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<< Newsletters from the past 

<< December 2006



Welcome to another edition of "Creatively Yours", the newsletter from Creative Travel India  

Dear Industry Colleagues :

Its holiday season. The bells are ringing, Christmas trees are decked, shopping centers are humming and I'm sitting at my desk day dreaming away !! I am going to bet that you are as well. This is the season to be jolly and to spend some well deserved time to take a break. I think people working in the travel industry find it the hardest to walk away from work to take a holiday. So we hope this year you will take the plunge and be a client for a change rather than a host.

Creative Travel has a had a great 2006. Credit for that goes to the support all our partners have given us over the years. 2007 is a milestone year for us as this will be the year when we turn 30. Ram Kohli and his team have come a long way from small beginnings to the reputation of excellence that we have today.

Over the few months, you can meet us at the below shows. Please email us to fix a time to meet.

          * MATKA in Helsinki - January 18 - 21, 2007
          * FITUR in Madrid - January 31 - February 4, 2007
          * AIME in Melbourne - February 13 - 14, 2007
          * ITB in Berlin - March 7 - 11, 2007


We at Creative Travel and our specialist brands - "Signature Tours" , the luxury travel specialist and "Plan it!", the finest conference management team in India are proud to offer the best of India and her neighbouring countries to the discerning traveler. With a 29 year award winning history behind us, we look forward to the opportunity of showing you what true destination management is all about.

To read more about us, you can download a copy of our company profile at - http://www.travel2india.com/who-we-are.htm


We appreciate the support our partners all over the world have shown us. It is with your partnership that Creative is where it is today. For those of you with whom we have not had the pleasure of working with, all I can say is try us and see the Creative magic for yourself.


Through "Creatively Yours" we hope to keep you informed on the latest news in Team Creative and the destination. We hope you find this to be useful.

Have a Creative Day !

Rajeev Kohli

Director of Marketing
Creative Travel India


 

 

Voted India's Most Professional Business Tour Operator 

 

 

   
 

 


Established in 1977, Creative Travel has grown to be among India's leading Destination Management Companies covering all of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Tibet. This region is a special place for travelers and our vast experience in handling clients from all over the world allows us to create the most memorable programs for you.

 

In this Edition...

  • Creative News - Rajeev Kohli elected as Vice Chairman India Convention Promotion Bureau, Fam trip for travel agents from South Africa.....
  • Plan it! News - Plan it! by Creative Travel managed over 7500 delegates.
  • Festival Alert - Christmas.
  • Where you can find us next - See you at MATKA 2007, FITUR 2007, AIME 2007, ITB 2007.
  • Client Comment of the Month - Find out what our Clients have to say about us in this section.
  • Destination News - Delhi, Now Most Expensive City After Bangalore, Luxury Tourism grows at 25%, "I Love Delhi" festival to start, Indian drum ensemble sets Guinness World Record....all this and more Destination news. 
  • Hotel News - Conde Nast Traveller releases the Gold List 2007, Kumarakom Lake Resort declared ‘India’s Leading Resort’, Amanwella awarded Best New Beach Resort....all this and more update on hotels.
  • Aviation News - Update on airlines....Jet Airways wins ‘Best Domestic Airline’ award, Korean Air launches Flights to Nepal, Eurofly launches direct flights to New Delhi....and more.
  • Recipe of the month - Chicken Tikka Masala.
  • Special Feature of the month - Jaipur Heritage International Festival, Ardh Kumb Mela.
  • We are proud of...

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Creative News

 
Rajeev Kohli elected as Vice Chairman India Convention Promotion Bureau
Rajeev Kohli, Director of Marketing, Creative Travel was elected as the Vice Chairman of The India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB). The elections were held on 20th December 2006. The tenure for the post is for 2 years.


