Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat inaugurates GITM 2011

PANAJI, Oct 21: Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat inaugurated here the second edition of the Goa International Travel Mart (GITM) 2011. The three-day event is set to witness a varied and in depth series of Knowledge Sessions; networking opportunities for the travel trade and government officials; and a familiarisation trip to Tarkali at Sindhudurg organised by Maharashtra Tourism.

The Mart has over 400 national and international hosted buyers from over 28 countries including Singapore, South Africa, UK, Italy, Russia, Poland, Thailand, US, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Latvia, France and the Middle East.

The three-day event will have Knowledge Sessions on Responsible Tourism, Marketing and Innovation in Tourism; Branding and Reinventing a Destination; Spa and Wellness Tourism; Medical Tourism in Goa; Adventure Tourism; and Role of Public-Private-Partnerships in Tourism and Destination Development.

GITM is organised and promoted jointly by the Department of Tourism, Government of Goa; Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC); Tourism Association of Goa (TAG) and Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

Other dignitaries present for the inauguration were Nilkant Halarnkar, Minister of Tourism, Government of Goa; Sanjay Srivastava, Chief Secretary, Government of Goa; RK Verma, Secretary - Tourism, Government of Goa; Swapnil Naik, Director - Tourism, Government of Goa; Ralph de Sousa, President, CII; Gaurish Dhond, President, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa; Manguirish Pai Raikar, President, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Melwyn Vaz, MD, Goa Tourism Development Corporation; and industry veteran and keynote speaker, Inder Sharma, Chairman, Select Group.

In his inaugural speech, Kamat said that tourism is the backbone of Goa’s economy and for a state with a population of just 14 lakh, last year saw 2.6 million tourist arrivals, of which 2.2 million were domestic tourists and four lakh were international travellers.

“As a tourism destination, Goa has created a brand for itself and we thrust on quality tourism in the state. We also stress on promoting Goa as a safe tourist destination,” he added.

He urged tourists to come to Goa and experience it before forming opinions about the destination.

Speaking of responsible tourism practices, he stated, “We would like to highlight another facet of tourism, which is ‘Responsible Tourism’. It is the responsibility of the tourist to not hurt the sentiments of the local residents, while it is the responsibility of the locals to provide a warm and comfortable environment for tourists.”

Addressing the august gathering, Halarnkar said, “This year, we aim to promote Goa beyond its beaches, and hence the theme of GITM 2011 is Refresh Goa. Besides beaches, we would also like to showcase the culture, aquatic life, festivals, etc of Goa. Tourism is an important sector of Goa and 4.5 lakh people in the state are benefitted directly by tourism. The Western Coast of the country has witnessed the highest number of tourist arrivals with a 70 per cent increase in foreign tourism and a 3.5 per cent rise in domestic tourism in 2009.”

Speaking about the Mart, he added that compared to last year, GITM 2011 is witnessing phenomenal participation from domestic and international buyers.

Sharma, in his Keynote address, stressed on the implementation of Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) in India. TSA studies provide a complete picture of tourism’s contribution to an economy and measure tourism size and growth that are comparable with other destinations and industries. He also highlighted five important facets for a destination to achieve its true potential.

“There are five important ingredients for a successful destination to achieve its true potential – Accessibility, Acceptability, Affordability, Accountability and Audit. Accessibility is extremely important for tourism since without it, tourism cannot flourish. The destination should be properly connected by all means of transport in order to provide easy access to tourists. Secondly, even if a destination is accessible, if tourists are not accepted by the locals, no tourist would like to visit that destination. Going forward, a destination should be value for money and affordable for all varieties of tourist segments. The guest should not feel cheated. Fourthly, the parties involved should be accountable and only then would profitability come into the picture. Last but not the least, there should be an impartial audit of economic, business and national activity.”

Naik said that GITM 2011 was organised with an aim to advance and promote tourism and related business in the state. “The second edition of GITM has seen an increase in the number of hosted buyers after the success of the first GITM in 2010. ITB Berlin has joined hands with GITM this year and we hope to continue and strengthen the association next year as well. Last year, Goa received the highest number of tourist arrivals until now, and we believe the Mart would be a great help for promoting tourism in the state.” Naik also gave a vote of thanks to the Hospitality partner – Grand Hyatt Goa, Airline partner – Air India, Knowledge Partner – TravelBiz Monitor, Partner States – Gujarat and Maharashtra and Indian travel trade associations like TAFI, TAAI, IATO, ADTOI, IAAI, ATOAI, ETAA.

Government should act as a facilitator in PPP projects

PANAJI, Oct 23: The knowledge session on the Role of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for tourism development at GITM 2011 addressed the need for the government to act as a facilitator in PPP projects. The panel for the knowledge session had bureaucrats at one end and leaders of travel and tourism industry associations on the other.

The representatives from the Government side were Swapnil Naik, Director Tourism, Government of Goa; Avinash Dhakne, Jt. MD, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation; Vipul Mittra, Principal Secretary - Tourism, Civil Aviation and Pilgrimage, Government of Gujarat; Melwyn Vaz, MD, Goa Tourism Development Corporation; and Nikhil Desai, Ex MD, Goa Tourism Development Corporation.

The representatives from different associations were Ratan Marothia, President, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India; Subhash Verma, President, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India; Ajay Prakash, President, Travel Agents Federation of India; Tejbir Singh Anand, President, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India; Karl Dantas, President, Enterprising Travel Agents Association; Kuku S Kumar, Director - Northern Region, IATA Agents Association of India; and Iqbal Mulla, President, Travel Agents Association of India.

Speaking about the PPP format in Gujarat, Mittra said, “In Gujarat, we have formed GUJTOP i.e. Gujarat Tourism Opportunity Limited which is a joint venture between Gujarat Tourism Corporation Limited and IL&FS. The objective of GUJTOP is to identify and develop tourism projects (hotels, resorts, convention centers, airports, parks, etc.); infrastructure gap analysis for major tourist destinations; development of adventure and water sports; and assisting the government in policy development. We have also created a SPV, GUJTOUR - a venture capital fund to promote (adventure) tourism in the state.”

Talking about the PPP scenario in Maharashtra, Dhakne added, “PPP is the buzz-word in the market. In 1994, the Maharashtra government offered land at Sindhudurg to large hoteliers. However, no hotel has been developed in that area till now. On the contrary, Lavasa and Sahara, which are the private projects, are well in place. Do we really need PPP? The role of the Government is to provide infrastructure, water supply, electricity, license, etc at the stipulated time, and private players with expertise in that field should come forward to operate the same.”

Naik said that the Goa government was working on evolving a single-window clearance system for clearing tourism projects, which would ensure that permissions and other formalities could be done in a more timely and efficient manner. Desai further added, “PPP will become the order of the day because the private sector has the best access to human resources. Secondly, private players are in the best position to arrange for funds and they have excellent outreach in marketing. We are looking forward to offer more value-added propositions to tourists in Goa. We are looking at creating new opportunities for Goa Tourism and the government needs to facilitate such projects.”

Mulla said that the newly constructed airports at Mumbai and Delhi were some of the best examples of PPP in the country. “PPP has begun well in the country. The government should come forward and act as a facilitator for PPP projects.” Prakash said that PPP should not be construed as something to do with mega projects alone.

“PPP is about driving more meaningful and happy tourism experiences. We need small projects. A PPP project needs consensus to create clear policies and roles need to be defined. There is a need to set up a nodal agency with the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary on it,” he added. Prakash also said that the complex tax structure in India needs to be simplified and replaced by a single, unified reasonable tax structure.

Dantas stressed that the Government needs to get in touch with the industry associations and work jointly for tourism-related projects to take off. Kumar said that the states should work together with private players to promote tourism and that it was the way forward.

Agreeing, Mittra said, “The government has to create opportunities for the private sectors to step in.”

