October 2013

Rajeev Kohli
Joint Managing Director

Dear Industry Colleagues:

For eight years, "Creatively Yours" has been going out to over 30,000 travel industry professionals around the world with the objective to keep you informed of the happenings in the world of Incredible India and its neighbours.

Welcome to the Celebration Issue of "Creatively Yours". Today, I write this edition of Creatively Yours with a heart & head swollen with pride.

As we enter the festival period of Diwali (see below), the entire Creative family does so with great joy and satisfaction of being the best of the best. It has been a tremendous start of the month for Team Creative. We won, not one, not two but three global awards in a span of 72 hours for our excellence in service delivery across the region.

You can read more about these below.

As a company, we are many things to many people. Some like us for our work in the premium travel market, others for our work on incentives. Some appreciate our handling of difficult clients while others our simplicity and grace. But the one common thread that holds us together is our heritage, our ideals and the foundations on which we stand that we are so very proud of......

What our team has achieved is due to its hard work and dedicated focus on bringing our partners the best the Indian sub-continent has to offer. We may be a company, we may have our corporate policies & strategies, but at the end of the day we are one thing that will never change.....we are a family. A family of the Kohlis, a family of our employees, a family of our partners & well wishers around the world.

We are what we are today because of the support of all of you. We dedicate this issue of "Creatively Yours" to you, whether you work with us or not, for we all have one thing in common, we work in an industry that is driven with a passion to creating memories and spreading smiles.

Thank you :-)

www.travel2india.com
 www.creative.travel

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Creative wins 3 prestigious global awards

On October 1, at a glittering ceremony in Dubai. Creative Travel is proud to have been awarded as "Asia's Leading Destination Management Company" (which we also won in 2012) and "India's Leading Destination Management Company" (which we also won in 2012 & 2011) at the 2013 World Travel Awards Ceremony. Hailed as "The Oscars of the Travel Industry, World Travel Awards celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year and is acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade, and aims to celebrate those brands that are pushing the boundaries of industry excellence. The award ceremony was attended by over 300 industry leaders and dignitaries from all over Asia and the Pacific. A packed delegation of VIPs, senior tourism figures and international media travelled from 42 nations to attend the event at new Anantara Resort in Dubai. You can see a video from the event here.

On October 3, in Bangkok, before an equally illustrious audience of tourism leaders from across Asia-Pacific, for the third time we were voted by the readers of TTG publications as the "Best Travel Agency in India" at the 24th Annual TTG Travel Awards 2013. The TTG Travel Awards has been recognising the best of Asia-Pacific's travel industry since 1989.TTG Travel Awards not only serves a benchmark for high standards across the industry but also as a trajectory for the travel industry's advancements. The TTG Travel Agent Awards recognizes the Best Travel Agent in its respective category in terms of Professionalism and excellence in staff and Best value-added services to client. This prestigious annual event honours stellar organisations and individuals in 4 categories: Travel Supplier, Travel Agency, Outstanding Achievement and Travel Hall of Fame. This TTG Travel Trade Publishing event is proudly organised by TTG Asia, with the support of TTG India, TTG China, TTGmice, TTG-BTmiceChina and TTG Asia Luxury.

TTG Travel Awards 2013

World Travel Awards 2013

World Travel Awards 2013

The day is spent in anticipation of the evening Puja or prayer rituals after which small clay lamps (or Deep in Sanskrit) are filled with clarified butter oil are lighted and the entire house is lit up by these lamps, the modern generation also uses fairy lights & other electric devices to light up the night. Everyone wears new clothes and visit family and friends. Later everyone assembles with friends and neighbors to burst crackers. Many business men close their ledgers and start fresh ones on Diwali, gambling is also considered auspicious though only among family & friends. Newly wed couples get extra attention as the new lady in the house is considered to be a spiritual representation of the goddess Laxmi. Though celebrated all over India, Udaipur has the most spectacular views of the celebrations reflected on the lake, followed closely by Jaipur and Delhi.

We as an industry have been working on easing visa regulations for incoming travellers for a long time now. A report in the press earlier this week seems to indicate that the hard work has paid off. The government has cleared a slew of measures including extending visa on arrival (VoA) to 40 countries, establishing an online application system for visas and facilitating visa on arrival for pensioners and those attending conferences. Read more...

The recently-restored Humayun's Tomb is the largest conservation initiative in independent India and the only one undertaken by the non-governmental organisation, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Kareena N Gianani meets its project director, Ratish Nanda, who tells her how the structure was conserved with an Indian sensibility and how it has created skilled manpower for future initiatives of similar scope and scale. Read more...

