April 2013

Rajeev Kohli
Joint Managing Director

Dear Industry Colleagues

Welcome to another edition of award winning 'Creatively Yours'.

HOT NEWS - We have just heard that the government is reintroducing the group visa system where a minimum of 4 travelers can travel to India on one visa. Details and a formal notification is awaited over the next few days. This will be a great step for us. We shall keep you posted once this happens.

The recent few weeks have seen India get some international press coverage on issues of women safety. There have been a few incidents of attacks that have been given high profile press coverage. Unfortunately, the facts have been greatly distorted and the whole issue of the safety of women travellers has blown out of proportion. This was exacerbated by a false report going viral earlier this month. A non-tourism industry chamber arranged for press coverage of a unsubstantiated report conducted by it that claimed a 25% drop in travellers to India due to the safety issue. This was completely false and infact official figures had shown a growth of 2.3% in tourism arrival for January-February. Our national association polled it's members and no one has stated that they participated in this study. In addition, no member has reported any serious cancellations. So we as an industry seriously question the authenticity of the research. If they haven't polled the members of the apex inbound travel association, its leaves to reason that they have cooked up the numbers.

At the end of the day, India is as safe as anywhere else. Basic common sense has to prevail whether you be in new York, London, Sao Paulo or Sydney. Would one take a stroll alone late night through King Cross in Sydney? Rio Brazil is notorious for its crime and Washington DC has its fame or lack of. But these still remain amazing destinations to travel to. So no matter where one travels, if you stay smart, you stay safe.

I personally have worked in the industry for 18 years and have never come across even one of our clients or one from a competitor who has been put in harms way. A few incidents out of the volumes we get as a country would not be an anomaly. We find that problems happen when travellers tend to use unlicensed taxies or guides or stay in questionable places. Every country has its spots that even the locals would avoid. That's normal.

Do we accept the few attacks we have had, of course not. They do bring us shame, but they in no way reflect the friendliness we express as a country to our foreign visitors. We love showing our country to people from all over the world. That will not change and we will not let a few godless people change the way our nation is perceived.

To see a note from national association on this issue, please click here. We will be happy to answer any other questions if needed.

We have some exciting initiatives available for you. Some are meant for travel industry professionals to come and experience India and Creative's award winning services first hand at a very special offer. Other initiatives are special offerings for you to market on to your client base. We encourage you to send through your thoughts on what you think could work for your markets, so that we can have the team customize a product set for you. We at Creative intend to aggressively push the price competitiveness of India in its shoulder period as we feel the market is turning around for us all and let's use that to gain some interaction and make up for lost business.

You shall see some new and exciting initiatives in the next season from Team Creative. New experiential inclusions, new circuits, new concepts... We take pride in our ability to make a trip to the Indian sub-continent something very different.

www.travel2india.com
 www.creative.travel

The Sikkim festival saw visitors of all ages. While some were captivated by the alluring photographs of natural beauty, temples, waterfalls and tea gardens, others were impressed by the state's handloom and handicrafts.

"Sikkim offers multiple options for the visitors especially families who are looking for a new hill station to visit during this summer season," the Sikkim tourism official said.

Fatehpur Sikri Group of Monuments, Agra won the National Tourism Award 2011-12 under the category of the 'Best maintained and disabled friendly monument'. It may be mentioned that six years ago, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and Svayam joined hands to make the world heritage sites accessible to all including the elderly and the disabled. These awards and recognitions not only highlight the need for making these places accessible but how it benefits in addressing the leisure requirements of the varied demographic needs.

The Indian state of Gujarat will dedicate a war chest of US$100 million to tourism infrastructure development and promotion this year, a marked increase since its budget of US$6 million in 2006. Gujarat's chief minister, Narendra Modi, said: "Gujarat has numerous natural advantages that will now be packaged, and we will offer a new product for every different tourist preference."

With the enhanced budget, plans are afoot to promote Gujarat's 2,575km coastline. New beaches have been identified for development, while the construction of a cruise terminal and dolphin-sighting trips are on the anvil.

Foreign travellers may be feeling the pinch of the global economic slowdown but Indians are undeterred by rising inflation and high interest rates and will continue to plan vacations this year. A study by travel site Trip Advisor said 89% families surveyed planned to take at least two vacations in 2013. The India Family Travel Survey also said families may spend over 50% more on their holidays compared to last year. As many as 48% respondents said their children had already taken at least one international holiday. The survey was conducted on 1,400 online respondents.

