india | nepal | bhutan | sri lanka | tibet | maldives

May 2014

Rajeev Kohli
Joint Managing Director

Dear Industry Colleagues:

This week, India got a new government for the first time in close to 30 years, we have a resounding verdict that has brought in a non coalition government to lead the country. 553 Million people voted over a 6 week period to make this change. This is a tremendous turning point not only for us, but for the world, given India's economic prowess. The new Prime Minister has already changed paradigms
by combining ministries for a leaner and swifter government. The Indian Rupee has already appreciated by a decent bit in this past week and we expect the Rupee to get even stronger. Great news for imports, but will impact prices for inbound travellers who will likely see higher rates in the later half of the year.

With the low summer season on us, we have created on some special options for industry professionals to come and visit India. Under our 2014 "Be our Guest" program, we have some exciting options at very special prices. Ask us for details. We are also working on some special low season pricing that will allow you to position the region more aggressively.

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.

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. Enjoy this issue of our award winning newsletter.  

Take care

Have a Creative Day! Rajeev
Creative News Destination News Hotel News Aviation News
India Association of Tour Operators (IATO) elections declare a sweeping victory for the moving forward team
read more
Lakshadweep to open three uninhabited islands for tourists...
read more
The Leela Palace New Delhi named among India’s Best Hotels for Women Traveller
read more
Cathay Pacific to start double daily non-stop flights from Delhi to Hong Kong from March 31 read more

 

www.travel2india.com
 
www.creative.travel

Connect with us on


  top
In this Edition....
 
         
Where you can find us next...
         
 
 
         
Creative News .....
         
    Rajeev Kohli re-elected as Vice President of IATO

In a closely contested election of the Managing Committee of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Rajeev Kohli as a key office-bearer of the outgoing Managing Committee was retained for another three-year term. Total 262 IATO members casted their vote (82 %) to elect their leaders to lead the association for next two years.

 
         
Festival Alert.....
         
 

 

  Teej Festival 2014 30 Jul 2014-31 Jul 2014

The Teej festival is celebrated throughout Rajasthan and welcomes the coming of the monsoon season. The locals of Rajasthan celebrate the Teej festival immensely because the monsoons bring an end to the heat and are beneficial for the growth of crops, thus, providing a good season for rural farmers. The festival also symbolizes happiness in marriage because Teej commemorates on the day the Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva were reunited after a 100 years. Celebrated by mostly women, the images and idols of Parvati or “Teej Mata” are decorated in colourful clothes and exquisite jewellery. These idols and images are then taken out in ceremonies lead by wonderfully decorated elephants, camels and chariots.
Young girls and women dress up in colourful attire and join these processions to catch a glimpse of the images of Parvati. Girls that are engaged to be married, receive a numerous amount of gifts from their in-laws on this day such as dresses, henna, bangles and sweets.

 
      top  
Destination News.....
      India  
         
    India to open 7 new visa centres in Malaysia

India will open seven new visa centres in Malaysia by the end of this month to support a recently implemented rule requiring travellers to apply for visas in person in order to capture their biometric data.

New centres are expected to come up in Ipoh, Malacca, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu, Klang, Kuching and Kuantan, in addition to the existing centres in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang. read more...

 
         
    Lakshadweep to open three uninhabited islands for tourists

Lakshadweep has decided to open three uninhabited islands exclusively for tourists after building beach resorts and water sports facilities. Each of these tiny islands occupy an area of about 40-50 hectares of land and is devoid of any human settlement so far, but have glistering silver sand beaches and abundant marine life, coral reefs in particular. "They are completely virgin and serene islands and that is why they will be so special for tourists who are looking for exclusivity in their trip. The charm of staying here would be unparalleled," Hussain said. The sandy beaches have clear and unpolluted water, unlike other beaches of India. The Union Territory's Tourism Department will build resorts here on a PPP (public-private-partnership) model, the tenders for which will be out in the next few months. read more...

 
         



top
Hotel News.....
      India  
         
    The Leela Palace New Delhi named among India’s Best Hotels for Women Travellers

The Leela Palace New Delhi has been voted among the Best Hotels For Women Travellers in India by the readers of Travel + Leisure India and South Asia. The third edition of the India’s Best Awards 2013 by Travel + Leisure India & South Asia honoured the best in the regional travel and hospitality, as per a release. read more...