Raising his voice on behalf of niche segments, Singh was of the opinion that rather than looking at huge projects, there is a need to look at developing micro level projects. “Investors have money but no vision, and hence the projects fail. The governments should clear the road for investors who have the money to invest in niche tourism projects. If you don’t have the expertise, you can hire a consultant, who knows about the kind of projects you want,” he said.

Subhodh Kant Sahay to inaugurate FHRAI Convention in Bangkok

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Oct 5: To give a boost to India-Thailand cultural, economic and tourism ties, India's Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay would inaugurate the FHRAI convention at Montien Riverside Hotel in Bangkok on Wednesday (October 12).

The theme of the three-day convention is “Emerging Innovation in Hospitality – Vision 2020”, according to Ratan Marothia, President of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI).

While India’s popular Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor would deliver the key note address, FHRAI President Ratan Marothia would deliver the Presidential address and FHRAI Vice President Vivek Nair would give the welcome address.

Leading captains of the tourism and hotel industry from India and Thailand would attend the convention, according to Deepak Puri, Chairman of the Convention Organizing Committee.

Some of the leading tourism and travel personalities who would be attending the convention include Vivek Nair, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Hotel Leela Venture Ltd; Suresh Kumar, CEO, Fortune Park Hotels (ITC Group); C K Baljee, Chairman and Managing Director, Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd; S P Jain, Managing Director, The Pride Hotels Ltd, Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Stic Group and former President of the IATO; SM Shervani, Managing Director, Shervani Hotels and President, HRANI, Rajindera Kumar.

On the choice of Bangkok as a venue, Ratan Marothia said it provides us with an international forum to promote India both as a captivating tourist destination as well as a lucrative market for foreign direct investment in our rapidly growing hospitality sector.

On the theme of the convention “Emerging Innovation in Hospitality – Vision 2020” this year, the President said “2011 marks the beginning of a new and what promises to be an eventful decade. Therefore, we thought it befitting to employ the unique platform which the FHRAI Convention provides, to chart an ambitious roadmap for the next phase of our industry's growth.”

FHRAI Secretary General M D Kapoor said “our endeavour will be to facilitate a vibrant dialogue on the myriad strategic and competitive dynamics which shape the Indian hospitality and tourism industry over the forthcoming decade.”

Kapoor said “we will seek to draw on the incisive insights of a multitude of stakeholders including industry veterans, top policymakers, technocrats, global entrepreneurs and representatives of civil society.”

The Secretary General said the opening day (October 11) would witness a welcome address by Chairman of the Convention Organizing Committee Deepak Puri. This would be followed by welcome dinner and entertainment programme.

The first Business Session titled “CEO Track – A view from the top”, M D Kapoor said would commence on Wednesday morning and it would be chaired by Vivek Nair. The session would see discussion on “India’s luxury hospitality chains – setting new benchmarks in global excellence”; “The premium and upscale segment – a new growth engine for Indian hospitality”; and “Mid-market hotels – developing a compelling value proposition”.

He said the speakers would include Vivek Nair, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Hotel Leela Venture Ltd; Suresh Kumar, CEO, Fortune Park Hotels (ITC Group); C K Baljee, Chairman and Managing Director, Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd; and S P Jain, Managing Director, The Pride Hotels Ltd.

The afternoon Business Session Two would discuss “Profit with principles – creating sustainable value”. The eminent speakers in this session would be Klaus Lengefeld, GIZ, Germany; Patrick Kempf, WIRSOL; Niranjan Khatri, Welcomenviron Initiative of ITC Welcomgroup; Willem Niemeijer, Co-Founder and CEO, Khiri Reach Initiative; Anil Sharma, architect; and A K Ambasht, Member Secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Board.

The issues to be discussed in this session would include Eco-efficiency; Leveraging green energy in the hospitality industry; Using sustainable tourism to drive community development; The creative edge; and The hospitality industry’s role in promoting sustainability.

The late afternoon Business Session Three would be chaired by Sudheer Bahl, Executive Committee Member, FHRAI. Shaun Kenworthy, a celebrity chef would speak on Culinary Innovation and share his recipe for success. Rohit Sachdev, CEO, Soho Hospitality, Bagkok, would speak on “Global innovations in concept and design” and Neel Kamal Chauhan, Food Service Consultants Society International, will speak on “Emerging international trends and technologies in food service design.”

Thursday morning (October 13) would see the Business Session Five on “Public-Private Partnership – a path breaking innovation in collaborative policy and governance”. The session would be chaired by Rajindera Kumar, Immediate Past President, FHRAI. Devesh Chaturvedi, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, would make a presentation on the topic of the discussion and other subjects such as “safe and honourable tourism; pioneering skill development through Hunar Se Rozgar Yojna; and Hospitality Development and Promotion Board.”

The speakers in this panel discussion would include Rajindera Kumar, Devesh Chaturvedi, S M Shervani, President, HRANI; K Syama Raju, President, SIHRA; and Vijai Pande, Honorary Secretary, FHRAI.

This would be followed by a presentation by Core Wellness (Sohum) and a presentation by IDS on “IT for a sustainable competitive advantage.”

The Business Session Six would also be held in the afternoon with the theme “Issues, challenges and opportunities for the Indian tourism and hospitality industry – a macro perspective” and the session would be chaired by Ratan Marothia, President, FHRAI. The speakers would include Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Stic Group and senior representatives from PATA.

Mizoram Tourism Minister S Hiato would give the valedictory address and B K Gupta, former President, FHRAI, would propose a vote of thanks.

There would also be an Open Session on B2B discussion, media interaction, Dialogue with India-Thai Chamber of Commerce and representatives of the Thai industry.

Ratan Marothia said “the Hospitality and Tourism sector is often at forefront of feeling the impact of geo-political events and of emulating innovations in technology, finance, and evolving demographic trends. The convention will help to stimulate a rich discussion on how the industry can successfully navigate these complex challenges and leverage the available opportunities to ensure profitable and sustainable growth.”

The President said “the FHRAI recognizes that in the coming years, our industry will need to actively collaborate with the government through Public-Private Partnerships to help address wider socio-economic issues such as skill development, ecological sustainability, heritage conservation, promoting safe and honourable tourism”.

Therefore, he said these issues would form an integral part of our convention programme.

On how he sees FHRAI evolving over the years, Ratan Marothia said “FHRAI can justifiably be proud of its history and seminal contribution to the Indian Hospitality Industry. Going forward, our effort will be to build on this rich legacy and serve as an even more effective advocate for safeguarding the interests of our members and the sector as a whole.”

He said “we draw enormous strength from the diversity of our membership base. Spanning across the length and breadth of India, from iconic hotel chains to small restaurants, all have constantly reposed their faith in FHRAI to be the leading voice of our industry. FHRAI will continue to robustly represent the industry's views on key regulatory developments and legal matters.”

Marothia said “we will make greater use of cutting-edge technology to ensure seamless communication with our members and offer them more value-adding services. Emphasis will be placed on expanding our portfolio of publications and thought-leadership initiatives. FHRAI will also strengthen its linkages with industry associations across the globe.”

TAFI to hold annual convention at Macau from Nov 22: Ajay Prakash

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Oct 7: The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) will be holding its annual convention at the opulent Venetian Macau from November 22. Over 800 delegates are expected to be joining in, to experience the destination and deliberate during the business sessions which will be revolving and centering on the well thought of theme "Addressing Change--Rebrand-Reposition-Reinvent", according to Ajay Prakash, President TAFI.

Explaining the choice of destination, Ajay Prakash said “Macau has stormed the Indian tourists' consciousness and the numbers have seen an exponential growth over the last couple of years. It is amazing what's been packed into a total area of 29.5 sq. kilometers – equal to something like Haji Ali to Cuffe Parade in Mumbai!”

He said Macau was also an ideal family destination with something for all ages and the Venetian, where the four-day convention is being held, has almost become synonymous with Macau in the Indian travellers' lexicon and the MGTO has been most proactive.

