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T3 Feb News
Sheena Murpani
INTERNATIONAL PREMIUM AIR TRAVEL ROSE IN NOVEMBER 2013: IATA
T3 News Network, Jan 21, 2014
According to IATA‘s Premium Traffic Monitor for November 2013, international premium air travel
recorded a solid rise in November, with passenger numbers up 5.4 per cent compared to a year ago. This is
in line with the October result (5.6 per cent), but is above growth year-to-date (4 per cent), which indicates
that premium travel demand has accelerated over recent months.
Growth in premium travel has been supported by positive developments in the business environment over
recent months. Global business confidence is the strongest it has been since Q1 2011, with Europe and the
United States both showing signs of economic improvement. In addition, business-related premium travel is
being supported by a recent pick-up in trade growth, particularly in the US and Asia.
By contrast, growth in economy class travel was relatively weak in November, the monitor said, citing a rise
of 2.4 per cent compared to a year ago. The weakness is in part a result of a slowdown in growth of
economy class travel in the Far East, which was up just 3.7 per cent in November year-on-year, compared to
6.8 per cent in October. Major regional economies like China continue to experience robust economic
growth, but indicators suggest a slowdown during 2013 year-end, with measures of consumer confidence
also showing decline in December.
Business confidence continues to improve, which also suggests a pick-up in the growth of premium travel.
The second chart below shows business confidence (measured here by the JP Morgan/Markit purchasing
managers‘ index), and its steady, continued increases throughout the second half of 2013. The improvement
reflects better performance of advanced economies, and more recently a pick-up in emerging Asia.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/21/international-premium-air-travel-rose-in-november-2013-
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2014: INT’L AIRLINES AIM BETTER BIZ FROM INDIA
By Karishma Sen, Jan 15, 2014
Foreign carriers such as Singapore Airlines (SIA), Emirates Airlines and South African Airways are
expecting that the growing outbound numbers from India will help them in generating better business from
this market. Singapore Airlines overall passenger load factors for the second quarter ended 30 September
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2013 was 81.1 per cent.
2013 has been a year of expansion for Emirates globally. ?Emirates‘ focus on promoting India across its
network and timely incentives for outbound travel has helped it to maintain a healthy average load factor of
80 per cent during the year.. India is one of their key markets and continues to play an important role with its
185 weekly flights from 10 gateways.
South African Airways also witnessed a strong load factor on the Mumbai-Johannesburg route in 2013.
?South African Airways increased the number of flights from four to seven a week. Passenger numbers and
revenue increased substantially in 2013, with the India route reaping good profits as well,? said Sajid Khan,
Country Manager – India, South African Airways.
During 2013, British Airways increased its service to Hyderabad to six flights per week from five flights and
registered a 20 per cent increase in capacity from the city. It further increased its capacity to 40 percent from
Hyderabad in November 2013. Similarly, Malaysia Airlines also added Kochi as a new destination on the
India route in September 2013, along with two additional flights from Delhi and Bengaluru in October 2013.
The Indian aviation industry is expected to grow significantly in the near future as India offers a huge
potential. Lau opined that the SIA‘s recent announcements of the new airline venture, Tata-SIA and
SpiceJet‘s codeshare with Tiger Airways shows our intention to actively be a part of India‘s growth story.
?We recently announced a third daily Singapore Airlines service from New Delhi, 10th weekly SilkAir
service from Kochi and fourth weekly SilkAir service from Visakhapatnam, taking our total weekly flight
count to 107 from India. We will continue to evaluate the opportunities available to us to build on our
services in the coming years,? he added.
In 2014, Emirates expect an increase in MICE and leisure traffic from India as many global events taking
place in 2014. The annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) taking place in January 2014, is also expected to
give a substantial boost to the traffic from India to Dubai. Global markets are expected to do better than
2013 and we expect summer travel from India will also do well.? Ahmad added.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/15/2014-int-l-airlines-aim-better-biz-from-india
JET AIRWAYS ADDS DAILY ABU DHABI-CHENNAI SERVICE
T3 News Network, Jan 02, 2014
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Jet Airways has announced the introduction of a daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Chennai effective 16
January, 2014. With these new enhanced flights, Jet Airways will achieve the landmark milestone of
becoming India‘s first private airline to operate over 50 daily flights to multiple destinations in the Gulf.
These include daily departures from and to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, Sharjah, Jeddah,
Dammam, Muscat and Riyadh.
The flight will depart Abu Dhabi at 1045 hrs and arrive into Chennai at 1615 hrs (Local Time), offering
onward connections on the domestic network. The return flight will depart Chennai at 2015 and arrive at
Abu Dhabi at 2325 hrs (LT). Jet Airways guests from Chennai will now have the option of connecting not
only to Abu Dhabi, but to several destinations of their choice in Europe and Africa, when they transit over
Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways.
Gaurang Shetty, Senior Vice-President, Commercial, Jet Airways said, ?Jet Airways has already established
itself as a prestigious brand in the intensely competitive Indo-Gulf sector in a relatively short period of time.
This achievement has been on accord of the quality of our in-flight product, which is more than ably
complemented by our onboard service standards which are par with the best in the world. We are confident
that the daily service from Abu Dhabi to Chennai will prove immensely popular with our guests.
Introduction of these flights is an important landmark in the emergence of the airline as India‘s premier
international airline.?
The airline currently operates daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai and Kuwait.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/02/jet-airways-adds-daily-abu-dhabi-chennai-service
ALASKA AIRLINES SEES 12% GROWTH FROM INDIA
By Maansi Sharma, Dec 24, 2013
American Low Cost Carrier (LCC) Alaska Airlines has enjoyed 12 per cent year on year growth for the last
few years from India. According to SK Mittal, Executive Director, ETA Travel Agency, which is Alaska
Airline‘s GSA in India, the airline ferries 1,200 Indians to the destination every month, with the numbers
rising to 2,000-2,500 during the peak season between April and July. He further added that Bengaluru a big
market for the airline.
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?Travellers from India to Alaska are on the rise, and we have seen several varied segments of tourists
coming in. The country sends 200-300 soldiers on Air India for combat training in Fairbank, which adds to
numbers. There are also good universities in Alaska, so we see a lot of student traffic. Business travellers
also increasing owing to Alaska‘s oil industries. And finally, expat Americans in India also travel via Alaska
Airlines. Traffic is growing. It earlier grew by 25 per cent, and recently by 12 per cent, which has been the
average growth year on year,? revealed Mittal.
Speaking with T3 on the sidelines of its recently concluded product presentation in association with Visit
Anchorage and Alaska Travel Industry Association, Susan McKenzie, Manager Charter, Group &
International Sales, Alaska Airlines stated that they have recorded a healthy growth in numbers coming in
from India via codeshare partner airlines.
?My personal opinion is that, from the western world, coming into India is easiest via Emirates. With only a
three and a half hour layover in Dubai, it‘s the perfect connection, and the flights go into several cities
across India,? she opined.
When asked about considering Air India as a codeshare partner to boost numbers, Mittal mentioned that the
airline used to have the national carrier as a codeshare partner, but the ties have been severed. ?We don‘t
know their policies, but we believe they should be one of our partners. We also had Jet Airways on board,
but that got cancelled as well since the airline does not fly into US any more. If Etihad operates to the
country, then maybe, through their partnership, we can rekindle that agreement,? he concluded.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2013/12/24/alaska-airlines-sees-12-growth-from-india
QATAR AIRWAYS LAUNCHES ONLINE VISA PROCESSING
T3 News Network, Dec 16, 2013
Qatar Airways introduced this month a new online system for applying for tourist visas to Qatar. The service
is available for passengers flying with Qatar Airways and can be accessed on their official website. Only
one-month single-entry tourist visas are available and the visa must be used within 60 days from the date of
issue. The validity of the visa and the visa period cannot be extended.
?The new system eases the process of applying for a tourist visa to Qatar for eligible passengers. It also
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provides passengers with the convenience of tracking their visa application status online,? said a Qatar
Airways spokesperson.
A few simple steps are all that‘s needed for passengers to apply online. It takes approximately 10 days to
process the visa and the cost is US$ 55 per person. The option to fast-track the application is available at a
cost of US$ 120 per person and takes approximately seven days to process. The visa application fees are
non-refundable.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2013/12/16/qatar-airways-launches-online-visa-processing
ETIHAD AIRWAYS AND JET AIRWAYS TO BOOST FLIGHTS TO NEW YORK
T3 News Network, Jan 15, 2014
Etihad Airways today announced a new daily flight between Abu Dhabi and New York City, providing
additional one-stop links to the US for Indian travellers and an easy, new option for travel from America to
India. Commencing on 1 March, Etihad Airways flight EY103 will depart Abu Dhabi at 1.45 am and arrive
at New York‘s John F Kennedy Airport at 7.45 am the same day. The return flight, EY102, will leave New
York at 11.35 am, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 9.20 am the following day.
These flights will complement the existing Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300ER service, EY101, which
departs Abu Dhabi at 10.30 am, arriving in New York at 4.30 pm the same day, and EY100, which leaves
New York at 9.40 pm and arrives in Abu Dhabi the next day at 7.25 pm. The new flights will be operated by
Etihad Airways with two tri-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, to be leased from Jet Airways. From 1 May,
2014, Jet Airways will operate these flights.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways said New York was one of the
airline‘s most popular destinations, not only for guests flying from Abu Dhabi but also for travellers from a
wide range of connecting destinations, including many in India.
?These services will provide not only greater access to New York but also evidence of Abu Dhabi‘s growing
importance as a global air transport hub. Our decision to lease aircraft from Jet Airways also illustrates one
of the broader benefits available through our strategic partnership, which benefits both airlines as well as
travellers,? he said.
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The new Abu Dhabi – New York flight has been scheduled to connect with evening services by Etihad
Airways, Jet Airways or both carriers arriving from four Indian cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin and
Chennai. Flights arriving back from New York will also connect from Abu Dhabi to these cities. Beyond
New York, passengers will be able to connect in both directions with flights throughout the US, and to
Canada and Mexico.
As well as additional flights to New York, Etihad Airways will commence services to two new US
destinations during 2014 – daily service to Los Angeles from June and three flights per week to Dallas-Fort
Worth from December. The airline also flies daily between Abu Dhabi and both Washington, D.C., and
Chicago. Etihad Cargo offers dedicated freight flights to destinations including Chicago, Miami and
Houston.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/15/etihad-airways-and-jet-airways-to-boost-flights-to-new-
york
INDIA CONTRIBUTES AROUND 10% BUSINESS TO ROTANA
By Murari Mohan Jha, Jan 29, 2014
The roadshow witnessed the participation eight General Managers from the group‘s hotels from UAE and
Kuwait. ?India is now one of our biggest source markets, primarily in the UAE. India is the only place
where we have deployed dedicated resources in 2011. We are working on both inbound and outbound. This
is also first time that General Managers are participating in roadshow to understand the expectations of
Indian travelers,? Andy Nightingale, Director of International Sales, Rotana Hotel Management
Corporation, told T3. The objective was to interact with the target audience to further push numbers from
India, he said.
Divulging more information on India plan, Nightingale revealed that Rotana has set a target of operating 15-
20 hotels in India in next 10 years. ?We are looking to open 15-20 hotels in India in next 10 years. By the
first half of 2014, we will announce our first project which could be either in Delhi or Mumbai. We have an
investment of US$ 3.5 million in Indian market to enhance infrastructure in terms of corporate office set up,
HR, sales force, etc for the next few years. Our focus in India is to attract investors into the brand as well as
improve our outbound business from the market,? he said and added that the group is looking at almost all
major cities in India to set up their hotels.
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According to him, Rotana has seen a traffic growth of 40 per cent since it established its sales office in India.
?Tourism boards of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been cooperative with us and we are here to further promote
our brands in India. We are also working closely with Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways to further tap the
potential of the Indian market,? he said and added that India is expected to contribute 100,000 room nights
to Rotana in 2013 as Dubai is now established as value-for-money destination.
Speaking about India‘s growing importance as a market, Nightingale stated that, currently India contributes
around 10 per cent of the total business of Rotana, which stood at 6 per cent two years ago. ?We are
expecting the contribution to grow to 15 per cent in 2014. Of the total room nights, 75-80 per cent is from
leisure, groups and MICE segment and 10-15 per cent are from corporate. We want to grow corporate share
in 2014,? he added.
Vasudha Sondhi, Managing Director, Connect Worldwide India, which handles sales and marketing of
Rotana in India, said that contribution of the Indian market is increasing as there is a very focused sales
strategy in place. ?Rotana portfolio and its sub brands are most suitable for the Indian travelers. We are
happy to be the first hotel group to have a sales mission comprising of only General Managers,? she said.
The mission was attended by Mrad El Khoury, Towers Rotana, Dubai; Rabih Melhem, Media Rotana,
Dubai; Karim Nahas, Rose Rayhaan, Dubai; Hussein Hachem, Al Bustan & Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai; Jorg
A Hauri, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi; Mark Deere, Yas Island Rotana & Centro Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and
Pierre Zayoun, Al Manshar Rotana, Kuwait.
MALINDO AIR EYES THE INDIAN SKIES
By Karishma Sen, Jan 31, 2014
Malindo Air recently launched a daily service on the Kuala Lumpur-Trichy-Kuala Lumpur sector.
According to Chandran Rama Murthy, Chief Executive Officer, Malindo Air, the airline will have three
flights a day by the end of 2014 and an evening service will be introduced by May.
Moving forward Malindo Air will also launch services from Mumbai and Ahmedabad to Kuala Lumpur. It
will also introduce new services from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Cochin, Hyderabad
and Visakhapatnam. With 23 weekly flights to India, the carrier will have 4,140 one-way seats in the
Malaysia-India market. This accounts for a 15 per cent share of the total capacity in the Malaysia-India
market
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The airline is targeting the Kuala Lumpur-Delhi and Kuala Lumpur-Mumbai routes, which are currently
served by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) revealed Murthy. It will compete against AirAsia to Trichy and will
become the only carrier linking Kuala Lumpur with Ahmedabad.
THAILAND ANNOUNCES TTM+ 2014
T3 News Network, Jan 31, 2014
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai tourism industry are preparing for the Thailand
Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway To The Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2014. The event, which is
slated for 4-6 June 2014, is an opportunity to meet over 400 quality sellers across Thailand and the Greater
Mekong Subregion (GMS). It will take place at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok.
The event, which was first organised in 2001, is aimed at promoting the tourism and service business in
Thailand and in its Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) counterparts. Small and medium entrepreneurs
(SMEs) have also been supported on the international stage by inviting them to put their products on offer.
Travel trade members should attend to make use of the opportunity to meet over 400 Travel Operators,
Service Business Exhibitors, NTOs and businesses from the GMS in one location. They will also network
with world-wide trade businesses and be updated on products from across the region.
In addition, attending trade will experience four major highlight Products: ecotourism, health & wellness,
wedding & honeymoon and thainess. Post-event familiarisation trips will give them the chance to explore
the kingdom‘s wonders, its world-renowned natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
AIMIA, AIRASIA AND THINK BIG DIGITAL FORM PARTNERSHIP
T3 News Network, Feb 05, 2014
Aimia Inc., a global leader in loyalty management headquartered in Canada, AirAsia Berhad and Think Big
Digital have announced the signing of a partnership agreement for Aimia‘s acquisition of a minority stake in
Think Big, the owner and operator of BIG – AirAsia and Tune Group‘s loyalty program.
Aimia will initially invest approximately (C$16 million) in Think Big, with up to an additional (C$7
million) to be invested if certain milestones are achieved by 31 December, 2015.
The partnership combines AirAsia‘s unrivaled success in the Asian market, Tune Group‘s portfolio of
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successful companies including hotels, pre-paid Visa cards, insurance and music companies, and Aimia‘s
unmatched expertise in the design and management of travel-based loyalty programs, to provide BIG
members and partners with a loyalty proposition that is truly rewarding.
?The partnership between AirAsia, Think Big Digital and Aimia is yet another way that AirAsia and Tune
Group are innovating and driving change in the Asian airline market – all to the benefit of our members,
guests and investors. With its experience running the world‘s largest standalone frequent flyer programs, the
Aimia team has unique and invaluable insight. We are thrilled to be working together to leverage that
knowledge as we continue to grow the AirAsia BIG loyalty program,? said Tony Fernandes, Group CEO,
AirAsia and Co-Founder, Tune Group.
?The AirAsia BIG loyalty program is a great opportunity to export Aimia‘s coalition business model and to
help our clients create deep and lasting relationships with their customers. Through this partnership with
AirAsia and Tune Group, we look forward to sharing our experience with this program, while also growing
our presence in the high-potential Asian loyalty market,? said Rupert Duchesne, Group Chief Executive,
Aimia.
The AirAsia BIG loyalty program continues to benefit from the growing customer base of both AirAsia and
Tune Group. It has already attracted a broad coalition of partners ranging from credit card companies, retail
stores, petrol stations, and insurance and telecom firms, in addition to the AirAsia and Tune Group family
partners.
?With AirAsia‘s customer base of over 43 million guests a year, the potential of BIG to deliver deeper, more
meaningful relationships to a broad membership base is significant. We believe that this potential extends
beyond flight revenues and we look forward to working with all BIG partners to build a cutting-edge
program,? said Alice Goh, CEO, AirAsia BIG Loyalty program.
?Asia represents a key region for Aimia as we expand our presence globally, and we believe the partnership
between ourselves, AirAsia and Tune Group provides a fantastic platform to further demonstrate our unique
capabilities in the loyalty industry. This partnership brings three innovative, forward-thinking brands
together for the long-term benefit of our customers,? added Marc Allsop, Senior Vice President of Business
Development, Aimia.
ZAMBIA BULLISH ON INDIAN MARKET
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T3 News Network, Feb 07, 2014
Having recently participated at SATTE in Delhi, Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) is all set to tap the growing
Indian market actively in 2014. Implementing a stronger marketing campaign in India will be the main focus
for ZTB this year which will involve conducting road shows, organising workshops and familiarization trips
for the Indian travel trade and media.
Mato Shimabale, Director Marketing, Zambia Tourism Board said, ?India is a very important market with
great potential as it is among the top ten in terms of arrivals. We have seen Indian arrivals of around 20,000
in the last two years and are looking at doubling the numbers in the next few years. We will work closely
with our India representative Blue Square Consultants to improve the leisure arrivals with increased
destination awareness in the Indian market. We feel Indians are looking at exploring new and exciting
destinations and Zambia in Africa is a product they will love. Zambia also houses a huge Indian community
thus making it easier to tap the Indian market.?
INDIA RANKS HIGH FOR INTERNATIONAL HOTELS
By Maansi Sharma, Feb 10, 2014
While the industry spent the year 2013 embroiled in speculation about whether or not Indian outbound
would take a hit as a result of the economic instability, Indians seemed to have packed their bags and dealt
with their woes on vacation. That is, if room bookings are anything to go by. International hotels are still
notching significant room night requests from India, with the source market maintaining its position as an
important one.
Atlantis The Palm, for instance, has seen a stable increase in annual FIT and MICE bookings from Indian
travellers over the years, revealed Andrea Krenn, VP - Public Relations, Atlantis The Palm. The property
saw a 22 per cent increase in 2013 compared to 2012 in terms of Indian guests. ?In 2012, India represented 4
per cent of our business. In 2013, India represented 6 per cent of the resorts business. In 2014, our target is
to grow the India market further by an additional 15 per cent,? she added.
Similarly, the Cotai Strip Resorts Macao, has welcomed steady leisure traffic since The Venetian Macao
opened in 2007, with the properties getting a further boost after the IIFA Awards were held at the resort in
2009 and 2013. According to a Cotai Strip Resorts Macao spokesperson, India ranked its fifth largest market
in terms of total bookings for 2013.
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?Guests arriving from India have grown steadily over recent years. Major demand for One&Only Le Saint
Geran never alone comes from metropolitan cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. Cities
with direct flights represent a stronger market, however good connections via hubs in the Middle East have
added opportunities for us. In 2014, we are considering incentives to encourage bookings at One&Only Le
Saint Geran,? revealed Brett Armitage, Senior Vice President Global Sales, Kerzner International.