A joint effort between the private and public sectors, ICPB is Chaired by the Additional Director General of Tourism, the Vice Chair from the private sector with the support of 13 private sector members on the board.
The India Convention Promotion Bureau is the country’s apex body whose singular mission is to propagate India’s ability to hold conventions and conferences of all shapes and sizes. Sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, the members of the bureau also include Airlines, Hotels, Convention Venues, leading Travel Agencies & Tour Operators, Professional Congress, Event Organizers, Educational Institutions and State Tourism Development Corporations etc. 
 


 

 
Creative handled a Fam trip for travel agents from South Africa
Creative Travel along with Qatar Airways and Far East Tours handled a fam trip for 10 agents from Far East Tours, South Africa.




 
 

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Plan it! News

 
Plan it! by Creative Travel managed over 7500 delegates
Plan it! by Creative Travel managed over 7500 delegates in the past two months. Some of the important conferences which were managed by us are :
 
IOACON 2006
Plan it! by Creative Travel was the official Conference Manager for the 51st annual Conference of Orthopedics which took place at the Ashok-Samrat complex from 9th – 15th November and was attended by more than 6000 delegates from India, SAARC and overseas. We were responsible for this event from its inception for the past 12 months, right from the first brochure and web site down to the farewell dinner - which about 8,500 people attended. We were responsible for registrations for the past year, managing over 1,500 hotel rooms, transport, workshops and CME sessions. Over 150 vehicles and 250 people from Plan it ! worked on site at this event for 7 consecutive days. A record number of 4,000 delegates, including 800 delegates, who registered on the spot., completed their registration in on the first day, a feat in itself. At the end of it all, we received a standing ovation from everyone present at the closing ceremony in appreciation for organising a great conference. Click here to read what the Organising Secretary has to say about us.
 


International Symposium on Balanced Fertilization for Sustainability of Crop Productivity
The “International Symposium on Balanced Fertilization for Sustainability of Crop Productivity” took place between 22nd and 25th November 2006 in Ludhiana, Punjab. Plan it! by Creative Travel had the privilege of handling this extremely prestigious conference, which was attended by scientists from all over the world. We have received a great deal of appreciation as the Conference Managers of the event. Click here to read what the International Potash Institute Coordinator India had to say about us.

APCMV 2006

The 7th Asia Pacific Congress of Medical Virology took place between 13th and 17th November at the India Habitat Centre, Delhi. This project was taken on a turnkey management basis - all logistics, all designing and production of conference collateral and material, all meals and events, all travel and transport logistics were managed by Plan it! by Creative Travel, the official Conference Managers of this event. The conference was attended by 600 delegates, 60% of which were foreigners. Although this was an Asia Pacific Conference, it was attended by scientists from all over the world. There were over 80 foreign speakers. The trade exhibition received an overwhelming response. More than 300 delegates were registered within 45 minutes of the start of the conference. Creative Travel also launched their Online Payment Facility through this conference. The conference was a hugh success, with the number of participants far exceeding expectations.

WCPMDC 2006
The "4th World Congress on Perinatal Medicine for Developing Countries (WCPMDC 2006)" was held for the first time in India. This highly prestigious conference was managed by Plan it! by Creative Travel. The conference was attended by over 1200 delegates and took place at Hotel Mughal Sheraton in Agra in October 2006. Click here to read what the organisers have to say about us.

IBCON PEDGASTRO 2006

Plan it! by Creative Travel was the Conference Manager for "Indo British Conference on Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition" and the "XVI th Annual Conference of Indian Academy of Pediatrics Subspecialty Pediatric Gastroenterology 2006", which took place from 26th - 28th October at the India Habitat Centre. Over 300 delegates attended this conference. This was the first time that the Indian Academy of Pediatrics Subspecialty Pediatric Gastroenterology and British Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition were jointly hosting this conference.

RESPICON 2006

The "18th National Conference of IAP Respiratory Chapter" & the "First Indo-Europe Regional Seminar on Pediatric Respiratory diseases" was managed by Plan it! by Creative Travel, the Conference Managers for the event. The conference was attended by over 450 delegates at the Le Meridien Hotel from 25th - 26th November.