Elaborating on the theme, Prakash remarked: “The respect and the position traditionally enjoyed by travel agents – with the airlines as well as the travellers – has apparently been eroded, with most agents being reduced to mere 'order takers.' It's time to change that attitude and that perception, and that change has to come from within - because today if you're not at the table, you're likely to be on the menu!”

Though 85 per cent of all international air tickets and over to 50 per cent of all travel products are sold through the agency route, the President said many agents face the real threat of being marginalized by airlines, ignored by hotels, dismissed by younger travellers and overwhelmed by the internet.

Yet, he said as true blue entrepreneurs, they have the capacity to reposition themselves, rebrand the services they offer and reinvent the business model. New markets, new segments, new technologies await the embrace of the Indian travel professional. The TAFI Convention 2011 will explore these avenues.

Chitra Bhatia, one of the Chairs of the Convention and Joint Treasurer, TAFI, said “the Convention provides a robust opportunity for delegates to bond, network, exchange ideas and thus take back something meaningful to enhance and forge their businesses further. It is my belief that even though we would be many in body, we would still be one in spirit - looking to make the best of this opportunity.

Chitra said “it is rare to find a place in the whole wide world which has a rich cultural and historical past as Macau. Different beliefs, smell, costumes, and habits are visible everywhere and it has been like this for centuries. It is a blend of two major communities – the Chinese and the Portuguese who live together harmoniously and call themselves Mackenese !!

So, she said Macau does have a unique universal charm!! Yes it has plenty to offer - right from opulent hotel accommodation to huge convention centers, spectacular shows and theaters , relaxing spa , museums, adventure sports, excellent cuisine and not to forget the pulsating night clubs and the hum of casino's which keep Macau buzzing with activity.

Another unique feature of the TAFI Convention 2011 is that, unlike past Conventions, there is no single Convention Chair. Four dynamic ladies from within the TAFI management have been entrusted the execution of this Convention. Chitra Bhatia from Delhi, Aditi Bhende from Pune, Rani Bachani from Kochi and Vasuki Sundaram from Mumbai form the core team of TAFI Convention 2011 and will oversee the entire event.

“We are blessed that we have these wonderfully competent and inspired ladies as part of our team and the TAFI Convention 2011 will be very different - with woman power to the fore,” adds Prakash.

TAFI Conventions over the last few years have distinguished themselves with the quality of their content. Anita Mendiratta, author of “Come Closer – How tourism is shaping the future of nations”, a book intended for tourism professionals and tourism leaders and endorsed by the UNWTO, has already confirmed her participation.

Other interesting and exciting Speakers are being lined up and the TAFI Convention 2011 promises to be intellectually exciting as well as fun with Gala Dinners and the spectacular "Zaia" show by the world famous Cirque du Soleil.

Work towards Safe, Honourable, Sustainable Tourism: R H Khwaja

Report and Pix by Deepak Arora

AMRITSAR, Sept 25: Union Tourism Secretary R. H. Khwaja asked the tourism industry stake holders to work in the spirit of Cooperate, Coordinate and Collaborate to achieve the Common Vision Framework for promoting safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the first convention of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI), Khwaja stressed on the need for hygiene, which is linked to health, to attract more tourists in the country.

He said that it was vital that all stakeholders join hands together in promoting sustainable tourism by adopting best global practices for all activities relating to tourism.

The three-day convention of Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI) successfully concluded on Sunday in the holy city of Amritsar.

The convention had seven business sessions where the discussion were held on various issues that the hospitality industry currently faces and would face in the near future. The theme for the convention this year was “Hospitality Industry - Vision 2020”.

In his forthright remarks, Secretary Kwaja asked the hotel industry to ponder over as to why 99 per cent hotel rooms in the country were unclassified.

He said the hotel industry has been clamoring for single window clearance instead of 66 clearances required.

He said the Central Government earlier this year set up a Hospitality Development Board after a Union Cabinet clearance last year. However, he said it was unfortunate that till date not a single person has approached the Board for clearances.

The HRANI convention brought together Ministers, key policy makers of the Government, strategic thinkers, corporate and media on a common platform to share their views.

Over 300 delegates, including Suresh Kumar (Fortune Park Hotels, ITC Group), Pattu Keswani (CMD Lemon Tree hotels), Uttam Dave (President & CEO Inter globe Hotels), Sanjeev kapoor (Celebrity Chef & MD Khana Khazana India Pvt Ltd.) and Kanchan Kapoor (Socialite & Entreprenuer), participated in convention.

In his address, HRANI President S.M. Shervani urged the Government to provide concessions and lower taxes on the hotel industry as it was the highest employment generating sector.

Shervani lamanted that desipite India having hills, beaches and everything to attract tourists, the country received 5.6 million foreign tourists as compared to 50 million visitors who went to China in a year.

This, he said, was due to the lack of infrastructure in the country.

"Hotel industry is the highest employment generating sector; government must provide concessions and should think about lowering the taxes on this sector,” he added.

He said the convention provided unparalleled opportunities to companies and solutions providers doing business with hotels associated with the event which showcased their services & expertise and developed lasting business relationships.

While Convention Chairman and Vice President HRANI Paramjit Singh presented a memorandum on behalf of the industry to the Punjab Principal Secretary, Tourism, Geetika Kalha, President Shervani gave the memorandum to Union Tourism Secretary R. H. Khwaja.

Hony. Secretary of HRANI Garish Oberoi proposed a vote of thanks. He thanked all for making the first convention a great success.

During the three days, seven business sessions were held. These included “Optimising Human Capital Investments”; “Franchising or Individual Brand Positioning the way ahead”; “Driving Revenue and Profits through F&B”; “Best Marketing Practices for 2020 (Online or traditional travel agents)”; “Food Safety Act: Whats in store for us?”; “Presentation on Green hotels/ Sustainable Tourism”; and “Safety and Security Session”.

The major topics covered in the convention were:

HR Issues: An average hotelier spends 33% of revenues on labour costs, but employee turnover in the industry is as high as 31%. High employee turnover continues to plague the industry and operators need robust strategic plans to retain their critical employees and manage turnover.

Security Issues: The Taj and the Oberoi terror attacks and subsequent bomb blasts almost all over the world have underlined the need for hotels to have top-of-the-line security without being too invasive and allowing guests to retain their privacy. This poses a major challenge for the hotel industry.

Responsible Tourism: Sustainability is becoming a defining issue for the industry in 2015 and beyond. Rising populations and increasingly scarce resources will provide a challenging business environment in which sustainability will need to be embedded within all facets of the hospitality industry.

The session on Green Hotels/ Sustainable Tourism was addressed by Cherian Ramapuram, Owner, Orange County Resorts and Ritu Primlani, Director, HVS-Sustainablility Services.

Marketing Practices: Is online the way forward? What will be the role of the mainstream offline travel agents?

Addressing the Business session on "Driving Revenue and Profits through F&B", Sanjeev Kapoor, Celeb Chef and Managing Director, Khana Khazana India, said Amritsar was a very difficult market as far as the food was concerned.

"People here are very discerning and demanding and it is a herculean task to get money out of their pockets," he added.

Cultural evenings were also held on both the days. On the opening day dinner, Lakhwinder Wadali regaled the delegates with this superb performance..

On the second day, the cultural troupe of Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board performed Bhangara.

Cultural Performances

The delegates were also made aware of the Heritage Walk in the holy city. It gives a feel of the old world charm of the city which was established by the fourth Sikh master, Guru Ramdas, in 1574.

The two-hour walk, which showcases 14 heritage buildings, starts at 8 am everyday from the Town Hall and conclude at the Golden Temple and also takes one to Jallianwala Bagh. The nearly 2.5 km walk will take the visitors to a guided tour criss-crossing a maze of narrow roads. It showcases 14 heritage .

The Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) got the project prepared by nationally acclaimed expert Debashish Nayak. The walk covers the Saragarhi Gurdwara, Quila Ahluwalia, Chowk Jallebiyan Wala, Akhara Sangalwala, Akhara Chitta, the Darshani Deori, Baba Bohar, Thakurdwara Dariana Mal, Chaurasti Attari chowk, Taksal, Radha Krishan Mandir and Akhara Brahm Buta.

