik Jurgen Bailom, Jurgen Thomas Schrod, Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Mahesh Shirodkar, Mandeep Mlhotra, Mandeep Singh, Masterchef Priyanka M, Mungo Denison, Nishi Vadhera, Prashant Yadav, Preetham Kiron, Rajesh Gupta, Ratna Chadha, Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao (Avanthi) Garu, Surendra Singh Baghel, Utsav Parekh, Virginie Corteval, Yamini Singh, Yogesh Gajwani and Zorawar Kalra. This year’s ICWF also hosted UFFH Calcutta, The ICWF Gala on the second day and launched the second edition of ICWF Magazine.

ICWF 2019 was an outstanding success in several ways. An LOI between the Government of Madhya Pradesh and ICWF was

signed wherein ICWF will counsel the MP government to understand the requirements of the wedding fraternity and the government will take essential actions to make it easier to execute weddings and events in MP. ICWF was organised to acknowledge the diligence and passion of the wedding planners, that concluded with the closing address by Dipak Haksar, CEO, ITC Hotels and Welcome Hotels followed by ‘The Great Indian Wedding Awards’ (GIWA).

GIWA recognises and acknowledges the dedication and zeal of wedding planners. The award night was hosted by Gitikka Ganju Dhar, GIWA 2019 and was indeed a runaway hit marked with an overwhelming response. The top winners for GIWA were Touchwood Entertainment Ltd, YS Design Studio, Purple Tree Event Solutions, CineLove Productions, Rashi Entertainment pvt ltd and A P Events. Speaking about it, Keyur Patel from Prasang Events exclaimed that it is one of the best awards in the country where everyone is pitching for a piece of cake. It’s a prestigious award and he compared the awards with prestigious music awards and called it the Grammy for the wedding fraternity. The upcoming edition of ICWF was announced at the event which will be held at the Grand Hyatt, Kochi from September 11 to 13, 2020.

18 SEPTEMBER 2019

Homeward

RAJASTHANRegal wedding and beyond…

Looking for a picturesque location to host your destination wedding? With royal quintessential backdrop, Rajasthan makes for an ideal destination celebrated for its incredible heritage, opulent

palaces, exquisite hotels and resorts, warm hospitality coupled with the distinguishing strong aroma of the authentic Rajasthani cuisine. The Land of Maharajas is home to some of the finest venues for a

wedding straight out of a fairytale

By Kritika Dua

Situated in the Thar Desert, this erstwhile Marwar region is a fabulous fort city shrouded by gates on all the side. Jodhpur is synonymous with indigo painted houses and traditional glass bangles. Jodhpur comprises a wide range of palaces and luxurious hotels for a destination wedding the royal way, offering warm hospitality and impeccable cuisine. Umaid Bhawan Palace acts as a jewel in the crown of Jodhpur and makes for a perfect destination wedding venue during winters. Set in the glorious city of Jodhpur and overlooking the stunning Umaid Bhavan, Indana Palace is enchanting and splendid in its offerings. With multiple banquet halls, it’s the only venue in Jodhpur with 10,000 sq. ft pillar less banquet hall. The expansive lawn areas are best suited to host wedding functions. You can take the wedding vows in the inner courtyard. This is the best match for a palatial wedding amongst all Rajasthan palace wedding venues. Nestled in the heart of Rajasthan, The Umaid Hotel- City Palace is the ideal location if you’re planning to have a regal wedding affair in Rajasthan. This hotel is an architectural marvel with beautifully-decorated banquet halls and massive lawns to host the wedding functions. Taj Hari Mahal, WelcomHeritage Bal Samand Lake Palace and The Ummed Jodhpur are among the remarkable hotels to get hitched in Jodhpur.

JODHPUR

TRADE

SEPTEMBER 2019 19

Homeward

This picturesque capital city of Rajasthan is known for its trademark pink-hued buildings. It is an ideal destination for stunning pre-wedding shoots in the forts or lavish wedding in some of its palaces converted to hotels. The Nahargarh Fort which offers breathtaking views of the entire pink city is a photographer’s delight. If you are looking for outdoor wedding venue exuding class and sophistication then look no further than Jai Mahal Palace. With lush Mughal gardens and host of exciting elements, this palace even offers complete wedding packages. Rambagh Palace is a luxurious palace and hotel, suited for those who wish their wedding to be an opulent and regal affair. Besides a special menu, this hotel can even arrange a traditional wedding with elephants and camels. Chomu Palace hotel will make sure that you have a dream wedding which you always desired. It’s an old fort decked with modern and traditional artefacts. Lebua Resort, Jamdoli is among the best resorts in Jaipur offering services and amenities filled with brilliance and grandeur. Some of the other incredible wedding venues in Jaipur include Shahpura Haveli, Park Inn By Radisson, Jaipur, The Lalit Jaipur and Jaipur Marriott Hotel.

JAIPUR

UDAIPUR

JAISALMER

Soak into the historic and magical Udaipur, it’s an extremely popular tourist destination renowned for Rajputana charm. Nestled with natural and artificial lakes and aristocratic palaces, it is perhaps the finest place to host a destination wedding. The luxurious Devi Garh Palace and Kumbha Bagh Palace are close by from Udaipur. The Oberoi Udaivilas Palace is one of the best wedding venues in Lake City and the whole of Rajasthan. Located on the banks of the serene Lake Pichola, this grandiose marriage venue stands tall on the 200-year old hunting ground of the Maharana of Mewar. The venue has a striking poolside area, perfect for cocktail dinners or engagement parties while the hall area is idyllic for hosting mid-sized wedding functions whereas the two vast lawn areas can be utilised to host the regal wedding venues in Udaipur. The refined and sophisticated layout of the hotel makes the interiors spectacular while the sunlit domes and corridors offer an exquisite view of the lake and lush gardens. Trident Udaipur is one of the best hotels to tie the knot in Rajasthan. The hotel boasts of artistic décor wherein the rooms furnished in the hues of beige and cream with traditional artefacts reminiscent of the rich cultural heritage of the city. Bujera Fort, Le Madhulika Maharana Resort & Spa Udaipur, The Amargarh Resort and Hotel The Castle Mewar are few of the finest marriage venues in Udaipur.