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Festival Alert

 
Christmas
Christmas the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, is celebrated with great fervor all over India by the Christians. People decorate their houses, erect Christmas trees, make cribs with figures of baby Jesus, Mother Mary, Joseph, the three kings who come to visit the baby and shepherd boys and their herds grazing around depicting the scenes of Jesus's Birth in the Bible. They decorate the Christmas tree, hang stars, gifts and illuminate them. On the Christmas day, people enjoy a sumptuous Christmas lunch. Christmas cakes and wine are served to visitors and exchanged as gifts among friends and relatives. All the major Indian cities wear a festive look. Shops and bazaars are decorated for the occasion and offer attractive bargains.

Creative Travel will be closed on 25th December 2006.

24 Hours international Emergency Contact Number : +91 - 99 11 266 277
(prefix a "0" before the number if dialing from outside New Delhi but from within India)
 

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Where you can find us next

 


To meet us at MATKA, click here and email us your details.
 

To meet us at FITUR, click here and email us your details.
 

To meet us at AIME, click here and email us your details.


To meet us at ITB, click here and email us your details.
 

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Client Comment of the Month


We at Creative track client feedback very carefully. Each evaluation form gives us an insight on our operations and allows us to constantly refine our service delivery process. Now and then we get a few letters that brighten up our days. This is just one of them. 

From - Harriet Haynes-Coote

To - Creative Travel

Dear Rajeev

I would like to thank you and your colleagues at Creative Travel for working with us so closely on our recent photography project...Read more...

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Destination News


India
 
Marketing Rs. 150 Cr. blitz boosts tourism products
The Ministry of Tourism has gone into overdrive to woo high-end travellers to India with its Incredible India campaign, which is now in a brand new avatar.
Minister of Tourism and Culture, Ambika Soni  released the advertisement cds of the new tourism products. Mr. Ram Kohli, Chairman & Managing Director of Creative Travel was also present at the launch. Click here to read more...
 
Short of rooms, Delhi hotel rates spiral - Delhi, Now Most Expensive City After Bangalore
It's time to uncork the bubbly in Delhi's hospitality circuit. Average hotel room rates in the capital have shot to an all-time high of over $ 350 a night - becoming the second most expensive city after Bangalore in terms of hotel rates. Read more...


 
 

 
Luxury Tourism grows at 25%
There are low-budget tourists and no-budget tourists. And Indian travel and hospitality companies are discovering that no-budget tourists - the top-end luxury ones - are willing to splurge top dollars for the India experience. Read more...

 

 

 

 
6 week long "I Love Delhi" festival to start from 20th December
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit on Sunday inaugrated the Hindustan Times I Love Delhi campaign amidst great fanfare and a huge of gathering of supportive youngsters at the India gate lawns. The capaign is a six-week long high adrenaline, action packed series of events that is all set to get Delhi's youth moving, grooving, singing and gaming. Read more...



 
 

 
A day in the life of India
Consumers are powering in the economy. Here's how much, on average, Indians buy every day.





 
 

 
New Buddhist train launched
Indian railways has introduced a new buddhist train which will start from Chennai and end in Chennai. The total itinerary will be for 15 days, though the tourists will have the option of taking a shorter circuit of 7 and 10 days also. They will pay on per day basis and take on and take off either after 7, 10 or 15 days. For the tariff, itinerary, dates, click here...

Helicopter tourism service in Kerala

God's Own Country Kerala will be luring tourists by launching a ''Helicopter tourism'' service. Visitors will be taken from one tourist spot to the other in a seven-seater helicopter to save time and also discomfort on the roads. A number of cost-effective packages have been designed in the helicopter tourism segment like ''Capital by Air'', ''Backwaters by Air'', ''Fly the Hills'' and ''Shoreline Flights''. The ''Capital by air'' offers sightseeing trips around Thiruvananthapuram. The backwater trip takes tourists around Kumarakom, while the ''Fly the hill'' provides tourists a taste of the hill stations at Thekkady and Munnar. It will also touch Kochi and Kumarakom. The ''Shoreline'' flights offer sightseeing to Kanyakumari along the picturesque coastline.
 
