>> October 2009    >> Newsletter Archive  

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In this Edition.....

• Special Feature of the month - Rural Olympics Extension Program

• Where you can find us next - World Travel Mart, Pure Life Experiences, EIBTM 2009, ILTM 2009

• Guest Comment of the Month - Find out what our clients have to say about us in this section

• Destination News - Tourism in India has grown steadily despite meltdown, Happy Diwali: Industrial growth surges to 10.4% , India - Now a popular destination for Foreign Film Shoots, World Spice Festival: 06th - 14th November 2009, Three Skydive to Everest Base Camp, Maldives received Runner - up in Favourite Island Award.....all this and more in Destination news

• Hotel News - Ten Indian hotels feature as ‘world’s favourite’ in Expedia Insiders’ Select list, Conde Nast Traveller releases the Gold List 2009, The Winflower Resort - Coorg opens, The ‘O’ Hotel Goa opens, Diva features in Conde Nast Traveler’s ‘Hot List’ 2009......all this and more update on hotels

• Aviation News - Air traffic climbs 31% in Sept, Spa succour at airport, Air India is the official carrier for Commonwealth Games 2010, Sri Lanka carrier boosts Asian routes, Oman Air Takes on Colombo Skies........and more

• Indian Recipe of the month - Tomato Pepper Rasam

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Special Feature of the month......

Rural Olympics Program
In February 2010, an amazing display of sporting events and competition - Indian Village style.
Click here to read more.....

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Where you can find us next.....

To meet us at WTM, London, click here and email us your details   

To meet us at EIBTM, Barcelona, click here and email us your details   

To meet us at ILTM, Cannes, click here and email us your details   

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Guest Comment of the Month.....

We at Creative track guest 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. These are some of them :

Tuesday, March 31, 2009
From - Maverick Fisher 
To - Narayan Singh @ Creative Travel

Dear Mr. Singh,

Please accept my most heartfelt thanks for taking care of my good friends while they were in India. They got back today, and said your company did an excellent job. When I am lucky enough finally to make it to India, I will be in touch. I will also refer you to any and all friends lucky enough to take the trip.

Until then, take care.

Maverick
USA

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Destination News.....

Tourism in India has grown steadily despite meltdown
Tourism in India has grown steadily in the past few years despite rise in world crude oil prices and the global meltdown, but it is yet to see its full potential, Tourism Minister Kumari Selja said. Click here to read more....

Happy Diwali: Industrial growth surges to 10.4%
India's industrial sector seems well on the way to recovery, with data for August released on Monday showing year-on-year growth of 10.4% in output. Click here to read more....

Vacationers chill out after year-long chill
Last year this time, Amit Singh, a twenty-four year old software engineer, was drowning his fears of a job loss in the pubs of Bangalore's Brigade Road. Now, he is headed to Goa to have fun where he may splurge Rs. 25,000 on the shores of the Arabian Sea as he believes his chair is safe in his workplace this time. Click here to read more....

India Inc may see 11% salary hike in 2010
India Inc is expected to witness an average 8% salary increase this year and as much as 50% of companies have strong hiring plans for the next three months, a survey by global HR consultancy Mercer says. Click here to read more....

India - Now a popular destination for Foreign Film Shoots
More than 90 foreign film productions have been cleared for shooting in different locations in India over the last three years. Permission was granted to 22 foreign film productions in 2006, 27 each in 2007 and 2008 and 17 already in 2009. Of these, 33 productions are of UK based organizations, 17 of US origin. The other productions relate to France, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Russia, Georgia, Italy, Israel, Bangladesh and Pakistan among others. Among recent productions was UK titled “Indian Summer”, “Eat Pray Love” from M/s Waveland Pictures Ltd; London, UK featuring Julia Roberts. The Oscar winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” was granted permission in the year 2007 under the original title of “Q&A”. The celebrated movie “A Mighty Heart”, featured at the Cannes Film Festival, was approved for shooting near Pune in 2006 with the star cast of Angelina Jolie among others. Goa, Jaipur, Ludhiana, Pune, Panchmarhi, Mumbai, Thane, Madh Island, Versova, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad are some of the preferred locations for foreign film shoots in India.

'Pretty Woman' Julia Roberts comes to India
It seems Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts' fascination with India has no ending. After enjoying a vacation here earlier this year, the Oscar-winning-actress was back to shoot for her upcoming film Eat, Pray, Love, which is a Brad Pitt production. The actress landed in the capital along with her twins Hazel and Phinnaeus and two-year-old Henry.