An added advantage for the Cotai Strip Resorts is that their off-season is India‘s peak travel season. ?Our off
seasons are actually the peak outbound seasons for India – April to June and end of October to November.
Prior to these periods, we work with travel agents to provide targeted package that suits Indian travellers‘
needs,? the spokesperson said.
In fact, all the properties were unanimous in their strategy of working closely with the travel trade to attract
more Indian footfall every year. The Cotai Strip Resorts, for starters, has been participating in SATTE, New
Delhi since 2011, and have held trade dinners in 15 cities for promoting its hotels from 2009 to 2012.
Furthermore, they have highlighted several packages for the Indian travellers, including the recently added
DreamWorks All Star Parade.
With Sands China having launched the DreamWorks Experience at Cotai Strip Resorts Macao in July 2013,
Sheraton Macao Hotel rolled out hotel packages with DreamWorks themed family suites and activities that
have fuelled footfall to the property. ?This has been strongly reflected during the summer holiday season
with the DreamWorks Experience, especially in August when we achieved 96 per cent throughout the
month,? said Ruth Boston, General Manager of Sales and Marketing - Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central.
Krenn revealed that Atlantis, The Palm works closely with travel trade partners to increase visibility for the
property. Various joint promotion initiatives including newspaper and magazine ads have helped the
establishment highlight the exclusive aspects of the resort, she opined.
?We greatly appreciate the professional support of our valued travel trade partners. By contracting with
different wholesalers and frequent promotional communication via the DMCs, we broaden the visibility of
One&Only Le Saint Geran in India. Regular meetings with various agencies across India, presenting the
unique and distinct aspects of the luxury resort has proven to be an added benefit,? Armitage stated.
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VISITBRITAIN FACILITATES HISTORIC MOU BETWEEN TRAVEL ASSOCIATION OF THE
UK AND INDIA
By Shayan Mallick, Feb 13, 2014
VisitBritain, the national tourism agency of the UK, waited for 21 years to debut at SATTE. And when it
finally did at the 21st edition of the event late last month, the NTO made the most of the occasion. Not only
was VisitBritain one of the most visible exhibitors in the venue through its extensive use of hoardings and
shuttle bus branding, it also entered into a strategic alliance with top travel associations of India like Travel
Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI).
The NTO signed and supported the signing of a series of MoUs between the key travel associations of India
and those from the UK. The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) signed separate MoUs with
TAAI and TAFI represented by their President Iqbal Mulla and Vice President Praveen Chugh respectively.
Karan Anand represented ETOA as the Relationship Head. The third MoU was signed between UKinbound
and Outbound Tour Operator Association of India (OTOAI) represented by Ashley Jones, Board Member
and Guldeep Singh Sahni respectively.
Primarily aimed at boosting Indian arrivals in the UK, the move is expected to facilitate better co-ordination,
product development, education, etc. between the industry stakeholders of the two countries. The signing of
MoUs were witnessed by Sir James Bevan KCMG, British High Commissioner to India and Sandie Dawe,
Chief Executive, VisitBritain at the VisitBritain stand at SATTE New Delhi.
Commenting on the announcement, Sandie Dawe, Chief Executive, VisitBritain said, ?As per our latest data,
VisitBritain is more than likely to surpass its ambition to attract 425,000 visits from India by 2016 - worth
GBP 380 million in annual visitor spend. The Indian travellers visiting Britain last year were not deterred by
the falling value of the rupee against the pound, which closed around Rs.100-level for the first time in
history in August 2013. India is one of the priority markets for VisitBritain and we are committed to
strengthening the links between the British and Indian travel and tourism industries. This strategic
engagement between the two trade associations is aimed at closer collaboration to significantly benefit the
travel industries of the UK and India.?
Sir James Bevan KCMG, British High Commissioner to India stated, ?Well over one million Britons and
Indians travel between our two countries every year. This is the lifeblood of the unique relationship between
our two peoples. The 9 per cent growth notched in the number of Indian tourists to the UK in 2013 shows
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that this relationship is growing from strength to strength. I am delighted to see the enthusiasm of the British
and Indian tourism industries to take this to the next stage and offer my full support to their efforts.?
With India being accorded a priority market status by the UK Government, the NTO is keen to build better
visibility in India. The MoUs also come as an acknowledgment of the role that the Indian travel industry
plays in outbound travel.
?Another reason why we are here is the importance of the travel industry as a partner in building the value of
tourism to Britain. Our data shows that a good 80 per cent of the visits from India to the UK are booked
through travel trade. So we and our suppliers are very keen to do business with the Indian travel industry.
This is the first time that we have come to SATTE and we have a large delegation of suppliers with us,?
Dawe had said at the opening ceremony a day before.
The UK witnessed 9 per cent growth in visitors number from India to the UK in first nine months of 2013,
reaching a record arrival of 306,000 and GBP 349 million in spending.
NSW LAUNCHES NEW VFR MARKETING CAMPAIGN
T3 News Network, Feb 13, 2014
With a predicted 50 million outbound travellers by 2020, India is one of the world‘s fastest growing travel
markets and the target of an innovative new digital marketing campaign by Destination New South Wales
(NSW) that showcases the best of Sydney and NSW to Indian visitors. The landmark campaign, called
?Jhappi Time‘ or ?hug time‘, is the first campaign developed and executed by any Australian tourism body,
to specifically target the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market, in India.
The campaign features four ?Bollywood-style‘ vignettes directed by Bollywood director and Head of Films
and TV for the Australian India Film Fund, Anupam Sharma, set in various popular tourist locations around
NSW including Sydney, Manly Beach and the Blue Mountains. A cast of local Indian dancers, actors and
musicians feature in the campaign.
Speaking on the occasion, Sandra Chipchase, CEO, Destination NSW, described the campaign as a creative
and industry first that will ensure Indian travellers will have NSW front of mind when they plan their
Australian holiday. ?Destination NSW has worked with leading Bollywood film director and Australian
filmmaker, Anupam Sharma, to create a fun, completely unique and culturally authentic campaign that will
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appeal directly to Indian travellers‘ love of family, fun and good times. More than one third of Indian
visitors come to New South Wales to spend time with their loved ones, so we are tapping into the enormous
potential of the VFR market segment in NSW,? he explained.
In launching the campaign, NSW Premier Barry O‘Farrell said the campaign aims to build on the State‘s
reputation as the key destination for Indian travellers to Australia. ?Sydney is the number one Australian
destination for Indian travellers, with Regional NSW growing in popularity among tourists from India. India
is one of the State‘s most important tourism, trade and business investment markets, and ?Jhappi Time‘ will
enhance tourism from India, which is currently worth an estimated $183 million a year to the NSW
economy,? he said.
TNZ ANNOUNCES JV TO ATTRACT INDIAN FOOTFALL
T3 News Network, Feb 13, 2014
Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) announces its latest joint venture with Malaysia Airlines and Auckland
International Airport. The venture aims to provide competitive airfares to Auckland, New Zealand, making
it more accessible to Indian travellers. As the Indian summer coincides with the New Zealand Winter, TNZ
aims to make New Zealand an ideal holiday destination for Indian vacationers through this promotion.
With India being a priority emerging market in Tourism New Zealand's three year marketing plan, TNZ
views its partnership with Malaysia Airlines as a key initiative in lifting Indian visitor arrivals to New
Zealand. Announcing the promotion, Mischa Mannix-Opie, Regional Manager South & South East Asia,
Tourism New Zealand said, ?We are pleased to announce this new promotion with Malaysia Airlines and
Auckland International Airport. India is a priority market for all three of us so this partnership is a natural
fit. The travel period for this promotion (over the Indian summer) assists balancing our seasonality of visitor
arrivals and we believe that a market like India offers strong potential to our tourism industry.?
The campaign, which is now online, provides special fares to those travelling to Auckland, New Zealand.
The new special fares will be valid on Malaysia Airlines flying to Auckland from Delhi, Mumbai,
Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kochi and Chennai.
?Our Ambition 2020 Asia strategy outlines a target of 68,800 Indian visitors per year by 2020, which is
more than double the current annual number of Indian visitors to New Zealand. If we compare December
2013 with December 2012, overall Indian passenger arrivals have increased by 15 per cent, with holidaying
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Indian visitors up by 12 per cent,? said Glenn Wedlock, Auckland Airport‘s General Manager Aeronautical
Commercial.
Commenting on the co-op campaign, Azahar Hamid, Regional Senior Vice President - South Asia & Middle
East, Malaysia Airlines stated, "It is our pleasure to be a part of this campaign. India has always been a
major source market for us and in conjunction with this campaign we are introducing attractive promotional
fares. Customers can now enjoy award winning MH services with value added services for Indian market.
Be it new Indian menu or on board entertainment or increased baggage allowance. We provide seamless
connections from six Indian cities to Auckland via Kuala Lumpur."
This limited period offer can be availed by people who are travelling to Auckland by Malaysia Airlines.
Malaysia Airlines increasing its flight frequency to Auckland from six to seven flights weekly via its home
base Kuala Lumpur effective 30 March 2014 onwards.
JANUARY SEES 12.6% GROWTH IN TVOA
T3 News Network, Feb 13, 2014
A growth of 12.60 percent has been recorded in the number of tourists availing of the tourist Visa on Arrival
(VoA) Scheme during the period January 2014. A total number of 1,903 VoAs have been issued in this
period as compared to 1,690 VoAs during the corresponding period of 2012 registering a growth of 12.6 per
cent.
The number of VoAs issued under this scheme during January 2014 for nationals of the eleven countries
were New Zealand (465), Japan (427), the Philippines (290), Singapore (273), Indonesia (257), Finland
(124), Cambodia (20), Myanmar (20), Vietnam (15), Luxembourg (12) and Laos (0).
During January 2014, the highest number of VoAs were issued at New Delhi airport (783) followed by
Mumbai (440), Chennai (282), Kolkata (126), Bangalore (116), Kochi (68), Hyderabad (62) and Trivandrum
(26).
FRANCE TO FOCUS ON INDIAN MICE & FIT
By Karishma Sen, Feb 12, 2014
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Atout France expects a rise in the demand for MICE and customised FIT packages from India in 2014. ?We
foresee a rise in the demand for outbound MICE travel and a substantial increase in the number of Indian
visitors opting for a tailor made holiday package customised to their preferences. We hope to have an
augmentation in the number of Indian tourist arrivals in the coming year,? opined Catherine Oden, Director,
Atout France India. She further shared that one positive factor that could pave the way for an increase in
arrivals is the temporary suspension of biometrics for all visa applications.
France is very keen to increase its share of Indian MICE movements. Elaborating further, Oden said that
Atout France is motivated to believe that the temporary suspension of biometrics on all visa applications will
augment France‘s positioning as a preferred business destination and corporates will be more encouraged to
plan a business event in France. In October 2013, France welcomed a delegation of 8 Indian MICE travel
professionals in Marseille for a global workshop ?France Meeting Hub‘. ?This was a perfect platform for
interactive networking between our French partners and travel agents. The workshop provided many
opportunities for Indian professionals to widen their network of contacts for future business relationships as
well as acquaint themselves with new offers and products that could be proposed to their clients.?
Atout France is cognisant of the growing importance commanded by MICE segment and has consciously
tried to establish a channel of communication with corporate entities. The tourism entity also created a 24
page supplement on its products range to acquaint business professionals with all that France could offer.
2013 marked the launch of Atout France‘s campaign ?Be There! Do That!‘ According to the tourism office
the campaign was well received by the travel industry and the end consumer. Moving forward in 2014,
Atout France will continue presenting offbeat experiences in France through joint collaborations with
French and local, travel agents/tour operators. Through the campaign, Atout France will also present MICE
incentives in France. ?For the year ahead, we will continue to build on creating greater awareness about
France as a business destination and look to make further in-roads in this domain,? commented Oden.
Atout France in collaboration with Chamonix-Mont Blanc Tourism (CMBT) has also launched a three-
month online training programme in India, called ?France Experiential Travel Special‘ (FETS), in January
2014.
TOURISM AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN
T3 News Network, Feb 12, 2014
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To influence Indian travellers to make Australia their destination of choice for the upcoming summer
holidays, Tourism Australia has launched an intensive integrated advertising campaign in India. Using the
successful and established platform of ?There‘s Nothing like Australia‘, the campaign will employ high-
affinity, media channels to showcase some of the world‘s best attractions and experiences available in
Australia.
Using a mix of print, television, out-of-home and online media vehicles, the campaign will be live until
March 2014. On the print platform, in addition to the high impact advertisements, advertorial features on
themes such as self-drive, romance, family and adventure will be utilised for in-depth description of leisure
experiences.
A major focus of the campaign will also be on digital and out of home mediums. In the digital space, large
format ads will showcase aspirational destination imagery along with innovative creative renditions on
popular web platforms like youtube, yahoo, etc. to seek attention of the online audience. Australia also
enjoys a popular presence on social media networks, especially Facebook, which has over 300,000 Indian
fans on the Australia fan page. Out-of-home advertising spaces including multiplexes, airports and malls
will be creatively utilised giving potential travelers ideas and inspiration for an Australian holiday.
Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India& Gulf, Tourism Australia said, ?The campaign is designed to
sustain interest in Australia and provide a further impetus to the growing visitor arrivals from India. We
have dominated select high impact media channels with our brand presence to highlight unique and iconic
Australian experiences. The mix of traditional and innovative ideas including exciting content integration
initiatives and PR is expected to help brand Australia retain high recall as the next holiday destination
among potential travellers.?
Going beyond the realms of traditional advertising, interesting in-film and in-serial placements have been
undertaken to leverage the extreme popularity and reach of Hindi cinema and television drama serials. A
sturdy PR program leveraging advocacy through high impact editorial opportunities across print and
electronic media channels will further enhance the awareness of destination Australia.
In addition to the brand campaign, Tourism Australia has collaborative campaigns with key aviation partners
Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines offering consumers attractive tactical deals to encourage early
bookings for Australian holidays.
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GRAYLINE LATIN AMERICA CONDUCTS ROADSHOW
T3 News Network, Feb 12, 2014
GrayLine Latin America, a destination management company organised a multi-city
roadshow last month in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Over 400 product planners and
frontline staff were trained in all the four cities.
This is the first time a Latin America roadshow such as this was held covering countries like Ecuador, Chile,
Argentina, Colombia and Peru. The roadshows were supported by Proexport Colombia and Latam Airlines.
Owing to the immense success of the seminars, GrayLine Latin America will continue such training sessions
and plans to organise familiarisation trips for Indian travel agents and your operators to ensure that the trade
partners get first hand product knowledge of some of the destinations which are getting increasingly popular
with the Indian traveller.
Pranav Kapadia, Director, Global Destinations commented, ?Our partners from the Grayline Latin America
network were overwhelmed with the response and interest shown in the destination by the Indian travel
fraternity in all the cities. India is a very important, emerging market and GrayLine will continue to invest in
the market and grow it further."
EMIRATES TO OPERATE FROM T2 IN MUMBAI
T3 News Network, Feb 11, 2014
Emirates will move its operations to the new International Terminal 2 at Mumbai International Airport with
effect from 12 February 2014. Emirates operates five daily flights from Mumbai to Dubai, connecting
passengers onwards to over 130 destinations on its worldwide network. Departures at the new International
Terminal 2 will take place from Level 4. Emirates‘ has three check-in counters for First Class and Business
Class passengers at Island ?P‘ and five check-in counters for Economy Class passengers at Island ?M‘ of the
terminal.
The entry for Emirates passengers will be from Entrance No. 7 for Economy Class, while Entrance No. 8
will be for First Class and Business Class passengers. As a result of the change in terminal Emirates will no
longer be able to operate its dedicated Emirates Lounge at Mumbai‘s International Airport, effective from
flight EK 507 on 12th February 2014.
Emirates will continue to offer its signature complimentary Chauffeur-Drive Service exclusively for its First
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Class and Business Class passengers flying to and from Mumbai. The service is offered to provide
convenience and comfort to premium passengers within a 60 kilometre radius of Mumbai International
Airport.
TAT KICKSTARTS THREE-CITY ROADSHOW
T3 News Network, Feb 11, 2014
The Tourism Authority of Thailand‘s (TAT) Mumbai Office is conducting its annual road show, which
commenced in Bengaluru yesterday, and will move ahead to Chennai (12 February) and Ahmedabad (14
February).
The road show assembles more than 30 key travel partners from Thailand under one roof in each of these
important gateway cities. ?We have brought together a sizeable contingent of the most relevant hotels,
DMCs and attractions to arm the travel agent for the year ahead,? said Sethaphan Buddhani, Director, TAT
Mumbai Office.
The industry-connect event also promises to bolster confidence among travel agents amidst protests in
Bangkok. Tourist confidence is expected to increase in the coming weeks. Travel agents will also gain
macro-level insights into TAT‘s tourism strategy for the coming months.
The three-city roadshow is the latest among a host of B2B initiatives in Ahmedabadthe cities. For instance,
given the Gujarat market‘s focus on Indian food while on holiday, TAT has worked to ensure that travel
agents are equipped with names and locations of Indian restaurants across the Kingdom. Meanwhile,
consumer-connect activities promoting niches such as golf and biking trips in Thailand have been a
persistent practice for Chennai and Bangalore markets. TAT has escorted groups of golfers and bikers to the
destination. Additionally, across all three markets, TAT has been hosting wedding planners on
familiarisation trips to Thailand.
PASSENGER DEMAND GREW EXPONENTIALLY IN 2013: IATA
T3 News Network, Feb 10, 2014
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced full-year traffic results for 2013 showing a
5.2per cent increase in passenger demand compared to 2012. The 2013 performance aligns with the average
annual growth rate of the past 30 years. Capacity rose 4.8 per cent and load factor averaged 79.5 per cent up
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0.4 percentage points over 2012.
Demand in international markets (5.4 per cent) expanded at a slightly faster rate than domestic travel (4.9per
cent).Strongest overall growth (domestic and international combined) was recorded by carriers in the Middle
East (11.4 per cent) followed by Asia-Pacific (7.1 per cent), Latin America (6.3 per cent) and Africa (5.2 per
cent). The slowest growth was in the developed markets of North America (2.3 per cent) and Europe (3.8
per cent).
?We saw healthy demand growth in 2013 despite the very difficult economic environment. There was a
clear improvement trend over the course of the year which bodes well for 2014. Last year‘s demand
performance demonstrates the essential and growing role that aviation-enabled connectivity plays in our
world. And with system-wide load factors at 79.5 per cent it is also clear that airlines are continuing to drive
efficiencies to an ever-higher level,? said Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO, IATA.
International passenger demand grew by 5.4 per cent in 2013 compared to 2012 with all regions reporting
growth. Capacity rose 4.9 per cent, boosting load factor to 79.3 per cent, up 0.4 percentage points over 2012.
Indian domestic traffic rose 4 per cent last year, compared to a 2.1 per cent decline in 2012. The demand
environment has been challenging in view of the weakening economy, high inflation and slowing
manufacturing and resource industries. Capacity climbed 3.5 per cent in 2013, and load factor was 74.6 per
cent, up 1.7 percentage points compared to 2012.
Commercial aviation is celebrating its first century in 2014. ?What was impossible yesterday is an
accomplishment of today, while tomorrow heralds the unbelievable.? With these words, Percival Fansler,
creator of the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line, inaugurated the era of commercial aviation on 1 January
1914.
?Fansler was right. The first century of commercial aviation has changed the world. It has made it a better
place through connectivity. Forward-looking governments recognise the power of aviation to drive
economic growth and spread prosperity. These governments are laying the foundations for our next century
and in doing so will reap enormous benefits. But not all governments are on the same page. This anniversary
year is an opportunity to remind short-sighted governments that they risk being left behind if they cripple
aviation with taxes, over-burden it with onerous regulation, or fail to provide the infrastructure that it needs
to grow,? said Tyler.
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INDIANS TRAVEL UNDETERRED TO THAILAND
T3 News Network, Feb 24, 2014
Statistics released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) headquarters indicate high consumer
confidence in Thailand. A total of 59,794 Indians visited Thailand during the first month of the year. The
figures are a true witness of the fact that Indian travellers continue to visit to Thailand, despite the
Kingdom‘s internal political strife, which remains isolated to only a few areas in Bangkok. Travel agents
remain motivated to sell Thailand as they have experienced no cancellations from their customers. Major
events, too, have gone ahead smoothly in the destination.