J-K expects significant increase in foreign tourist inflow
With the opening of the world's highest gondola ski-lift in Gulmarg and the steady normalisation of the law and order situation, the Jammu and Kashmir Government expects a significant increase in the inflow of foreign tourists to the state. So far 43,680 foreign tourists mostly from Switzerland, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and France have visited the state, Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Tourism Mohammed Dilawar Mir said. The minister said that Gulmarg was emerging as India''s premier ski resort for the 2006-07 season. The attraction of skiing off the highest gondola in the world, from a height of 4,390 metres on a six kilometre run, with a mild climate, wide open spaces is a huge attraction to skiers from all over the world.
 

 

Indian drum ensemble sets Guinness World Record
"A new Guinness World Record was created with 7,951 drummers performing for more than five minutes in perfect rhythm," Michael Whitty, the Guinness representative, announced after the event in Meghalaya's state capital Shillong. The previous Guinness world record for the largest drum ensemble was set in February 2005 by Po Leung Kuk, a charity organisation in Hong Kong, which assembled 7,727 drummers. The drummers played a 20-minute synchronized tune called "Positive Vibrations" composed by a local musician, Rudy Wallang, in an open stadium packed with more than 20,000 people. The world record-setting drum ensemble also kicked off the states week-long Autumn Festival that includes events like water sports, kite flying, fishing and archery. "The participants included professionals to school children and villagers. There were some 1,000 indigenous drums being played in the event alongside the normal small drums," the tourism development forum's general secretary, Aiban S. Mawkhroh, said.
 


Sri Lanka

Go Holidays introduces Saga cruises in Sri Lanka
Go Holidays Private Limited (a fully owned subsidiary of United Ventures Private Limited) has introduced Saga Cruises in Sri Lanka. The Saga group focuses exclusively on the provision of high quality, value-for-money services for 50 people and over. The group is based at Folkestone, in the United Kingdom. 'Saga Rose' is dedicated entirely to serving older passengers, from its itineraries, entertainment, food and service, to the elegant, sophisticated and generous public spaces on board. The cruise package on offer by Go Holidays is aboard the 'Saga Rose' and sails via Singapore, Port Kelang, and Colombo. Titled 'The splendours of Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka' this cruise proves to be the ideal rest and relaxation get away for those 50 and above.

Nepal

 

Nepal tourist arrivals rise in November on peace hopes
After three months of fall in the number of arriving tourists, the number of arrivals finally rebounded by almost 7 per cent in November, according to data released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). According to the data, the number of visitors who came to Nepal in November totalled 29,407. An official of the Nepal Tourism Board, said the November tourism arrivals were "very positive" and that the tourism industry was once again gaining momentum. He attributed the rise to the signing of the peace accord between the government and the Maoists earlier this month.
 
 


Bhutan
 
100 years Kingdom of Bhutan
In 1907, after several centuries of divided rule by various influential families, his majesty Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck unified Bhutan under the name of Druk Yul – Land of the Thunder Dragon. The year 2007 will mark 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan. But as the year 2007 is a very inauspicious year according to the Bhutanese calendar it will be only in 2008 that Bhutan will celebrate the 100 years of Kingdom. Many festivals and much revelry have been planned to celebrate this momentous occasion. Visitors to the Kingdom in 2008 will be given a unique opportunity to experience the real Bhutan through the Centenary maxim of “Meet the Bhutanese”. For those yet to experience the magic that is the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2008 presents the perfect opportunity.

For details contact us.
 