If enigmatic sand dunes arrest your attention and desert safari is on your mind then Jaisalmer is the place to be. It’s a world heritage site owing to the distinctive and intricate Jain temples nestled in the fort. Jaisalmer is also referred to as the golden city for its yellowish sandstone buildings and beautifully carved sculptures on it. The city is also famed for its gifted dancers and folk singers. Due to its state of the art services, Jaisalmer is increasingly becoming a popular place for getting hitched. Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort is a stunning hotel located amidst the enrapturing Thar Desert and seamlessly blends romance, hospitality, culture and elegance. The party hall, terrace areas along with the stunning garden allows you to have memorable wedding ceremonies. Heritage Inn in Jaisalmer is a luxurious hotel with alluring exteriors and interiors to swoon over. If you are looking for a grand venue for your nuptial celebrations, Fort Rajwada, located in Jaisalmer, providing the guests with pleasant surroundings, adding a touch of royalness to your special occasion. The expansive premises make it perfectly suitable for organising small or large weddings. Jaisalmer Marriott Resort and Spa, Rang Mahal Hotel, Mirvana Nature Resort and Suryagarh Palace are among the best venues in Jaisalmer to tie the knot.

20 SEPTEMBER 2019

AZERBAIJANThis oasis of nature and tranquillity is the perfect place to seal the love and create memories that will last a lifetime. The right location makes all the difference when it comes to hosting a truly memorable destination wedding. For something delightfully refreshing, Azerbaijan is one of the exciting locations to plan the nuptials. Like a pearl in an oyster, Azerbaijan in a hidden gem in the Persian Gulf. Azerbaijan serves up a dynamic blend of natural beauty, rich history, pristine beaches, world-class services and contemporary luxury. From opulent hotels and lavish beaches to bountiful natural parks, Azerbaijan is a playground for royals as this Middle Eastern destination offers a combination of ultra-luxe accommodations, Arabian hospitality and a chance to have a once-in-a-lifetime wedding experience!

Everyone across the globe knows about the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’ and how seriously the Indians take their nuptial ceremonies especially the destinations weddings. And that’s where the Middle East acts as the star! Whether it’s a wedding taking place along a glittering coastline, amidst the

lavish splendour of some of the world’s most iconic hotels or an intimate celebration of love in the desert – Middle East has it all. Its perfect illustration of ‘east meets west’ culture makes it a

popular choice for couples and wedding managersBy Sayanti Halder

Visualising Wedlock inTHE MIDDLE EAST

Overseas

SEPTEMBER 2019 21

RAS AL KHAIMAHDotted with picturesque resorts and pristine beaches and nestled between the mountains and the sea, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) conjures up images of an exotic wedding destination. Think dunes, colourful sunsets, star-filled night skies and riding off into the sunset on a camel. If it has been one’s dream to get married in a beautiful desert setting against the backdrop of dunes surrounded by majestic Hajjar Mountains, RAK is the place to head for making the most memorable day of one’s life truly magical. Couples would fall in love with Ras Al Khaimah’s majestic landscape, terracotta deserts, endless beaches, luxury hotels, exotic spas and so much more.

TURKEYIf a couple may manage to escape each other’s gaze for just a few minutes, they are certainly bound to fall in love with Turkey in no time. Often talked about as a harmonious blend of the exoticism of the East and the beauties of the West, Turkey is part of most of the world travellers’ dream wish list. Its unique location on the Mediterranean spanning Western Asia (in the Anatolian region) and South-eastern Europe make it a land of immense diversity and a plethora of sights, sounds and scenarios. It can get tough to organise a stunning destination wedding; more so in a country so diverse such as this one. When looking for a wedding destination with a difference and dollops of flavour... Turkey is a strong contender!

ABU DHABIThe capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, also continues to rank high as a popular choice for destination weddings. The bustling metropolis has enough tourist attractions, retail havens and gourmet stops to keep one busy for days on end. The city has also rightfully gained a reputation for being the hub of luxurious Indian weddings in the UAE. Right out of the Arabian Nights - starry skies, magnificent dunes and beaches and grand and luxurious hotels - this enchanting Emirate is a true paradise to celebrate your wedding. Slick and modern, Abu Dhabi offers an impressive list of venues for the perfect wedding. This captivating city maintains a more distinctly Arabian ambience than glitzy Dubai and sets a new standard in romantic elegance.

Overseas

News

22 SEPTEMBER 2019

Israel Tourism to focus on leisure, business and MICE segments for India market

Destination Canada Sales Mission to take place in February 2020

Witnessing a record-breaking number of 4.8 million tourists’ arrivals, last year, which was around 10 to 15 per cent higher than 2017, Israel seems more optimistic of receiving an increasing number of Indian travellers, this year. On the sidelines of the recently-conducted roadshow in the capital city of New Delhi on August 22, in order to enhance commercial ties with the Indian travel trade fraternity, Sammy Yahia, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism – India & Philippines stated that the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) would now be prudently focusing on attracting more travellers for the leisure, business and MICE segments from one of its prime source markets of India.

“Apart from our continuing traffic of Indian travellers, coming majorly for the pilgrimage segment of tourists, we are planning to augment the leisure, business and MICE divisions of tourism. We have enough capacity of both hotels and convention centres to accommodate however, we are currently looking at receiving groups of smaller scales ranging between 1,000 and 2,000 number of people.” Having direct connectivity between Tel Aviv and Mumbai, India seems to one of the key markets in sending our tourist to the ‘Holy Land’. Apart from New Delhi and Mumbai, Yahia mentioned that the country is now looking at the potentials of Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Goa, Jaipur, Kolkata and Pune. He also mentioned that the country is working hard to initiate e-visa for Indian travellers, in no time.

In an effort to retain the growth

momentum of Indian arrivals to Israel, the team recently interacted with over 300 key travel and tour operators, MICE providers and up-market leisure operators. The event commenced with a presentation leading to an interactive session with the IMOT team. The roadshow included interactive B2B sessions, education programmes and workshops to aid trade members in planning itineraries and responding to customer queries. The Israeli delegation was led by the newly appointed Yahia along with Judah Samuel, Director – Marketing, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India and included representative partners from the tourism industry of Israel.