At the Golden Temple

On the last day, the delegates were also taken to the Wagah Border where Indian troupes gave a befitting performance.

At the Wagah Border

This was HRANI’s first such attempt to boost trade & industry in the region besides providing a strong platform to the delegates and participants. The three-day mega event showcased Amritsar specially to promote mutual understanding and cooperation on the trade front, said Paramjit Singh, Chairman of the Convention and Vice President of the HRANI.

India to open tourism office in Moscow

MOSCOW, Sept 26: India’s regional tourism office in Moscow will start functioning from first of next month, according to Subodh Kant Sahai, Tourism Minister. He also stated that a Joint India-Russia Tourist Trade Forum will be formed under the aegis of Indian Embassy in Moscow to promote tourism between the two countries.

Sahai, who is currently on a tour of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, stressed upon the need to improve connectivity between various cities of India and Russia.

The minister also inaugurated an exhibition displaying literary and artistic works of Rabindranath Tagore. The exhibition is jointly organized by the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre, Embassy of India and the Oriental Centre, Russian State library, as a part of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore.

In his remarks, Sahai said that Tagore, the first Nobel Laureate from Asia, was a citizen of the world and his ideals were relevant even today.

The Minister is visiting these countries in connection with road shows at Moscow, Kiev and Almaty.

The Indian delegation comprises of major tour operators, travel agents and hoteliers, who would interact with the local travel trade members to encourage promoting India and its tourism product in their respective market.

New water games mark World Tourism Day in Delhi

NEW DELHI, Sept 27: To mark the World Tourism Day, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit flagged off the first all women expedition of employees of Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) to Indrahar Pass at a height of 14,500 ft. in Dhauladar Ranges in Himachal Pradesh. In this expedition, 12 women employees are participating which will return to Delhi on October 3.

The World Tourism Day is celebrated on September 27 every year, throughout the world.

This year’s theme “Tourism linking Cultures” is particularly significant for India as it is emerging as a tourist destination with its cultural diversity and vibrancy being one of its key attractions for visitors.

As part of World Tourism Day celebrations, Delhi Tourism has had a line up of activities al through the day. Today all the guests boarding the Ho-Ho bus were garlanded. They were also given warm reception at Central Reservation Office Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Dilli Haat (INA).

Delhi Tourism has also started new water based games at Purana Quila Lake and Bhalswa Lake on World Tourism Day. For the first time in Delhi, water walking Ball with a duration of 15 minutes has been introduced at Purana Quila Lake and at Bhalswa Lake.

This sport is priced at Rs. 100 only, per person. Delhi Tourism also has major plans to upgrade the facilities at various lakes under its operation and also to introduce new water based games in Delhi.

Punjab Promises to Bring Down VAT on Hotel Industry
from 13 pc to 3 pc

Sukhbir Singh Badal inaugurates HRANI convention in Amritsar

Report and Pix By Deepak Arora

AMRITSAR, Sept 23: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday inaugurated the first convention of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (HRANI) at Ista Hotel here.

In his inaugural address, Mr Badal assured to support the hotel and tourism industry in whatever way the government can. He said his government plans to make Amritsar as the most desired tourism destination in the world. He said "we have to promote our country differently."

Responding to the demand of the HRANI President S M Shervani to reduce the high VAT on food and beverages from 13 per cent to 5 per cent, Punjab Government in principle has decided to bring down the VAT on F& B to 3 per cent.

This assurance was given at the inaugural ceremony by the Punjab Tourism Minister Hira Singh Gabaria and Navjot Singh Sidhu, Member of Parliament from Amritsar.

The full house at the inaugural ceremony gave a huge round of applause when in principle reduction in VAT was announced.

To give boost to tourism in the State, the Deputy Chief Minister said his Government's priority has been to build power infrastructure, connectivity, road infrastructure and local connectivity.

Badal said Punjab would be a surplus state in the next one and half years. Similarly, the State has been building on its air connectivity by improving infrastructure at Amritsar, Mohali, Pathankot and Bhatinda airports. "The first international flight from Mohali to Abu Dhabi would take off between October 25 and 30."

In the next two years, he said all towns and cities in the State would be connected by four-lane hightways. Similarly, all major towns would be connected by air conditioned buses. "Now, one can also get radio autos like the radio taxis."

"We are also building world-class convention centres in Amritsar, Mohali and Jallandhar," he added.

Badal said once the infrastructure programmes are complete, Punjab would see resurgence in tourism.

Navjot Singh Sidhu said expressed the hope that the growth of hotel and hospitality industry in Amritsar would not only sustain the economy of Amritsar but also whole of Punjab.

In his Presidential address, Mr Shervani said "no single aspect of travel and tourism can succeed without increasing co-operation between the Government and the private sector. To move forward we need the public and the private sector leaders, the local communities and the media to work together to find effective ways to tap into the true potential of the industry."

Lamenting at the slow growth of tourism in India, he said it saddened him when he looked at the neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and China and compare their tourist arrival figures to ours.

"Even our most famous tourist site, the Taj Mahal has 3.2 million visitors as compared to the Great Wall of China which has 10 million visitors. Our great beach resort Goa with 40 beaches has just 2.7 million tourists as compared to the Phuket Beach Resort in Thailand which gets 5.0 million visitors with 17 beaches."

Also Hampi, one of the famous temple complex in South India gets 8.5 lakh domestic tourists and only 25000 foreign tourists as compared to Angkor Wat, the famous temple complex in Cambodia which gets over 2 million domestic and foreign tourists.

Shervani said he was making these comparisons to show that we were still far behind and could get many more visitors with the right effort.

If we look at the table to show the foreign tourists and the domestic tourists in our top ten states we will see the following:

If we look at our industry's employment generating capacity in comparison to the agricultural sector or the manufacturing sector, our true potential is highlighted.

He said "we have provided 11 million jobs in the last 6 years and by 2020 Travel and Tourism can create additional 37 million jobs out of 120 million jobs that would be required."

Therefore, HRANI President said "our industry can help to alleviate poverty by providing jobs, skills enabling our people to live their life with dignity, in areas where there are few alternatives for economic development, as well as in more developed areas and yet the Industry has not got its due recognition."

He said the key concern in India lies in the quality of the Product. "This is because the cost of the product is very high, primarily due to a combination of factors such as  exorbitantly high land cost with low floor space index (FSI), expensive debt, an absence of basic infrastructure (most hotels have to provide their own power back up, water supply/treatment, sanitation and transport) and perhaps the world's slowest and most opaque government approval process (according to ICRA, starting a new hotel in India requires clearances from roughly 40 central and stare agencies and 110 licenses."

He said when we look at the scenario in India we have 1.30 lakhs classified hotel rooms and if we compare it with China which has over 15 lakh hotel rooms and the USA with 5.4 million hotel rooms for about 307 million population and out of which 70 per cent are branded. Thus, India will have more branded rooms in future giving tough competition to the single family run hotels.

Shervani said the reason other countries like America, China, USA, Thailand have cheaper hotel rooms is because the cost of product is relatively low due to easy financing (high leverage, long repayment tenures and low interest rates), available and cheap infra structure (power, water, public transport, sanitation, etc.) and a relatively quick and transparent government approval process.

He said Gujarat has taken the lead and made FSI 5 while in other states it remains 2 to 2.25. "To increases the volumes of tourist we require low budget and mid segment hotels. Hotels cannot be built in isolated areas. They have to be built where the action is i.e. they can be built near the tourist sites where the business is or in the heart of the cities except in those cities where cheap and fast public transport is available. Therefore, the Government needs to look at all these factors to enable us to get land on long term lease with higher FSI."

The President also said that it was important that the taxation structure was made simple and instead of concentrating on increasing taxes on hoteliers the Governement should look at increasing the volume of traffic to earn higher revenues.