Sethaphan Buddhani, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) – Mumbai Office said, ?The numbers
are very encouraging. The fact that arrivals from India continue to remains strong indicates that our efforts
to create awareness in the market are bearing fruit. We have continually reassured travel agents and
travellers that protesters in Bangkok are not targeting tourists and that the city remains safe for travel. We
have also been encouraging people to treat this as an incentive to explore Thailand beyond Bangkok. I am
happy to see that travellers are assured by our words and that they continue to enjoy holidaying in
Thailand.?
Travel beyond Bangkok is key to TAT‘s 2014 strategy and exploration is already becoming a trend among
travellers. ?Repeat travellers in particular, who comprise 60 per cent of Thailand‘s incoming tourism market,
are no longer satisfied with an itinerary restricted to Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya. Chiang Mai, Chai Rai,
Koh Kut, Krabi, Hua Hin and Koh Samui are seeing rapidly escalating demand,? Buddhani added.
JNTO LAUNCHES WEBSITE FOR MEETINGS AND EVENT PLANNERS
T3 News Network, Feb 21, 2014
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and its convention division, the Japan Convention Bureau
(JCB), have launched a new website for international MICE planners. The comprehensive toolkits available
for download, give planners access to images, videos and destination guides. Planners can also submit event
enquiries and proposals via the website.
The site, www.japanmeetings.org, is a handy tool for those planning conferences, corporate meetings and
incentive trips. The website provides information on what Japan can offer for international events;
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testimonials and case studies; a list of unique venues and activities that are only available in Japan; a useful
search function that allows event planners to find cities and venues that best suit their events‘ needs and
much more.
ROUTES AMERICAS OPENS IN SAN SALVADOR
T3 News Network, Feb 21, 2014
The 7th Routes Americas, the only route development event for the entire Americas region, will open this
weekend in San Salvador, El Salvador. The event, which will take place from 23 to 25 February 2014, will
bring together leading airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policy-makers and other aviation stakeholders to
develop new air services to, from and within the Americas.
This year‘s Routes Americas, which is hosted by the Tourism Ministry of El Salvador, is expected to attract
over 70 airlines, 200 airports and over 30 tourism authorities along with a number of other industry
stakeholders from across the Americas to discuss air service development.
?We are delighted to host the 2014 edition of Routes Americas and we're ready to host the entire industry in
our beloved El Salvador, a country that has made positive strides in tourism through air connectivity that
today allows us to connect more directly with the major cities of Latin America. Routes Americas is the
most important platform for the aviation industry, airports and tourism. Being part of this great experience is
the result of years of work in making El Salvador a visible destination for tourism and for business,? said
José Napoleón Duarte Durán, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador.
Adrian Newton, Group Director Transport and Technology, UBM Live said, ?As the largest regional
aviation market in the world, the Americas are a key strategic priority for Routes. This year we are delighted
to be organising both Routes Americas and World Routes in Chicago in September to support the
development of improved air connectivity within this fascinating market. The region includes the world‘s
largest national aviation market, the US, which is complemented by Latin America, one of the fastest
growing and most exciting aviation markets in the world. El Salvador is a natural hub between North and
South America and the Caribbean and is ideally placed to benefit from the growing traffic within the
Americas.?
The event attracts the highest level of senior decision makers and, following an announcement last
December, the event now also incorporates Network USA, creating a single definitive event platform for all
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those interested in meeting with the industry's key players to discuss air service development in the entire
Americas region.
In addition, the high-level Routes Americas Strategy Summit, held in association with the Latin America &
Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) and sponsored by The New Quito International Airport, will
open the event on 23 February. It will bring together leading industry experts to debate aviation and route
development issuesacross the Americas region. Attendees will be addressed by, among others, José
Napoleón Duarte Durán, the Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, and Eduardo Iglesias, Executive Director
of the Latin America & Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA).
PORTUGAL BULLISH ON EMERGING MARKETS
By Maansi Sharma, Feb 20, 2014
The tourism authority of the Government of Portugal (Turismo de Portugal) recently concluded its three-city
roadshow across Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The roadshow witnessed a delegation of 20 members
representing DMCs, hotels, a cinema production company and Emirates airlines, led by Claudia Miguel,
Trade Relations Marketing & Promotional Division, Turismo de Portugal.
According to Miguel, emerging markets such Russia, China, USA, India etc. have shown strong growth in
the recent years. ?2013 was the best year for tourism in Portugal. The Eurozone crisis has seen internal
demand decreasing, but we are receiving more tourists from abroad, especially emerging markets. We have
recorded a 30 per cent increase from the US, 30 per cent from Russia and 35 per cent from China. Even
Germany, which is among our top ten countries, has recorded a 10 per cent increase. Travellers want new
products and new destinations to visit, and visiting Lisbon and Porto has become fashionable,? she opined.
Speaking about India as a market for Portugal, Miguel revealed that from 2012-13, Portugal almost
duplicated the number of requests for visas, seeing a 40 per cent growth from the market. ?We visited India
for the first time in 2012 when we conducted the roadshow in Delhi and Mumbai. Following that, we
gathered feedback from the Portugal trade, and asked them what markets they were keen on returning to
work with, and they voted India as one of them, with a request to visit the South of India and Mumbai,? she
said.
Furthermore, following the successful shoot of a Tollywood song in Lisbon, Turismo de Portugal is now set
on working further with the Indian film industry to woo more film productions to the country. Film
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producers Cinemate, who were part of the delegation to India, expressed their interest in co-producing
Indian films and bringing Indian productions to shoot in Lisbon. ?In 47 years, this was the first time an
Indian production came to Lisbon. We found it a great experience and we would like to enhance that. Indian
movies have been shot in so many countries across Europe. It would be a pleasure for us to work with
Bollywood as well,? opined Rui Guerra, Line Producer, Cinemate.
Revealing their strategy for the Indian market, Miguel stated that the Board would continue being
represented by Charson Advisory in India as they are well recognised among the Indian trade and can
enhance the destination‘s relations in the country. Furthermore, there are plans in place to conduct
promotions and trainings for the travel trade.
The Portugal DMC Oasistravel.net, which is represented by Big Blue Marble in India, conducted a
familiarisation trip for Indian agents last year that garnered great response. Speaking with the media at the
roadshow, Vitor Manuel De Almeida, General Manager, Oasistravel.net revealed that, while the Indian
market has not notched as much growth as the company would like, it is slowly picking up. ?Tapping a
market the size of India is a challenge. India is a big country with different types of expectations. 60 per cent
of our business is MICE. For India it‘s the beginning, so the MICE traffic is not much. We mostly see
clients who have an international convention to attend in Lisbon. We hope to see the Incentives market now
start to come in,? he said.
Participants at the roadshow included GeoStar Destination Management, Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon,
Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel, Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade, SANA Hotels, Penha Longa, Ritz Carlton Hotel,
Vila Gale Hotels, RDMC, Oasistravel.net, Osiris Travel, Quasar, VEGA & destination management
companies such as In Tours Portugal – DMC, Vinitur - DMC, Lusanova DMC, Mr. Travel Portugal –
Luxury DMC and Vista DMC, Cinemate – a movie production company and Emirates Airlines.
UNITED AIRPORTS OF GEORGIA TO HOST ROUTES SILK ROAD
T3 News Network, Feb 20, 2014
Routes Silk Road is the route development forum that connects CIS, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle
East and Asia and Routes is delighted to announce that United Airports of Georgia (UAG) under the
auspices of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development has been officially appointed as the Host
of the 2014 event which will take place on 6-8 July, 2014.
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Routes Silk Road, which will be held for the first time instead of Routes CIS, is expected to attract around
250 delegates. The event, which will take place in Tbilisi, the beautiful and historic capital of Georgia, will
offer airports, airlines, tourism authorities and other stakeholders the perfect platform to do business and
improve air transport networks.
?The passion and commitment of the United Airports of Georgia and its stakeholders impressed our
selection team and we are thrilled that Routes Silk Road will take place in Georgia. Georgia is a gateway
connecting several important economic regions including Europe, the Newly Independent States (NIS),
Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia and as such it is the ideal location for Routes Silk Road and one
which we are looking forward to sharing with the broader airline and airport community,? said Adrian
Newton, Group Director, Transport and Technology, UBM Live.
Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Economy commented, ?We are privileged to host Routes Silk Road 2014
in Tbilisi. It is a unique opportunity for Georgian airports, airlines, tourism authority and their stakeholders
to further develop its business and expand the network. I believe Tbilisi is a perfect location for this event
and it will be a great experience for all attendees. The fact that Georgia is hosting such an event underlines
the great dedication of our country to the industry as well as reflecting our aspiration to turn Georgia into a
regional hub, in the nearest future, as one of the important points of the historic Silk Road.?
?In recent years Georgia has seen unprecedented growth of air transport, passengers and number of tourists.
United Airports of Georgia has developed some major infrastructural projects during the last few years and
has a lot to show to the international community of the aviation industry,? added Kate Aleksidze, CEO,
UAG.
The event promises to help its host deliver on its objectives to raise awareness of the destination to the
global aviation community and promote the country as an important geographical location. This is
underlined by the significant growth in passenger numbers (over 30 per cent) which the country has seen
across all Georgian airports since 2012, with further growth expected this year.
The event will also allow the UAG to showcase Kutaisi David the Builder International Airport which
opened in 2012. It is the first low cost airport in the region and is focussed solely on attracting low cost
carriers to facilitate tourism development in Georgia.
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SOTC LAUNCHES IRELAND BROCHURE
T3 News Network, Feb 14, 2014
Kuoni-SOTC in association with Tourism Ireland launched an exclusive Brochure for Ireland for the Indian
travellers at the India Seminar at Dublin. The brochure was unveiled in the presence of esteemed members
that included Leo Varadkar T.D, the Ireland Tourism Minister; Radhika Lokesh, the Indian Ambassador to
Ireland; Niall Gibbons, CEO, Tourism Ireland; Huzan Fraser and Beena Menon, Tourism Ireland India Rep;
Simon Gregory, Head Markets, Tourism Ireland and Vishal Suri, CEO Tour Operating, Kuoni India.
Speaking at the launch of the brochure, Suri said ?With the growing interest seen in Ireland as a holiday
destination, Kuoni-SOTC brings to Indian travellers the first Ireland-only brochure. Kuoni- SOTC
experiences are designed to indulge in stunning locales of Ireland, offering personalized and unique
experiences of discovering the destination?.
Gibbons stated, ?Tourism Ireland has been working very closely with Kuoni Travel in India over the years
to develop some special itineraries, offering its customers a unique experience of Ireland. We are happy to
announce the launch of an exclusive Kuoni brochure on Ireland which demonstrates Kuoni‘s confidence and
commitment towards the island of Ireland, and we are very grateful for that.?
CITY TOURISM BOARDS FOCUS ON GLOBETROTTING INDIANS
By Karishma Sen, Feb 27, 2014
The latest trend shows that city specific tourism boards are slowly detaching themselves from their mother
ships – the National Tourist Offices (NTO‘s), and promoting their cities as individual entities in India. Be it
working hand in hand with the trade, embarking on new promotional activities, or highlighting new tourism
products, these Boards are leaving no stone unturned to tap the burgeoning Indian market.
For instance, the announcement of Tampa hosting the 2014 IIFA awards has provided them an opportunity
to increase their sales and marketing efforts in the region, informed Shari Bailey, Director of Leisure Sales,
Visit Tampa Bay, adding that 2013 was a good year for the city across all tourism markets.
New York City (NYC), on the other hand, has seen an increase among student groups covering educational
tours. According to Makiko Matsuda Healy, Vice President, Tourism Development - Asia Pacific, NYC &
Company, approximately 231,000 Indians visited the city in 2013 compared to 215,000 in 2012. NYC &
Company has also worked diligently over the last several years to highlight family travel to the city and
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expects this trend of growth to continue as they engage with family ambassadors to spotlight all there is to
see, do and experience, she added.
Although Visit Orlando is still awaiting final visitation numbers for 2013, early indications show that it was
another great year for Orlando. ?We welcome more than 57 million visitors annually from 292 countries,
and are expecting continued growth in 2014. We continue to target India as one of our long-term growth
markets and look forward to seeing increasing numbers of Indian visitors enjoying our destination,? opined
Nancy Hahn Bono, Global Development Sr. Director, Visit Orlando.
Safe to say, India has climbed the ladder to become one of the sought-after source markets for such mono
destinations.
Connecting with the travel trade
Connecting with the travel trade and marketing the destination are two aspects that a tourism board cannot
overlook. Which is the reason these cities have amped up their marketing and promotional activities to
strengthen their position in the market and build ties with the travel trade. Visit Tampa Bay sees a great deal
of future growth opportunities in the area. ?We have secured in-market representation in India, and now
Tampa Bay will have a consistent presence in country. We will also be hosting a Tampa Bay sales mission
in India post IIFA Awards. We have begun work with several travel trade partners and look forward to
increasing our efforts in 2014 and beyond,? said Bailey.
Bono informed that the tourism board will continue to maximise great partnership with Visit Florida in India
to further educate the Indian travel trade on all that Orlando has to offer.
Alefiya Singh, India Rep, Reunion Tourism shared that Reunion Island is slowing shifting their focus into
tier-II and III cities. ?We are starting off with the participation at Global Panoromic Showcase in Nagpur in
order to target Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh. We will be participating in various roadshows,
B2B platforms, trade fairs and organise familiarisation trips. We are also working very closely with Cox and
Kings/Thomas Cook and Kuoni this year,? she revealed.
Through the India office, NYC & Company participate in Brand and Visit USA seminars and VUSA
seminars in various cities across India, the annual Brand USA India mission as well as individual
relationship building through one on one meeting with travel professionals. ?We have conducted successful
trade FAMs in the past years and have a few in the pipeline for 2014. We will continue to promote our NYC
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Travel Training Academy. We have also made significant strides in our efforts to educate the tourism
community and suppliers in NYC to be aware of Indian client needs and continue to do so,? said Healy.
Displaying new products
Ask any new destination why they consider India a potential source market, and their answer will be,
because Indian travellers are looking for newer places and experiences. The same holds true for these cities
as well, which is why promoting new products is a big part of their annual marketing strategy. NYC &
Company recently launched its Neighborhood X Neighborhood campaign, which promotes travel to lesser-
known areas of New York City. ?The Neighborhood x Neighborhood initiative intends to spotlight the
affordability and accessibility of neighbourhoods in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten
Island with a particular emphasis on areas that have seen new hotel development in recent years,? shared
Healy.
According to Singh, Reunion Island has always been considered a destination for the young and adventure
lovers, but now even families have started travelling which is a positive sign. ?We plan to showcase high-
end luxury, FIT and honeymoon products, and small MICE offerings in India. Being a small island, we
cannot accommodate large volumes of tourists. So, our aim is to receive about 3,000 Indian visitors over the
next year or two,? she added.
Orlando continues to be a very popular destination for leisure visitors from India. Elaborating on product
offerings Bono informed that their theme parks have been undergoing major expansions and will continue to
be Visit Orlando‘s key marketing message into 2014. ?Walt Disney World Resort is in the final stages of
completing the New Fantasyland, the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's history. Universal Orlando
Resort is in the midst of an expansion to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Expected to open in 2014,
Universal Orlando Resort is also adding their fourth and largest on-site hotel, Universal‘s Cabana Bay
Resort, featuring 1,800 guest rooms and scheduled to open in late 2014,? he concluded.
SENTOSA EXPECTS 1 MILLION INDIANS IN 2014
By Karishma Sen, Feb 27, 2014
For Sentosa, Singapore's island resort getaway, India is among its top two markets. In 2013, Sentosa
received around 900,000 Indian visitors, which clearly indicates the popularity of the attraction among
Indians. ?Nine out of every 10 Indians visiting Singapore come to Sentosa, making India our largest source
market. 2013 was an eventful year for us. Overall we witnessed a growth of 20-25 per cent in terms of
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visitors to the park,? shared Steven Chung, Director - Marketing, Sentosa Leisure Group.
He further opined that the island resort is expecting to attract one million Indians in 2014. ?Judging by our
previous numbers, we expect a lot more than 1 million on site. We are further developing the island and are
launching new attractions which will help us gain repeat visitors as well. In the near future, we plan to
increase the number of hotel rooms, which currently stands at 2500.?
Expanding its product portfolio, Sentosa Leisure Group plans to launch new attractions such as Kidzania,
and a unique show called the 'Wings of Time' in June 2014. The island resort is also set to rebrand and
revamp the Sentosa Merlion. Elaborating further, Chung informed that the island is set to get its very own
Madame Tussauds in November 2014. ?This museum will be tailored to reflect the culture and excitement
of Singapore and Southeast Asia . It will be the only Madame Tussauds outside of the flagship attraction in
London to incorporate a ride into the experience,? he said.
Shedding more light on the uniqueness of the Madame Tussauds in Singapore, Meike Schulze, Divisional
Director- Attractions in Asia, Merlin Entertainment, who will be operating the attraction within Sentosa,
said, ?We see Sentosa as one of the leading attraction destinations in Southeast Asia. Singapore is the ideal
location for a Madame Tussauds, and we are confident that we will add a new element to the country's
successful entertainment offering. We look forward to working together with Sentosa to introduce other
exciting, new concepts in the future.?
Speaking about their marketing strategy in India, Chung revealed, ?We work very closely with the
Singapore Tourism Board, as well as the travel trade here in India. We are pleased with the work and effort
that our Indian partners have put into selling Sentosa. Moving forward, we will continue educating the trade
and updating our consumers about the new attraction through various B2C platforms.?
GBTA ANNOUNCES KEYNOTE SPEAKERS FOR CHINA CONFERENCE
T3 News Network, Feb 27, 2014
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) — the voice of the global business travel industry has
announced keynote speakers for their second conference to be held in Shanghai from 31 March – 2 April
2014. GBTA President Donna Kelliher‘s keynote speech centers around the important question ?Can
Business Travel Management be truly global?? She will discuss this with GBTA China Board Chairman
Victor Lim.
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In support of this growing region, the 2014 GBTA China Conference will be attended by the GBTA US
Board of Directors who will be joined by senior representatives of leading US corporations and associations.
Michael W. McCormick, Executive Director, and Donna Kelliher, President & CEO, will be speaking as
part of the extensive agenda crafted by the China Advisory Board.
?GBTA‘s forecasts predict China will be the world‘s top business travel market by 2016, so we are proud to
be hosting this second annual conference in this growing region. Over the past few years, GBTA has
expanded its presence across the globe and bringing this conference back to China is a great opportunity to
discuss doing business in China from both a local and expatriate viewpoint,? said Michael W. McCormick,
Executive Director and COO of GBTA.
The second keynote will be given by Dr. Wang Yonggang of Fudan University on
?Top level design, technology innovations and growth of China's Business Travel Industry‘.
The GBTA China conference is for those involved in all aspects of business travel procurement in China and
across the globe. After a very successful first event April of 2013 this conference is going to be even more
exciting and substantial in educational content.
The conference will be held in Mandarin with simultaneous translation into English and is designed to
deliver relevant and educational information to the broader audience.
Talking about the event, Welf Ebeling, Vice President, Operations for Asia Pacific said, ?The program of
this year‘s event has been designed by a panel of local travel managers and industry experts focusing on the
needs of China‘s fast growing business travel industry. At the same time having the entire GBTA USA
Board of Director‘s participating adds a global perspective and vast international expertise that will benefit
all conference attendees.?
Another key component of the China event is GBTA Executive Director Michael W. McCormick‘s
presentation of the 2014 H1 GBTA Business Travel Index report, sponsored by VISA.