Commenting on the roadshow, he said, “The arrivals from India have exceeded expectations in the last few years and we have seen the same trend in 2019. India currently stands third in Asia among the top source markets for Israel. While keeping the current momentum going, the idea is to aggressively work towards increasing connectivity between India and Israel by introducing new airlines to service the route.”

Speaking at the recently held Destination Canada Product Training Programme supported by Travel Agents Association Of India (TAAI), Carl Vaz - CEO and Strategy Director, Destination Canada – India GSA revealed that the Destination Canada Sales Mission will be held in three cities, namely New Delhi on February 4, Bengaluru on February 6 and Mumbai on February 8, 2020.

DC Product Training Programme was held at The Park, New Delhi, to get travel trade elated about promoting Canada in offseasons and they can build itineraries accordingly. Vaz elaborated, “We have partnered with several trade associations in India for the training workshops such as TAAI, TAFI, ETAA, OTOAI and SKAL. The primary aim is to get Indians to travel to Canada in offseason and through these engagements we are focusing on spring (March and April), fall (September and October) and winter (November and December). Several engagement programmes are being organised to educate travel agents about the different seasons and their opportunities. Separately, we will also introduce them to the travel trade in Canada to create those itineraries.”

To ensure that Indians spend more time in Canada they are working out different experiences such as the winter wonderland campaign focuses on snowmobiling, ice fishing, staying in an ice hotel, visiting a vineyard and tasting ice wine. They can also explore Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Jasper and Iqaluit. “We are creating itineraries with these elements. The number of Indians visiting Canada was up by 14.7 per cent in 2018. From January to June 2019 year-to-date we have had 14.8 per cent growth and have had 21 per cent growth alone in May 2019. We hope to maintain double-digit growth for 2020 as well,” asserted Vaz.

Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI believes that they would be able to increase the TAAI members' knowledge about this destination. “We are thankful to Destination Canada and all their partners.” Kumar also spoke about the successful execution of the five TAAI Knowledge Conclaves that were focused on push learning around subjects that are relevant to the travel trade industry. He added, “I believe as business leaders we need to understand. Many of the travel agents were unaware about several topics that were discussed in the TAAI Knowledge Conclaves. So the events did accomplish its objective and is an achievement for us." He revealed that the Managing Committee of TAAI after extensive discussions has decided and advised IATA that they don’t want to chase the airlines for capping as it should be their right. The airlines are ready on a condition that capping can be extended to the extent of your financial security. “We are pushing this forward which implies that capping would be available to the extent of your limit in the new era. So the, TAAI members, have a right with IATA to demand highest security level and capping on all airlines. Hopefully, in 2020, there’s a possibility of TAAI’s new dream coming true,” exclaimed Kumar.

By Sayanti Halder

By Kritika Dua

Sammy Yahia

Carl Vaz

OUTBOUND

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24 SEPTEMBER 2019

News

Experience Hub welcomes over 100 travel buyers for MeetChina 2019

Indian tourist arrivals in Turkey marks a 56 pc growth between January to July 2019

Thailand Golf Travel Mart 2019 concludes

Experience Hub, the trade and promotion arm of Yas Island Abu Dhabi, welcomed more than 100 top-tier Chinese travel buyers with 75 tourism stakeholders from across the UAE with one main purpose – to grow Chinese visitation to the UAE. MeetChina, which is taking place from September 1 to 3, 2019, enables suppliers from around the UAE to connect with buyers during the event with 90 per cent of attendees re-booking year-on-year.

This year’s participants were being treated to an immersive Yas

Island itinerary that showcases the award-winning theme parks Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, alongside iconic cultural attractions inside the UAE capital, including Qasr Al Watan and Louvre Abu Dhabi. MeetChina underscores Experience Hub’s commitment to further engage and strengthen relationships with existing travel partners in China, to offer travellers unparalleled leisure and entertainment experiences.

Experience Hub is the trade and promotion arm for one of the

world’s fastest-growing leisure and entertainment destinations - Yas Island Abu Dhabi. Through its network of local, regional and international offices, the company works with travel partners to design holiday packages that provide the best entertainment value for

travellers to the UAE. Based in Abu Dhabi, Experience Hub brings together expert travel and tourism professionals to manage its wide-reaching trade network. The company currently operates offices serving the GCC, India, China, Europe and the CIS markets.

The Turkish Tourism Board in India revealed that between January to July this year, Turkey has registered a 56 per cent increase in the number of Indian tourist arrivals in comparison to the same period last year, hosting 1, 30,000 Indian visitors. With such a positive growth rate and indicative data coming from ministry, the Turkey tourism board is expecting to host around 2,50,000 Indian tourists by the end of 2019.

The latest official statistics show that more than 24 million foreign tourists visited Turkey from January to July, a strong 14.10 per cent increase from the same period of last year. Turkey has emerged as a popular destination for Indian travellers across categories. From leisure travel to FITs, Indian weddings to MICE

summits, there has been a significant increase in all segments. This year, Turkey witnessed a substantial surge in the number of extravagant Indian destination weddings across Turkey. Similarly, MICE travel to Turkey increased at an incredibly fast pace.

The tourism board further announced that by the end of 2019, Turkey is expected to host around 30 Indian weddings and 3,00,00 MICE visitors. Basis the current arrival numbers and the activities planned in months to come, the tourism board is hoping to reach a record number of Indian tourist arrivals in Turkey by the end of this year. The first half has witnessed a record engagement in terms of FITs, Weddings and MICE and this trend will only go up.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organised the fifth Thailand Golf Travel Mart (TGTM) 2019, between August 6 to 9, 2019, in the kingdom’s Northern capital as part of an ongoing strategy to further develop a very important source of high-spending, long-staying customer segment.

The event attracted a contingent of 116 top golf tour operators from 24 countries, the top five of whom are from China (22), Japan (17), India (9), South Korea (8) and Singapore (7). To broaden the exposure of Thailand’s golfing attractions, TAT has carefully screened and invited 59 first-time buyers, especially from new markets; such as Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Portugal and Sweden. Amongst the 97 Thai exhibitors, mainly representatives of Thailand’s stunning golf courses and resorts, 37 are from the Central Region, 23 from the East, 22 from the North, 10 from the South and five from the Northeast. They include 39 first-time sellers.