Single Window clearance for quick and transparent processes is necessary and can be done by forming a committee of State and Centre officials for approving projects.

Shervani said it was important that the existing hoteliers were encouraged by giving them benefits that help them to face competition by giving them low interest loans to renovate or upgrade their properties.

"Hotels willing to do these should be granted the same tax benefits as the new projects as it helps in providing better infrastructure in the city. While making policies for seasonal destinations the limited season must be kept in mind and the govt. should offer them benefits like lower tax and electricity tariff during the off season."

While five million tourists visit India, he said 10 million Indians go abroad. "We need to analysis this. Cheaper fares, better hotel rates have made our neighboring countries a challenge for us. If Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, Hongkong are going to be cheaper than our domestic destinations then we will lose the business."

In his address, President of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) President Ratan Marothia asked the Punjab as well as the Central Government to give incentives to the hotel industry in terms of lowering of taxes to reap the full benefits of tourism in the country.

While Paramjit Singh, Convention Chairman and Vice President, HRANI, welcomed the delegates, Garish Oberoi, Honorary Secretary, HRANI, proposed a vote of thanks.

All set for HRANI Convention in Amritsar

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Sept 23: All is set for the first convention of the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI) in the holy city of the Golden Temple, Amritsar from Friday, according to SM Shervani, President of HRANI.

Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, will inaugurate the three-day convention at the Ista Hotel in the holy city. Navjot Singh Sidhu, Member of Parliament, will deliver the key note address, informed Paramjit Singh, Convention Chairman and Vice President HRANI.

Shervani said the theme for the convention this year is “Hospitality Industry-Vision 2020” and it is aimed at sighting and discussing various issues that the hospitality industry currently faces and would face in the near future.

The President said the convention will have various brain storming business sessions, industry seminars and talk shows conducted by professionals from within the industry.

Tourism opportunity to showcase India: Modi

IATO convention begins in Gujarat

By Deepak Arora

GANDHI NAGAR, Sept 22: Inaugurating the XXVII IATO annual convention at  Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre on Thursday here,  Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi termed tourism as an opportunity to showcase India to the world.

“With this philosophy, I am looking at developing tourism in the state of Gujarat,” said the Chief Minister.

He said that there is a need for an integrated and more cohesive policy making approach between Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism.

“For instance, when Ministry of External Affairs is doing the meetings in overseas, they should invite officials from the Ministry of Tourism to showcase destination India,” said Modi.

Shedding details on the working model of Gujarat, he said, “Gujarat is working on an economic model of developing one-third industry, one third agriculture and one-third service sector. Within the service sector, tourism is the top priority.”

In his Presidential address. IATO President Vijay Thakur, called for aggressive overseas marketing, rationalising of taxes, enhancing connectivity, developing alternate source markets if the Government wanted to achieve the target of 16 million foreign tourists by 2012.

Vijay Thakur said, “Over the next couple of days, we will debate on certain crucial aspects such as what more should be done to make India as competitive as other countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos which are registering double digit growth, whereas India has still to attain a double digit growth.”

Speaking on the occasion, Tourism Secretary RH Khwaja assured the travel trade that the Government of India is making strenuous efforts to promote tourism in the 12th Five-Year plan.

He said that these initiatives like infrastructure development, rationalisation of taxes will fructify in the coming years.

He also asked the state governments to take a lead in areas like infrastructure development, rural tourism development  and said that he does not want to overlook the domestic tourism market which is 75 per cent of the total tourism pie.

Gujarat Tourism Minister  Jai Narayan Vyas  said that most of the developed countries get a major chunk of national income from tourism.

Similarly, in developing economies, high rate of economic growth cannot be sustained unless tourism is taken under its fold. Gujarat is the only place or state that has the major attractions at one place namely deserts, hills and sea.

In his welcome speech Pronab Sarkar, Vice President, IATO, said, “There are several B2B networking opportunities available at the exhibition. Further, around 900 delegates have registered for this convention who would like to make the convention as useful as possible. I will urge the trade to take the post fam tour to explore Gujarat.”

Maharaja Guj Singh, Chairman, Indian Heritage Hotel Association, has been conferred with the IATO Hall of Fame Award.

Rajesh Mudgil, Honorary Secretary, IATO, proposed the vote of thanks.

Some of the dignitaries present on the occasion included Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, Vipul Mittra, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Gujarat, Kamlesh Patel, Chairman, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited,  Jai Singh Chauhan, In Charge Minister, Gandhi Nagar.

Later, the State Tourism Minister Jai Narayan Vyas  and Kamlesh Patel, Chairman, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, inaugurated the Indian Travel Fair at the same venue.

France Tourism to offer attractive packages for Indian market

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Sept 22: India’s top travel agents and travel business leaders attended the annual B2B workshop of Atout France India, the French Tourism Development Agency, in Delhi and Mumbai.

The workshop “Rendez Vous in France and Tahiti” aimed at facilitating an effective dialogue between travel agents and French travel trade suppliers, informed Catherine Oden, Director of Atout France India.

Expressing optimism about the Indian market, Catherine said that last year 2.30 lakh Indian travellors visited France and she hoped 10 per cent increase of tourist arrivals from India to France in the current year.

Addressing the travel and trade partners from India and France at Cibo restaurant in Delhi, Catherine said very interesting travel packages for the Indian market would be launched soon for the Indian market.

It may be mentioned that this year France is celebrating India by offering itself as a stage for a great line-up of expressions of Art & Culture with a distinct Indian flavour.

Some of the events that were held in France included “Indian Highway IV” at the Musee d'Art Contemporain, Lyon (February 24 to July 31); “Chimeras of India and the west” at the National Museum of Asian Art in Guimet (May 25 to June 26); “Paris, Delhi, Bombay...” at the Pompidou Centre, Paris (May 25 to September 19); “Modernization” at Espace Topographie de l'Art, Paris (September 17 to October 30); “Reading Light” at Espace Oscar Niemeyer, Paris (October 05 to November 4) and “Seen at Secundrabagh” at Le Centquartre, Paris (October 6 to October 9).

Looking at the great success of France Celebrates India, she said the French tourism plans to offer more attractive packages for families in India to visit France. This would also include a free extra night stay for the family with free stay for the children.

The French delegates, who participated in the workshop, were from Air France; Rail Europe India Pvt Ltd; Disneyland Paris; Montparnasse Tower – Paris; Deauville Tourisme; Lisieux- Tourism and Spirituality; Dijon Tourism; Strasbourg – Region Alsace; Rhone Alpes Tourisme; Chamonix Mont Blanc Valley; Nice; Riviera of Your Dreams: Cannes & St Tropez; South West of France: Carcassonne, Lourdes and Pau; Cite Hotels Carcassonne; Bordeaux – Aquitaine; Hotel du Palais, Biarritz; Tahiti Travel Specialists; and Globus Family of Brands.

Fahmi Mahjoub, Commercial Director of Air France in India, was present at the evening reception to extend support of the national airline to French tourism.

The workshop was held at Le Meridien in New Delhi and ITC Grand Central in Mumbai.

The team from South of France representing Biarritz, Pau, Lourdes and Carcassonne were there in full force. This region is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean, the Pyrenees Mountains and the Spanish border.

In Pau, one can discover palaces, parks and gardens inherited from 19th century British visitors. In the historic centre you will find the castle, the birthplace of Henri IV, the King of France (1553-1610), one of the city’s many cultural heritage highlights. Pau is a lively cosmopolitan city and has much to offer: the very first golf course of the continent, the Grand Prix of Pau (the only in-town car race circuit in France) and the Hippodrome.

Only a short drive away, you will enter the Basque Country, a land of picturesque villages and hilly landscapes, charming coastal towns such as Saint Jean de Luz or Biarritz - a surfer’s paradise, also known as Europe’s California, informed Elena Bustamante, Sales Manager for Hotel du Palais in Biarritz.