The Department of Tourism, Andaman & Nicobar Administration (ANA) is working towards positioning the Union Territory as an all-season destination, rather than just a winter destination. The tourism board plans to go about the same by promoting the destinations' fairs and festivals throughout the year. Read more...

Recently it was an important day for the state forest department as a special cover on tigress T-16, also known as Machhli, was released. The postal department will carry the picture of this Ranthambhore National Park's tigress on its envelope. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot released the special cover. In a few months, a postal stamp will also be released on Machhli. Tourism and wildlife minister Bina Kak shed light on why Machhli was chosen for the special cover. Read more...

The festival is celebrated for two days with utmost fun and enthusiasm. This year Matsya Festival is going to enthrall the locals and visitors on October 12 and 13, 2013. People from all over Rajasthan as well as outside come to attend this unique festival in Alwar. You would find local women in traditional attire, folk artistes and police band. An exhibition on the archaeological heritage of the city, sightseeing tour, a one-hour slide show on the important monuments, trekking and a race of paddle boats would be major highlights of the festival.

One can see passion, devotion and enthusiasm of the people with which they indulge in the festive activities of the Navratri season. Devotees from different regions celebrate the festival in different ways, according to their rituals but the thoughts and devotion behind the celebration of Navratri are the same.

The hotel group has announced the signing of seven new hotels under the brand. Radisson Blu, Radisson and Country Inns & Suites by Carlson hotels. The group will also strengthen its presence in gateway cities like Shanghai, as well as emerging cities and leisure destinations such as Noida and Gorai Island in Mumbai, India. Read more...

Starwood Hotels & Resorts will add two hotels in India under its five- star brand brands Aloft in Bangalore and New Delhi by the next year. It is a part of its global expansion plan of opening 17 hotels by year end.

Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said, "From the start, Aloft has been an industry game-changer that has turned the specialty select category on its head. With its design-led focus, accessible new technologies and buzzing social scene, Aloft delivers exactly what the next generation traveler wants now. The fact that we can deliver this all at an affordable price point, in more and more markets each year, has helped fuel the brand's worldwide growth."

Marriott International is now targeting the flourishing mid-scale market and its first hotel will come in Bangalore in October. This hotel group will introduce its Fairfield brand to the market closely followed by Ritz Carlton in the same city. The company is planning to add 48 hotels in the next three to four years across brands. Currently the hotel chain operates 23 properties in India. To support its upcoming expansion plans, the company is planning to add over 4,000 employees to the current strength of 6,000 over the next three years.

The Fairfield brand operates in the budget segment globally, but has been pegged a notch above in India because of additional features added to suit the Indian customers. For instance, unlike the self-help breakfast facility in most countries, Fairfield would have a restaurant, a banquet space and also offer pre-packaged food delivery' for its guests. The company plans to open 12 more Fairfield hotels in India by 2016-17.

Replacing Bani Park's Golden Tulip is the nine-year-old home-grown brand, Lemon Tree Hotels. The company, which currently owns 21 hotels and is managing some more across 14 Indian cities, officially opened its Premier brand in the city last week.

The hotel has three new restaurants with quirky names Slounge (a recreational bar), Citrus Cafe(a 24-hour restaurant serving Indian, European, American and pan Asian dishes) and The Republic of Noodles. While the Republic of Noodles will open in a month, Slounge and Citrus Cafe are already serving some delicious fare.

Besides, there are five special rooms only for women, which have added facilities like a jewellery box, a soft toy, weighing scale, on-call foot massages and heightened CCTV coverage.

And, with a brand new spa and fitness centre also set to open soon, along with a terrace eatery specializing in kebabs, the hotel hopes to be a reasonable go-to city place.

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of its first hotel in Bengaluru. The luxury 5-star property features 297 rooms and suites, including an ultra-luxurious Presidential Suite. The JW Marriott Bengaluru offers guests an unforgettable experience of contemporary and approachable luxury with spacious guestrooms, stylish lounges, world-class restaurants and a wellness center that includes state-of-the-art fitness equipment and a luxurious spa.

"JW Marriott Bengaluru reflects the sophistication and elegance travellers have come to expect from the JW Marriott brand. Our offerings suit the refined tastes of our international and domestic guests. Our operations in Bengaluru are an integral part of our growth strategy and we hope to set a benchmark of excellence in service with the JW Marriott Bengaluru," said Rajeev Menon, Area Vice President - South Asia, Marriott International.