CASTADIVA WOOS INDIANS THROUGH CULINARY SHOWCASE
By Maansi Sharma, Feb 26, 2014
Sheena Murpani
CastaDiva Resort & Spa, an establishment located on the banks of Lake Como, Italy, recently organised the
Flavours of Italy by CastaDiva at The Ambassador Hotel, Mumbai. The six-day long culinary showcase,
hosted by Alessio Mecozzi, Executive Chef, CastaDiva; Andrea Luri, General Manager, CastaDiva; and
Davide Rotondo, F&B Manager, CastaDiva, and coordinated by Karl and Amala Dantas, invited the travel
trade, media, and the general public, to The Ambassador Hotel‘s Society Restaurant for an Italian gourmet
dining experience. The effort was CastaDiva‘s first attempt to woo Indian travellers to the property.
?For us, the Indian market is an important one. We are a relatively new property on Lake Como, which itself
is a relatively new destination to India. So far, Indian numbers are not even in double digits in terms of
percentage. It is important that we start nurturing emerging and untapped markets along with established
ones, because we cannot put all our eggs in one basket. For instance, the Russian market‘s signs this year are
not positive because the Rouble has collapsed, and there is a tax on luxury goods. What is happening in
Ukraine is not good either. So it‘s a good idea to be here first and invest in emerging markets such as India,
Brazil etc.,? opined Luri.
The property has taken similar initiatives in the past in Dubai and New York, and felt that, while
communications and sales actions cannot be left to just sales calls and trade shows, which is a route that
everyone follows, an initiative of this kind was necessary to make a mark on the Indian traveller. Believing
that The Ambassador, as well as The Society restaurant, have a history and heritage that make the hotel a
perfect partner for the activity, CastaDiva joined hands with the property for the initiative.
?The idea was to do something different from a trade show, which does help business, but you get lost in a
crowd and the target segment gets diluted. Here, we have 500-600 people expected in the next six days,
which will showcase both properties,? said Geoff Magee, Vice President Operations, The Ambassador
Group of Hotels.
Unravelling their plans for working with the travel trade in India, Luri stated that the establishment will
return to educate the fraternity about the property, and will also plan familiarisation trips for them. Speaking
about their target segments, Luri revealed that their main focus is FIT, and that the property witnesses 99 per
cent of leisure traffic. He further added that, while there are facilities for small meetings, a MICE or group
segment accommodation is difficult, unless the property is taken over by a company for an event.
SANDS CHINA WITNESSES RECORD FOOTFALL
Sheena Murpani
T3 News Network, Feb 26, 2014
A record number of holidaymakers made their way to Sands China properties during the first week of the
Year of the Horse, with 1.8 million visits from 31 January – 6 February to its four Macao properties – Sands
Macao, The Venetian Macao, The Plaz Macao and Sands Cotai Central. That represents an average of over
260,000 visitors each day during the first week of Chinese New Year.
The seven-day Spring Festival surge in visitation was likewise reflected in increased hotel occupancy rates.
?With over 9,000 hotel rooms on offer in Sands China‘s portfolio, we are pleased to see that our broad
selection of accommodation was at or near full capacity almost the entire week. We have so much to offer
visitors, whether here for business or leisure, and we are very pleased to see so many people enjoying our
integrated resorts during Chinese New Year. With Sands China‘s unparalleled integrated resort offering of
luxury accommodation, superstar entertainment and celebrity events, duty-free retail, exquisite dining
options and spectacular exhibitions, we are proud to continue contributing to the diversification of Macao‘s
tourism industry, helping develop the city into a world centre of tourism and leisure,? said Gunther Hatt,
Executive Vice President of Operations, Venetian Macau Limited.
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO HOST ROUTES AMERICAS 2015
T3 News Network, Feb 26, 2014
After a record event in San Salvador which saw 487 delegates registered to attend the event, more than ever
before, the Ministry of Tourism El Salvador have officially handed the event over to Denver the host
destination for the 8th Routes Americas event. Building on the success of this year‘s event, the route
development forum for the entire Americas region, which now incorporates Network USA, will take place
1-3 February 2015 hosted by Denver International Airport, supported by Visit Denver. This will mark the
first time that Routes Americas will be held in North America.
?On behalf of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Denver International Airport CEO Kim Day, I am
delighted to invite Routes Americas delegates to Denver next February. With nonstop service to more than
180 destinations worldwide, accessing Denver will be easy. Preparations are already underway for an
unforgettable 'winter wonderland' experience, a first for Routes Americas,? said Laura Jackson, Vice
President of Air Service Development, Denver International Airport, speaking during the handover
ceremony which took place today in San Salvador at the 7th Routes Americas event.
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In 2013 Denver International Airport served more than 52 million passengers and ranked as the fifth-busiest
airport in North America. Fifteen passenger airlines provide nearly 1,600 daily flights to more than 180
worldwide destinations nonstop from Denver International.
Adrian Newton, Group Director Transport and Technology, UBM Live, organisers of Routes Americas said,
?Following this year‘s successful event here in San Salvador we are thrilled to be taking Routes Americas to
Denver and to North America for the first time next year. Denver International Airport offers unparalleled
air service options for our delegates and we feel that Routes Americas has potential for even more growth in
2015. In addition, Denver International Airport will celebrate its 20th anniversary in February 2015 and
bringing the aviation community of the Americas to the ?Mile High‘ city in the same month will be a fitting
celebration of this landmark event.?
AUSTRALIA LEVERAGES BOLLYWOOD TO WOO INDIANS
T3 News Network, Feb 25, 2014
Tourism Australia, in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland, collaborated with Pritish Nandy
Communications (PNC) and Balaji Motion Pictures (BMPL) on an in-film integration for their latest venture
-?Shaadi Ke Side Effects‘ (Side Effects of a Marriage), to promote Australia as the perfect choice for
romantic holidays. In the film, Indian actors Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan bring alive the charm of
Australia on the silver screen as they serenade to a peppy love track set against the backdrop of Gold Coast.
Speaking about the association, Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India & Gulf, Tourism Australia said,
?Featuring in Hindi films is a great way of reaching out to a wide audience base and we are glad to have
collaborated with established brands of this industry to showcase Australia as an ideal romantic getaway.
Through the journey of the lead actors, the audience will get to see a very tempting glimpse of Gold Coast.
The film‘s release coincides with our integrated brand campaign in the media and we are optimistic that it
will further enhance the appeal for Australian holidays this season.?
To leverage the film association, Tourism Australia and Tourism and Events Queensland are implementing a
promotional campaign with television and print commercials and PR and social media initiatives
highlighting experiences undertaken by the lead cast that can be replicated by Indian travellers.
Ross Gregory, International Director, Eastern Markets, Tourism and Events Queensland said, "Tourism and
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Events Queensland is delighted to have worked in partnership with Tourism Australia and with Pritish
Nandy Communications on this spectacular Bollywood opportunity and for being the preferred Australian
destination to film the background images for the song. This will showcase to a vast Indian audience what
the Gold Coast is famous for, from the 70 km of pristine white sandy beaches, world class theme parks, the
magnificent Hinterland the best year round weather a holiday destination can offer. We look forward to the
movie generating the excitement amongst the Indian audience and encouraging them to visit Gold Coast that
is ?Famous for Fun? in Queensland".
HONG KONG RECEIVES 434,648 INDIANS IN 2013
T3 News Network, Mar 04, 2014
Based on the arrival figures recently announced by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), Hong Kong
emphatically reinforced its reputation as one of the world‘s leading tourism destinations in 2013 with visitor
arrivals reaching a record high of 54.3 million, an 11.7 per cent year-on-year increase. India, the largest new
market in Hong Kong registered a healthy year-on-year increase of around 5 per cent from 2012 with a total
of 434,648 arrivals. These figures were achieved through an increase of short-haul arrivals by 3.4 per cent
and overnight arrivals by 5.8 per cent.
Anthony Lau, Executive Director of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said, ?In recent years, the HKTB
has increased investments to develop new markets in order to broaden our visitor base and to maintain a
balanced visitor portfolio. We will continue to heavy up our promotions in new markets in 2014, including
India, to maintain our powerful growth momentum. These efforts lay the foundations for long-term growth,
and we will keep a close watch on emerging markets with potential for the Hong Kong tourism industry.?
The HKTB‘s primary target cities are Mumbai and New Delhi, though resources will also be deployed in
cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. The HKTB will roll out marketing activities to
explain the excellent value of a Hong Kong vacation and showcase the cosmopolitanism and variety that
makes the city an exciting option for Indian visitors. It will also promote multi-destination itineraries with
Macau and Shenzhen, and partner with cruise lines to promote cruise travel that includes stopovers in Hong
Kong.
QATAR AIRWAYS PROMOTES USA
T3 News Network, Mar 03, 2014
Sheena Murpani
In a one of its kind initiative, Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, in alliance with the
US Consulate and Brand USA, undertook a multi-city roadshow from 12 to 21 February 2014. The
roadshow travelled across six major Indian cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and
Ahmedabad – to reinforce its commitment to promote tourism to the USA. Currently flying to four
destinations in the United States, namely New York, Washington DC, Chicago, and Houston, the airline will
nearly double its footprint in the country with the addition of three new routes in 2014: Philadelphia (2
April), Miami (10 June) and Dallas/Fort Worth (1 July).
Over the years there has been a consistent increase in the number of Indian travellers to the United States.
This partnership aims to promote USA as a preferred travel destination offering enormous choices to
travellers across the leisure, MICE and corporate segments. The roadshow saw stupendous participation
from the travel and trade fraternity, and with this partnership Qatar Airways, the US Consulate and Brand
USA will continue to undertake strategic marketing and promotional initiatives to showcase the USA as a
complete destination to various segments of Indian travellers.
Henry Moses, Country Manager India, Qatar Airways said, ?We are pleased to expand our presence in the
United States and to partner with US Consulate and Brand USA in India to present the USA as a popular
outbound destination to Indian tourists. Keeping in mind the demand for the USA globally, this year we
have announced the addition of three new gateways to USA – Philadelphia, Miami and Dallas in our
expanding global network. The consistent growth of the outbound MICE and leisure segment in India
coupled with US Consulate‘s and Brand USA‘s aggressive focus in this market makes this a mutually
beneficial collaboration. With the American Airlines code share and the oneworld global alliance, Qatar
Airways seamlessly connects to the entire USA.?
?The excellent network of Qatar Airways to multiple Indian gateways and flight connectivity to our cities
will enable more visitors from India to discover the USA and its abundant tourism attractions,? said Jay
Gray, Vice President, Global Partnership Development-Brand USA.
TOURISM MALAYSIA TO ANNOUNCE INDIA INITIATIVES
T3 News Network, Feb 28, 2014
As part of the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY 2014) celebrations, Tourism Malaysia will be unveiling a
host of new marketing initiatives during their annual sales mission in India from 12 to 20 March, 2014 in the
cities of Kochi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. This year, the Malaysian delegation will be led by Dato' Seri
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Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture and other top officials from the ministry of
Tourism.
While the primary objective of the Minister‘s visit is to strengthen Malaysia‘s standing as a dream travel
destination and increase tourist arrivals from India, Nazri is also looking forward to driving strong support
from both the Indian travel trade fraternity and media for the ongoing VMY2014. Malaysia has launched its
fourth VMY2014, with the aim of luring 28 million tourist arrivals and RM 76 billion (over US$ 23 billion)
in tourism revenue.
Besides unveiling new marketing initiatives for the Indian market, the sales mission is also a platform for
Malaysia‘s tourism industry players to strengthen ties with their Indian counterparts. The mission will see
top Malaysian Tourism Officials interact with key tour operators, associates from travel, service and
hospitality sector in all cities to discuss and explore areas for collaboration to attract more Indian tourists to
Malaysia.
Tourism Malaysia‘s Indian Sales Mission will take place on 12 March in Kochi; 14 March in Bengaluru; 18
March in Mumbai and 20 March in Delhi.
RECORD ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AFRICA 2014
T3 News Network, Feb 28, 2014
Meetings Africa 2014 held at the Sandton Convention Centre ended on a high note earlier this week with
record attendance. When the business events tradeshow closed its doors, final attendance numbers recorded
included 169 international qualified hosted buyer delegates (15 per cent more than in 2013); 31 African
Association hosted buyer delegates; 238 local corporate buyer delegates (up 140 per cent on last year); 839
visitor delegates (up 16 per cent on last year); 262 exhibitors (up 11 per cent on last year); 162 journalists
(up 19 per cent on last year) and 3 295 people, in total, had passed through the Meetings Africa 2014 gates
(up 15 per cent on last year).
?While we are delighted that Meetings Africa is growing, our focus has always been on quality rather than
quantity. There is no doubt that Meetings African 2014 delivered a quality business platform for both buyers
and exhibitors. There were, at 10 169, 2 000 more meetings requested through the Meetings Africa
electronic diary system, and all exhibitor and buyer delegates report brisk business from the tradeshow
floor,? said Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer, South African Tourism.
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Meetings Africa‘s theme this year was Advancing Africa Together. This was the first year that Meetings
Africa took a decisive step to being a pan-African business event tradeshow, and exhibitor representation
from the continent gives every indication that wide African representation will become a reality in the
medium term, Nzima added.
Thirteen African destinations exhibited at Meetings Africa 2014: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi,
Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
?Meetings Africa is now firmly established as the biggest, best represented and most valuable business
events tradeshow in Africa. It offers the continent a platform to do business, representing the best of our
continent in one venue, and giving the African business event sector easy access to the best regional and
international buyers.?
A hugely successful Meetings Africa 2014 was a fitting way for the industry to celebrate South Africa‘s 20
Years of Freedom. ?This industry has made huge strides in the two decades since democracy. Having
invested across both public and private sectors in capability and infrastructure that have made South Africa
one of the fastest growing business event host destinations in the world today,? Nzima added.
A well-supported BOND (Business Opportunity Networking Day) on Monday gave hundreds of delegates
an opportunity to meet and discuss strategies to advance Africa and build the global competitiveness of this
continent. Workshops and seminars on BOND day included the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum, the
Event Greening Forum, the Association Day, the ICCA Africa Chapter supplier/client workshop conference
and a gala dinner that gave delegates an opportunity to network with captains of the public and private
business event sector on the continent.
?It‘s our commitment, in Meetings Africa, to continue providing the industry a platform for continued global
competitiveness and for ongoing growth. We look forward to Meetings Africa 2015 when the tradeshow
celebrates its tenth anniversary by giving the sector; and the regional and international market an
opportunity to come and do business with an even greater contingent of focussed and service-driven African
exhibitors,? concluded Nzima.
AUCKLAND RATED IN TOP THREE CITIES IN THE WORLD
Sheena Murpani
T3 News Network, Feb 28, 2014
Auckland has taken third spot in Mercer‘s 2014 Quality of Living rankings for the second year in a row,
cementing its position as a world-class city. Auckland features behind quality European destinations Vienna
and Zurich, in first and second place respectively. Mercer praised Auckland for its stellar quality of living
and said that Auckland‘s ranking in the top three cities reinforces New Zealand as an attractive destination
for overseas expatriates.
Brett O‘Riley, Chief Executive, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) said this
is another feather in Auckland‘s cap. ?To consistently feature in the top three in the prestigious Mercer
rankings is a great credit to Auckland and acknowledgement of our progress to becoming the world‘s most
liveable city,? he added.
The announcement comes hot-on-the-heels of Auckland celebrating its biggest weekend of events and
tourism since Rugby World Cup 2011, with the city welcoming around 200,000 people for major events.
ATLANTIS, THE PALM TARGETS LONG-STAY TRAVELLERS
By Shayan Mallick, Feb 28, 2014
One of the most sought after openings in its category in the previous decade, the iconic Atlantis The Palm is
fast catching the imagination of Indian travellers. Atlantis, since opening in September 2008, has grown
from being a hotel to a destination and an experience in itself. Speaking to T3 on the sidelines of the recent
concluded South Asia‘s biggest travel show SATTE, Kyp Charalambous, Director of International Sales,
Atlantis, The Palm, informed that, over the last five years, India has been contributing 10 per cent of the
property‘s overall business.
From a growth perspective, in 2013, India was Atlantis‘ largest growth market, ascending at a rate of 22 per
cent over the previous year. ?Looking ahead in 2014, our goal is to drive not just more volume, but also
more revenue out of the Indian market. We really want to get the luxury and suites products across to the
Indian market,? he stated.
As a property, Atlantis, The Palm average 86 per cent in room occupancy, which for a five star luxury beach
product is rather high. ?Therefore, looking ahead, we need to ensure to maintain and even grow the
occupancy. But we ultimately want the spend in the resort to grow as well. Our goal is to try and encourage
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our Indian guests to stay longer. Many of our guests come for an average of about two nights. We want our
Indian guest to stay four to five nights because we believe that there is so much to see and do across Atlantis
that one or two nights is just not enough,? said Charalambous.
Today, India ranks among the top six markets for the property. Charalambous attributes the growth to a
combination of sales, marketing and PR plans executed through its representation office in India. ?We are a
very trade friendly resort. We value the business from our trade partners phenomenally. Besides, we spend a
lot of time in sales trip and roadshows around India. We will continue to support the trade partners in future
through co-op marketing and initiatives such as incentive campaign,? he said.
Participation at SATTE is part of Atlantis, The Palm‘s annual strategy to work with the travel trade in the
region. Speaking about how the event helps the property grow its business, Charalambous stated that, over
the years, SATTE has become an institution in the travel industry. ?This is the fifth year that we have come
to SATTE. And having expanded the show to Mumbai as well gives us opportunity to not only penetrate the
Delhi market but also to target Mumbai market. Overall we find the show very beneficial as it is a great
platform to meet our partners and discuss business with them,? he concluded.
TRANSAERO AIRLINES SIGNS ABACUS
T3 News Network, Feb 27, 2014
Transaero Airlines, Russia‘s second largest carrier, has secured a new 2-year distribution agreement with
Abacus. The agreement provides travel agents at over 20,000 locations with full access to fares, schedules
and seat inventory on all routes within Transaero‘s network.
The new content includes the carrier‘s 200 routes across Russia, Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa.
Expanding its global reach in partnership with around 100 of the world‘s leading airlines, Transaero is also
making attractive interline offers available to Abacus users.
Ho Hoong Mau, Vice President, Airline Distribution, Abacus explained, ?There are a lot of synergies in this
partnership. Transaero Airlines serves many of the destinations booked in volume by our corporate and
leisure travel agents. Where more choice is needed, Transaero Airlines is offering some very compelling
prices.?
The agreement includes joint marketing activity, as with Transaero Airlines‘ participation in future Abacus
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Corporate Travel Executive Forums in Kazakhstan, aimed at developing Central Asia where the carrier is a
leading brand.
Roman Vdovenko, Deputy Head of Commerce Department, Transaero Airlines stated, ?Our successful
cooperation with Abacus proved that it is a powerful distribution channel reaching 31 markets in the Asia
Pacific region. We are delighted to continue our joint work that fully meets the interests of our clients and
partners.?
KERALA TRAVEL MART (KTM) 2014 TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER
T3 News Network, Feb 27, 2014
KTM 2014 is scheduled to take place on 18, 19 and 20, September, 2014 at Samudrika Convention Centre,
Cochin Port Trust, Willingdon Island, Kochi. It is the only Travel Mart in the country that showcases a
single destination - Kerala.
The Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala in partnership with the Kerala Travel Mart Society is hosting this
event which brings together the business entrepreneurs behind the tourism products and services of Kerala
on a single platform.
From its inception, there has been an overwhelming response from the national and international Buyers
which has reflected in the steady escalation in the variety of tourism products and in the numbers of
participants, both Buyers and Sellers. KTM 2012 was attended by more than 1250 Buyers. KTM 2014 will
reach out to buyers from new markets like Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sweden and USA.
The Mart will highlight innovative tourism products like village life experience, culture tours, and
destination wedding themes.
A big turnout of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, conferences, Exhibitions) operators, Global Wedding
Planners, Wellness and Adventure Tour operators is expected at KTM 2014. The Mart will project Kerala as
the ideal destination for weddings and Honeymoons along with conferences and Exhibitions. These
emerging segments are being viewed very seriously by tourist destinations and KTM intends to increase
Kerala's market share to an additional 5000 crores. Only 10 per cent of the national inbound tourist traffic
reaches Kerala, and KTM has set itself a target of 15 per cent with arrivals from new and emerging markets.
doc_251026966.docx
T3 Feb News
Sheena Murpani
INTERNATIONAL PREMIUM AIR TRAVEL ROSE IN NOVEMBER 2013: IATA
T3 News Network, Jan 21, 2014
According to IATA‘s Premium Traffic Monitor for November 2013, international premium air travel
recorded a solid rise in November, with passenger numbers up 5.4 per cent compared to a year ago. This is
in line with the October result (5.6 per cent), but is above growth year-to-date (4 per cent), which indicates
that premium travel demand has accelerated over recent months.