Jermaine Jackson in India
For musician Jermaine Jackson, elder brother to the late Michael Jackson, his ongoing visit to Mumbai represents the culmination of a decades-old fascination with India. "India is a part of my life and soul," he explains. "The food I've loved for many years, the unbelievable fashion and the beautiful music are all things I've always admired. It's great to be a part of this wonderful spirit and culture. It's amazing." Here in Mumbai since October 2 to record a song and shoot a music video with long-time friend Adnan Sami, Jackson has already fallen head over heels for the city. "Mumbai is such an incredible city, with this tremendous, unique vibe. I'm having a ball here. It's everything I thought it would be and more," he says. So incredible is Mumbai, in fact, that he's already planning for the city to feature in an upcoming world-wide tour that will commemorate his late brother Michael, who passed away June 25 at the age of 50.

Smart Travellers Poll Kerala as 3rd Best Asian Holiday Destination
A global vote by readers of SmartTravelAsia.com places Kerala as the third best Asian holiday destination. This was revealed in the 2009 Best in Travel Poll by Smart Travel Asia – the region’s only dedicated online travel magazine which puts the spotlight on ‘aspirational” brands and travel trends. India featured strongly in the Best Holiday Destination in Asia category with Kerala ranking third, Goa in sixth and Rajasthan in joint tenth spot. Ranking first in the category was Bali, with 24 percent of the vote followed by Phuket and Maldives in joint second spot.

New Itinerary of Palace on Wheels
The itinerary of Palace on Wheels has been modified keeping in mind the feedback from guests over the years. No cities have been removed. Only the order has been changed. The itinerary effective September 2009 is going to be: Delhi - Jaipur - Sawai Madhopur - Chittorgarh - Udaipur - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Bharatpur - Agra - Delhi.

Veli tourist village gets a timely facelift
The popular Veli tourist village in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram City is currently undergoing a facelift. The efforts would eventually elevate the status of Veli tourist village among destinations in Kerala. As part of the efforts Kerala Tourism is setting up a 325 metre walkway on the Veli beach. This tourist village is one of the rare spots in Kerala, where one can enjoy the beach, besides a lake, landscaped garden, a floating restaurant a swimming pool and rides in the lake. The tourist village is a favourite among people of all age groups.

Three Skydive to Everest Base Camp
Three skydivers made the highest parachute landing at the foot of Mount Everest. Two Britons Leo Dickinson, Ralph Mitchell and Air Commodore Ramesh Chandra Tripathi - jumped from over 6,000 meters in the shadow of the Mt Everest from a helicopter to land at a frozen lake at the Everest base camp, Gorak Shep. Gorak Shep is situated at the height of 5,167 meters. The three skydivers broke the previous record made last year in the same area of the Everest region when skydivers jumped to a drop zone situated at 3,764 meters. This is the first year that the Nepal tourism has opened the Everest zone to skydiving.

Maldives Officially Launches New 7 Wonders of Nature Campaign
Maldives has become one of the official finalists of the “New Seven Wonders of Nature” of the world. Maldives officially launched the campaign at a colourful ceremony held in Male on 03 October, 2009 during the Tourism Day celebrations. This National level campaign will continue in various locations in the Maldives and abroad throughout 2010 and 2011. Maldives is competing as a country against 27 other interesting and fascinating locations of the world to become one of only seven natural wonders to be revealed in 2011. The result of over 1 billion votes will be announced during the Official declaration event in 2011.

Tibet sees record tourism despite restrictions
A record 4.75 million tourists visited Tibet in the first nine months of 2009, more than twice as many as in all of 2008, when unrest led to a ban on foreigners, state media said this week. The local government slashed the cost of holiday packages, hotels and tickets to draw tourists back to the picturesque Himalayan region.

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Hotel News.....

Ten Indian hotels feature as ‘world’s favourite’ in Expedia Insiders’ Select list
Ten Indian hotels have made it to this year’s annual global Expedia Insiders’ Select list of the world’s favourite hotels. Now, in its third year, the annual Expedia Insiders’ Select list represents the extensive range of hotel types offered by Expedia globally. The list represents an easy-to-browse directory of the top 1,000 of over 1,00,000 hotel properties globally offered by Expedia and consists of hotels ranging from boutique to chain properties in a variety of destinations. Arthur Hoffman, Managing Director, Expedia Asia Pacific, said, “The fact that ten Indian hotels have their presence on this year’s Insiders’ Select list confirms our belief that India offers world-class accommodation." The ten hotels that were listed are :

• The Oberoi Grand in Kolkata

• The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

• The Oberoi, Mumbai

• Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi

• Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort, Goa

• The Gateway Hotel Ganges, Varanasi

• The Ambassador Hotel, New Delhi

• Taj Lands End, Mumbai

• Taj President, Mumbai

• Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, Goa

Ananda in the Himalayas & Serena Spa, Devi Garh in the World’s Top 25 in the Conde Nast Traveller’s Reader’s Spa Awards 2009
In the Conde Nast Traveller Reader’s Spa Awards, Ananda in the Himalayas & Serena Spa in Devigarh, Udaipur have been voted among the Top 25 Spas in the World. In another category – “Spa Retreats – Overseas” Ananda in the Himalayas has been ranked in the fourth position.