Fortune Park Hotels Ltd., has further expanded its portfolio of hotels with the opening of the brand's 41st hotel, Fortune Select Grand Ridge' in Tirupati. Speaking on the occasion, Suresh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Fortune Park Hotels, said, "We are extremely happy to announce our 2nd hotel in the holy city of Tirupati which draws millions of tourists and devotees from all over the country and across the world. As part of our expansion plans, Fortune would be opening at least five to six new properties under its various brands in the current Financial Year. On the anvil are two new hotels opening in Manesar and Ghaziabad taking the total number of properties in Delhi NCR to seven."

With the flagging of this hotel Fortune now has 69 alliances, 5335 rooms across 54 cities, out of which 41 hotels are operational.

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's leading hotel companies and India's leading premier real estate developer Omaxe, have signed an agreement for the new-build Holiday Inn New Chandigarh Sector 4B. The hotel will add to IHG's strong pipeline of properties of the Holiday Inn brand family, which represent 85% of the hotel group's growth in India. Read more...

The first Greenfield airport in Sikkim at Pakyong will be completed by December 2014, which will provide air connectivity to the land locked state, Bhim Prasad Dhungel, Minister for Tourism, Government of Sikkim said yesterday, the PTI reported.

The Pakyong airport, being built at an altitude of 4,700 feet, will be one of the five highest airports in India. The reinforcement wall on the project is 80 metre in height, which is one of the tallest reinforcement walls in the world, Dhungel told Dr K Chiranjeevi, Minister of State with Independent Charge for Tourism, Government of India, in New Delhi, official sources said. He said that construction work on the Rs 300-crore airport being constructed by Airports Authority of India on 200 acre land is in full swing and added that operation of flights from the airport will be commissioned by March 2015.

Tata deal to see development of new Delhi-based full-service carrier
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has unveiled plans to launch a new airline in India.
The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian conglomerate Tata Sons and submitted an application with the country's Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to establish the new full-service carrier. Read more...

SpiceJet Ltd will launch direct flights between Benglauru and Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, on October 27, 2013, the airline said in a statement. The airline is offering an introductory fare of just Rs 7,999/- one way (inclusive of all taxes) on the route, the booking for which is now open.

With this flight, SpiceJet will be the only low-cost airline in India to connect Bengaluru and Bangkok. The airline will be deploying its New Generation Boeing 737-800 (189 seater aircraft) on this route. Bangkok will be the tenth international destination of SpiceJet. Flight SG 91 will depart Benglauru Airport at 03.35am every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and the return flight, SG 92, will arrive in Benglauru at 10.35pm.

Tashi Air, operating as Bhutan Airlines, the first privately-owned airline in Bhutan, will launch its international operations with flights between Paro and Bangkok on October 10, 2013, stated a release. The direct flights will initiate in Bangkok, where the airline's A320 aircraft will be based. The aircraft offers 150 seats with a configuration of economy class and premium class. The economy class fares start at USD 720(round trip) and USD 360 (one-way), and USD 800 (round trip) and USD 400 (one-way) for premium class seats.

During the first month of operation, Tashi Air will offer promotional discount fares, including 90 per cent for infants, 33 per cent for children, and 30 per cent for students. The airline may also launch flights via Kolkata and Bagdogra in the coming months.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will increase options for travel to and from India by introducing more flights and wide-bodied jets by the end of this year, and further increases and new routes next year, subject to regulatory approval.

The airline plans to more than triple the number of seats it now offers on the prime Abu Dhabi Mumbai and Abu Dhabi New Delhi routes from November 1, stated a release. This move reflects the growing importance of Indian market for the national carrier of UAE.

Enriching the expanded schedules will be new connection opportunities between Etihad's global network and its expanded Indian services, via the airline's Abu Dhabi hub. James Hogan, President and CEO, Etihad Airways, said, "India is one of the world's fastest-growing destinations, and a key market in the growth strategy of Etihad Airways.

Etihad Airways will increase its Abu Dhabi-Kathmandu service from seven flights per week to a double daily schedule from 1 November, 2013. The additional flights build on the success of the existing service, driven by the demand from business and leisure travellers and will strengthen the already strong ties between Nepal and the UAE.

The new services will be operated by A320 aircraft fitted with 16 Pearl Business Class seats and 120 Economy Class seats. The double daily services enhance the connectivity over the airline's Abu Dhabi hub to key destinations in Europe, Middle East and GCC.

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.....