OUTBOUND

News

SEPTEMBER 2019 25

On the sidelines of the recently-concluded destination roadshow organised in New Delhi and three more Indian cities, Charun Ohnmee, Deputy Governor for Policy & Planning, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) informed that the tourism authority’s governing board has proposed another extension till April 2020 to the government, which is expected to be approved soon for an added thrust to the incoming Indian travellers. “TAT is hopeful of one more extension for the visa fee waiver regime, which is due to expire on October 2019,” shared Ohnmee and further added that it is important that Thailand

keeps its number four ranking in terms of international travel and further build upon that ranking.

“Thailand has been able to reach the current position in the global travel and tourism arena through a decade of hard work and cannot afford to lose that edge. “We want to see the visa waiver policy to continue till April next at least.” While Thailand has been competing with neighbouring destinations such as Singapore, Korea and Malaysia even ten years back, today it competes with the likes of France and Spain, he said. “We are in a new arena today,” he emphasised.

Ohnmee said that the challenge, today, before Thailand Tourism

is in educating the trade about new destinations so that the key destinations do not suffer due to over-tourism. “We want Indian travel trade to check out newer destinations, understand the products and then design packages,” he said. While Thailand is a big country with 77 cities, only six cities are known to international travellers, he added. In this way, he suggests that the factor of over-tourism can also be tackled thus, arise ‘quality tourism’.

Acknowledging that the air capacities between India and Thailand are a constraint for future growth, the TAT Deputy Governor

urges the two governments to work out new agreement opening capacities further by next year. TAT Governor said that the Indian inbound to Thailand is largely general leisure and weddings; TAT has to expose its assets in more niche areas such as medical, MICE, gastronomic and business tourism for that added tow of Indians.

Charun Ohnmee

TAT aims for an additional extension for visa fee waiver till April 2020

Visit Orlando President and CEO George Aguel recently announced that industry veteran Michael D. Waterman has been appointed Chief Sales Officer for Visit Orlando. Waterman will oversee the travel industry and convention sales teams for the official tourism association of the most visited destination in the United States, reporting directly to Aguel.

With almost 30 years of experience in hospitality sales and marketing, Waterman’s background includes

a 24-year tenure in multiple sales and marketing leadership roles at Marriott International and, most recently, as the President and CEO of Visit Houston. His industry service includes the boards of the U.S. Travel Association and Destination International. “Mike is a well-respected industry leader with a wealth of experience and will be a phenomenal addition to our team,” said Aguel. “He could not be joining at a better time, as our destination is undergoing an extraordinary level of

growth from the exciting expansion of our world-class convention center, to the most significant addition of hotel rooms in twenty years, and most recently the announcement of our newest major theme park.” “I am thrilled to be joining arguably one of the most respected, dynamic destination organizations in the world," said Waterman. "I started my career in Orlando and I know it will feel like coming home.” Waterman will assume his new role from August 26.

Visit Orlando appoints new Chief Sales Officer

OUTBOUND

The next PATA Youth Symposium will take place on September 18The next PATA Youth Symposium, with the theme ‘From Beginning to End: How Stories Connect Us’, will take place on the first day of PATA Travel Mart 2019 on September 18 at M. Narikbayev KAZGUU University in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The Symposium is organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)

Human Capital Development Committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Tourism National Company and M. Narikbayev KAZGUU University.“This year’s PATA Youth Symposium aims to inspire the next generation of young

tourism professionals to tell their own unique stories by bringing together industry leaders who are passionate about creating a more sustainable and responsible tourism industry,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy. “We are extremely grateful to the Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Tourism

National Company and M. Narikbayev KAZGUU University for their support for both the event and the development of tomorrow’s tourism leaders.” Kairat Sadvakasov, Deputy Chairman of Kazakh Tourism JSC, added, “It is a great pleasure to welcome all delegates of the PATA Youth Symposium in Kazakhstan.

Michael D. Waterman

By Sayanti Halder

26 SEPTEMBER 2019

Hotel Feature

MAYFAIR LAKE RESORT, RAIPURPresence of fashion and vanity in the

centre of India

ACCOMMODATIONSConveniently located only 10 km away from Swami Vivekananda Airport, 15 km from the Main Market and 25 km away from the Railway Station, MAYFAIR Lake Resort offers various categories of accommodation spread across 124 well-appointed suites and rooms that come laden with the choicest of amenities that are perfect for the modern discerning traveller. Mostly all rooms are either lake facing or canal facing with pleasing garden views.

MAYFAIR Lake Resort is the brand new property from MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts: a perfect luxury destination for a wonderful getaway with excellent banqueting space and options. It is truly an ideal property for a lavish destination wedding or a luxury getaway. It is located amid lush greenery and overlooks the gorgeous Jhangh Lake. MAYFAIR Lake Resort offers luxury accommodation, great banqueting and event space, world-class facilities and some of the finest restaurants in Raipur. It is located at a very short distance from the airport and the railway station. The plentiful accommodation options including an opulent Villa with two bedrooms and drawing rooms, lavish Deluxe Suites, delightful Spa Suites and luxurious well-appointed Deluxe Rooms that come laden with the choicest of amenities.

Located amidst lush greenery, that overlooks the gorgeous Jhangh Lake, with sweeping panoramic views all around the property, the

spellbinding MAYFAIR Lake Resort, Raipur is a haven occupied with extravagance and vanity. With an array of various services and facilities laid out for this prestigious property in Chhattisgarh, the MAYFAIR Lake

Resort, Raipur makes sure that not even a single requirement is left unattended

By Team MI

SEPTEMBER 2019 27

Hotel Feature

WEDDINGS AND SOCIALS’ GALOREMAYFAIR Lake Resort has excellent banqueting facilities including a sprawling open-air lawn space of 94,000 square feet with a fixed stage and a gate which would be perfect for hosting luxury weddings or large conferences. MAYFAIR Ballroom has 9000 square feet of indoor space which can be further divided into separate sections according to the requirement of the guests. Right in the middle of the resort, there is a large open-air courtyard – ‘Angan’ where entertaining functions and performances can be held for a luxury wedding for residential guests. To add to these, there are also meeting rooms and board rooms for smaller meetings. All these event venue spaces can be gorgeously incorporated into serving as wedding venues. The overall design of the decor for the wedding can be customised according to the needs of the guests.