Constructed in 1855 by Napoleon III for his wife, Eugenie de Montijo, and formerly their summer mansion, the Hotel du Palais is now among the most beautiful hotels in the world. It overlooks Biarritz’ main beaches and the Atlantic beyond. Its luxury and ageless charm coupled with the areas’ outstanding sports facilities make the Palais an international mecca for vacationers and sports enthusiasts alike. In 2011 the Hotel du Palais became one of the eight French Palaces.

Lourdes is one of the most famous spiritual places in the world. Between February 11th and July 16th 1858, the Virgin Mary appeared eighteen times to Bernadette Soubirous, a young fourteen-year-old girl. For 150 years, Lourdes has been a haven of spiritual peace for people from all over the world. Its message is universal. Visitors come from all continents and all religions (Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, etc.). There is now a genuine cultural and religious diversity. Lourdes welcomes an average 6 million visitors each year, said Corine Laussu, Promotion Manager of Lourdes Tourism.

Franck Delahaye, Director of Carcassonne Tourism, said Carcassonne has the special privilege of being home to two monuments listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites : the Canal du Midi, listed in 1996 and the Historic Fortified City, the largest one in Europe, listed in 1997. Between both sites, you will discover the Bastide Saint Louis and its churches, Cathedral, museums and private mansions. With more than four million visitors a year, Carcassonne is one of the most famous touristic destinations in all of Europe.

Christine Pujol, Director General of Hotel de la Cite, owns several hotels in Carcassonne and was keen to have Indians feel the warm hospitality of her hotels.

Capital of Alsace and a European capital, Christine Harter said Strasbourg boasts a unique cultural and architectural heritage. Its rich beauty can be explored on foot, by pleasure boat, on bicycle, by mini-tram…Its waters are omnipresent and its historic centre, classified as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, spans an insulated ellipsis bordered by the branches of the river Ill.

From the medieval quarter in the main isle to the long avenues in the German quarter, from the influence of the Renaissance to that of the “Art Nouveau", from the cathedral to the Protestant churches and the synagogues, the façades give evidence of the wealth created by the meeting of different cultures and religions.

The other members of the delegation included Perrine Armandary representing Bordeaux - Aquitaine; Sheetal Wadhwa Munshaw of Chamonix Mont Blanc Valley; Valerie Olivier of Dijon Tourism; Aliki Heinrich of Cannes; Teanates Tetoe of Tahiti; Stephane Langevin of Deauville Tourisme; Bela Shah of Rail Europe; Sara Sodhi of Montparnasse Tower Paris; and Lata Rastogi of Aviareps.

Creative Travel launches ‘Jungle Sutra Wildlife Journeys’

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Sept 21: Creative Travel has launched a specialist wildlife brand titled “Jungle Sutra Wildlife Journey” with an aim to put India on the world wildlife tourism map.

Though India has so much to offer in animals, birds and flora, but the surface has yet to be scratched. Many know about tigers in India, but only few know that the country has lions, the stripped hyena, the red Panda, the one horned Rhinoceros and the whale sharks off the coast of India. Very few people know that Indian wildlife boasts of higher diversity as compared to other parts of the world. The Indian offering of wildlife sanctuaries hold some of the world’s finest wildlife stock.

“It is to fill this void in the Indian travel industry that we have launched Jungle Sutra,” said Rajeev Kohli, Joint Managing Director of Creative Travel.

He said “many are offering trips to wildlife reserves, but very few companies are offering complete wildlife experiences. Jungle Sutra is a team that will approach wildlife with a very different set of eyes. We will develop experiences and journeys that go beyond basic park visits.”

Rajiv Kohli said “the objective is to also showcase the flora and fauna that is not yet explored by the traveler to India.”

He said “a Jungle Sutra tour is aimed at the discerning traveler who is looking at exploring the exotic world of animals in luxury and style. Every Jungle Sutra itinerary is a complete, customized package that takes care of travelers needs from the moment of departure to return. Our trips are designed to capture the uniqueness of each region, its wildlife, flora and fauna. Each wildlife safari experience has its own identity, feel and character. Accommodation, activities, cuisines and services are detailed to meet the preferences and budgets of the traveler.”

“JungleSutra will also have a very strong social initiative and will be engaging local communities and forest officials in activities that give back to the areas we visit.”

The JungleSutra team is being manned by experienced wildlife and operations professionals and has linkages across the Indian sub-continent providing a seamless network, he added.

Established in 1977, Creative Travel is today considered to be India’s largest private and family owned Destination Management Company. Backed by a team of over 120 professionals and a footprint covering all of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Tibet, the company has earned a reputation for being amongst India's most quality conscious travel companies.

Creative has set its self apart from its competitors by building into its programs activities that allow the traveller to experience the region up front and close. Elements of experiential travel are fast becoming a core philosophy of operations at Creative.

Vizag an ideal gateway for international tourists: Sahay

VISAKHAPATNAM, Sept 18: The Central Government has plans to attract five to six million more foreign tourists to India during the 12th Plan period and efforts are on for integrated development in the sector, according to Subhodh Kant Sahay, Union Minister for Tourism.

Talking to news persons after a conference on tourism promotion here, Sahay said the Planning Commission had identified tourism as one of the important sectors for poverty alleviation and job generation during the 12th Plan period. Both the Centre and State would invest in development of infrastructure.

“We follow this business model and I advise the AP Tourism Department to follow suit,” he said, adding that a minimum of Rs.50,000 crore investment could be attracted through private participation in the tourism sector.

With five million more tourists, the percentage of arrivals would be doubled from the present half per cent to one. This would mean at least four lakh more hotel rooms, particularly in budget hotels, would be needed in India and they could come up in the private sector, he suggested. Sahay also assured that Andhra Pradesh, with tremendous tourism potential, having emerged as the top State for national award a couple of times, would be the biggest beneficiary in the 12th Plan.

“We will develop tourist destinations on the JNNURM pattern.

We will give you the required funds for tourism infrastructure. But you have to appoint an international consultant, prepare a proper report, and go about it in an integrated manner. Visakhapatnam has everything to be developed as an international tourist destination.

Hardly at a distance of one to one and half hour by air from Thailand, your city will be the ideal gateway to attract international tourists with a 25-km stretch beach, Dutch heritage buildings, Buddhist monuments, and beautiful hills,” the Minister pointed out, and promised to strive to get international flights to Visakhapatnam, as air connectivity was of utmost importance. Steps would also be taken to develop Visakhapatnam as a Buddhist tourist circuit and promote cruise tourism here, he promised.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister V. Vasant Kumar apprised Sahay about the tremendous tourism potential of Visakhapatnam.

PATA Travel Mart 2011 concludes

NEW DELHI, Sept 10: The three-day PATA Travel Mart 2011 was a great success and attracted the largest buyers and sellers in the capital city of India.

Over 1,200 attendees joined the three-day annual travel trade event, organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

The amount of floor space booked, the number of buyer organisations and the number of seller delegates attending was the biggest since 2008.

“The upturn reflects PATA’s new commitment to building the business,” said Bill Calderwood, interim chief executive of PATA.

He said at the opening press conference: “The new PATA that we are creating is changing for the better.

“Over the past few months the Association has taken bold decisions in order to meet the expectations of our members.”

Calderwood said that there was a unique buzz at the Mart due to it taking place in India where consumer confidence and demand for travel is high.

PATA’s strategic intelligence centre said that India’s outbound is averaging annual growth of 12 per cent and that there were no signs of it weakening.

PATA reported that the Mart had also attracted 302 buyer delegates from 279 organisations across 50 source markets. There were 105 journalists attending from 14 destinations.

Some 105 buyers were first-timers to the Mart.

India's Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said: “India, as you all know, is emerging as one of the major economies of the world with growth rate of over eight per cent per annum.

“The tourism industry is growing even at a higher pace.”

Plan panel, Tourism Ministry want 4-fold rise in sector outlay

NEW DELHI, Sept 10: The Planning Commission’s working group on tourism has recommended a four-fold increase in the allotment of funds for the sector during the 12th Plan (2012-17). Allotment for the 11th Plan was Rs 5,156 crore.