Growth in premium travel has been supported by positive developments in the business environment over
recent months. Global business confidence is the strongest it has been since Q1 2011, with Europe and the
United States both showing signs of economic improvement. In addition, business-related premium travel is
being supported by a recent pick-up in trade growth, particularly in the US and Asia.
By contrast, growth in economy class travel was relatively weak in November, the monitor said, citing a rise
of 2.4 per cent compared to a year ago. The weakness is in part a result of a slowdown in growth of
economy class travel in the Far East, which was up just 3.7 per cent in November year-on-year, compared to
6.8 per cent in October. Major regional economies like China continue to experience robust economic
growth, but indicators suggest a slowdown during 2013 year-end, with measures of consumer confidence
also showing decline in December.
Business confidence continues to improve, which also suggests a pick-up in the growth of premium travel.
The second chart below shows business confidence (measured here by the JP Morgan/Markit purchasing
managers‘ index), and its steady, continued increases throughout the second half of 2013. The improvement
reflects better performance of advanced economies, and more recently a pick-up in emerging Asia.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/21/international-premium-air-travel-rose-in-november-2013-
iata
2014: INT’L AIRLINES AIM BETTER BIZ FROM INDIA
By Karishma Sen, Jan 15, 2014
Foreign carriers such as Singapore Airlines (SIA), Emirates Airlines and South African Airways are
expecting that the growing outbound numbers from India will help them in generating better business from
this market. Singapore Airlines overall passenger load factors for the second quarter ended 30 September
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2013 was 81.1 per cent.
2013 has been a year of expansion for Emirates globally. ?Emirates‘ focus on promoting India across its
network and timely incentives for outbound travel has helped it to maintain a healthy average load factor of
80 per cent during the year.. India is one of their key markets and continues to play an important role with its
185 weekly flights from 10 gateways.
South African Airways also witnessed a strong load factor on the Mumbai-Johannesburg route in 2013.
?South African Airways increased the number of flights from four to seven a week. Passenger numbers and
revenue increased substantially in 2013, with the India route reaping good profits as well,? said Sajid Khan,
Country Manager – India, South African Airways.
During 2013, British Airways increased its service to Hyderabad to six flights per week from five flights and
registered a 20 per cent increase in capacity from the city. It further increased its capacity to 40 percent from
Hyderabad in November 2013. Similarly, Malaysia Airlines also added Kochi as a new destination on the
India route in September 2013, along with two additional flights from Delhi and Bengaluru in October 2013.
The Indian aviation industry is expected to grow significantly in the near future as India offers a huge
potential. Lau opined that the SIA‘s recent announcements of the new airline venture, Tata-SIA and
SpiceJet‘s codeshare with Tiger Airways shows our intention to actively be a part of India‘s growth story.
?We recently announced a third daily Singapore Airlines service from New Delhi, 10th weekly SilkAir
service from Kochi and fourth weekly SilkAir service from Visakhapatnam, taking our total weekly flight
count to 107 from India. We will continue to evaluate the opportunities available to us to build on our
services in the coming years,? he added.
In 2014, Emirates expect an increase in MICE and leisure traffic from India as many global events taking
place in 2014. The annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) taking place in January 2014, is also expected to
give a substantial boost to the traffic from India to Dubai. Global markets are expected to do better than
2013 and we expect summer travel from India will also do well.? Ahmad added.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/15/2014-int-l-airlines-aim-better-biz-from-india
JET AIRWAYS ADDS DAILY ABU DHABI-CHENNAI SERVICE
T3 News Network, Jan 02, 2014
Sheena Murpani
Jet Airways has announced the introduction of a daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Chennai effective 16
January, 2014. With these new enhanced flights, Jet Airways will achieve the landmark milestone of
becoming India‘s first private airline to operate over 50 daily flights to multiple destinations in the Gulf.
These include daily departures from and to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, Sharjah, Jeddah,
Dammam, Muscat and Riyadh.
The flight will depart Abu Dhabi at 1045 hrs and arrive into Chennai at 1615 hrs (Local Time), offering
onward connections on the domestic network. The return flight will depart Chennai at 2015 and arrive at
Abu Dhabi at 2325 hrs (LT). Jet Airways guests from Chennai will now have the option of connecting not
only to Abu Dhabi, but to several destinations of their choice in Europe and Africa, when they transit over
Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways.
Gaurang Shetty, Senior Vice-President, Commercial, Jet Airways said, ?Jet Airways has already established
itself as a prestigious brand in the intensely competitive Indo-Gulf sector in a relatively short period of time.
This achievement has been on accord of the quality of our in-flight product, which is more than ably
complemented by our onboard service standards which are par with the best in the world. We are confident
that the daily service from Abu Dhabi to Chennai will prove immensely popular with our guests.
Introduction of these flights is an important landmark in the emergence of the airline as India‘s premier
international airline.?
The airline currently operates daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai and Kuwait.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/02/jet-airways-adds-daily-abu-dhabi-chennai-service
ALASKA AIRLINES SEES 12% GROWTH FROM INDIA
By Maansi Sharma, Dec 24, 2013
American Low Cost Carrier (LCC) Alaska Airlines has enjoyed 12 per cent year on year growth for the last
few years from India. According to SK Mittal, Executive Director, ETA Travel Agency, which is Alaska
Airline‘s GSA in India, the airline ferries 1,200 Indians to the destination every month, with the numbers
rising to 2,000-2,500 during the peak season between April and July. He further added that Bengaluru a big
market for the airline.
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?Travellers from India to Alaska are on the rise, and we have seen several varied segments of tourists
coming in. The country sends 200-300 soldiers on Air India for combat training in Fairbank, which adds to
numbers. There are also good universities in Alaska, so we see a lot of student traffic. Business travellers
also increasing owing to Alaska‘s oil industries. And finally, expat Americans in India also travel via Alaska
Airlines. Traffic is growing. It earlier grew by 25 per cent, and recently by 12 per cent, which has been the
average growth year on year,? revealed Mittal.
Speaking with T3 on the sidelines of its recently concluded product presentation in association with Visit
Anchorage and Alaska Travel Industry Association, Susan McKenzie, Manager Charter, Group &
International Sales, Alaska Airlines stated that they have recorded a healthy growth in numbers coming in
from India via codeshare partner airlines.
?My personal opinion is that, from the western world, coming into India is easiest via Emirates. With only a
three and a half hour layover in Dubai, it‘s the perfect connection, and the flights go into several cities
across India,? she opined.
When asked about considering Air India as a codeshare partner to boost numbers, Mittal mentioned that the
airline used to have the national carrier as a codeshare partner, but the ties have been severed. ?We don‘t
know their policies, but we believe they should be one of our partners. We also had Jet Airways on board,
but that got cancelled as well since the airline does not fly into US any more. If Etihad operates to the
country, then maybe, through their partnership, we can rekindle that agreement,? he concluded.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2013/12/24/alaska-airlines-sees-12-growth-from-india
QATAR AIRWAYS LAUNCHES ONLINE VISA PROCESSING
T3 News Network, Dec 16, 2013
Qatar Airways introduced this month a new online system for applying for tourist visas to Qatar. The service
is available for passengers flying with Qatar Airways and can be accessed on their official website. Only
one-month single-entry tourist visas are available and the visa must be used within 60 days from the date of
issue. The validity of the visa and the visa period cannot be extended.
?The new system eases the process of applying for a tourist visa to Qatar for eligible passengers. It also
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provides passengers with the convenience of tracking their visa application status online,? said a Qatar
Airways spokesperson.
A few simple steps are all that‘s needed for passengers to apply online. It takes approximately 10 days to
process the visa and the cost is US$ 55 per person. The option to fast-track the application is available at a
cost of US$ 120 per person and takes approximately seven days to process. The visa application fees are
non-refundable.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2013/12/16/qatar-airways-launches-online-visa-processing
ETIHAD AIRWAYS AND JET AIRWAYS TO BOOST FLIGHTS TO NEW YORK
T3 News Network, Jan 15, 2014
Etihad Airways today announced a new daily flight between Abu Dhabi and New York City, providing
additional one-stop links to the US for Indian travellers and an easy, new option for travel from America to
India. Commencing on 1 March, Etihad Airways flight EY103 will depart Abu Dhabi at 1.45 am and arrive
at New York‘s John F Kennedy Airport at 7.45 am the same day. The return flight, EY102, will leave New
York at 11.35 am, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 9.20 am the following day.
These flights will complement the existing Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300ER service, EY101, which
departs Abu Dhabi at 10.30 am, arriving in New York at 4.30 pm the same day, and EY100, which leaves
New York at 9.40 pm and arrives in Abu Dhabi the next day at 7.25 pm. The new flights will be operated by
Etihad Airways with two tri-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, to be leased from Jet Airways. From 1 May,
2014, Jet Airways will operate these flights.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways said New York was one of the
airline‘s most popular destinations, not only for guests flying from Abu Dhabi but also for travellers from a
wide range of connecting destinations, including many in India.
?These services will provide not only greater access to New York but also evidence of Abu Dhabi‘s growing
importance as a global air transport hub. Our decision to lease aircraft from Jet Airways also illustrates one
of the broader benefits available through our strategic partnership, which benefits both airlines as well as
travellers,? he said.
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The new Abu Dhabi – New York flight has been scheduled to connect with evening services by Etihad
Airways, Jet Airways or both carriers arriving from four Indian cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin and
Chennai. Flights arriving back from New York will also connect from Abu Dhabi to these cities. Beyond
New York, passengers will be able to connect in both directions with flights throughout the US, and to
Canada and Mexico.
As well as additional flights to New York, Etihad Airways will commence services to two new US
destinations during 2014 – daily service to Los Angeles from June and three flights per week to Dallas-Fort
Worth from December. The airline also flies daily between Abu Dhabi and both Washington, D.C., and
Chicago. Etihad Cargo offers dedicated freight flights to destinations including Chicago, Miami and
Houston.
http://www.traveltrendstoday.in/news/2014/01/15/etihad-airways-and-jet-airways-to-boost-flights-to-new-
york
INDIA CONTRIBUTES AROUND 10% BUSINESS TO ROTANA
By Murari Mohan Jha, Jan 29, 2014
The roadshow witnessed the participation eight General Managers from the group‘s hotels from UAE and
Kuwait. ?India is now one of our biggest source markets, primarily in the UAE. India is the only place
where we have deployed dedicated resources in 2011. We are working on both inbound and outbound. This
is also first time that General Managers are participating in roadshow to understand the expectations of
Indian travelers,? Andy Nightingale, Director of International Sales, Rotana Hotel Management
Corporation, told T3. The objective was to interact with the target audience to further push numbers from
India, he said.
Divulging more information on India plan, Nightingale revealed that Rotana has set a target of operating 15-
20 hotels in India in next 10 years. ?We are looking to open 15-20 hotels in India in next 10 years. By the
first half of 2014, we will announce our first project which could be either in Delhi or Mumbai. We have an
investment of US$ 3.5 million in Indian market to enhance infrastructure in terms of corporate office set up,
HR, sales force, etc for the next few years. Our focus in India is to attract investors into the brand as well as
improve our outbound business from the market,? he said and added that the group is looking at almost all
major cities in India to set up their hotels.
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According to him, Rotana has seen a traffic growth of 40 per cent since it established its sales office in India.
?Tourism boards of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been cooperative with us and we are here to further promote
our brands in India. We are also working closely with Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways to further tap the
potential of the Indian market,? he said and added that India is expected to contribute 100,000 room nights
to Rotana in 2013 as Dubai is now established as value-for-money destination.
Speaking about India‘s growing importance as a market, Nightingale stated that, currently India contributes
around 10 per cent of the total business of Rotana, which stood at 6 per cent two years ago. ?We are
expecting the contribution to grow to 15 per cent in 2014. Of the total room nights, 75-80 per cent is from
leisure, groups and MICE segment and 10-15 per cent are from corporate. We want to grow corporate share
in 2014,? he added.
Vasudha Sondhi, Managing Director, Connect Worldwide India, which handles sales and marketing of
Rotana in India, said that contribution of the Indian market is increasing as there is a very focused sales
strategy in place. ?Rotana portfolio and its sub brands are most suitable for the Indian travelers. We are
happy to be the first hotel group to have a sales mission comprising of only General Managers,? she said.
The mission was attended by Mrad El Khoury, Towers Rotana, Dubai; Rabih Melhem, Media Rotana,
Dubai; Karim Nahas, Rose Rayhaan, Dubai; Hussein Hachem, Al Bustan & Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai; Jorg
A Hauri, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi; Mark Deere, Yas Island Rotana & Centro Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and
Pierre Zayoun, Al Manshar Rotana, Kuwait.
MALINDO AIR EYES THE INDIAN SKIES
By Karishma Sen, Jan 31, 2014
Malindo Air recently launched a daily service on the Kuala Lumpur-Trichy-Kuala Lumpur sector.
According to Chandran Rama Murthy, Chief Executive Officer, Malindo Air, the airline will have three
flights a day by the end of 2014 and an evening service will be introduced by May.
Moving forward Malindo Air will also launch services from Mumbai and Ahmedabad to Kuala Lumpur. It
will also introduce new services from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Cochin, Hyderabad
and Visakhapatnam. With 23 weekly flights to India, the carrier will have 4,140 one-way seats in the
Malaysia-India market. This accounts for a 15 per cent share of the total capacity in the Malaysia-India
market
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The airline is targeting the Kuala Lumpur-Delhi and Kuala Lumpur-Mumbai routes, which are currently
served by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) revealed Murthy. It will compete against AirAsia to Trichy and will
become the only carrier linking Kuala Lumpur with Ahmedabad.
THAILAND ANNOUNCES TTM+ 2014
T3 News Network, Jan 31, 2014
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai tourism industry are preparing for the Thailand
Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway To The Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2014. The event, which is
slated for 4-6 June 2014, is an opportunity to meet over 400 quality sellers across Thailand and the Greater
Mekong Subregion (GMS). It will take place at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok.
The event, which was first organised in 2001, is aimed at promoting the tourism and service business in
Thailand and in its Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) counterparts. Small and medium entrepreneurs
(SMEs) have also been supported on the international stage by inviting them to put their products on offer.
Travel trade members should attend to make use of the opportunity to meet over 400 Travel Operators,
Service Business Exhibitors, NTOs and businesses from the GMS in one location. They will also network
with world-wide trade businesses and be updated on products from across the region.
In addition, attending trade will experience four major highlight Products: ecotourism, health & wellness,
wedding & honeymoon and thainess. Post-event familiarisation trips will give them the chance to explore
the kingdom‘s wonders, its world-renowned natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
AIMIA, AIRASIA AND THINK BIG DIGITAL FORM PARTNERSHIP
T3 News Network, Feb 05, 2014
Aimia Inc., a global leader in loyalty management headquartered in Canada, AirAsia Berhad and Think Big
Digital have announced the signing of a partnership agreement for Aimia‘s acquisition of a minority stake in
Think Big, the owner and operator of BIG – AirAsia and Tune Group‘s loyalty program.
Aimia will initially invest approximately (C$16 million) in Think Big, with up to an additional (C$7
million) to be invested if certain milestones are achieved by 31 December, 2015.
The partnership combines AirAsia‘s unrivaled success in the Asian market, Tune Group‘s portfolio of
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successful companies including hotels, pre-paid Visa cards, insurance and music companies, and Aimia‘s
unmatched expertise in the design and management of travel-based loyalty programs, to provide BIG
members and partners with a loyalty proposition that is truly rewarding.
?The partnership between AirAsia, Think Big Digital and Aimia is yet another way that AirAsia and Tune
Group are innovating and driving change in the Asian airline market – all to the benefit of our members,
guests and investors. With its experience running the world‘s largest standalone frequent flyer programs, the
Aimia team has unique and invaluable insight. We are thrilled to be working together to leverage that
knowledge as we continue to grow the AirAsia BIG loyalty program,? said Tony Fernandes, Group CEO,
AirAsia and Co-Founder, Tune Group.
?The AirAsia BIG loyalty program is a great opportunity to export Aimia‘s coalition business model and to
help our clients create deep and lasting relationships with their customers. Through this partnership with
AirAsia and Tune Group, we look forward to sharing our experience with this program, while also growing
our presence in the high-potential Asian loyalty market,? said Rupert Duchesne, Group Chief Executive,
Aimia.
The AirAsia BIG loyalty program continues to benefit from the growing customer base of both AirAsia and
Tune Group. It has already attracted a broad coalition of partners ranging from credit card companies, retail
stores, petrol stations, and insurance and telecom firms, in addition to the AirAsia and Tune Group family
partners.
?With AirAsia‘s customer base of over 43 million guests a year, the potential of BIG to deliver deeper, more
meaningful relationships to a broad membership base is significant. We believe that this potential extends
beyond flight revenues and we look forward to working with all BIG partners to build a cutting-edge
program,? said Alice Goh, CEO, AirAsia BIG Loyalty program.
?Asia represents a key region for Aimia as we expand our presence globally, and we believe the partnership
between ourselves, AirAsia and Tune Group provides a fantastic platform to further demonstrate our unique
capabilities in the loyalty industry. This partnership brings three innovative, forward-thinking brands
together for the long-term benefit of our customers,? added Marc Allsop, Senior Vice President of Business
Development, Aimia.
ZAMBIA BULLISH ON INDIAN MARKET
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T3 News Network, Feb 07, 2014
Having recently participated at SATTE in Delhi, Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) is all set to tap the growing
Indian market actively in 2014. Implementing a stronger marketing campaign in India will be the main focus
for ZTB this year which will involve conducting road shows, organising workshops and familiarization trips
for the Indian travel trade and media.
Mato Shimabale, Director Marketing, Zambia Tourism Board said, ?India is a very important market with
great potential as it is among the top ten in terms of arrivals. We have seen Indian arrivals of around 20,000
in the last two years and are looking at doubling the numbers in the next few years. We will work closely
with our India representative Blue Square Consultants to improve the leisure arrivals with increased
destination awareness in the Indian market. We feel Indians are looking at exploring new and exciting
destinations and Zambia in Africa is a product they will love. Zambia also houses a huge Indian community
thus making it easier to tap the Indian market.?
INDIA RANKS HIGH FOR INTERNATIONAL HOTELS
By Maansi Sharma, Feb 10, 2014
While the industry spent the year 2013 embroiled in speculation about whether or not Indian outbound
would take a hit as a result of the economic instability, Indians seemed to have packed their bags and dealt
with their woes on vacation. That is, if room bookings are anything to go by. International hotels are still
notching significant room night requests from India, with the source market maintaining its position as an
important one.
Atlantis The Palm, for instance, has seen a stable increase in annual FIT and MICE bookings from Indian
travellers over the years, revealed Andrea Krenn, VP - Public Relations, Atlantis The Palm. The property
saw a 22 per cent increase in 2013 compared to 2012 in terms of Indian guests. ?In 2012, India represented 4
per cent of our business. In 2013, India represented 6 per cent of the resorts business. In 2014, our target is
to grow the India market further by an additional 15 per cent,? she added.
Similarly, the Cotai Strip Resorts Macao, has welcomed steady leisure traffic since The Venetian Macao
opened in 2007, with the properties getting a further boost after the IIFA Awards were held at the resort in
2009 and 2013. According to a Cotai Strip Resorts Macao spokesperson, India ranked its fifth largest market
in terms of total bookings for 2013.
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?Guests arriving from India have grown steadily over recent years. Major demand for One&Only Le Saint
Geran never alone comes from metropolitan cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. Cities
with direct flights represent a stronger market, however good connections via hubs in the Middle East have
added opportunities for us. In 2014, we are considering incentives to encourage bookings at One&Only Le
Saint Geran,? revealed Brett Armitage, Senior Vice President Global Sales, Kerzner International.