WELLNESS RESTOREDThe property is also home to the excellent MAYFAIR Spa which has been aesthetically designed in such a manner that it induces a sense of calm and peace in visitors. The Spa houses a bridal make-up room, a manicure and pedicure station, a unisex salon and a well-equipped adjoining fitness centre. Restaurants include an all-day multi-cuisine affair, an elegant bar and a charming little cafe. Other facilities include a stunning swimming pool with a rain dance area, Kid’s Play Area, a well-stocked library and oodles of space. MAYFAIR Lake Resort is one of the best luxury resorts in Raipur and promises to be an exquisite holiday experience waiting to be savoured by savvy vacationers and corporate travellers alike. There are beautifully designed therapy rooms where guests can avail of several holistic wellness and spa massages and treatments.

GASTRONOMIC OFFERINGSMAYFAIR Lake Resort, Raipur offers the best options for dining in the city. The wonderful choices include a magnificent all-day dining multi-cuisine restaurant, a handsome looking bar, a lovely poolside bar as well as a charming and chic cafe. ‘Tea Pot’ is the signature flagship multi-cuisine restaurant offering both space and ambience. The classy dining destination that claims to be one of the best restaurants in Raipur serves up some lavish and delectable buffet spreads with a live kitchen. ‘Mamma Mia’ is a charming cafe with some quirky decor which serves up some mouth-watering cafe food with a contemporary twist. The lovely ambience of this eatery, as well as a showcase of standout dishes, make this an excellent place to go out for a meal.

Moreover, ‘The Baron & The Baroness’ is a bar with an elegant style which also has a dance area, a lounge as well as a karaoke area. The bar serves a selection of premium spirits, cocktails and delicious finger food. The ‘Pool Side Shacks’ beside the lovely swimming pool serves a wide selection of premium spirits, classic versions of cocktails as well as an array of scrumptious finger food while the Jungle Bar is a theme bar, incorporating wildlife and nature and serves an excellent selection of premium beverages and some fine finger food in an ambient setting. Also, MAYFAIR Lake Resort offers ‘Lounge Bar’, a perfect place to unwind after a hectic day with an array of beverages from world over to choose from.

News

28 SEPTEMBER 2019

TRADE HOSPITALITY

Curio Collection by Hilton debuts in South East Asia

Hilton recently announced the opening of SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, a tropical escape. Nestled within the idyllic Emboodhoo Lagoon, SAii Lagoon Maldives forms part of CROSSROADS Maldives, the country’s first and only integrated resort and retreat.

The opening of SAii Lagoon Maldives also marks the debut of Curio Collection by Hilton in South East Asia and the fifth Curio Collection by Hilton property in Asia Pacific. With 198 rooms and villas, the resort will be Hilton’s third property in the Maldives. “For over 20 years, through the many firsts that Hilton has introduced in the Maldives, we have been sparking travelers’ imagination of waking up right above the Indian Ocean, or dining and even sleeping beneath the crystal-blue sea. In addition to putting the Maldives on the global map, we have brought meaningful opportunities for employment and we continue to make positive contributions to the livelihood and well-being of local communities,” said Alan Watts, President- Asia Pacific, Hilton. “With the launch of SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, we are looking to further deepen ‘The Hilton Effect’ in the Maldives and continue to set new benchmarks for hospitality through innovation.”

K Lords Eco Inn Hotel launches in Ahmedabad

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts to host ‘Future of Tourism Summit 2019’ in Sri LankaCinnamon Hotels & Resorts is set to host the third edition of the ‘Future of Tourism Summit’ (FOT 2019) on September 23, at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Sri Lanka. Running under the theme ‘Challenges and Growth in the Face of a Crisis’, this year’s event will bring together top global destination experts who will share their specialist knowledge and insights on how tourism industries can implement sustainable strategies in the long-run and recover and rebuild following a variety of incidents ranging from terror attacks to natural disasters. With tourism often contributing substantially to economic growth of different nations, it is imperative that travel brands and industry professionals alike have the tools and know-how needed to respond to and recover after a period of crisis.

This year’s FOT 2019 summit

will feature an exclusive line-up of speakers and in-depth talks with top destination marketers and travel industry professionals. The summit will kick-off with a special discussion with Richard Quest who will talk about the future of tourism locally and globally, followed by the keynote speaker of FOT 2019, Anita Mendiratta,

Special Advisor to the Secretary General, UNWTO who will explore the topic ‘Rising Above - Emerging Stronger Through Crisis’. The

summit will have its first group talk on ‘Facing a Crisis’ with Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of Taj Hotels, TATA Group and Dileep Mudadeniya, Vice President, John Keells, Group Head of Brand Marketing, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and moderated by Damian Cook, CEO, E-Tourism Frontiers.

The summit will also feature

Michael Yam, CEO and Managing Director of Impetus Alliance, Vesta Ratkeviciute, Sr. Regional Communications & Marketing

Consultant – Southeast Asia Euromonitor International, Ashish Hemrajani, Founder and CEO, Book My Show and Zubin Karkaria, CEO of Kuoni, who will share their insights and industry experience in handling unforeseen challenges and rebuilding business operations. The group talk will focus on hospitality best practices, implementing a winning destination campaign and a recovery marketing plan with reference to case-studies from Kenya, Bali and Taj Hotels.

An investor forum discussion will be conducted consisting of a panel of Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, Minor Hotel Group, Malik Fernando, Managing Direcor, Resplendent Ceylon, Krishan Balendra, Chairman, John Keells Holdings and Shiromal Cooray, Chairman, Jetwing Hotels which will be moderated by Murtaza Jafferjee, CEO, JB Securities.