 
         
    Hilton Worldwide opens 2nd Bengaluru property

Hilton Worldwide and Hilton Hotels & Resorts has unveiled Hilton Bangalore Residences. The upscale, full-service hotel is strategically located within the Embassy Golf Links Business Park, the hub of several Fortune 500 companies. Hilton Worldwide forayed into Bengaluru earlier this year, with the launch of DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore. read more...

 
         
    First Radisson Hotel opens in Hyderabad

Radisson Hyderabad opened its doors on April 1, 2014 to welcome guests visiting Hyderabad. It is the first Radisson hotel in Hyderabad and the sixth Radisson property in India for Carlson Rezidor. Radisson Hyderabad Hitec City has 202 guestrooms and it is easy to unwind after a long day with its contemporary and soothing décor and24-hour room service. read more...

 
         
    Citrus Hotels and Resorts adds five new hotels  

Citrus Hotels and Resorts, the hospitality division of the Mirah Group, has brought five new Hotels in Chennai, Bengaluru, Manali, Sriperumbudur and Amritsar under its fold. While Chennai, Manali and Sriperumbudur are running hotels, the other two are expected to open in the next few months. read more..

 
         
    First Radisson Blu hotel in Udaipur to open in May

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has signed an agreement with Rockwood Hotels & Resorts for Radisson Blu Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa, to open in May this year.
Simon C Barlow, president, Asia-Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said: "We are aggressively growing our presence and reinforcing our leadership position as the largest international hotel group in India. Radisson Blu Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa is an outstanding property and will be a great addition to our fast-expanding portfolio in India, where we now have 66 hotels in operation and 41 in development."
The 240-key hotel is situated on the banks of Fateh Sagar Lake in Ambamata, close to the city centre and less than an hour’s drive from the airport.

It also offers facilities such as an outdoor swimming pool, a lawn tennis court, a spa, a fitness centre and four F&B options – an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, lobby bar and lounge and poolside bar. Radisson Blu Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa will also offer 544m2 of meeting space, inclusive of a pillarless ballroom that can accommodate up to 450 people.
 

 



top
Aviation News......





      India  
         
    Air India to join Star Alliance in July 2014  

Star Alliance has said that Air India Ltd. will formally join the alliance in July 2014 and will become the first Indian airline to do so. "Air India has completed 45 of the 64 requirements already and the remaining will be completed this month," said Rohit Nandan, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India. read more...

 
         
    SriLankan Airlines becomes first carrier from Indian subcontinent to join a global airline alliance

Amid a huge ceremonial gathering today at South Asia’s newest international airport, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota, SriLankan Airlines signed an agreement with oneworld, and will officially become a member of the airline alliance from May 1, 2014. Offering the complete range of services and benefits of the world’s fastest growing and highest rated global airline alliance, SriLankan Airlines thus becomes the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to join a global airline alliance, and completes oneworld’s biggest expansion programme since the alliance was launched 15 years ago. read more...

 
         
    Cathay Pacific to start double daily non-stop flights from Delhi to Hong Kong from March 31

Cathay Pacific Airways announced that it will offer double daily non-stop flights from Delhi to Hong Kong from March 31, 2014. The first flight from Delhi will arrive at Hong Kong International Airport at 0700 hrs and the second flight at 0925 hrs, giving passengers seamless connections to destinations such as North America, Australia, Japan, Korea, China and the Philippines offered by Cathay Pacific and its sister airline, Dragonair. Both non-stop services are operated by Cathay Pacific’s fleet of A330 aircraft featuring the airline’s award winning Business Class seat, new Premium Economy cabin and the refreshed Economy class seat.

 
         
    Jet Airways enhances Mumbai-Kathmandu frequency  

Jet Airways has announced the introduction of a second daily frequency from Mumbai to Kathmandu with the introduction of a second daily Boeing 737 flight, effective 30 March 2014. The new Jet Airways morning service, flight 9W 268 will depart Mumbai daily at 0805 hrs and arrive Kathmandu at 1100 hrs (Local Time). On the return, flight 9W 267 will depart Kathmandu at 1200 hrs (LT) and arrive in Mumbai at 1440 hrs (LT), providing onward connection on the airline’s network to domestic and international destinations.
This new service will complement the daily flight being operated between these two destinations by Jet Airways. Jet Airways will be the only private airline to fly twice daily return flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Kathmandu.