A substantial proportion of the estimated outlay is proposed for improvement of tourism infrastructure, human resource development, capacity building and promotion and publicity, said tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahay while addressing his ministry’s consultative committee of MPs.

Annual foreign tourist arrival by the end of the 12th Plan is estimated at 11.24 million.

The minister said the corresponding number for domestic tourists was projected at 1,451.46 mn. Jobs in the sector in 2016 were likely to be 77.5 million, as compared to 53 million in 2010.

Sahay said the taxes levied on the tourism industry should be unified, rationalisedand made globally competitive, to get the maximum dividend. The goods and services tax to be implemented in the country should not be more than eight per cent for the sector, he felt.

“Tourism is the largest service industry in the country. Its importance lies in being an instrument for economic development and employment generation, particularly in the remote parts,” said Sahay.

The members of Parliament at the meeting included Charles Dias, Jagdambika Pal, Lal Singh, P T Thomas, Sripad Yesso Naik, Virender Kashyap and Tarini Kanta Roy.

India, Israel to enhance tourism cooperation

NEW DELHI, Sept 5: India and Israel have decided to enhance cooperation in wellness, spiritual and religious tourism sectors, Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay said Monday.

The decision to increase cooperation in tourism was taken at a meeting between Sahay and his Israeli counterpart Stas Misezhnikov here, according to a statement by the tourism ministry.

The Israeli minister said hoteliers in his country were interested in building hotels in India. He also requested more flights between India and Israel.

The nations have decided to exchange experience in destination management and promotion, the statement said.

Manpower development will be another area of cooperation between India and Israel. An exchange programme for teachers and students, and exchange of information on teaching modules will be considered by the two countries.

Tour operators and travel agents of both countries will interact with each other to promote two-way tourism between India and Israel.

The possibilities for promoting package tours in either of the countries will also be explored by the travel trade of two countries.

Citing statistics, the ministry said tourist traffic from Israel to India was 40,581 in 2009. It rose to 43,539 in the year 2010.

An agreement between India and Israel on cooperation in the field of tourism was signed in New Delhi in May 1993.

Both the countries have revised this agreement.

The India tourism Office in Frankfurt is responsible for promoting India as a destination in the Israeli market.

India is known in Israel as an ancient nation with strong cultural traditions and the popular Israeli perception is that India is an attractive and alternative tourist destination, a spokesperson for the tourism ministry said.

HC seeks response from Centre over service tax on restaurants

NEW DELHI, Sept 5: The Delhi High Court has sought response from the Centre on a plea of the Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association of India challenging imposition of service tax on food and beverages served in air-conditioned
restaurants and hotels.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the Centre to file its reply on the plea of the association (FHRAI).

The Centre, by the Finance Act (Amendment)-2011, has imposed service tax on sale of foods and beverages in air-conditioned restaurants and hotels.

"The impugned provision of the Finance Act is illegal, null and void and ultra vires the Constitution of India," the association pleaded.

The association further said the law in relation to sale of food and beverages served by the restaurant to any person can be made by state only as it is a state subject.

"Tax on sale of food or beverages served by restaurant to any person in the said restaurant is a matter covered by Entry-54, List 2 and consequently only the state legislature is empowered to legislate," the petitioner said.

The petitioner added that the sale of food and beverages is sale of goods and not rendering of services and hence not liable to pay service tax.

"The transaction of selling of food and beverages in air-conditioned restaurant or in any part of establishment having licence to serve liquor amounts to sale of goods and hence the entire value of goods and beverages sold is nothing but sale of goods and falls within exclusive competence of the state legislature," FHRAI said.

Goa to revamp its tourism infrastructure

PANAJI, Sept 5: Tourists arriving in Goa can now look forward to many more fun and adventure filled activities such as the Oceanarium, Marina, Ropeway and adventure parks. The Goa Tourism department which is on a revamping spree has shortlisted these and many more projects like Goa to Mumbai marine ferry service, convention centres, restarting of the Sea Food Festival etc. for the oncoming tourism season.

State Tourism minister Nilkant Halarnkar told reporters, ”The state is trying to revive its popular and famous Sea Food Festival, which had to be shut down after a court case. “ He further added that the court has now given clearance and the government intends taking policy decision on having the festival again.

Goa to Mumbai marine ferry project has already been cleared by the state cabinet he added.

In addition to this to give competitive service to tourists arriving in Goa the Goa government has decided to promote the private players interested in investing in state’s tourism infrastructure by offering them all necessary support.

“Private players can take advantage of the central government floated schemes for the tourism infrastructure development,” Halarnakar said.

Goa government has formulated a task force, which is being represented by all the stakeholders including political parties which will scrutinise the project before it is given final go ahead.

Gujarat to get more hands in hospitality; plans three institutes

AHMEDABAD, Sept 6: In order to address the manpower crunch in the burgeoning hospitality sector, the Gujarat government is working towards opening more hotel management institutes in the state and has proposed to start an institute of hospitality management (IHM) at Patan in North Gujarat soon.

The proposed institute will be located in Patan and will be run by the Patan University, which has also given land for the same. With the growing demand for skilled professionals in the hospitality industry , the state government has plans of developing three more such institutes in different cities across Gujarat.

Gujarat government is actively promoting tourism in the state and now students from the state, who aspire to make it big in the hospitality industry, can now look home wards for fulfilling their dreams.

A highly placed source in the tourism department said, "Hospitality is an important sector for the state as we need a strong and employable workforce to take over the reins if tourism is to be developed here. Hence this move comes in the wake of the tourism ministry's many initiatives to increase the tourist footfall to the state and provide a effective workforce for the same. We have proposed a state IHM at Patan to this end. Once it is approved we are planning one in Surat (south Gujarat), one in Rajkot and one in Kutch. We have been communicating with the respective vice chancellors of these universities and they have all agreed to the proposal. So we are awaiting a nod from the Government's side to go ahead with the proposed institutes."

The state has registered a growth of 18-20% increase over last year's arrival figures. From getting Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan to become the face of Gujarat tourism through advertising campaigns, to tapping into adventure, religious and beach tourism, the state Government has plans of developing its tourism hubs in a phased manner. These hubs include are Ahmedabad Metro, Ahmedabad Rural (North Gujarat), Surat (South Gujarat), Vadodara (Central Gujarat), Rajkot, Junagadh, Jamnagar (Saurashtra) and Bhuj (Kutch).

"We have received the proposal by the tourism department to develop an IHM at Patan. Once approved if the Government feels that the proposal will infuse a regional balance with respect to the tourism needs of the state then it will invest upto Rs 12 crores for the same. It is in the process of being examined at the moment," said Devesh Chaturvedi, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism.

Currently the state has only one IHM in Ahmedabad that is affiliated to the National Council for Hotel Management and is sponsored by Ministry of Tourism, government of India and the government of Gujarat and offers degree, post graduate diploma and certificate courses in hospitality management.

Rajeev Kohli becomes first Indian to be elected on Site International Board

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Aug 23: A young Indian travel leader, Rajeev Kohli has been elected as the Director on the Site International Board, the first international nonprofit incentive travel association. Rajeev, Joint Managing Director of Creative Travel, is the first Indian ever to serve on the Site International Board and his appointment is considered recognition of India’s and Asia’s place in the global incentive industry.

The Site Nominations Committee has announced that the five newly elected Directors who will serve on the International Board of Directors for the next three years, commencing January 1, 2012, are: Rhonda Brewer (North America); Olga Navarro (Europe); Aoife Delaney (Europe); Rajeev Kohli (Asia Pacific); and Liu Ping (China).

Site began as an idea; a forum launched in 1973 when 11 incentive travel colleagues decided to create the first international nonprofit association dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in incentives. Based on their vision, that idea has flourished through the past 35 years. Site has grown from a handful of people to more than 2,200 individuals representing all facets of the incentive industry and 87 countries around the globe.