Lords Hotels and Resorts celebrated the grand opening of its boutique hotel, SK Lords Eco Inn at Ahmedabad on September 1, marking the hospitality brand’s 23rd property in Gujarat. The hotel is an ideal destination catering to both business and leisure traveller with its exquisite setting and offerings.

SK Lords Eco Inn has 30 guest rooms with multi-cuisine restaurant and pillar-less banquet hall of 5000 sq. ft. The hotel is located near Navrangpura which is a very popular destination in Ahmedabad. Navrangpura is also known for the numerous banking institutions. Entrepreneurs and major brands frequent this area as it is also the commercial capital of Gujarat.

The inauguration ceremony was followed by lighting of lamp by Jayntibhai Faliya – promoter, SK Lords Eco Inn and the felicitation

was done by Pushpendra Bansal, Managing Director, Lords Hotels and Resorts.

Commenting on this occasion, Bansal stated, “Gujarat is India’s most exciting destination and an ideal stage for our continued expansion. We are expecting SK Lords Eco Inn to capture significant part of business tourist visiting Gujarat”. Faliya added, “We are pleased to be associated with one of the most reputed hospitality players in Gujarat. It is with both trust and its success record in developing and managing hotels that we see Lords Hotels & Resorts to be apt for SK Lords Eco Inn’s growth.

News

SEPTEMBER 2019 29

Centara signs deal for two new hotels in DohaCentara Hotels & Resorts has signed a hotel management agreement with Al Bandary Hotel Management for two new hotels in Qatar. The agreement represents the third and fourth Doha properties Centara will manage on behalf of Al Bandary, which also owns Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha, an upper upscale property that opened earlier this year and recently earned a five-star official classification from the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) and the previously signed Centara Grand Hotel Doha scheduled for opening in 2020.

The B Premiere Hotel, a member of the Centara Boutique Collection, is a new 85-key boutique property located on Al Rawabi Street and is expected to open by the end of 2019.

The 167-key Centara Al Bustan Hotel Doha is currently under construction and is expected to open in the second quarter of 2021. “We are very excited to be expanding our partnership with Al Bandary with our second and third Doha properties, following the successful launch of Centara West Bay Residences & Suites earlier this year. Doha is a key gateway city to the world and a strategic development destination for Centara, and the management and team at Al Bandary Hotel Management are the perfect partners with whom to realise our growth plans in Qatar,” said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts.

Ahmad Al Rayyan, Group General Manager of Al Bandary Management and the Hotel’s owner commented, “We are delighted to be working with Centara for these exciting new projects. Their successful opening of the first Doha property is testament to their expertise and professionalism, and we are looking forward to a successful collaboration on these new properties in the months and years ahead.”

IHCL records a growth of 20 pc in MICE segment

HOSPITALITY

On the sidelines of IHCL Annual Sales Mission in New Delhi, Renu Basu, Senior Vice President- Global Sales and Marketing, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) speaks about how the millennials are transforming the wedding scenario, growth in MICE segment of the hotel and how the hospitality brand is actively engaging customers and intermediaries. Basu shares that the 65 hotels came under an umbrella with the respective General Managers and Director of Sales to interact with travel trade partners, wedding planners and certain corporates to get an update of the newness across their properties. “There are representatives from several new hotels in this forum who conversed with our travel advisors to make them aware about the new elements in their properties and respective destinations. We received a collective feedback that such events help them to enhance their understanding about our products. As we are growing as an organisation it becomes vital to connect with our patrons.” IHCL Annual Sales Mission also took place in Mumbai.

IHCL’s recently launched special program ‘CONNECT MORE’ catering to MICE. They are also equipped with a strong sales force for this segment. There has been a 20 per cent growth in MICE from previous year. Besides weddings, leisure and business are the pivotal segments driving business for the brand. Basu elaborates, “With corporate, business follow conferences and events and we are a favoured hospitality brand for them.” She informs that some of the prominent industries in terms of MICE are IT, finance, retail and pharmaceutical. Then there are large organisations, industry forums and government is a crucial stakeholder. She suggests that for a small advisory board meeting or strategy meeting there are Taj palaces and Taj safari lodges. For large conferences they have several hotels across Bengaluru, Delhi and NCR, Mumbai, Udaipur, Goa, Amritsar, Agra

and Hyderabad. She adds that their strength in MICE arises from a strong sales force and their well-trained hotel teams.

Millenials are redesigning weddings. “Millenials have been a very crucial market for us for decades now except that the market was quite different than it’s today. We launched Taj Timeless Weddings to promote weddings to this segment of clients. Over the past six to seven decades, we have been the preferred hospitality brand that visitors consider for their weddings whether it was The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai; Taj Palace, New Delhi; Taj Coromandel Chennai and Taj Bengal, Kolkata, all of which have been the go-to hotels for any wedding even at a time when destination wedding was not the ‘it’ thing. The past two decades have witnessed momentous changes, it started with destination weddings in states such as Goa and then came the era of royal weddings especially in the magnificient palaces in Rajasthan and then the hotels mushroomed to meet the demands of this lucrative market,” elucidates Basu. IHCL participates in various wedding shows and events and Taj was the first one to come up with a wedding show. Later on, Taj Wedding Studio was added to its portfolio. She boasts of their strong sales outreach and over and above that is their relationship with customers, families and decision makers in corporate companies.

Renu Basu

By Kritika Dua

30 SEPTEMBER 2019

India has moved up six places to rank 34th on world travel and tourism competitiveness index, driven by rich natural and cultural resources and strong price competitiveness, a WEF report said. India's ranking improved from 40th to 34th, the greatest improvement over 2017 among the top 25 per cent of all countries ranked in the report. "India, which accounts for the majority of South Asia's T&T (travel and tourism) GDP, remains the sub-region's most competitive T&T economy, moving up six places to rank 34th globally," the report said.

As per the report, China, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil and India, which are not high-income economies but rank in the top 35 in the overall list, stand out in the Cultural Resources and Business Travel Pillar through their combination of rich natural and cultural resources and strong price competitiveness. "India showed the greatest percentage improvement to its overall Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) score, which has helped it become the only lower-middle-income country in the

top 35," the report said and lauded its natural and cultural assets and price competitiveness.