 
         
    AirAsia to begin flights to Visakhapatnam

Air Asia will commence thrice-weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to the port city of Visakhapatnam this October. Speaking to the media during a meeting with Air Travellers Association in Bengaluru, AirAsia India’s general manager, Suresh Nair, said that Visakhapatnam has excellent potential because of its status as an industrial hub and busy port, proximity to significant Buddhist sites, and imminent investment in tourism development. K Vijay Mohan, director of Holiday World Visakhapatnam, said: "Increased connectivity with South-east Asia will add inbound and outbound tourist flows, and such flights could help the destination to grow by 30 to 40 per cent annually. The beach resorts and golf courses in Visakhapatnam, in addition to Buddhist heritage sites, are a definite draw." Nair added that depending on the success of the route, the LCC may run flights between Bangkok and other Indian destinations too. SilkAir currently operates four-times-weekly Singapore-Visakhapatnam flights and Air India connects the city to Dubai. Carriers such as Air Arabia and SriLankan Airlines are awaiting the Indian government’s permission to launch flights to Sharjah and Colombo respectively.

 
         
    British Airways brings its first Dreamliner to Hyderabad

British Airways’ 85 years of rich legacy in India witnessed the grand arrival of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Hyderabad. British Airways’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft touched down at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad last week. This collaboration signifies rich legacy, commitment and success in the Indian market.

 
         
    Etihad Airways’ inaugural flight to Jaipur touched down

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, recently commenced daily operations between Jaipur and Abu Dhabi. A traditional lamp lighting ceremony greeted the disembarking passengers at Jaipur to celebrate the new service and the airline’s tenth destination in India.

Craig Thomas, Etihad Airways’ Regional General Manager-Asia Pacific North and Indian Subcontinent, said: "The addition of the Jaipur service reinforces Etihad Airways’ commitment to the Indian Subcontinent. We are confident that the newflights will continue the strong passenger growth between Indiaand the UAE.

 
         
         
      top  
Indian Recipe of the month......
         
 

  Vegetable Pakoras

Vegetable Pakora is an extremely scrumptious light snacks It is very easy to prepare and hardly takes half an hour to be ready to be served. Click here to read the recipe.....

 
top
Newsletters Archive.....
     
  Click here to visit the 'Creatively Yours' Newsletter Archive.....  
top
Contact Us......
     
  Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd.
Creative Plaza, Nanakpura, Moti Bagh, New Delhi 110021. India.
Tel: 24679192, 26872257-58-59, 26114281     Fax: +91-11-26885886 / 26889764
USA Fax: +1-646-349-1614       Europe Fax : +44-20-7681-1242
Email: creative@travel2india.com       Website: www.travel2india.com; www.creative.travel

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
)
 
top
Contact Us......
 
  You may contact us or our any nearest regional sales office.  
 

Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd.
Creative Plaza
Nanakpura, Moti Bagh
New Delhi 110021. INDIA
Tel : +91-11-24679192, 26872257-58-59
Fax : ++91-11-26885886 / 26889764
USA Fax: +1-646-349-1614
Europe Fax : ++44-20-7681-1242
Website : www.travel2india.com
Click here to e-mail us

Creative Travel Lanka (Pte) Ltd.
Level 06, Hemas House
75, Braybrooke Place
Colombo 02, Sri Lanka
Tel : +94-11-200006
Fax : +94-11-2300003/4
Website : www.travel2srilanka.com
Click here to e-mail us

Creative Travel Nepal (CTN)
5th Floor, Yeti Airlines Building
P.O. Box 7202
Tilganga,Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: (977-1) 4486412, 4486413
Fax: (977-1) 4465940
Click here to e-mail us

Our Regional Sales teams...