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A survey released by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on the present tourism scenario 2013 portrays a very bright future for tourism despite the recent slowdown in international arrivals into India. The survey, according to FICCI, was conducted over a period of 15 days, between March 15 and April 1, 2013, by collating the views of almost 480 people associated with travel and tourism industry in India. The survey has been conducted as a prelude to Great India Travel Bazaar, a joint initiative of FICCI and Rajasthan Tourism, which was held from April 14 to 16, 2013 in Jaipur.

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As known, fairs and festivals have been an indispensable part for people of Rajasthan. Mewar Festival is one amongst these fairs. This fair is well talked about, in India as well as on international forums. The extravaganza is a visual feast with Rajasthani songs, dances, processions, devotional music and firework unfolding the brightness of Udaipur City! The ethnic affair coincides with Gangaur-which is one of the most awaited festive-culture of Rajasthan, especially by the women folks of Rajasthan.

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A light and sound show which will probably be held at one of the ghats is going to be another tourist attraction in Varanasi. According to UP Tourism Deputy Director Avinash Mishra, the project for the light and sound show has been proposed under the priority projects of the tourism department marked by central government in 2013-2014.
Responding to the growing demands for affirmative action to promote heritage sites in the state, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said the government is working on a comprehensive model for preserving and promoting the state's heritage. "We will come up with a proper policy in this regards soon," he said while addressing a seminar on heritage tourism in UP.

Maharaja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur, who was the guest of honor, said, "It's undeniable that UP has immense potential for heritage tourism. I don't think that there is any other place in India with such diversely rich royal heritage. But tourism becomes a reality only when chief ministers lead the project." Singh, who is also the president of Indian Heritage Hotel Association, said that in place where heritage has become a part of the tourism industry, the entire area has benefitted. "Besides generating employment for all, heritage tourism instills a sense of pride among the people by making them conscious of their past," he said.

As part of its repositioning, Rajasthan Tourism has announced a major shift in focus towards innovative tourism products like Resort Tourism, Archaeological Tourism, Tribal Tourism, Adventure and Sports Tourism, and Ecotourism, said Bina Kak, Minister for Tourism, Art & Culture, Archaeology, Printing Stationery, Forest & Environment, Woman & Child Development (Additional Charge), Government of Rajasthan. She was delivering the inaugural address at the sixth edition of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB) in Jaipur. "There is a major shift from the traditional focus on culture and heritage now as far as tourist offerings are concerned," she said.

Kak said that focus is also on bringing efficiency in service delivery to visitors in order to increase the number of repeat travellers to the state. Commenting on GITB 2013, the Minister said that the B2B travel market has evolved into a "productive forum" for businesses, as well as policymakers in the country ever since its inception.
Speaking at the event, Rakesh Srivastava, Principal Secretary-Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, said that the focus of the state government has been on improving infrastructure around tourism hotspots and creation of tourism circuits around unexplored destinations. "Around 30 million tourists visited the state in 2012, which is 1.5 million more than the previous year.

Rajasthan is breaking the mould of lauding its heritage draws, as it gears up to promote itself as a destination for wildlife, eco- and adventure tourism, while dangling incentives for hotel development.

"We are changing the positioning of Rajasthan to a multiple-interest destination, attractive to diverse tourist groups from India and abroad," said the state's tourism minister, Bina Kak, at the inauguration of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar.

New tourism circuits are on the anvil, covering places such as the Keoladeo National Park Darrah Sanctuary, Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. In Ranthambore and Sariska, which are part of the traditional and popular circuits, the total area of tiger reserves is also being augmented from about 400km2 to 720km2.

Welcoming the creation of niche itineraries, Creative Travel Joint Managing Director, Rohit Kohli, said: Rajasthan has the natural landscape as well as centuries of history and culture around which multiple-interest itineraries can be built.

In addition, new incentives are being offered to spur hotel development, said Rakesh Srivastava, principal secretary - tourism, Government of Rajasthan. These include a 50 per cent reduction in luxury taxes in the low season for new hotels in selected locations, land conversion charges at about 20 per cent lower than commercial market rates and higher floor area ratios for the construction of hotels and resorts. Rajasthan attracted 30 million tourists in 2012, of which 1.5 million were international arrivals.