From a sub-regional perspective, the nation (India) has better air infrastructure (33rd) and ground and port infrastructure (28th), international openness (51st) and natural (14th) and cultural resources (8th). Compared to global benchmarks, the country can also add price competitiveness (13th) to its roster of strengths, the report noted. "India also greatly improved its business environment (89th to 39th), overall T&T policy and enabling conditions (79th to 69th), infrastructure (58th to 55th) and information and communications technology (ICT) readiness (112th to 105th)," it noted.

However, India still needs to enhance its enabling environment (98th), tourist service infrastructure (109th) and environmental sustainability (128th), the report said. The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), that covered 140 economies, measures the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable development

of travel and tourism sector which contributes to the development and competitiveness of a country.

Spain held on to the top spot in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) latest Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report (TTCR), which ranked 140 countries on their relative strengths in global tourism and travel. Spain was followed by France, Germany and Japan, with the United States replacing the UK in the top five. Others in the top 10 list include the United Kingdom at the sixth place, Australia (7th), Italy (8th), Canada (9th) and Switzerland (10th). The report further added that Asia-Pacific was one of the fastest-growing travel and tourism regions in this year's ranking.

Japan remains Asia's most competitive travel and tourism economy, ranking 4th globally, while China is by far the largest travel and tourism economy in Asia-Pacific and 13th most competitive globally (up by two spots). The Philippines has shown improvement, moving up four places to rank 75 globally. Pakistan (121st) remains the least competitive country in South Asia when it comes

to T&T, including the region's least favourable safety and security (134th) conditions.

The biennial study showed resilient growth in travel and tourism sector, with scores rising in most countries, but also warned of an approaching 'tipping point', where factors like less expensive travel and fewer tourist barriers increase demand to unsustainable levels. "Countries must look beyond their short-term gains from travel and tourism to ensure a positive future for their economies. Travel and tourism can drive economies, but only if policy-makers ensure proper management of their tourism assets, which requires a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach," said Lauren Uppink, Head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism at WEF. The 140 economies were ranked in four sub-indexes: enabling environment, travel and tourism policy and enabling conditions, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources. Together, these four sub-indexes include a total of 14 pillars, which are used to score a country's overall travel and tourism competitiveness.

Report

India moves up six places: WEF ReportRANKS 34TH ON WORLD TRAVEL AND TOURISM COMPETITIVENESS INDEX

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32 SEPTEMBER 2019

To meet the growing demand of passengers to fly to different places of tourism and religious interest within the country by the Indian diaspora and foreign tourists, Air India has introduced a ‘Discover India’ Scheme valid for sale and travel up to March 31, 2020. Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and foreign nationals will now be able to buy five domestic Air India domestic economy class tickets for INR 40,000, which will be valid for travel within 15 days of the first leg of travel. Ten domestic economy class tickets are also on offer for INR 75,000 with a validity period of 30 days – both on a firm basis. The passenger

will be allowed to travel to any destination of their choice within India and are also permitted to reroute their journey as per their requirement.

The scheme has various benefits like re-booking, which is permitted without penalty till four hours before scheduled departure. The date of the journey can also be changed without any charge. Air India offers unique benefits to passengers like 25 kg of free baggage allowance to all adult and child passengers and also 10 kg free baggage allowance to infants. Besides, comfortable seats range of inflight cuisine in plush new aircraft.

TRADE AVIATIONEtihad Airways celebrates 15 years of service in India

Vistara launches flight services to Dubai

United Airlines announces 12 new and expanded international destinations

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is prepared to celebrate 15 years of service to its largest and busiest market, India. The airline’s milestone coincides with the third visit to the UAE of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, highlighting the importance of the partnership between the two countries. Etihad launched daily flights between the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi and the Indian city of Mumbai in September 2004, within the airline’s first year of operation. Three months later, flights were also launched between Abu Dhabi and New Delhi.

Etihad Airways Group CEO Tony Douglas said, “India and the UAE share a long and strong economic, cultural and diplomatic relations and Etihad Airways connects these nations and beyond. We serve more destinations in India than any other country in our network and connect India to the world via Abu Dhabi. Globally, we employ more than

4,800 Indian nationals, almost 25 per cent of our workforce. We contribute strongly to both economies, and last year spent USD 151 million with 480 companies in India. Our commitment is significant and will continue to grow.”

Dubai Airports recently celebrated the arrival of the inaugural flight of full-service Indian carrier Vistara from Mumbai at a ceremony at Dubai International, DXB. Vistara’s daily non-stop service between Mumbai and Dubai will offer an additional choice to the tens of thousands of passengers who travel between the two cities daily. With the launch of Vistara’s flights, DXB is now served by six Indian carriers operating some 370 weekly flights to 21 destinations across India. India was the single largest destination country for Dubai International in 2018 with 12.3 million passengers, of which Mumbai contributed 2.5 million making it DXB’s second busiest destination city by traffic volume.

United Airlines recently unveiled an expanded international schedule from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, New York/Newark and San Francisco. United’s announcement includes brand-new service to Nice, France; Palermo, Italy and Curacao. The airline also announced that customers will have more options when planning travel to Europe with additional flights to Amsterdam; London; Frankfurt, Germany and Zurich and will resume its seasonal summer service earlier to popular destinations including Athens, Greece; Naples, Italy; Porto, Portugal and Barcelona, Spain.

“United’s global network is a tremendous source of pride for our employees and loyal customers – we’re always looking for ways to grow and expand our network to connect our customers to more destinations around the world,” said United’s International Network Vice President Patrick Quayle. “These new additions help position United as the airline of choice for customers planning their business or leisure travel.”

Air India launches ‘Discover India’ Scheme

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SEPTEMBER 2019 33

Airport summit to focus on building capacity: IATA

Airbus focus on connected-cabin at US expo

Lufthansa to launch new flight between Bengaluru and Munich

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) announced that the upcoming 2019 Global Airport & Passenger Symposium (GAPS) in Poland will focus on the theme of building capacity for the future. GAPS will be held in Warsaw from October 15 to17.