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay & Uruguay
for all travel products

Argentina
Rosina Gomes De Freitas

Creative Travel / Avant Garde Deluxe
argentina@creative.travel
rosina@avantgardeluxe.com.br

Brazil
Sidney Alonso
Jeverson Zanini
Creative Travel / Avant Garde Deluxe
R. Gabriele D'Annunzio, 1409 #101
Sao Paulo - SP - 04619-005
Brazil
Phone: +55 11 8111-2221
Email: brazil@creative.travel
salonso@avantgardedeluxe.com
wsoares@avantgardedeluxe.com.br
Chile
for all travel products


Claudia Pasten
Creative Travel / Agunsa Chile
Av. Andrs Bello 2687, Piso 15
Edificio del Pacfico
Casilla 2511, Santiago
Tel : (56-2) 4602700
Email: chile@creative.travel






 
Europe
for all travel products


Hanna Manuel
Creative Travel /
Assert Management
Mereldreef 101, B-3140 Keerbergen
BELGIUM
Telephone: +32 15 230 547
Facsimile: +32 15 230 549
Email: hannamanuel@creative.travel
SalesMarketingEurope@skynet.be




 
Germany

Anja Dickmann-Schler
Stefanie Buck

Creative Travel /
Tourism Marketing Communication
Fischtorplatz 17
55116 Mainz
Tel: +49-6131-600 7075
Fax: +49-6131-600 7376
Email: germany@creative.travel
adickmann-schueler@tmc-agentur.de sbuck@tmc-agentur.de
Mexico
for all travel products


Mauricio Gonzalez Liceaga
Ofelia Barrios
Creative Travel /
Presidente CWW Mexico
Luz Savinon 9-301
Col. Del Valle
Mexico DF 03100
Tel: +52 55 3330 5100
Mobile: +52 155 1474 9009
Email: mexico@creative.travel
mauricio_gonzalez@connect-worldwide.com
Peru
for all travel products

Carla Beuno
Creative Travel / Agunsa Peru
Agencias Universales Peru S.A.
Av. Nestor Gambeta 5502, Las 200
Millas, Callao
Tel: (51-1) 619-0300
Email: peru@creative.travel
Philippines
for all travel products

Marilen Dinglasan

Mobile: + 63 -9178430367
Email: manila@creative.travel
manila@travel2india.com
marilen_ding@yahoo.com
Poland
for all travel products

Barbara Dziedzic
Creative Travel/TravelReps
17 Podwale Street, ste 10
00-252 Warsaw, Poland
Mobile: +48 603 857 571
Email: bd@travelreps.pl
poland@creative.travel 

 
Russia
for all travel products

Tatiana Pylaeva

Creative Travel / Destico
Sadovnicheskaya street, 5,
Office 4-3
Moscow, 115035
Tel.: +7 9031367939
Email: russia@creative.travel
tanyapylaeva@destico.ru
Spain & Portugal
for all travel products

Diana Alvarez
Lourdes Porredon

Creative Travel /
Bitacora's Tourism Services
Mov.: +34 676365062
Email: Diana - madrid@creative.travel
Lourdes - barcelona@creative.travel
South Africa

Heidi Angell-Schau
Creative Travel / WorldView
11 Dale Minor Balder Road, Douglasdale, 2161
Johannesburg
South Africa
cell: +27 82 786 9229
heidi@worldview.co.za
southafrica@creative.travel
UK
Incentive & Meetings specialist


Susan Scales
Mercedes Conde-Nieto

Creative Travel / GMC Marketing
Global House
152 Motspur Park
London KT3 6PF, Surrey
UK
Telephone: +44-208-949-1234
Fax: +44-208-949-3456
Email: susanscales@creative.travel
susan@gmc.uk.com
sales@gmc.uk.com
UK
for all travel products


Gill Webb
Mark Schmitt
Creative Travel
The Old Church 89B
Quicks Road
Wimbledon, London
SW19 1EX
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8545 2617
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8545 2604
Email: london@creative.travel
gill@sandraleach.co.uk                                mark@sandraleach.co.uk
USA

Andrea Kubon
T: (+1 516) 209 7736
A.K.A Destinations
7A Jefferson Street
Port Washington, NY, 110050

andreakubon@creative.travel
 
 
 

This is a formatted HTML email. If you receive it in a unreadable / garbled form, please let us know. 
To keep the message size low, some images are linked to the internet and would show only when you are on-line.
If you would like to be removed from this mailing, please follow instructions at the bottom.
This mailing is going out to individuals we have met over the years or to people whose names have been
obtained from various lists provided to us by various trade shows. We do not mean to be intrusive to anyone.

 

Creative Travel, travel2india . com, The Guru of Destination Management and all associated logos and motifs are registered trade marks of Creative Travel.