Kathmandu- Nepal's most iconic symbol - Mount Everest, the world's highest peak - and other tall mountains attract tens of thousands of foreign tourists, particularly from Western Europe, the United States and Japan. The Himalayan nation has been a paradise for adventure seekers offering them ultimate challenges. As the country emerges from a decade-long civil war between security forces and Maoists, tourism officials here believe it is now time to showcase the country's other cultural riches to the world.

Nepal, home to the birthplace of Lord Buddha and a number of the most sacred Hindu sites, wants to attract visitors interested in its rich history and culture.

"We are now targeting new economies like China, India, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand," says Sushil Ghimire, Secretary of the Nepal Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

He explains that not only are these nations close to Nepal, but they also "share similar socio-cultural conditions".

The tourism sector is a key contributor to Nepal's economic growth. Despite its political instability and poor infrastructure, the country attracted nearly 600,000 foreign tourists in 2012, a 10% cent increase on the previous year.

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau welcomed the vessel "Mv Queen Mary 2" at a brief ceremony held in the Colombo harbour. This luxury carrier, owned by the UK based company, had more than 2300 tourists on board, consisted of the USA, British, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canadian nationals.

"Mv Queen Mary 2" has 13 decks inclusive of a state-of-the-art swimming pools, an auditorium, Theater a gym ,restaurants ,casino, Saloon, Spa center and 1300 luxury rooms. Having set sail from the USA on the 10th of January this year, the vessel was berthed at Cochin, India, just before resuming its journey to Colombo.

According to the SLPA officials, more than 27 such luxury carriers had already been programmed to tie up in Colombo by the end of 2013.

This good news to those who are involved in the tourism sector is also vital to the economic development of the island, which has high expectations to boost the tourism industry.

New Hyatt brand portfolio will represent 16 hotels in India from early April.

On 29th October 2012 Hyatt hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate has signed a management agreement with IHHR Hospitality Private Limited for five Ista hotels in India to be re-branded as Hyatt.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation forayed its fifth brand into India with the official rebranding of five hotels to 'Hyatt' - Hyatt Bangalore MG Road, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli, Hyatt Pune, Hyatt Amritsar, and Hyatt Ahmedabad. The new Hyatt hotels join the 11 properties open throughout India operating under the Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, and Hyatt Place brands.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, announced the signing of The Westin Bekal Resort & Spa. Owned by Green Gateway Leisure Limited, a dedicated company floated by the ATE Group, the 165-room property will be spread over 55 acres with rich landscaping complementing the natural streams of the famous Kerala Backwater lagoons. It will be the first property under the Westin Hotels and Resorts brand in Kerala and is scheduled to open in 2014.

We are proud to partner with Green Gateway Leisure Limited for The Westin Bekal Resort & Spa in the beautiful destination of Kerala, said Stephen Ho, President, Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. "This signing marks an important milestone in our overall growth strategy to expand the Westin brand in India and strengthen Starwood's resort portfolio in the region," he added.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is planning to nearly triple its hotel inventory in India to 100 properties by 2015-16, a senior executive of the company stated.
The company which has 36 operational properties in India presently will add 64 properties in the next 2-3 years allowing itself to better tap in the growing oppurtunities in the upscale hospitality segment.

Starwood aims to close the year with 40 properties in India and add a further 10 hotels next year. The company claims to be the largest player in India in the four star and above category.

In India Starwood has presence through brands such as Westin, Le Meridien, Four Points, Aloft and Sheraton.

Starwood operates only in the four star and above category and does not have any brand in the mid or budget segment. The international brand operates solely through management contracts in the country but is also taking to developers if however funding is required.

Lemon Tree Hotels has launched a women's initiative that focuses on the growing segment of women travelers and their specific needs. To launch the new initiative, Milind Soman, Actor inaugurated the dedicated women's wing at Lemon Tree Premier, Ulsoor Lake, Bangalore.

This new initiative revolves around creating dedicated spaces within Lemon Tree Hotels for women guests and developing a product-service offering that provides greater security, offers special amenities that meet ladies expectations and most of all pampers them every time they choose Lemon Tree Hotels.

"As a woman, I can see how this focus has grown the women's segment for Lemon Tree Hotels over the last few years. Our focus on enhanced security, amenities in tune with their requirements and a little bit of pampering makes this a winning proposition," said Aradhana Lal, Vice President Corporate Communications & Sustainability Initiatives, The Lemon Tree Hotel Company.