“More people want to fly. And the needs and expectations of travellers—new and old—are constantly evolving. Keeping pace with these demands is a challenge for the aviation industry. We are focused on safety, so careful planning is critical,” said Alexandre de Juniac, Iata’s director general and CEO, who will deliver keynote remarks at the event. “We are highly regulated based on global standards which involve multiple stakeholders. And our sustainability commitments add further necessary rigor to aviation’s progress. Building the capacity for the future needs alignment across the industry.”

Airbus will showcase its latest cabin innovations at this year’s APEX Expo running from September 9 to 12 in Los Angeles, USA – the world’s largest dedicated event for the in-flight passenger entertainment experience, connectivity and passenger services.

At its booth, Airbus will demonstrate its expanding set of IoT ‘Connected-Cabin’ enablers for a personalised passenger experience with its full-scale mock-up. When available, the Connected Experience will deliver new opportunities for passengers and airlines with an open ecosystem approach. Looking further into the future, Airbus will also present its “Airspace

Cabin Vision 2030,” which demonstrates how Airbus is shaping the future flying experience, inspired by leading airlines, benchmark tech companies and start-ups.

In addition, Airbus will showcase how Airspace is

extending the long-haul widebody cabin experience to single-aisle aircraft – such as the new A321XLR equipped with full-flat premium seats, and the spacious A220 in the small single-aisle aircraft market.

Lufthansa announced the introduction of a new flight on the Bengaluru-Munich route. The new flight will fly out from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru five times a week, starting from Munich on March 31, 2020. Lufthansa will operate their latest, state of the aircraft A350-900 with a configuration of 48 seats in Business Class, 21 seats in Premium Economy Class and 224 in Economy Class. The new route would form a strong link between two important regional hubs, providing South India with a direct connection with another important gateway to the European Mainland. The development underlines Lufthansa’s strong India focus. With the operational expansion in Bengaluru, the airline aims to

cater to the growing international traffic to Europe with its most premium travel experience to aspiring travellers from Bengaluru, the rest of Karnataka, but also Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Speaking on the announcement, George Ettiyil, Senior Director Sales South Asia of the Lufthansa Group Airlines said, “Bengaluru Airport connects India’s IT and tech hub, Bengaluru, but also many

next tier cities from the rest of the South Indian Region. South India has a growing number of discerning travellers, who travel frequently abroad and increasingly demand a more premium travel experience whether for business or leisure purposes. We are confident that, with this expansion, Lufthansa is catering to the growing needs of this region to explore Europe for business but also leisure.”

AVIATIONPuri chairs meeting on RCS-UDANHardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Civil Aviation, Housing & Urban Affairs, recently chaired a meeting via video conference on Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN) with Chief Ministers, State Chief Secretaries/Advisors of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Daman & Diu in New Delhi. The North Eastern States & UTs were the first in the series of the VC planned for periodic review of RCS-UDAN scheme. The focus of the VC was to discuss and resolve issues concerning the effective roll-out of RCS-UDAN and take stock of the progress being made. Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland and Zoramthanga, Chief Minister of Mizoram were present in the meeting. Also, P.K Kharola, Secretary and other senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and its various organisations also attended the meeting.

News

34 SEPTEMBER 2019

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KUNAL SAMPAT Visa Lounge has appointed Kunal Sampat as Country Head - Sales. With more than 22 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, Sampat has worked extensively in sales and operations and has been responsible for successfully establishing a PAN India footprint of companies he has worked with in the past. He has been associated with companies such as Emirates, Air Arabia and MSC Cruises.

ROHIT PANDEY Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel appoints Rohit Pandey as Director of Operations. With close to two decades of experience in the industry, Pandey will be leading business and strategic operations of the property. Prior to this, he was the Executive Assistant Manager at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya. Primarily responsible for overseeing the smooth functioning of the hotel, Pandey comes with experience that will help to implement the brand service strategy and initiatives.

VAIBHAV SAGAR Radisson Hotel Agra appoints Vaibhav Sagar as General Manager. With over 13 years of experience in hospitality and banking industry, Sagar is responsible for the team’s elicit performance, culminating in fine guest experience and achieving the vision of the hotel. He is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with a proven track record and multiple achievements at global and national level under his belt. Sagar has worked with hotel chains such as InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, IHHR Hospitality.

CHRIS K. FRANZENGrand Hyatt Mumbai Hotels and Residences has appointed Chris K. Franzen as General Manager and Area Vice President for Western India. Prior to his appointment in India, Franzen worked for six and a half years as GM at Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas in Qatar. Franzen brings with him over thirty years of experience having worked in Europe, the US, Australia, Russia and the Middle East before joining in India.

NAYAN SETH Taj Palace, New Delhi has appointed Nayan Seth as General Manager. With over two decades of prolific experience, Seth is a veteran with The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). In his new role, he will be responsible for the continued success of the Taj Palace, New Delhi through his strategic leadership and ensuring margin enhancement and overall operational excellence. In his last assignment, Seth led the fabled Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur.

GIRISH SEHGAL JW Marriott Pune has appointed Girish Sehgal as General Manager. A passionate hotelier and an entrepreneur, Sehgal joins the team with an extensive international experience of over 23 years across global hospitality, healthcare and service industries. He has successfully led teams in the U.S.A., Bahamas, Canada, Maldives, India and UAE. Hhis previous stints include GM at Taj Falaknuma Palace - Hyderabad, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa - Maldives and other leadership roles with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

VINCENT BILLIARD The St Regis Singapore has appointed Vincent Billiard as General Manager. Billiard is an experienced hotelier with over 18 years of hospitality experience in luxury properties. Prior to his move to Singapore, he held numerous key leadership roles in several Ritz-Carlton hotels and was involved in the opening of 10 other properties across a portfolio of brands including Ritz-Carlton, Edition and Bvlgari. Most recently, Billiard led the launch of the Bvlgari Hotel and Residences Shanghai as GM..

BERNARD FANTOLITIME Grand Plaza Hotel, Dubai has appointed Bernard Fantoli as General Manager. In this role, Fantoli will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the 232-room hotel, including the recruitment and development of staff, annual budgets and assuring that highest levels of guest satisfaction are met. He will also be mandated with setting strategic plans that will drive the operational excellence of the hotel and boost team productivity.

APPOINTMENTS

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