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Hotel News


India

Conde Nast Traveller releases the Gold List 2007
The third annual Gold List, which comprises a selection of hotels around the world that have the best service, rooms, food, ambience and design, location and leisure facilities, was recently released by Conde Nast Traveller. In compiling this list, the properties that received the highest ratings in the Readers' Travel Awards 2006 survey are added to the editors' choices and the stand-out qualities for each hotel. The result is the ultimate guide to the world's hotels featuring those establishments which set the Condé Nast Traveller Gold Standard. The following Indian hotels have made it to the list :

  • Best for Food : The Imperial, Delhi
  • Best for Location : The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur & Oberoi Wildflower Hall, Shimla
  • Best for Service : Taj Mahal Palace & Towers, Mumbai
     
Kumarakom Lake Resort declared ‘India’s Leading Resort’
The heritage retreat, Kumarakom Lake Resort has been declared ‘India’s Leading Resort’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2006. A premium heritage retreat that caters primarily to the world’s most discerning travellers, Kumarakom Lake Resort rests by the backwaters of Kerala’s famous Lake Vembanad. The resort attempts to create a perfect union between heritage, luxury and natural beauty. To this end, scores of traditional mansions each over a hundred years old were purchased from all over Kerala and were dismantled from their original locations and reassembled at the resort, to create its fifty-one heritage luxury villas. Guests can opt to stay either in the Heritage Villas, the Meandering Pool Villas or the Presidential Suites. The Meandering Pool Villas are positioned by the banks of a 250-metre-long pool that snakes through the eastern part of the resort, almost down to the waterfront. Each villa door opens out into the pool!
 


IHCL unveils 'Ginger' brand in Pune

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) announced the launch of its GenNext 'Smart Basics' Hotel - 'GINGER' - in Pune. The airport is 8 kms, 30 minutes away and the railway station is 5 kms, 15 minutes away.

Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort, Goa opens on 9th December

Located on Candolim beach, in North Goa, the Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort lies within 2 minutes walking distance from not only the beach but also a quaint assortment of shacks, cafes, curio shops and handicrafts emporia. The resort which has been designed to evoke the poetry, history and romance of 18th century Portuguese Goa, makes extensive use of hand painted tiles, stained glass, mosaic, wrought iron, wood, stone, water and foliage to create an ambience which is both visually stunning and aesthetically soothing. The hotel offers 60 rooms and suites (including five heritage suites housed in a century old Portuguese mansion) which are built along arched loggias, Spanish fountains and palm dotted walkways. The hotel also offers a choice of cuisines: a pool side coffee shop offering an eclectic mix of international favorites and an international/Mediterranean grills restaurant.

Fortune Select Palms opens in Chennai

Fortune Park Hotels marked its entry into Chennai with the opening of Fortune Select Palms, Chennai. Situated at the IT corridor of Chennai, Fortune Select Palms, offers 129 rooms with smart contemporary décor. The hotel is wi-fi enabled and boasts of Zodiac – the 24 hrs Astral Coffee Shop, Oriental Pavilion – which brings you the choicest cuisine from the Far East. It is situated 17 kms from the airport and 14 kms from the railway station.

WelcomHeritage adds property in Agra

An old heritage property has been renovated and added to the Welcomheritage chain. The Grand Imperial offers enough history to keep guests engrossed for days on end. There are special rooms, old mementos, photographs and macho stories of courage and valour that can be recounted over and over again. Located in the heart of the city of Agra, the hot seat of the Mughal Empire, the 100 year old WelcomHerltage Grand Imperial is constructed of biscuit bricks commonly refer red to as Lahori bricks. These were also used in the construction of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. Post World War II, the Imperial Hotel, as was then known, played hosts to distinguished guests such as The Crown Princes of England and Japan, Prince Aga Khan, Shri Moti Lal Nehru, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Jai Prakash Narayan and renowned cinema personalities such as Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and others. The hotel offers 30 rooms & suites.
 