The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group has said it will open two hotels in the luxury segment by the end of the current year, according to a report by PTI. "We will be opening two luxury hotels by end of 2013. The first hotel at Chandigarh will be opened shortly," said Dr Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. The other hotel at Kolkata will be opened by November this year, she added.

The new hotel at Chandigarh will be under the 'The Lalit' brand while the one at Kolkata will be named as 'The Lalit Great Eastern', the company said.

Suri was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by the industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), recently on the tourism industry and release of a survey on the present tourism scenario 2013.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. recently announced the signing of the Sheraton Kathmandu Hotel. Starwood will expand its reach in South Asia by reentering Nepal with the debut of the Sheraton brand. Slated to open in February 2018, the 225-room Sheraton Kathmandu Hotel is owned by MIT Group Holdings Nepal Private Limited and will be managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Starwood's legacy in South Asia dates back to 1973, and the company currently operates 36 hotels with 25 hotels in the pipeline. It aims to have 100 hotels under operation, development and management contracts signed by 2015. Recently, the company announced its expansion plans in Bangladesh with the signing of Le Meridien Dhaka and the re-entry of Sheraton in Dhaka with a new hotel expected to open in 2016. Starwood will also make its foray into new markets like Sri Lanka with Four Points by Sheraton Colombo, International Airport and Sheraton Colombo Hotel in Colombo.

"Re-entering Nepal with the Sheraton brand is an exciting moment for us as we bring the Sheraton experience to the vibrant and bustling city of Kathmandu. India is the largest source market for Nepal, a popular leisure and business destination for Indians and the fact that Starwood has a very strong footprint in India will give us a strategic advantage and help boost tourism in this destination," said Nikhil Manchharam, Vice President Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts.

ACQUIESCING to a long-standing demand of the country's travel trade, India's government is likely to introduce transit visas within the next four to five months, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Tourism. Revealed earlier this week, the ministry has proposed the creation of 48-72 hour visas to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is expected to introduce it soon. The scheme will initially be implemented in New Delhi and Mumbai to encourage short stopovers, with Agra and Goa as quick getaway options due to their proximity.

Subhash Goyal, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators said: "Transit visas will allow us to tap the large number of transit passengers who fly through India to neighboring destinations (such as Sri Lanka, Nepal and Afghanistan) for both business and leisure. The (new visa) can certainly help add big numbers to our inbound visitors."

Leading European carrier British Airways started off new flight operations to Sri Lanka from yesterday 15th April 2013, after one and a half decades’ lapse since the flights were suspended in 1990’s owing to the island’s security situation prevailing at the time.
Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, Minister Economic Development extended a warm welcome to the British Airways flight and passengers, including the carrier’s CEO Keith Williams on arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport. Minister Basil Rajapaksa expressing his thoughts said that the British Airways’ (BA’s) decision is an excellent index of their confidence in this country and its future growth potential. Tourist arrivals from Britain last year amounted to 114,218 tourists, which was only second to arrivals from India according to Sri Lanka Tourism.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa also noted that BA’s resumption of flights to Colombo is a significant milestone in projecting Sri Lanka as a preferred destination and in keeping with President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s vision to make Sri Lanka an aviation hub for achieving 2.5 million tourist arrivals by the year 2016.

British Airways CEO, Keith Williams said that “We are extremely happy to be back in Sri Lanka. This is an exciting new route for us. Sri Lanka is experiencing a boom in tourism, and the industry is expected to grow further. The addition of BA would give British tourists additional flexibility, and create value for both the aviation and tourism sectors".

BA Regional Commercial Manager for South Asia Christopher Fordyce noted that, "We are proud to announce British Airways’ reopening of the route between London Gatwick and Colombo and welcome the paradise island of Sri Lanka to British Airways’ unmatched global network. Sri Lanka has emerged as one of the most popular destinations among leisure and business travelers. Sri Lanka offers immense opportunities and scope in tourism and economic growth particularly for the small and medium enterprises segment; we are thrilled to return to Sri Lanka and flying for this excellent, commercially important destination once again."

The Tourism Ministry is in talks with the Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs to extend the visa on arrival facility at more airports like Bangalore and Hyderabad to visitors from about 15 countries.

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