Conde Nast Traveller releases the Gold List 2009
The fifth 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 2008 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 Ambience / Design : Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

• Best for Facilities : Taj Baghvan, Madhya Pradesh

• Best for Location : Devi Garh, Udaipur & Ananda in The Himalayas

2 Indian hotels feature in Conde Nast Traveler’s ‘Hot List’
Conde Nast Traveler’s “Hot List 2009’' features 2 Indian Hotels. To develop this list, the magazine’s editors checked out hundreds of new properties around the globe, rigorously evaluating each one on a standard set of criteria. To feature in the hot list, a hotel has to care for its guest as well as its looks. The hotels are:

• Aman New Delhi

• Pod Chennai.

Tamara opens in Coimbatore
Aitken Spence Hotels and Resorts has announced the latest addition to its portfolio of hotels in India with the opening of “Tamara” in Coimbatore. Situated in the foothills of the Western Ghats, Tamara is nestled in a fairytale setting. The surroundings of the resort with the panoramic view of the mountains and the water front provide tranquility and spirituality to the guests. Tamara is equipped with eight air-conditioned luxury tents; each with two double beds and an attached bathroom. The next phase will see the addition of 14 air- conditioned cottages. The resort also offers holistic treatments based on traditional Ayurveda. Guests can have the luxury of receiving the treatments either in the comfort of their room or in the private Ayurveda spa.

The ‘O’ Hotel Goa opens
The ‘O’ Goa, located in North Goa on Candolim beach offers 75 rooms with deluxe courtyard rooms facing the garden, facing the water bodies and facing the sea. The suites face the sea shore, with the ultimate presidential suite having its own private pool. The hotel offers rich adining experiences – Harajuku, the only authentic Japanese dining option with “Interactive Open Kitchen” concept in Goa; Kitsch, a multi-cuisine restaurant & Addah the roof top restaurant. Other facilities include the Spa & gym.

Four Points by Sheraton opens in Jaipur
Located in the heart of Jaipur, Four Points by Sheraton Four offers 114 guest rooms, each of which offer simple, uncomplicated convenience and value, including flat screen LCD TVs and High Speed Internet Access. The F&B options include The Eatery, featuring both continental favourites and regional specialties & the Bar Bar, the lounge serving bar menu. Other facilities include the health club, an outdoor pool, spa and steam rooms.

Best Western India launches Best Western Classic Avenue at Thiruvananthapuram
Best Western India has launched its first international hotel brand at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Classic Avenue, the luxurious four-star hotel is well placed at a stones throw away from the city railway station and bus terminal. The centrally air-conditioned and well appointed 65 rooms ranging from suites to standard accommodation are all designed for luxurious and comfortable stay. In every floor separate rooms are specially designed for physically challenged guests. The entire premise is Wi-Fi connected. The service of 24-hours coffee shop, a roof top restaurant, Sizzle 'N' Grill, a multi cuisine restaurant and a bar are available for the guests. Other facilities include a fitness centre & a roof top swimming pool.

Peerless Sarovar Portico, Port Blair opens
Sarovar Hotels has made an entry in the exotic Andaman Island. Nestled in the scenic settings of Corbyn’s Cove, the only beach in Port Blair, Sarovar Hotels has launched Peerless Sarovar Portico. Located within 8 kms from the city, Sarovar Portico offers 50 guest rooms and cottages each offering 24 hours hot & cold running water, room service, LCD television, tea/coffee maker, private mini bar, laundry service and internet connectivity. The rooms with private balconies offer picture perfect views of the expansive sea and the manicured green lawns. The Multi-cuisine restaurant offers Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine while Sea Sip offers a range of cocktails, mocktails and beverages on the menu.

Diva features in Conde Nast Traveler’s ‘Hot List’ 2009
Conde Nast Traveler’s “Hot List 2009’ features Diva in the Maldives. More village than resort, Diva occupies the whole of Didhoonolhu, one of the Maldives' biggest islands. It offers every stylish luxury one might hope for. There is a choice between 87 overwater and 57 beach villas (including 12 with pools), plus a presidential villa with 24-hour butler service. There are six excellent restaurants (seafood, Italian, North African, Indian, South-East Asian and modern Japanese) as well as six bars and a nightclub.

• Best for Ambience / Design : Cocoa Island

• Best for Facilities : Kanuhura

• Best for Food : One & Only Reethi Rah

• Best for Rooms : Soneva Gili & Six Senses Spa

• Best for Service : Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa

Two Maldives Resorts were among the Best Overseas Leisure Hotels
Two Maldives Resorts were among the Best Overseas Leisure Hotels in the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean category in the recently released Conde Nast Travellers Readers Top 100 awards. One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives was ranked at 6th while Soneva Gili by Six Senses, Maldives ranked at 8th receiving a score of 90.66 and 89.56 respectively. In addition, One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives was among the best 10 Spas in Overseas Hotels receiving a score of 86.26.