‘Rainforest’ opens
'Rainforest' a boutique resort located at the foot of the Athirapally waterfalls, 55 kms from the international airport at Cochin has opened. Perched on the edge of the luxurious wilderness of the Sholayar Range, Rainforest is a never before experience in nature holidays, offering you the perfect getaway for a weekend of natural delight. Within the breathtaking embrace of the deep forests, a rich and diverse flora & fauna abounds. While some of the species actually live on Rainforest property, others make it a point to pay an occasional visit. Behold the spectacular view of the crashing 80 ft waterfalls from any and every suite at 'Rainforest' .
 


Sri Lanka
 
Amanwella awarded Best New Beach Resort
Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) named Amanwella the Best New Beach Resort Hotel in the Asia-Pacific region at their 17th Annual Travel Awards 2006. Amanwella derives from aman, or 'peace' in Sanskrit, and wella, the Sinhalese name for beach. All 30 suites of this contemporary beachfront resort feature their own private plunge pool and terrace. Amanwella prides itself on being the perfect place to relax, to lounge and to laze – a remote ocean hideaway where the sweet, indolent ‘Art of Doing Nothing’ reigns supreme.
 
 


KumbukRiver - new meaning to eco-tourism

KumbukRiver is probably the world’s largest elephant-like edifice located on the edge of Yala wildlife sanctuary, bordering the lively Kumbukkan Oya at Okkampitiya in Buttala. “This is elephant country. Where peacocks herald the day and elephants roam the nights,” the promoters of this new eco tourism habitat say, adding that there’s nothing quite like this in the world of eco-tourism. Here you find a 40ft tall elephant and those who can afford to stay here will actually get to sleep in its belly. The eco-lodge is full of characteristics and life. The plunge pool just underneath the raised trunk of the elephant itself is unique. It’s covered with Kumbuk, said to offer therapeutic value from a kind of rare wood that can stay submerged in water for a century remaining strong and healthy. What makes KumbukRiver unique is yes, its elephant shape, but, it isn’t the only thing. The entire facility can be reserved for just one touring party, from a single nature-loving person, to a small family or a bigger group of up to 10.
 
Vil Uyana opens
Vil Uyana is the first hotel in Sri Lanka to construct a wetland system with lakes and reed beds. Vil Uyana is constructed with an experience of a village concept with rural traditions. The hotel has been formed with park lands and woodlands. It has abundant wildlife. This luxury hotel is located in Rangirigama, Sigiriya. It is a 4-hour drive from Colombo and 30 minutes by domestic flight. The hotel consists of 25 luxury villas with a private swimming pool, library lounge, spa, gymnasium and the Jala Mandapa (dwelling built over water). The rooms are connected by wooden walkways. Vana Avasa (forest dwellings) are built in the forest. The regeneration of the forest groves gives a feeling of ultimate privacy.
 

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Aviation News


Domestic

India

Jet Airways wins ‘Best Domestic Airline’ award

Jet Airways has won the ‘Best Domestic Airline’ award in Asia-Pacific, fourth time in a row by Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) at their 17th Annual Travel Awards 2006. Consistency in service standards, operational delivery and customer satisfaction have once again helped Jet Airways to win the award. Jet Airways will be taking delivery of 10 Boeing 777s and 10 Airbus 330s in the next 12 months starting April 2007. These wide-body aircrafts will be deployed in the Asian markets and will have state-of-the-art features.

Air Deccan wins “the Best Domestic No Frills Carrier” award
Air Deccan, India’s second largest airline, has won “the Best Domestic No Frills Carrier” award at The Galileo Express Travel World Awards 2006. These awards are instituted by Express Travel World, India’s foremost Travel Business Magazine from the Indian Express Group and their Industry partner Galileo India.
 

Kingfisher Airlines expands network to 23 cities; number of daily flights goes up to 130
Kingfisher Airlines has announced the launch of 58 new flights across 15 new routes, connecting 9 important cities across the length and breadth of India. The cities between which new services have commenced are Varanasi, Pune, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Jammu and Hyderabad. The Airbus A321 is the largest passenger liner in India in domestic aviation and Kingfisher Airlines is the only airline in the country which has three brand new Airbus A321 super liners in its fleet. The fourth A321 aircraft is set to join the fleet.