An added advantage for the Cotai Strip Resorts is that their off-season is India‘s peak travel season. ?Our off
seasons are actually the peak outbound seasons for India – April to June and end of October to November.
Prior to these periods, we work with travel agents to provide targeted package that suits Indian travellers‘
needs,? the spokesperson said.
In fact, all the properties were unanimous in their strategy of working closely with the travel trade to attract
more Indian footfall every year. The Cotai Strip Resorts, for starters, has been participating in SATTE, New
Delhi since 2011, and have held trade dinners in 15 cities for promoting its hotels from 2009 to 2012.
Furthermore, they have highlighted several packages for the Indian travellers, including the recently added
DreamWorks All Star Parade.
With Sands China having launched the DreamWorks Experience at Cotai Strip Resorts Macao in July 2013,
Sheraton Macao Hotel rolled out hotel packages with DreamWorks themed family suites and activities that
have fuelled footfall to the property. ?This has been strongly reflected during the summer holiday season
with the DreamWorks Experience, especially in August when we achieved 96 per cent throughout the
month,? said Ruth Boston, General Manager of Sales and Marketing - Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central.
Krenn revealed that Atlantis, The Palm works closely with travel trade partners to increase visibility for the
property. Various joint promotion initiatives including newspaper and magazine ads have helped the
establishment highlight the exclusive aspects of the resort, she opined.
?We greatly appreciate the professional support of our valued travel trade partners. By contracting with
different wholesalers and frequent promotional communication via the DMCs, we broaden the visibility of
One&Only Le Saint Geran in India. Regular meetings with various agencies across India, presenting the
unique and distinct aspects of the luxury resort has proven to be an added benefit,? Armitage stated.
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VISITBRITAIN FACILITATES HISTORIC MOU BETWEEN TRAVEL ASSOCIATION OF THE
UK AND INDIA
By Shayan Mallick, Feb 13, 2014
VisitBritain, the national tourism agency of the UK, waited for 21 years to debut at SATTE. And when it
finally did at the 21st edition of the event late last month, the NTO made the most of the occasion. Not only
was VisitBritain one of the most visible exhibitors in the venue through its extensive use of hoardings and
shuttle bus branding, it also entered into a strategic alliance with top travel associations of India like Travel
Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI).
The NTO signed and supported the signing of a series of MoUs between the key travel associations of India
and those from the UK. The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) signed separate MoUs with
TAAI and TAFI represented by their President Iqbal Mulla and Vice President Praveen Chugh respectively.
Karan Anand represented ETOA as the Relationship Head. The third MoU was signed between UKinbound
and Outbound Tour Operator Association of India (OTOAI) represented by Ashley Jones, Board Member
and Guldeep Singh Sahni respectively.
Primarily aimed at boosting Indian arrivals in the UK, the move is expected to facilitate better co-ordination,
product development, education, etc. between the industry stakeholders of the two countries. The signing of
MoUs were witnessed by Sir James Bevan KCMG, British High Commissioner to India and Sandie Dawe,
Chief Executive, VisitBritain at the VisitBritain stand at SATTE New Delhi.
Commenting on the announcement, Sandie Dawe, Chief Executive, VisitBritain said, ?As per our latest data,
VisitBritain is more than likely to surpass its ambition to attract 425,000 visits from India by 2016 - worth
GBP 380 million in annual visitor spend. The Indian travellers visiting Britain last year were not deterred by
the falling value of the rupee against the pound, which closed around Rs.100-level for the first time in
history in August 2013. India is one of the priority markets for VisitBritain and we are committed to
strengthening the links between the British and Indian travel and tourism industries. This strategic
engagement between the two trade associations is aimed at closer collaboration to significantly benefit the
travel industries of the UK and India.?
Sir James Bevan KCMG, British High Commissioner to India stated, ?Well over one million Britons and
Indians travel between our two countries every year. This is the lifeblood of the unique relationship between
our two peoples. The 9 per cent growth notched in the number of Indian tourists to the UK in 2013 shows
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that this relationship is growing from strength to strength. I am delighted to see the enthusiasm of the British
and Indian tourism industries to take this to the next stage and offer my full support to their efforts.?
With India being accorded a priority market status by the UK Government, the NTO is keen to build better
visibility in India. The MoUs also come as an acknowledgment of the role that the Indian travel industry
plays in outbound travel.
?Another reason why we are here is the importance of the travel industry as a partner in building the value of
tourism to Britain. Our data shows that a good 80 per cent of the visits from India to the UK are booked
through travel trade. So we and our suppliers are very keen to do business with the Indian travel industry.
This is the first time that we have come to SATTE and we have a large delegation of suppliers with us,?
Dawe had said at the opening ceremony a day before.
The UK witnessed 9 per cent growth in visitors number from India to the UK in first nine months of 2013,
reaching a record arrival of 306,000 and GBP 349 million in spending.
NSW LAUNCHES NEW VFR MARKETING CAMPAIGN
T3 News Network, Feb 13, 2014
With a predicted 50 million outbound travellers by 2020, India is one of the world‘s fastest growing travel
markets and the target of an innovative new digital marketing campaign by Destination New South Wales
(NSW) that showcases the best of Sydney and NSW to Indian visitors. The landmark campaign, called
?Jhappi Time‘ or ?hug time‘, is the first campaign developed and executed by any Australian tourism body,
to specifically target the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market, in India.
The campaign features four ?Bollywood-style‘ vignettes directed by Bollywood director and Head of Films
and TV for the Australian India Film Fund, Anupam Sharma, set in various popular tourist locations around
NSW including Sydney, Manly Beach and the Blue Mountains. A cast of local Indian dancers, actors and
musicians feature in the campaign.
Speaking on the occasion, Sandra Chipchase, CEO, Destination NSW, described the campaign as a creative
and industry first that will ensure Indian travellers will have NSW front of mind when they plan their
Australian holiday. ?Destination NSW has worked with leading Bollywood film director and Australian
filmmaker, Anupam Sharma, to create a fun, completely unique and culturally authentic campaign that will
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appeal directly to Indian travellers‘ love of family, fun and good times. More than one third of Indian
visitors come to New South Wales to spend time with their loved ones, so we are tapping into the enormous
potential of the VFR market segment in NSW,? he explained.
In launching the campaign, NSW Premier Barry O‘Farrell said the campaign aims to build on the State‘s
reputation as the key destination for Indian travellers to Australia. ?Sydney is the number one Australian
destination for Indian travellers, with Regional NSW growing in popularity among tourists from India. India
is one of the State‘s most important tourism, trade and business investment markets, and ?Jhappi Time‘ will
enhance tourism from India, which is currently worth an estimated $183 million a year to the NSW
economy,? he said.
TNZ ANNOUNCES JV TO ATTRACT INDIAN FOOTFALL
T3 News Network, Feb 13, 2014
Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) announces its latest joint venture with Malaysia Airlines and Auckland
International Airport. The venture aims to provide competitive airfares to Auckland, New Zealand, making
it more accessible to Indian travellers. As the Indian summer coincides with the New Zealand Winter, TNZ
aims to make New Zealand an ideal holiday destination for Indian vacationers through this promotion.
With India being a priority emerging market in Tourism New Zealand's three year marketing plan, TNZ
views its partnership with Malaysia Airlines as a key initiative in lifting Indian visitor arrivals to New
Zealand. Announcing the promotion, Mischa Mannix-Opie, Regional Manager South & South East Asia,
Tourism New Zealand said, ?We are pleased to announce this new promotion with Malaysia Airlines and
Auckland International Airport. India is a priority market for all three of us so this partnership is a natural
fit. The travel period for this promotion (over the Indian summer) assists balancing our seasonality of visitor
arrivals and we believe that a market like India offers strong potential to our tourism industry.?
The campaign, which is now online, provides special fares to those travelling to Auckland, New Zealand.
The new special fares will be valid on Malaysia Airlines flying to Auckland from Delhi, Mumbai,
Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kochi and Chennai.
?Our Ambition 2020 Asia strategy outlines a target of 68,800 Indian visitors per year by 2020, which is
more than double the current annual number of Indian visitors to New Zealand. If we compare December
2013 with December 2012, overall Indian passenger arrivals have increased by 15 per cent, with holidaying
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Indian visitors up by 12 per cent,? said Glenn Wedlock, Auckland Airport‘s General Manager Aeronautical
Commercial.
Commenting on the co-op campaign, Azahar Hamid, Regional Senior Vice President - South Asia & Middle
East, Malaysia Airlines stated, "It is our pleasure to be a part of this campaign. India has always been a
major source market for us and in conjunction with this campaign we are introducing attractive promotional
fares. Customers can now enjoy award winning MH services with value added services for Indian market.
Be it new Indian menu or on board entertainment or increased baggage allowance. We provide seamless
connections from six Indian cities to Auckland via Kuala Lumpur."
This limited period offer can be availed by people who are travelling to Auckland by Malaysia Airlines.
Malaysia Airlines increasing its flight frequency to Auckland from six to seven flights weekly via its home
base Kuala Lumpur effective 30 March 2014 onwards.
JANUARY SEES 12.6% GROWTH IN TVOA
T3 News Network, Feb 13, 2014
A growth of 12.60 percent has been recorded in the number of tourists availing of the tourist Visa on Arrival
(VoA) Scheme during the period January 2014. A total number of 1,903 VoAs have been issued in this
period as compared to 1,690 VoAs during the corresponding period of 2012 registering a growth of 12.6 per
cent.
The number of VoAs issued under this scheme during January 2014 for nationals of the eleven countries
were New Zealand (465), Japan (427), the Philippines (290), Singapore (273), Indonesia (257), Finland
(124), Cambodia (20), Myanmar (20), Vietnam (15), Luxembourg (12) and Laos (0).
During January 2014, the highest number of VoAs were issued at New Delhi airport (783) followed by
Mumbai (440), Chennai (282), Kolkata (126), Bangalore (116), Kochi (68), Hyderabad (62) and Trivandrum
(26).
FRANCE TO FOCUS ON INDIAN MICE & FIT
By Karishma Sen, Feb 12, 2014
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Atout France expects a rise in the demand for MICE and customised FIT packages from India in 2014. ?We
foresee a rise in the demand for outbound MICE travel and a substantial increase in the number of Indian
visitors opting for a tailor made holiday package customised to their preferences. We hope to have an
augmentation in the number of Indian tourist arrivals in the coming year,? opined Catherine Oden, Director,
Atout France India. She further shared that one positive factor that could pave the way for an increase in
arrivals is the temporary suspension of biometrics for all visa applications.
France is very keen to increase its share of Indian MICE movements. Elaborating further, Oden said that
Atout France is motivated to believe that the temporary suspension of biometrics on all visa applications will
augment France‘s positioning as a preferred business destination and corporates will be more encouraged to
plan a business event in France. In October 2013, France welcomed a delegation of 8 Indian MICE travel
professionals in Marseille for a global workshop ?France Meeting Hub‘. ?This was a perfect platform for
interactive networking between our French partners and travel agents. The workshop provided many
opportunities for Indian professionals to widen their network of contacts for future business relationships as
well as acquaint themselves with new offers and products that could be proposed to their clients.?
Atout France is cognisant of the growing importance commanded by MICE segment and has consciously
tried to establish a channel of communication with corporate entities. The tourism entity also created a 24
page supplement on its products range to acquaint business professionals with all that France could offer.
2013 marked the launch of Atout France‘s campaign ?Be There! Do That!‘ According to the tourism office
the campaign was well received by the travel industry and the end consumer. Moving forward in 2014,
Atout France will continue presenting offbeat experiences in France through joint collaborations with
French and local, travel agents/tour operators. Through the campaign, Atout France will also present MICE
incentives in France. ?For the year ahead, we will continue to build on creating greater awareness about
France as a business destination and look to make further in-roads in this domain,? commented Oden.
Atout France in collaboration with Chamonix-Mont Blanc Tourism (CMBT) has also launched a three-
month online training programme in India, called ?France Experiential Travel Special‘ (FETS), in January
2014.
TOURISM AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN
T3 News Network, Feb 12, 2014
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To influence Indian travellers to make Australia their destination of choice for the upcoming summer
holidays, Tourism Australia has launched an intensive integrated advertising campaign in India. Using the
successful and established platform of ?There‘s Nothing like Australia‘, the campaign will employ high-
affinity, media channels to showcase some of the world‘s best attractions and experiences available in
Australia.
Using a mix of print, television, out-of-home and online media vehicles, the campaign will be live until
March 2014. On the print platform, in addition to the high impact advertisements, advertorial features on
themes such as self-drive, romance, family and adventure will be utilised for in-depth description of leisure
experiences.
A major focus of the campaign will also be on digital and out of home mediums. In the digital space, large
format ads will showcase aspirational destination imagery along with innovative creative renditions on
popular web platforms like youtube, yahoo, etc. to seek attention of the online audience. Australia also
enjoys a popular presence on social media networks, especially Facebook, which has over 300,000 Indian
fans on the Australia fan page. Out-of-home advertising spaces including multiplexes, airports and malls
will be creatively utilised giving potential travelers ideas and inspiration for an Australian holiday.
Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India& Gulf, Tourism Australia said, ?The campaign is designed to
sustain interest in Australia and provide a further impetus to the growing visitor arrivals from India. We
have dominated select high impact media channels with our brand presence to highlight unique and iconic
Australian experiences. The mix of traditional and innovative ideas including exciting content integration
initiatives and PR is expected to help brand Australia retain high recall as the next holiday destination
among potential travellers.?
Going beyond the realms of traditional advertising, interesting in-film and in-serial placements have been
undertaken to leverage the extreme popularity and reach of Hindi cinema and television drama serials. A
sturdy PR program leveraging advocacy through high impact editorial opportunities across print and
electronic media channels will further enhance the awareness of destination Australia.
In addition to the brand campaign, Tourism Australia has collaborative campaigns with key aviation partners
Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines offering consumers attractive tactical deals to encourage early
bookings for Australian holidays.
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GRAYLINE LATIN AMERICA CONDUCTS ROADSHOW
T3 News Network, Feb 12, 2014
GrayLine Latin America, a destination management company organised a multi-city
roadshow last month in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Over 400 product planners and
frontline staff were trained in all the four cities.
This is the first time a Latin America roadshow such as this was held covering countries like Ecuador, Chile,
Argentina, Colombia and Peru. The roadshows were supported by Proexport Colombia and Latam Airlines.
Owing to the immense success of the seminars, GrayLine Latin America will continue such training sessions
and plans to organise familiarisation trips for Indian travel agents and your operators to ensure that the trade
partners get first hand product knowledge of some of the destinations which are getting increasingly popular
with the Indian traveller.
Pranav Kapadia, Director, Global Destinations commented, ?Our partners from the Grayline Latin America
network were overwhelmed with the response and interest shown in the destination by the Indian travel
fraternity in all the cities. India is a very important, emerging market and GrayLine will continue to invest in
the market and grow it further."
EMIRATES TO OPERATE FROM T2 IN MUMBAI
T3 News Network, Feb 11, 2014
Emirates will move its operations to the new International Terminal 2 at Mumbai International Airport with
effect from 12 February 2014. Emirates operates five daily flights from Mumbai to Dubai, connecting
passengers onwards to over 130 destinations on its worldwide network. Departures at the new International
Terminal 2 will take place from Level 4. Emirates‘ has three check-in counters for First Class and Business
Class passengers at Island ?P‘ and five check-in counters for Economy Class passengers at Island ?M‘ of the
terminal.
The entry for Emirates passengers will be from Entrance No. 7 for Economy Class, while Entrance No. 8
will be for First Class and Business Class passengers. As a result of the change in terminal Emirates will no
longer be able to operate its dedicated Emirates Lounge at Mumbai‘s International Airport, effective from
flight EK 507 on 12th February 2014.
Emirates will continue to offer its signature complimentary Chauffeur-Drive Service exclusively for its First
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Class and Business Class passengers flying to and from Mumbai. The service is offered to provide
convenience and comfort to premium passengers within a 60 kilometre radius of Mumbai International
Airport.
TAT KICKSTARTS THREE-CITY ROADSHOW
T3 News Network, Feb 11, 2014
The Tourism Authority of Thailand‘s (TAT) Mumbai Office is conducting its annual road show, which
commenced in Bengaluru yesterday, and will move ahead to Chennai (12 February) and Ahmedabad (14
February).
The road show assembles more than 30 key travel partners from Thailand under one roof in each of these
important gateway cities. ?We have brought together a sizeable contingent of the most relevant hotels,
DMCs and attractions to arm the travel agent for the year ahead,? said Sethaphan Buddhani, Director, TAT
Mumbai Office.
The industry-connect event also promises to bolster confidence among travel agents amidst protests in
Bangkok. Tourist confidence is expected to increase in the coming weeks. Travel agents will also gain
macro-level insights into TAT‘s tourism strategy for the coming months.
The three-city roadshow is the latest among a host of B2B initiatives in Ahmedabadthe cities. For instance,
given the Gujarat market‘s focus on Indian food while on holiday, TAT has worked to ensure that travel
agents are equipped with names and locations of Indian restaurants across the Kingdom. Meanwhile,
consumer-connect activities promoting niches such as golf and biking trips in Thailand have been a
persistent practice for Chennai and Bangalore markets. TAT has escorted groups of golfers and bikers to the
destination. Additionally, across all three markets, TAT has been hosting wedding planners on
familiarisation trips to Thailand.
PASSENGER DEMAND GREW EXPONENTIALLY IN 2013: IATA
T3 News Network, Feb 10, 2014
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced full-year traffic results for 2013 showing a
5.2per cent increase in passenger demand compared to 2012. The 2013 performance aligns with the average
annual growth rate of the past 30 years. Capacity rose 4.8 per cent and load factor averaged 79.5 per cent up
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0.4 percentage points over 2012.
Demand in international markets (5.4 per cent) expanded at a slightly faster rate than domestic travel (4.9per
cent).Strongest overall growth (domestic and international combined) was recorded by carriers in the Middle
East (11.4 per cent) followed by Asia-Pacific (7.1 per cent), Latin America (6.3 per cent) and Africa (5.2 per
cent). The slowest growth was in the developed markets of North America (2.3 per cent) and Europe (3.8
per cent).
?We saw healthy demand growth in 2013 despite the very difficult economic environment. There was a
clear improvement trend over the course of the year which bodes well for 2014. Last year‘s demand
performance demonstrates the essential and growing role that aviation-enabled connectivity plays in our
world. And with system-wide load factors at 79.5 per cent it is also clear that airlines are continuing to drive
efficiencies to an ever-higher level,? said Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO, IATA.
International passenger demand grew by 5.4 per cent in 2013 compared to 2012 with all regions reporting
growth. Capacity rose 4.9 per cent, boosting load factor to 79.3 per cent, up 0.4 percentage points over 2012.
Indian domestic traffic rose 4 per cent last year, compared to a 2.1 per cent decline in 2012. The demand
environment has been challenging in view of the weakening economy, high inflation and slowing
manufacturing and resource industries. Capacity climbed 3.5 per cent in 2013, and load factor was 74.6 per
cent, up 1.7 percentage points compared to 2012.
Commercial aviation is celebrating its first century in 2014. ?What was impossible yesterday is an
accomplishment of today, while tomorrow heralds the unbelievable.? With these words, Percival Fansler,
creator of the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line, inaugurated the era of commercial aviation on 1 January
1914.
?Fansler was right. The first century of commercial aviation has changed the world. It has made it a better
place through connectivity. Forward-looking governments recognise the power of aviation to drive
economic growth and spread prosperity. These governments are laying the foundations for our next century
and in doing so will reap enormous benefits. But not all governments are on the same page. This anniversary
year is an opportunity to remind short-sighted governments that they risk being left behind if they cripple
aviation with taxes, over-burden it with onerous regulation, or fail to provide the infrastructure that it needs
to grow,? said Tyler.