Through the years, Site has enhanced in-person opportunities for members to build alliances, generate clients and tap into a global network of peers. From the first Site Executive Conference in 1975 to the Site Academy for Young Leaders, launched in 2006, the Society has continuously refined education and knowledge sharing to ensure ongoing value to Site members. In recent years, additional enhancements such as electronic and Web-based communications have further augmented members’ ability to interact with colleagues locally and globally.

Rajeev has been a member of Site since 2000. He has also been active in establishing the Site India Chapter and was the organizing committee chair of the Site 2011 Executive Summit held in New Delhi. Over the past 10 years, Rajeev has held various posts of leadership in the Indian MICE market, including being elected as Vice-Chairman of the India Convention Promotion Bureau, a body formed between the government and the private sector.

Rajeev says: “I will take this as an opportunity to bring in the Asian needs and viewpoint to the leadership of Site. I hope to help create policies, tools and thought processes in Site that engage Asia more than what it has traditionally been doing. I would hope to be able to take Site regionally into Asia and make interventions at grassroots levels.”

He said “Site's exposure in the Asia Pacific region is way behind its counterparts like ICCA and MPI and I would aim to increase specific activities that target brand building for Site; that provide tangible benefits to the regional members and that provide greater advocacy to the business of motivational travel in the Asian context. I think Site has an opportunity to not only assist its Asian members to create and express their relevance in the respective countries, but also the opportunities to use its Asian membership to create new business opportunities for the Non-Asian Site members.

“I see Site as a great provider of learning, not only for suppliers to the incentive industry but also as an advocate and educator for the corporate clients. I would like to see Site create more opportunities for education at the regional level, bringing members more cost effective opportunities to enhance their personal skills,” added Rajeev.

IATO's annual convention from Sept 22 at Gandhi Nagar

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Aug 6: Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) will be holding its four-day 27th annual convention from September 22 at Mahatma Mandir Convention Hall, Gandhinagar (Gujarat). The theme of the convention is “Indian Tourism – Are we competitive to compete”, according to Vijay Thakur, President of IATO.

Speaking at an interactive meeting held here on Saturday, IATO President Vijay Thakur said “Gujarat has set an unprecedented growth in tourism. Thanks to the initiatives taken by the Gujarat Government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Narendra Modi."

He said that wherever IATO has had held its convention that State had achieved blistering pace of development. "We usher the state into a future of progress and prosperity. This has been a reality in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, West Bengal, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh where we had our previous conventions,” he added.

Convention Chairman Pronab Sarkar said “every year, we try to promote a new state and work for an integrated growth. We have never been to Gujarat and hence this year, Gujarat was in our mind from very beginning for our annual convention. In view of the overwhelming response and support from the state Government and also from the travel industry, we had no hesitation to go for Gujarat. It matches with our objective of opening up a new destination and work hard for its all round development”.

He said Gujarat with its infrastructural developments holds lot of prospects and potential for inbound tourism.

Explaining the selection of Gujarat at the convention venue, IATO Hony. Secretary Rajesh Mudgill said that it goes with “our objective of innovating and re-innovating to build our members trust and interest of the consumer to the destination being focused. It also establishes connection with decision makers in the state and one to one basis promote the new destination products, to draw-out special strategies to attract customers with value additions and launching new products which offer unique experience of the state. It also helps create job opportunities for locals in motivating us for this selection."

Thus, he said "the partnership which we form with the State Government can go beyond our convention period."

Addressing the IATO members, Gujarat's Princpal Secretary Tourism Vipul Mittra said that 21 beaches in Gujarat are being developed with Public Private Partnership. A special body is being formed for this purpose, he added.

Vipul Mittra made a very colourful presentation showcasing Gujarat’s unique tourism attractions.

He also extended invitation to IATO members on behalf of Gujarat Tourism for joining IATO convention in Gujarat and experience the warmth hospitality of Gujarat. He also urged that members should join the post convention tours after the convention and should not rush back.

Chairman of Gujarat Tourism Kamlesh Patel invited the members of IATO to come and see culture, heritage and the development work that is being done in Gujarat and MoUs signed with many countries to set up industries in Gujarat.

Kamlesh Patel also urged IATO members to make investments in setting up hotels and resorts on the beaches being developed in Gujarat. "We must develop long term relationships and Gujarat government will extend all possible help for such ventures," added Patel.

HRANI to hold First North India Convention in Amritsar

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Aug 4: The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI) is holding its first convention of the association in the holy city of the Golden Temple, Amritsar from September 23 to 25, according to SM Shervani, President of HRANI.

Speaking to newsmen here, Shervani said the theme for the convention this year is “Hospitality Industry-Vision 2020” and it is aimed at sighting and discussing various issues that the hospitality industry currently faces and would face in the near future.

The President said the convention will have various brain storming business sessions, industry seminars and talk shows conducted by professionals from within the industry.

Topics varying from tips on making your property Eco-Hotels, tapping franchising opportunities with global chains, training staff and new management mantras will dominate the sessions.

The Convention will liven up each evening with musical performances, theme nights and fashion shows.

Shervani said that by 2020, the Indian Government expects travel and tourism to contribute Rs 8,500 billion to GDP, almost four times the value in 2005 which shows how the industry is expected to boom.

"By then India tourism industry will grow to be greater than that of the UK, France or Japan. The growing middle class along with a younger population will be the main drivers of this demand," he added.

However, he said "the hospitality industry needs to address some important issues before it is ready to meet this demand.”

Shervani said major impediments to the growth of the small family held hotels and small chains are sensitivity to business cycles, adverse political and social events (including terrorist attacks), making that paradigm shift from traditional to modern practices and turning your property into a world class space.

These issues, he said would be discussed and analyze during the convention.

“As the market gets buoyant and the domestic tourism industry gets active, it becomes crucial that family run hotels and restaurants evolve according to the scenario for granting an ideal experience to their consumers”, added Shervani.

Convention Chairman and Vice President HRANI Paramjit Singh said the convention will be inaugurated by Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab. Navjot Singh Sidhu, Member of Parliament, will deliver the key note address.

He urged all the delegates to come and experience the hospitality of Punjab and also the holiest Sikh shrines like the Golden temple. He said pre and post convention tours have been organised by the Punjab Government. A visit ot Wagah Border has also been planned.

Hony. Secretary of HRANI Garish Oberoi proposed a vote of thanks.

The major topics covered in the convention would be on:

HR Issues: An average hotelier spends 33% of revenues on labour costs, but employee turnover in the industry is as high as 31%. High employee turnover continues to plague the industry and operators need robust strategic plans to retain their critical employees and manage turnover.

Security Issues: The Taj and the Oberoi terror attacks and subsequent bomb blasts almost all over the world have underlined the need for hotels to have top-of-the-line security without being too invasive and allowing guests to retain their privacy. This poses a major challenge for the hotel industry.

Responsible Tourism: Sustainability is becoming a defining issue for the industry in 2015 and beyond. Rising populations and increasingly scarce resources will provide a challenging business environment in which sustainability will need to be embedded within all facets of the hospitality industry.

Marketing: Is online the only way forward? What will be the role of the mainstream offline travel agents?

Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI) – a Northern outfit of FHRAI is an apex body representing Hotel & Restaurant Industry of the 9 North Indian States.

The legendary Rai Bahadur M.S. Oberoi formed the association in 1950. Since then it has been effectively working for the cause of hospitality industry and plays an important role in developing tourism in the states, which comes under its purview. These nine states are Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, U.P. and Uttarakhand.

The Association with its liaison with the local, State, Central Governments and allied agencies, acts as an effective link between the different segments of the tourism industry for achieving common objectives.

It conducts training programs, activities and recommends implementation of conclusive/resolutions reached at seminars & conventions to the appropriate authorities.

It also comes out with a quarterly newsletter - HRANI Hospitality. The Association provides detailed analysis and guidance in respect of policies and procedures affecting the industry besides working in tandem with various government departments for approval of schemes and the policies.