Jet Airways to launch flights to Bangkok
Jet Airways is launching daily non stop flights between Delhi and Bangkok and Kolkata and Bangkok from 23rd January. The flight from Delhi will depart at 0045 hrs. arriving in Bangkok at 0635 hrs. The flight will leave Bangkok at 1805 hrs. arriving Delhi at 2105 hrs. The flight from Kolkata will depart at 1155 hrs. and arrive in Bangkok at 1615 hrs. The flight will depart Bangkok at 0925 hrs. arriving in Kolkata at 1020 hrs.

Air Deccan opens Ahmedabad's first ever aircraft base, starts daily flights to Coimbatore, brings Pathankot on the aviation map
Air Deccan recently opened up Ahmedabad’s first ever aircraft base and will be operating daily 12 flights in and out of the city to various destinations across the country. The airline has also started daily flights between Ahmedabad and Coimbatore since November 2, 2006. Air Deccan would be operating a fully deployed base with engineering and operational support for the airlines. The base would also have maintenance staff, pilots and cabin crew among others. Air Deccan has also brought Pathankot on the country’s aviation map. It is the first airline to connect Pathankot by air. It has begun its commercial flights from Delhi to Pathankot from 22nd November


Air Deccan connects Imphal to Kolkata, Guwahati and Silchar
Air Deccan now provides connectivity to Imphal. These flights commenced operations on 30th October. The daily flights to Kolkata are via Guwahati and an Airbus 320 has been deployed to serve this route. Daily flights connect Imphal to Silchar and a 48 seater ATR-42 has been deployed on this route. Imphal. The picturesque capital of Manipur, lies in the heart of an oval shaped valley. The nearest railhead is at Dimapur, 215 km away with the bus journey taking 9 hours. With Air Deccan’s affordable connectivity more people can now travel to this fa-flung tourist spot.
Click here for the flight schedule.

Sri Lanka

SriLankan Air Taxi recommences flights to Victoria

SriLankan Air Taxi is once again flying to the Victoria Reservoir in Kandy, one of the most popular destinations in its extensive route network throughout the island. The Reservoir provides easy access to the Victoria Golf & Country Resort, a popular holiday and golfing destination among both Sri Lankans and expatriates. Air Taxi flights to the other destination in Kandy, the Mahaweli River, were re-launched in August. Both sites offer passengers the thrills of a water landing on Air Taxi’s amphibious Turbo Otter aircraft. The 35-minute flights to Kandy have been very popular since passengers can forget the hassle of battling through traffic. The road journey from Colombo to Kandy often takes more than three hours. Flying only a few thousand feet above the ground, far lower than regular jet airliners, passengers get a bird’s eye view of Sri Lanka’s exotic fauna and flora and the beauty of the Indian Ocean.

Nepal

Korean Air launches Flights to Nepal
Korean Air inaugurated a weekly flight to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal on 13th November. Flight KE 695 departs Incheon International Airport in Seoul every Monday at 10:20am, arriving Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport at 2:30pm. Tribhuvan International Airport is the only international airport in Nepal, situated about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the city center in the Kathmandu valley. The return flight KE 696 leaves Kathmandu at 4pm, arriving at Incheon at 12:55 am the next day.

International

Air India awarded Best South Asian Airline Award

Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) named Air India as the Best South Asian Airline in the Asia-Pacific region at their 17th Annual Travel Awards 2006. Singapore Airlines is already in the Hall of Fame having won this award more than 10 times. This award could not have come at a more momentous occasion as 2006 marks the anniversary of Air India’s 75th year of operations. Air India has connected India with South-east Asian destinations for over 50 years.