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INDIANS TRAVEL UNDETERRED TO THAILAND
T3 News Network, Feb 24, 2014
Statistics released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) headquarters indicate high consumer
confidence in Thailand. A total of 59,794 Indians visited Thailand during the first month of the year. The
figures are a true witness of the fact that Indian travellers continue to visit to Thailand, despite the
Kingdom‘s internal political strife, which remains isolated to only a few areas in Bangkok. Travel agents
remain motivated to sell Thailand as they have experienced no cancellations from their customers. Major
events, too, have gone ahead smoothly in the destination.
Sethaphan Buddhani, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) – Mumbai Office said, ?The numbers
are very encouraging. The fact that arrivals from India continue to remains strong indicates that our efforts
to create awareness in the market are bearing fruit. We have continually reassured travel agents and
travellers that protesters in Bangkok are not targeting tourists and that the city remains safe for travel. We
have also been encouraging people to treat this as an incentive to explore Thailand beyond Bangkok. I am
happy to see that travellers are assured by our words and that they continue to enjoy holidaying in
Thailand.?
Travel beyond Bangkok is key to TAT‘s 2014 strategy and exploration is already becoming a trend among
travellers. ?Repeat travellers in particular, who comprise 60 per cent of Thailand‘s incoming tourism market,
are no longer satisfied with an itinerary restricted to Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya. Chiang Mai, Chai Rai,
Koh Kut, Krabi, Hua Hin and Koh Samui are seeing rapidly escalating demand,? Buddhani added.
JNTO LAUNCHES WEBSITE FOR MEETINGS AND EVENT PLANNERS
T3 News Network, Feb 21, 2014
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and its convention division, the Japan Convention Bureau
(JCB), have launched a new website for international MICE planners. The comprehensive toolkits available
for download, give planners access to images, videos and destination guides. Planners can also submit event
enquiries and proposals via the website.
The site, www.japanmeetings.org, is a handy tool for those planning conferences, corporate meetings and
incentive trips. The website provides information on what Japan can offer for international events;
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testimonials and case studies; a list of unique venues and activities that are only available in Japan; a useful
search function that allows event planners to find cities and venues that best suit their events‘ needs and
much more.
ROUTES AMERICAS OPENS IN SAN SALVADOR
T3 News Network, Feb 21, 2014
The 7th Routes Americas, the only route development event for the entire Americas region, will open this
weekend in San Salvador, El Salvador. The event, which will take place from 23 to 25 February 2014, will
bring together leading airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policy-makers and other aviation stakeholders to
develop new air services to, from and within the Americas.
This year‘s Routes Americas, which is hosted by the Tourism Ministry of El Salvador, is expected to attract
over 70 airlines, 200 airports and over 30 tourism authorities along with a number of other industry
stakeholders from across the Americas to discuss air service development.
?We are delighted to host the 2014 edition of Routes Americas and we're ready to host the entire industry in
our beloved El Salvador, a country that has made positive strides in tourism through air connectivity that
today allows us to connect more directly with the major cities of Latin America. Routes Americas is the
most important platform for the aviation industry, airports and tourism. Being part of this great experience is
the result of years of work in making El Salvador a visible destination for tourism and for business,? said
José Napoleón Duarte Durán, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador.
Adrian Newton, Group Director Transport and Technology, UBM Live said, ?As the largest regional
aviation market in the world, the Americas are a key strategic priority for Routes. This year we are delighted
to be organising both Routes Americas and World Routes in Chicago in September to support the
development of improved air connectivity within this fascinating market. The region includes the world‘s
largest national aviation market, the US, which is complemented by Latin America, one of the fastest
growing and most exciting aviation markets in the world. El Salvador is a natural hub between North and
South America and the Caribbean and is ideally placed to benefit from the growing traffic within the
Americas.?
The event attracts the highest level of senior decision makers and, following an announcement last
December, the event now also incorporates Network USA, creating a single definitive event platform for all
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those interested in meeting with the industry's key players to discuss air service development in the entire
Americas region.
In addition, the high-level Routes Americas Strategy Summit, held in association with the Latin America &
Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) and sponsored by The New Quito International Airport, will
open the event on 23 February. It will bring together leading industry experts to debate aviation and route
development issuesacross the Americas region. Attendees will be addressed by, among others, José
Napoleón Duarte Durán, the Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, and Eduardo Iglesias, Executive Director
of the Latin America & Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA).
PORTUGAL BULLISH ON EMERGING MARKETS
By Maansi Sharma, Feb 20, 2014
The tourism authority of the Government of Portugal (Turismo de Portugal) recently concluded its three-city
roadshow across Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The roadshow witnessed a delegation of 20 members
representing DMCs, hotels, a cinema production company and Emirates airlines, led by Claudia Miguel,
Trade Relations Marketing & Promotional Division, Turismo de Portugal.
According to Miguel, emerging markets such Russia, China, USA, India etc. have shown strong growth in
the recent years. ?2013 was the best year for tourism in Portugal. The Eurozone crisis has seen internal
demand decreasing, but we are receiving more tourists from abroad, especially emerging markets. We have
recorded a 30 per cent increase from the US, 30 per cent from Russia and 35 per cent from China. Even
Germany, which is among our top ten countries, has recorded a 10 per cent increase. Travellers want new
products and new destinations to visit, and visiting Lisbon and Porto has become fashionable,? she opined.
Speaking about India as a market for Portugal, Miguel revealed that from 2012-13, Portugal almost
duplicated the number of requests for visas, seeing a 40 per cent growth from the market. ?We visited India
for the first time in 2012 when we conducted the roadshow in Delhi and Mumbai. Following that, we
gathered feedback from the Portugal trade, and asked them what markets they were keen on returning to
work with, and they voted India as one of them, with a request to visit the South of India and Mumbai,? she
said.
Furthermore, following the successful shoot of a Tollywood song in Lisbon, Turismo de Portugal is now set
on working further with the Indian film industry to woo more film productions to the country. Film
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producers Cinemate, who were part of the delegation to India, expressed their interest in co-producing
Indian films and bringing Indian productions to shoot in Lisbon. ?In 47 years, this was the first time an
Indian production came to Lisbon. We found it a great experience and we would like to enhance that. Indian
movies have been shot in so many countries across Europe. It would be a pleasure for us to work with
Bollywood as well,? opined Rui Guerra, Line Producer, Cinemate.
Revealing their strategy for the Indian market, Miguel stated that the Board would continue being
represented by Charson Advisory in India as they are well recognised among the Indian trade and can
enhance the destination‘s relations in the country. Furthermore, there are plans in place to conduct
promotions and trainings for the travel trade.
The Portugal DMC Oasistravel.net, which is represented by Big Blue Marble in India, conducted a
familiarisation trip for Indian agents last year that garnered great response. Speaking with the media at the
roadshow, Vitor Manuel De Almeida, General Manager, Oasistravel.net revealed that, while the Indian
market has not notched as much growth as the company would like, it is slowly picking up. ?Tapping a
market the size of India is a challenge. India is a big country with different types of expectations. 60 per cent
of our business is MICE. For India it‘s the beginning, so the MICE traffic is not much. We mostly see
clients who have an international convention to attend in Lisbon. We hope to see the Incentives market now
start to come in,? he said.
Participants at the roadshow included GeoStar Destination Management, Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon,
Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel, Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade, SANA Hotels, Penha Longa, Ritz Carlton Hotel,
Vila Gale Hotels, RDMC, Oasistravel.net, Osiris Travel, Quasar, VEGA & destination management
companies such as In Tours Portugal – DMC, Vinitur - DMC, Lusanova DMC, Mr. Travel Portugal –
Luxury DMC and Vista DMC, Cinemate – a movie production company and Emirates Airlines.
UNITED AIRPORTS OF GEORGIA TO HOST ROUTES SILK ROAD
T3 News Network, Feb 20, 2014
Routes Silk Road is the route development forum that connects CIS, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle
East and Asia and Routes is delighted to announce that United Airports of Georgia (UAG) under the
auspices of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development has been officially appointed as the Host
of the 2014 event which will take place on 6-8 July, 2014.
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Routes Silk Road, which will be held for the first time instead of Routes CIS, is expected to attract around
250 delegates. The event, which will take place in Tbilisi, the beautiful and historic capital of Georgia, will
offer airports, airlines, tourism authorities and other stakeholders the perfect platform to do business and
improve air transport networks.
?The passion and commitment of the United Airports of Georgia and its stakeholders impressed our
selection team and we are thrilled that Routes Silk Road will take place in Georgia. Georgia is a gateway
connecting several important economic regions including Europe, the Newly Independent States (NIS),
Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia and as such it is the ideal location for Routes Silk Road and one
which we are looking forward to sharing with the broader airline and airport community,? said Adrian
Newton, Group Director, Transport and Technology, UBM Live.
Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Economy commented, ?We are privileged to host Routes Silk Road 2014
in Tbilisi. It is a unique opportunity for Georgian airports, airlines, tourism authority and their stakeholders
to further develop its business and expand the network. I believe Tbilisi is a perfect location for this event
and it will be a great experience for all attendees. The fact that Georgia is hosting such an event underlines
the great dedication of our country to the industry as well as reflecting our aspiration to turn Georgia into a
regional hub, in the nearest future, as one of the important points of the historic Silk Road.?
?In recent years Georgia has seen unprecedented growth of air transport, passengers and number of tourists.
United Airports of Georgia has developed some major infrastructural projects during the last few years and
has a lot to show to the international community of the aviation industry,? added Kate Aleksidze, CEO,
UAG.
The event promises to help its host deliver on its objectives to raise awareness of the destination to the
global aviation community and promote the country as an important geographical location. This is
underlined by the significant growth in passenger numbers (over 30 per cent) which the country has seen
across all Georgian airports since 2012, with further growth expected this year.
The event will also allow the UAG to showcase Kutaisi David the Builder International Airport which
opened in 2012. It is the first low cost airport in the region and is focussed solely on attracting low cost
carriers to facilitate tourism development in Georgia.
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SOTC LAUNCHES IRELAND BROCHURE
T3 News Network, Feb 14, 2014
Kuoni-SOTC in association with Tourism Ireland launched an exclusive Brochure for Ireland for the Indian
travellers at the India Seminar at Dublin. The brochure was unveiled in the presence of esteemed members
that included Leo Varadkar T.D, the Ireland Tourism Minister; Radhika Lokesh, the Indian Ambassador to
Ireland; Niall Gibbons, CEO, Tourism Ireland; Huzan Fraser and Beena Menon, Tourism Ireland India Rep;
Simon Gregory, Head Markets, Tourism Ireland and Vishal Suri, CEO Tour Operating, Kuoni India.
Speaking at the launch of the brochure, Suri said ?With the growing interest seen in Ireland as a holiday
destination, Kuoni-SOTC brings to Indian travellers the first Ireland-only brochure. Kuoni- SOTC
experiences are designed to indulge in stunning locales of Ireland, offering personalized and unique
experiences of discovering the destination?.
Gibbons stated, ?Tourism Ireland has been working very closely with Kuoni Travel in India over the years
to develop some special itineraries, offering its customers a unique experience of Ireland. We are happy to
announce the launch of an exclusive Kuoni brochure on Ireland which demonstrates Kuoni‘s confidence and
commitment towards the island of Ireland, and we are very grateful for that.?
CITY TOURISM BOARDS FOCUS ON GLOBETROTTING INDIANS
By Karishma Sen, Feb 27, 2014
The latest trend shows that city specific tourism boards are slowly detaching themselves from their mother
ships – the National Tourist Offices (NTO‘s), and promoting their cities as individual entities in India. Be it
working hand in hand with the trade, embarking on new promotional activities, or highlighting new tourism
products, these Boards are leaving no stone unturned to tap the burgeoning Indian market.
For instance, the announcement of Tampa hosting the 2014 IIFA awards has provided them an opportunity
to increase their sales and marketing efforts in the region, informed Shari Bailey, Director of Leisure Sales,
Visit Tampa Bay, adding that 2013 was a good year for the city across all tourism markets.
New York City (NYC), on the other hand, has seen an increase among student groups covering educational
tours. According to Makiko Matsuda Healy, Vice President, Tourism Development - Asia Pacific, NYC &
Company, approximately 231,000 Indians visited the city in 2013 compared to 215,000 in 2012. NYC &
Company has also worked diligently over the last several years to highlight family travel to the city and
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expects this trend of growth to continue as they engage with family ambassadors to spotlight all there is to
see, do and experience, she added.
Although Visit Orlando is still awaiting final visitation numbers for 2013, early indications show that it was
another great year for Orlando. ?We welcome more than 57 million visitors annually from 292 countries,
and are expecting continued growth in 2014. We continue to target India as one of our long-term growth
markets and look forward to seeing increasing numbers of Indian visitors enjoying our destination,? opined
Nancy Hahn Bono, Global Development Sr. Director, Visit Orlando.
Safe to say, India has climbed the ladder to become one of the sought-after source markets for such mono
destinations.
Connecting with the travel trade
Connecting with the travel trade and marketing the destination are two aspects that a tourism board cannot
overlook. Which is the reason these cities have amped up their marketing and promotional activities to
strengthen their position in the market and build ties with the travel trade. Visit Tampa Bay sees a great deal
of future growth opportunities in the area. ?We have secured in-market representation in India, and now
Tampa Bay will have a consistent presence in country. We will also be hosting a Tampa Bay sales mission
in India post IIFA Awards. We have begun work with several travel trade partners and look forward to
increasing our efforts in 2014 and beyond,? said Bailey.
Bono informed that the tourism board will continue to maximise great partnership with Visit Florida in India
to further educate the Indian travel trade on all that Orlando has to offer.
Alefiya Singh, India Rep, Reunion Tourism shared that Reunion Island is slowing shifting their focus into
tier-II and III cities. ?We are starting off with the participation at Global Panoromic Showcase in Nagpur in
order to target Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh. We will be participating in various roadshows,
B2B platforms, trade fairs and organise familiarisation trips. We are also working very closely with Cox and
Kings/Thomas Cook and Kuoni this year,? she revealed.
Through the India office, NYC & Company participate in Brand and Visit USA seminars and VUSA
seminars in various cities across India, the annual Brand USA India mission as well as individual
relationship building through one on one meeting with travel professionals. ?We have conducted successful
trade FAMs in the past years and have a few in the pipeline for 2014. We will continue to promote our NYC
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Travel Training Academy. We have also made significant strides in our efforts to educate the tourism
community and suppliers in NYC to be aware of Indian client needs and continue to do so,? said Healy.
Displaying new products
Ask any new destination why they consider India a potential source market, and their answer will be,
because Indian travellers are looking for newer places and experiences. The same holds true for these cities
as well, which is why promoting new products is a big part of their annual marketing strategy. NYC &
Company recently launched its Neighborhood X Neighborhood campaign, which promotes travel to lesser-
known areas of New York City. ?The Neighborhood x Neighborhood initiative intends to spotlight the
affordability and accessibility of neighbourhoods in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten
Island with a particular emphasis on areas that have seen new hotel development in recent years,? shared
Healy.
According to Singh, Reunion Island has always been considered a destination for the young and adventure
lovers, but now even families have started travelling which is a positive sign. ?We plan to showcase high-
end luxury, FIT and honeymoon products, and small MICE offerings in India. Being a small island, we
cannot accommodate large volumes of tourists. So, our aim is to receive about 3,000 Indian visitors over the
next year or two,? she added.
Orlando continues to be a very popular destination for leisure visitors from India. Elaborating on product
offerings Bono informed that their theme parks have been undergoing major expansions and will continue to
be Visit Orlando‘s key marketing message into 2014. ?Walt Disney World Resort is in the final stages of
completing the New Fantasyland, the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's history. Universal Orlando
Resort is in the midst of an expansion to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Expected to open in 2014,
Universal Orlando Resort is also adding their fourth and largest on-site hotel, Universal‘s Cabana Bay
Resort, featuring 1,800 guest rooms and scheduled to open in late 2014,? he concluded.
SENTOSA EXPECTS 1 MILLION INDIANS IN 2014
By Karishma Sen, Feb 27, 2014
For Sentosa, Singapore's island resort getaway, India is among its top two markets. In 2013, Sentosa
received around 900,000 Indian visitors, which clearly indicates the popularity of the attraction among
Indians. ?Nine out of every 10 Indians visiting Singapore come to Sentosa, making India our largest source
market. 2013 was an eventful year for us. Overall we witnessed a growth of 20-25 per cent in terms of
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visitors to the park,? shared Steven Chung, Director - Marketing, Sentosa Leisure Group.
He further opined that the island resort is expecting to attract one million Indians in 2014. ?Judging by our
previous numbers, we expect a lot more than 1 million on site. We are further developing the island and are
launching new attractions which will help us gain repeat visitors as well. In the near future, we plan to
increase the number of hotel rooms, which currently stands at 2500.?
Expanding its product portfolio, Sentosa Leisure Group plans to launch new attractions such as Kidzania,
and a unique show called the 'Wings of Time' in June 2014. The island resort is also set to rebrand and
revamp the Sentosa Merlion. Elaborating further, Chung informed that the island is set to get its very own
Madame Tussauds in November 2014. ?This museum will be tailored to reflect the culture and excitement
of Singapore and Southeast Asia . It will be the only Madame Tussauds outside of the flagship attraction in
London to incorporate a ride into the experience,? he said.
Shedding more light on the uniqueness of the Madame Tussauds in Singapore, Meike Schulze, Divisional
Director- Attractions in Asia, Merlin Entertainment, who will be operating the attraction within Sentosa,
said, ?We see Sentosa as one of the leading attraction destinations in Southeast Asia. Singapore is the ideal
location for a Madame Tussauds, and we are confident that we will add a new element to the country's
successful entertainment offering. We look forward to working together with Sentosa to introduce other
exciting, new concepts in the future.?
Speaking about their marketing strategy in India, Chung revealed, ?We work very closely with the
Singapore Tourism Board, as well as the travel trade here in India. We are pleased with the work and effort
that our Indian partners have put into selling Sentosa. Moving forward, we will continue educating the trade
and updating our consumers about the new attraction through various B2C platforms.?
GBTA ANNOUNCES KEYNOTE SPEAKERS FOR CHINA CONFERENCE
T3 News Network, Feb 27, 2014
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) — the voice of the global business travel industry has
announced keynote speakers for their second conference to be held in Shanghai from 31 March – 2 April
2014. GBTA President Donna Kelliher‘s keynote speech centers around the important question ?Can
Business Travel Management be truly global?? She will discuss this with GBTA China Board Chairman
Victor Lim.
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In support of this growing region, the 2014 GBTA China Conference will be attended by the GBTA US
Board of Directors who will be joined by senior representatives of leading US corporations and associations.
Michael W. McCormick, Executive Director, and Donna Kelliher, President & CEO, will be speaking as
part of the extensive agenda crafted by the China Advisory Board.
?GBTA‘s forecasts predict China will be the world‘s top business travel market by 2016, so we are proud to
be hosting this second annual conference in this growing region. Over the past few years, GBTA has
expanded its presence across the globe and bringing this conference back to China is a great opportunity to
discuss doing business in China from both a local and expatriate viewpoint,? said Michael W. McCormick,
Executive Director and COO of GBTA.
The second keynote will be given by Dr. Wang Yonggang of Fudan University on
?Top level design, technology innovations and growth of China's Business Travel Industry‘.
The GBTA China conference is for those involved in all aspects of business travel procurement in China and
across the globe. After a very successful first event April of 2013 this conference is going to be even more
exciting and substantial in educational content.
The conference will be held in Mandarin with simultaneous translation into English and is designed to
deliver relevant and educational information to the broader audience.
Talking about the event, Welf Ebeling, Vice President, Operations for Asia Pacific said, ?The program of
this year‘s event has been designed by a panel of local travel managers and industry experts focusing on the
needs of China‘s fast growing business travel industry. At the same time having the entire GBTA USA
Board of Director‘s participating adds a global perspective and vast international expertise that will benefit
all conference attendees.?
Another key component of the China event is GBTA Executive Director Michael W. McCormick‘s
presentation of the 2014 H1 GBTA Business Travel Index report, sponsored by VISA.