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Aviation News......

Domestic

Air traffic climbs 31% in Sept
Domestic air traffic was a sharp 31% in Spetember with airlines carrying 3.5 million passengers, marking the second consecutive month of double digit growth, data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) showed. Click here to read more....

Spa succour at airport
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport now boasts of spas, both at its domestic (1D) and international departure terminals. If you are stressed after rushing to catch a flight or have hours to kill for a connecting flight, the spa offers foot reflexology, neck and back massages, facials, pedicures and manicures. Spread over an area of 400 square feet, the spa is located in the security hold area, where passengers wait for the boarding call after going through security checks. Click here to read more....

IndiGo announces launch of flights from Dibrugarh to Kolkata and New Delhi
IndiGo has announced the launch of Dibrugarh as a new destination The new round trip services will be between Dibrugarh-Kolkata and Dibrugarh-New Delhi (via Kolkata). Click here for the flight schedule....

Spicejet launches new connections
Spicejet has introduced new connections on Kolkata- Srinagar-Kolkata & Kolkata-Varanasi-Kolkata sectors. Click here for the flight schedule....
 

International

Air India is the official carrier for Commonwealth Games 2010
Air India was designated as the official carrier of the Commonwealth Games 2010 earlier this month. The airline is mulling to run special charter services to accommodate visitors and sportspersons during the mega event next year. The airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to be the official carrier during the Games, which is scheduled to be held between October 3 and 14, 2010. Air India has become the first company to be associated with the Commonwealth Games.

Kingfisher Airlines launches Mumbai - Singapore Flights
Kingfisher Airlines will operate daily flights between Singapore and Mumbai. Click here for the flight schedule....

Air China promotes route over Mt Everest
Air China says it has seen a huge increase in Chinese tourists visiting Nepal. There are now 70 times more Chinese tourists visiting the country than in 2002, the year that Nepal became a tourist destination for Chinese people, the airline said. Air China is the only airline with flights between Lhasa, Tibet, and Kathmandu, Nepal - a route that offers extensive views of Mount Everest. Click here to read more....

Sri Lankan airlines launches flights to Paris, Rome & Frankfurt
Sri Lankan airlines has launched twice-weekly Colombo-Paris-Rome and Colombo-Frankfurt-Rome circuit flights. Click here for the flight schedule....

Finnair launches daily New Delhi Flights
Finnair, which first launched flights to Delhi in October 2006, has today increased the flights to daily. Thanks to Helsinki's geographical location on the great circle route, the flight time to Delhi is only 6 hours 30 minutes. "Our route is the shortest between the EU and India, so it has found wide interest amongst travellers," said Petteri Kostermaa, Vice President, Networks Strategy and Planning. Click here for the flight schedule....

Etihad Airways to Launch Flights to Hyderabad
Etihad Airways is to boost its Indian flying programme with the addition of Hyderabad to its global network. The Abu Dhabi-based airline will become the first airline to operate flights between its home base and the state capital of Andhra Pradesh, when it launches its non-stop, four times a week service from November 2009. The service will become daily from the start of 2010. Etihad will operate a two class Airbus A320 on the new Hyderabad route configured to carry 140 passengers with 20 in business class and 120 in economy class. Click here for the flight schedule....

Sri Lanka carrier boosts Asian routes
Sri Lankan Airlines will add one flight a week to its current thrice-weekly Hong Kong-Bangkok-Colombo service from October 27. Click here for the flight schedule....

SriLankan - thrice weekly flights to Tokyo
SriLankan Airlines has made flying to Japan easier with three direct non-stop flights to Tokyo every week from Colombo. SriLankan’s flights now operate on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Click here for the flight schedule....

Oman Air Takes on Colombo Skies
The newest entrant to take on Sri Lankan skies, Oman Air will begin operations in early October with daily flights to Colombo, with convenient connections to the Gulf, Middle East and Europe. Click here for the flight schedule....

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Indian Recipe of the month......

Tomato Pepper Rasam (Rasam Soup)
Tomato Pepper Rasam is a fat free sweet and sour delicious appetizer. It can be served with rice, chappatis or just plain. Click here to read the recipe......
 

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Newsletters Archive.....

September 2009, August 2009, July 2009, May 2009, April 2009, March 2009, February 2009, January09, December 08, November 2008, October 2008, September 2008, August 2008, July 2008, June 2008, May 2008, April 2008, March 2008, February 2008, January 2008, November 2007, October 2007, August 2007, July 2007, June 2007, May 2007, March 2007, February 2007, January 2007, December 2006, 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 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     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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