 

GMG Airlines starts operations from Dhaka to Delhi and Kolkata
GMG Airlines has started daily flights between Dhaka and Kolkata (in addition to the existing three flights weekly between Kolkata and Chittagong) and three flights per week between Dhaka and Delhi from November 9, 2006.
Click here for the flight schedule.

 

World's longest jet to fly in Indian skies
Britain's second-largest long haul airline Virgin Atlantic Airways Tuesday announced the arrival of its maiden Airbus A340-600 flight - the world's longest commercial plane - into India. The A340-600 will operate on the Delhi-London sector. "The A340-600 offers almost 30 percent more seats onboard compared to Virgin Atlantic's current aircraft”, said Joe Thompson, country manager, Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic is the only airline operating the A340-600 in India. At 247-ft (75.3m) long, the A340-600 is longer than any other commercial plane. The aircraft is part of a $4.7 billion order for 25 aircraft, fitted with Rolls Royce Trent 500 engine series.


Eurofly launches direct flights to New Delhi
Eurofly
, Italy’s leading carrier in the leisure market today announced the starting of their operations direct from New Delhi to Rome Fuimicino. The flights would operate 3 times a week and would be effective from January 15, 2007, though the booking starts with immediate effect. The flight will be operated by a new A330, with a configuration of 256 seats in economy and 26 seats in business class.

Flight No. Sector Departure Arrival Days
GJ  970 Rome - Delhi 2200 0950 thrice a week starting from 15th Jan
GJ  971 Delhi - Rome 1250 1705 thrice a week starting from 16th Jan

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Recipe of the month

 
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala is Chicken Tikka in a masala gravy (commonly referred to as a sauce). Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the most popular South Asian dishes in the world. Its popularity has proven so great that almost every Indian restaurant worldwide offers it. It has arguably replaced Tandoori Chicken as the flagship of Indian and South Asian cuisines. Britain's most popular national dish is now chicken tikka masala. Click here to read more...

 
 

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Special Feature of the month


Jaipur Heritage International Festival : 13th – 22nd January 2007

The Jaipur Heritage International Festival is a community initiative, supported by the Governments of India and Rajasthan, motivated individuals and corporate companies designed and programmed to renew & reinvent local culture every year; stimulate arts and crafts based industries & commerce; attract visitors to the region; increase local spending; brand JAIPUR, and promote it across the world. During this festival, the Fabled Pink City of Jaipur and the ancient fort of Amber, attract artists and audiences from India and across the world. Click here to read more...

 
 


 
Ardh Kumbh Mela
The month long Kumbh Mela of Allahabad is one of the largest fairs in the world and is attended by millions of pilgrims from all over India as well as the devout from the world over. Maha Kumbh is held after a gap of twelve years. Ardh Kumbh, which takes place at Sangam. Allahabad - the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswari rivers - after a gap of six years is one of the most important religious events of Hindus. Crores of people from across the country and even foreigners congregate in Allahabad and stay for over a month to take a dip in river Ganges, besides performing other rituals.
Click here to read more...
 

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We are proud of...

 
Shouldering Stability
Deepali Kohli, wife of Rajeev Kohli was featured in a national newspaper for a fitness article. Her story took almost half a newspaper page.





 
 

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Newsletters from the past:
November 2006, October 2006, September 2006, August 2006, June 2006, May 2006, April 2006, March 2006, February 2006, January 2006, November 2005, October 2005, September 2005.

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Contact:
Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd.
Creative Plaza, Nanakpura, Moti Bagh, New Delhi 110021. India.
Tel : 24679192, 26872257-58-59, 26114281     Fax : ++91-11-26885886 / 26889764     Email : creative@travel2india.com
USA Fax: +1-646-349-1614       EUROPE Fax : ++44-20-7681-1242      www.travel2india.com

24 Hours International Emergency Contact Number : +91 - 99 11 266 277
(prefix a "0" before the number if dialing from outside
New Delhi but from within India
)

 

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