CASTADIVA WOOS INDIANS THROUGH CULINARY SHOWCASE
By Maansi Sharma, Feb 26, 2014
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CastaDiva Resort & Spa, an establishment located on the banks of Lake Como, Italy, recently organised the
Flavours of Italy by CastaDiva at The Ambassador Hotel, Mumbai. The six-day long culinary showcase,
hosted by Alessio Mecozzi, Executive Chef, CastaDiva; Andrea Luri, General Manager, CastaDiva; and
Davide Rotondo, F&B Manager, CastaDiva, and coordinated by Karl and Amala Dantas, invited the travel
trade, media, and the general public, to The Ambassador Hotel‘s Society Restaurant for an Italian gourmet
dining experience. The effort was CastaDiva‘s first attempt to woo Indian travellers to the property.
?For us, the Indian market is an important one. We are a relatively new property on Lake Como, which itself
is a relatively new destination to India. So far, Indian numbers are not even in double digits in terms of
percentage. It is important that we start nurturing emerging and untapped markets along with established
ones, because we cannot put all our eggs in one basket. For instance, the Russian market‘s signs this year are
not positive because the Rouble has collapsed, and there is a tax on luxury goods. What is happening in
Ukraine is not good either. So it‘s a good idea to be here first and invest in emerging markets such as India,
Brazil etc.,? opined Luri.
The property has taken similar initiatives in the past in Dubai and New York, and felt that, while
communications and sales actions cannot be left to just sales calls and trade shows, which is a route that
everyone follows, an initiative of this kind was necessary to make a mark on the Indian traveller. Believing
that The Ambassador, as well as The Society restaurant, have a history and heritage that make the hotel a
perfect partner for the activity, CastaDiva joined hands with the property for the initiative.
?The idea was to do something different from a trade show, which does help business, but you get lost in a
crowd and the target segment gets diluted. Here, we have 500-600 people expected in the next six days,
which will showcase both properties,? said Geoff Magee, Vice President Operations, The Ambassador
Group of Hotels.
Unravelling their plans for working with the travel trade in India, Luri stated that the establishment will
return to educate the fraternity about the property, and will also plan familiarisation trips for them. Speaking
about their target segments, Luri revealed that their main focus is FIT, and that the property witnesses 99 per
cent of leisure traffic. He further added that, while there are facilities for small meetings, a MICE or group
segment accommodation is difficult, unless the property is taken over by a company for an event.
SANDS CHINA WITNESSES RECORD FOOTFALL
Sheena Murpani
T3 News Network, Feb 26, 2014
A record number of holidaymakers made their way to Sands China properties during the first week of the
Year of the Horse, with 1.8 million visits from 31 January – 6 February to its four Macao properties – Sands
Macao, The Venetian Macao, The Plaz Macao and Sands Cotai Central. That represents an average of over
260,000 visitors each day during the first week of Chinese New Year.
The seven-day Spring Festival surge in visitation was likewise reflected in increased hotel occupancy rates.
?With over 9,000 hotel rooms on offer in Sands China‘s portfolio, we are pleased to see that our broad
selection of accommodation was at or near full capacity almost the entire week. We have so much to offer
visitors, whether here for business or leisure, and we are very pleased to see so many people enjoying our
integrated resorts during Chinese New Year. With Sands China‘s unparalleled integrated resort offering of
luxury accommodation, superstar entertainment and celebrity events, duty-free retail, exquisite dining
options and spectacular exhibitions, we are proud to continue contributing to the diversification of Macao‘s
tourism industry, helping develop the city into a world centre of tourism and leisure,? said Gunther Hatt,
Executive Vice President of Operations, Venetian Macau Limited.
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO HOST ROUTES AMERICAS 2015
T3 News Network, Feb 26, 2014
After a record event in San Salvador which saw 487 delegates registered to attend the event, more than ever
before, the Ministry of Tourism El Salvador have officially handed the event over to Denver the host
destination for the 8th Routes Americas event. Building on the success of this year‘s event, the route
development forum for the entire Americas region, which now incorporates Network USA, will take place
1-3 February 2015 hosted by Denver International Airport, supported by Visit Denver. This will mark the
first time that Routes Americas will be held in North America.
?On behalf of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Denver International Airport CEO Kim Day, I am
delighted to invite Routes Americas delegates to Denver next February. With nonstop service to more than
180 destinations worldwide, accessing Denver will be easy. Preparations are already underway for an
unforgettable 'winter wonderland' experience, a first for Routes Americas,? said Laura Jackson, Vice
President of Air Service Development, Denver International Airport, speaking during the handover
ceremony which took place today in San Salvador at the 7th Routes Americas event.
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In 2013 Denver International Airport served more than 52 million passengers and ranked as the fifth-busiest
airport in North America. Fifteen passenger airlines provide nearly 1,600 daily flights to more than 180
worldwide destinations nonstop from Denver International.
Adrian Newton, Group Director Transport and Technology, UBM Live, organisers of Routes Americas said,
?Following this year‘s successful event here in San Salvador we are thrilled to be taking Routes Americas to
Denver and to North America for the first time next year. Denver International Airport offers unparalleled
air service options for our delegates and we feel that Routes Americas has potential for even more growth in
2015. In addition, Denver International Airport will celebrate its 20th anniversary in February 2015 and
bringing the aviation community of the Americas to the ?Mile High‘ city in the same month will be a fitting
celebration of this landmark event.?
AUSTRALIA LEVERAGES BOLLYWOOD TO WOO INDIANS
T3 News Network, Feb 25, 2014
Tourism Australia, in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland, collaborated with Pritish Nandy
Communications (PNC) and Balaji Motion Pictures (BMPL) on an in-film integration for their latest venture
-?Shaadi Ke Side Effects‘ (Side Effects of a Marriage), to promote Australia as the perfect choice for
romantic holidays. In the film, Indian actors Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan bring alive the charm of
Australia on the silver screen as they serenade to a peppy love track set against the backdrop of Gold Coast.
Speaking about the association, Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India & Gulf, Tourism Australia said,
?Featuring in Hindi films is a great way of reaching out to a wide audience base and we are glad to have
collaborated with established brands of this industry to showcase Australia as an ideal romantic getaway.
Through the journey of the lead actors, the audience will get to see a very tempting glimpse of Gold Coast.
The film‘s release coincides with our integrated brand campaign in the media and we are optimistic that it
will further enhance the appeal for Australian holidays this season.?
To leverage the film association, Tourism Australia and Tourism and Events Queensland are implementing a
promotional campaign with television and print commercials and PR and social media initiatives
highlighting experiences undertaken by the lead cast that can be replicated by Indian travellers.
Ross Gregory, International Director, Eastern Markets, Tourism and Events Queensland said, "Tourism and
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Events Queensland is delighted to have worked in partnership with Tourism Australia and with Pritish
Nandy Communications on this spectacular Bollywood opportunity and for being the preferred Australian
destination to film the background images for the song. This will showcase to a vast Indian audience what
the Gold Coast is famous for, from the 70 km of pristine white sandy beaches, world class theme parks, the
magnificent Hinterland the best year round weather a holiday destination can offer. We look forward to the
movie generating the excitement amongst the Indian audience and encouraging them to visit Gold Coast that
is ?Famous for Fun? in Queensland".
HONG KONG RECEIVES 434,648 INDIANS IN 2013
T3 News Network, Mar 04, 2014
Based on the arrival figures recently announced by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), Hong Kong
emphatically reinforced its reputation as one of the world‘s leading tourism destinations in 2013 with visitor
arrivals reaching a record high of 54.3 million, an 11.7 per cent year-on-year increase. India, the largest new
market in Hong Kong registered a healthy year-on-year increase of around 5 per cent from 2012 with a total
of 434,648 arrivals. These figures were achieved through an increase of short-haul arrivals by 3.4 per cent
and overnight arrivals by 5.8 per cent.
Anthony Lau, Executive Director of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said, ?In recent years, the HKTB
has increased investments to develop new markets in order to broaden our visitor base and to maintain a
balanced visitor portfolio. We will continue to heavy up our promotions in new markets in 2014, including
India, to maintain our powerful growth momentum. These efforts lay the foundations for long-term growth,
and we will keep a close watch on emerging markets with potential for the Hong Kong tourism industry.?
The HKTB‘s primary target cities are Mumbai and New Delhi, though resources will also be deployed in
cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. The HKTB will roll out marketing activities to
explain the excellent value of a Hong Kong vacation and showcase the cosmopolitanism and variety that
makes the city an exciting option for Indian visitors. It will also promote multi-destination itineraries with
Macau and Shenzhen, and partner with cruise lines to promote cruise travel that includes stopovers in Hong
Kong.
QATAR AIRWAYS PROMOTES USA
T3 News Network, Mar 03, 2014
Sheena Murpani
In a one of its kind initiative, Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, in alliance with the
US Consulate and Brand USA, undertook a multi-city roadshow from 12 to 21 February 2014. The
roadshow travelled across six major Indian cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and
Ahmedabad – to reinforce its commitment to promote tourism to the USA. Currently flying to four
destinations in the United States, namely New York, Washington DC, Chicago, and Houston, the airline will
nearly double its footprint in the country with the addition of three new routes in 2014: Philadelphia (2
April), Miami (10 June) and Dallas/Fort Worth (1 July).
Over the years there has been a consistent increase in the number of Indian travellers to the United States.
This partnership aims to promote USA as a preferred travel destination offering enormous choices to
travellers across the leisure, MICE and corporate segments. The roadshow saw stupendous participation
from the travel and trade fraternity, and with this partnership Qatar Airways, the US Consulate and Brand
USA will continue to undertake strategic marketing and promotional initiatives to showcase the USA as a
complete destination to various segments of Indian travellers.
Henry Moses, Country Manager India, Qatar Airways said, ?We are pleased to expand our presence in the
United States and to partner with US Consulate and Brand USA in India to present the USA as a popular
outbound destination to Indian tourists. Keeping in mind the demand for the USA globally, this year we
have announced the addition of three new gateways to USA – Philadelphia, Miami and Dallas in our
expanding global network. The consistent growth of the outbound MICE and leisure segment in India
coupled with US Consulate‘s and Brand USA‘s aggressive focus in this market makes this a mutually
beneficial collaboration. With the American Airlines code share and the oneworld global alliance, Qatar
Airways seamlessly connects to the entire USA.?
?The excellent network of Qatar Airways to multiple Indian gateways and flight connectivity to our cities
will enable more visitors from India to discover the USA and its abundant tourism attractions,? said Jay
Gray, Vice President, Global Partnership Development-Brand USA.
TOURISM MALAYSIA TO ANNOUNCE INDIA INITIATIVES
T3 News Network, Feb 28, 2014
As part of the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY 2014) celebrations, Tourism Malaysia will be unveiling a
host of new marketing initiatives during their annual sales mission in India from 12 to 20 March, 2014 in the
cities of Kochi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. This year, the Malaysian delegation will be led by Dato' Seri
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Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture and other top officials from the ministry of
Tourism.
While the primary objective of the Minister‘s visit is to strengthen Malaysia‘s standing as a dream travel
destination and increase tourist arrivals from India, Nazri is also looking forward to driving strong support
from both the Indian travel trade fraternity and media for the ongoing VMY2014. Malaysia has launched its
fourth VMY2014, with the aim of luring 28 million tourist arrivals and RM 76 billion (over US$ 23 billion)
in tourism revenue.
Besides unveiling new marketing initiatives for the Indian market, the sales mission is also a platform for
Malaysia‘s tourism industry players to strengthen ties with their Indian counterparts. The mission will see
top Malaysian Tourism Officials interact with key tour operators, associates from travel, service and
hospitality sector in all cities to discuss and explore areas for collaboration to attract more Indian tourists to
Malaysia.
Tourism Malaysia‘s Indian Sales Mission will take place on 12 March in Kochi; 14 March in Bengaluru; 18
March in Mumbai and 20 March in Delhi.
RECORD ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AFRICA 2014
T3 News Network, Feb 28, 2014
Meetings Africa 2014 held at the Sandton Convention Centre ended on a high note earlier this week with
record attendance. When the business events tradeshow closed its doors, final attendance numbers recorded
included 169 international qualified hosted buyer delegates (15 per cent more than in 2013); 31 African
Association hosted buyer delegates; 238 local corporate buyer delegates (up 140 per cent on last year); 839
visitor delegates (up 16 per cent on last year); 262 exhibitors (up 11 per cent on last year); 162 journalists
(up 19 per cent on last year) and 3 295 people, in total, had passed through the Meetings Africa 2014 gates
(up 15 per cent on last year).
?While we are delighted that Meetings Africa is growing, our focus has always been on quality rather than
quantity. There is no doubt that Meetings African 2014 delivered a quality business platform for both buyers
and exhibitors. There were, at 10 169, 2 000 more meetings requested through the Meetings Africa
electronic diary system, and all exhibitor and buyer delegates report brisk business from the tradeshow
floor,? said Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer, South African Tourism.
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Meetings Africa‘s theme this year was Advancing Africa Together. This was the first year that Meetings
Africa took a decisive step to being a pan-African business event tradeshow, and exhibitor representation
from the continent gives every indication that wide African representation will become a reality in the
medium term, Nzima added.
Thirteen African destinations exhibited at Meetings Africa 2014: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi,
Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
?Meetings Africa is now firmly established as the biggest, best represented and most valuable business
events tradeshow in Africa. It offers the continent a platform to do business, representing the best of our
continent in one venue, and giving the African business event sector easy access to the best regional and
international buyers.?
A hugely successful Meetings Africa 2014 was a fitting way for the industry to celebrate South Africa‘s 20
Years of Freedom. ?This industry has made huge strides in the two decades since democracy. Having
invested across both public and private sectors in capability and infrastructure that have made South Africa
one of the fastest growing business event host destinations in the world today,? Nzima added.
A well-supported BOND (Business Opportunity Networking Day) on Monday gave hundreds of delegates
an opportunity to meet and discuss strategies to advance Africa and build the global competitiveness of this
continent. Workshops and seminars on BOND day included the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum, the
Event Greening Forum, the Association Day, the ICCA Africa Chapter supplier/client workshop conference
and a gala dinner that gave delegates an opportunity to network with captains of the public and private
business event sector on the continent.
?It‘s our commitment, in Meetings Africa, to continue providing the industry a platform for continued global
competitiveness and for ongoing growth. We look forward to Meetings Africa 2015 when the tradeshow
celebrates its tenth anniversary by giving the sector; and the regional and international market an
opportunity to come and do business with an even greater contingent of focussed and service-driven African
exhibitors,? concluded Nzima.
AUCKLAND RATED IN TOP THREE CITIES IN THE WORLD
Sheena Murpani
T3 News Network, Feb 28, 2014
Auckland has taken third spot in Mercer‘s 2014 Quality of Living rankings for the second year in a row,
cementing its position as a world-class city. Auckland features behind quality European destinations Vienna
and Zurich, in first and second place respectively. Mercer praised Auckland for its stellar quality of living
and said that Auckland‘s ranking in the top three cities reinforces New Zealand as an attractive destination
for overseas expatriates.
Brett O‘Riley, Chief Executive, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) said this
is another feather in Auckland‘s cap. ?To consistently feature in the top three in the prestigious Mercer
rankings is a great credit to Auckland and acknowledgement of our progress to becoming the world‘s most
liveable city,? he added.
The announcement comes hot-on-the-heels of Auckland celebrating its biggest weekend of events and
tourism since Rugby World Cup 2011, with the city welcoming around 200,000 people for major events.
ATLANTIS, THE PALM TARGETS LONG-STAY TRAVELLERS
By Shayan Mallick, Feb 28, 2014
One of the most sought after openings in its category in the previous decade, the iconic Atlantis The Palm is
fast catching the imagination of Indian travellers. Atlantis, since opening in September 2008, has grown
from being a hotel to a destination and an experience in itself. Speaking to T3 on the sidelines of the recent
concluded South Asia‘s biggest travel show SATTE, Kyp Charalambous, Director of International Sales,
Atlantis, The Palm, informed that, over the last five years, India has been contributing 10 per cent of the
property‘s overall business.
From a growth perspective, in 2013, India was Atlantis‘ largest growth market, ascending at a rate of 22 per
cent over the previous year. ?Looking ahead in 2014, our goal is to drive not just more volume, but also
more revenue out of the Indian market. We really want to get the luxury and suites products across to the
Indian market,? he stated.
As a property, Atlantis, The Palm average 86 per cent in room occupancy, which for a five star luxury beach
product is rather high. ?Therefore, looking ahead, we need to ensure to maintain and even grow the
occupancy. But we ultimately want the spend in the resort to grow as well. Our goal is to try and encourage
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our Indian guests to stay longer. Many of our guests come for an average of about two nights. We want our
Indian guest to stay four to five nights because we believe that there is so much to see and do across Atlantis
that one or two nights is just not enough,? said Charalambous.
Today, India ranks among the top six markets for the property. Charalambous attributes the growth to a
combination of sales, marketing and PR plans executed through its representation office in India. ?We are a
very trade friendly resort. We value the business from our trade partners phenomenally. Besides, we spend a
lot of time in sales trip and roadshows around India. We will continue to support the trade partners in future
through co-op marketing and initiatives such as incentive campaign,? he said.
Participation at SATTE is part of Atlantis, The Palm‘s annual strategy to work with the travel trade in the
region. Speaking about how the event helps the property grow its business, Charalambous stated that, over
the years, SATTE has become an institution in the travel industry. ?This is the fifth year that we have come
to SATTE. And having expanded the show to Mumbai as well gives us opportunity to not only penetrate the
Delhi market but also to target Mumbai market. Overall we find the show very beneficial as it is a great
platform to meet our partners and discuss business with them,? he concluded.
TRANSAERO AIRLINES SIGNS ABACUS
T3 News Network, Feb 27, 2014
Transaero Airlines, Russia‘s second largest carrier, has secured a new 2-year distribution agreement with
Abacus. The agreement provides travel agents at over 20,000 locations with full access to fares, schedules
and seat inventory on all routes within Transaero‘s network.
The new content includes the carrier‘s 200 routes across Russia, Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa.
Expanding its global reach in partnership with around 100 of the world‘s leading airlines, Transaero is also
making attractive interline offers available to Abacus users.
Ho Hoong Mau, Vice President, Airline Distribution, Abacus explained, ?There are a lot of synergies in this
partnership. Transaero Airlines serves many of the destinations booked in volume by our corporate and
leisure travel agents. Where more choice is needed, Transaero Airlines is offering some very compelling
prices.?
The agreement includes joint marketing activity, as with Transaero Airlines‘ participation in future Abacus
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Corporate Travel Executive Forums in Kazakhstan, aimed at developing Central Asia where the carrier is a
leading brand.
Roman Vdovenko, Deputy Head of Commerce Department, Transaero Airlines stated, ?Our successful
cooperation with Abacus proved that it is a powerful distribution channel reaching 31 markets in the Asia
Pacific region. We are delighted to continue our joint work that fully meets the interests of our clients and
partners.?
KERALA TRAVEL MART (KTM) 2014 TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER
T3 News Network, Feb 27, 2014
KTM 2014 is scheduled to take place on 18, 19 and 20, September, 2014 at Samudrika Convention Centre,
Cochin Port Trust, Willingdon Island, Kochi. It is the only Travel Mart in the country that showcases a
single destination - Kerala.
The Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala in partnership with the Kerala Travel Mart Society is hosting this
event which brings together the business entrepreneurs behind the tourism products and services of Kerala
on a single platform.
From its inception, there has been an overwhelming response from the national and international Buyers
which has reflected in the steady escalation in the variety of tourism products and in the numbers of
participants, both Buyers and Sellers. KTM 2012 was attended by more than 1250 Buyers. KTM 2014 will
reach out to buyers from new markets like Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sweden and USA.
The Mart will highlight innovative tourism products like village life experience, culture tours, and
destination wedding themes.
A big turnout of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, conferences, Exhibitions) operators, Global Wedding
Planners, Wellness and Adventure Tour operators is expected at KTM 2014. The Mart will project Kerala as
the ideal destination for weddings and Honeymoons along with conferences and Exhibitions. These
emerging segments are being viewed very seriously by tourist destinations and KTM intends to increase
Kerala's market share to an additional 5000 crores. Only 10 per cent of the national inbound tourist traffic
reaches Kerala, and KTM has set itself a target of 15 per cent with arrivals from new and emerging markets.
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