April - May 2003

LATEST UPDATES ON INDIAN TOURISM, HOTELS, AIRLINES, DESTINATIONS, ETC

 

AIRLINES UPDATE

AIR-INDIA ADDS FOURTH FREQUENCY TO NEWARK SERVICE: Air-India has added a fourth frequency to its Newark (New Jersey) - India service via Paris from April 6, 2003. Air-India had introduced three services a week on this sector from December 2002 and heavy load factors have encouraged the airline to add another flight. Air-India has a daily service a week from JFK to India and three flights a week from Chicago.

 

SRI LANKAN AIRLINES ADDS COCHIN TO ITS NETWORK: Sri Lankan Airlines, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka launched services to Kochi (Cochin) its 8th destination in India, on April 22nd. The airline will flies its Airbus A320 every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from Kochi to Colombo. Sri Lanka is the 4th largest tourism generating country for India. Last year, India was Sri Lanka’s biggest and fastest growing market in terms of leisure travellers. The island has proved to be a popular holiday destination with Indians.

 

KOREAN AIR OPERATES CHARTERS FOR HYUNDAI: Korean Air has been operating charters from Pusan in South Korea to Madras (Chennai) for Hyundai. It has been carrying around 2,500 Korean technicians to the Hyundai automobile plant in Sriperumbidur on the outskirts of Madras. The arrival of such a large number of visitors has been a windfall for hotels in the city.     TOP

 

HOTELS NEWS

 

RAWAL KOT TAKEN UP BY TAJ GROUP: Belonging to the Welcomheritage group so far, now this small property in Jaisalmer has been taken over by the Taj group of hotels. For more on Taj group, check out the website www.tajhotels.com 

 

HOTEL WHITE SANDS RESORT (RADISSON), GOA: Five star comfort, genuine hospitality and an ideal location makes for the Radisson White Sands Resort, Goa. Situated at Varca beach in South Goa, it has 110 well appointed deluxe rooms including the 4 luxurious suites.  At your service are all modern day conveniences like individual safes, hairdryers, 25 inch flat screen TV, tea / coffee makers, data ports, 24 hour internet and the attentive and personalized services. They have a free form swimming pool approximately 5 meters from each of the ground floor rooms. State of the art conferencing facilities including the latest in audio visual equipment, a fully equipped business centre, ranging from 250 seater board room from live bands to Limbo dancers for entertainment, the resort offers a host of services and facilities to the discerning conference delegate. They have a variety of eating outlets including a 24 hours Waterfalls Café; Flavors – the North West Frontier cuisine restaurant only for dinner; Dhow & Rambooze – just perfect for a champagne at sunset and a sizzling dinner thereafter; and the N.U.T.S., the bar! You also have the possibility to have either an Ayurveda or international massage besides the complete spa facilities. For children, they have bowling alleys, video games and pool tables. A cyber café, an outdoor Jacuzzi, children’s pool, mini theatre, archery, croquet, badminton, air hockey and bicycles are also available. The water sports facilities include banana boat rides, jet skis, water skiing and wind surfing. So you know where you have to stay in Goa on your next visit!

 

INTERCONTINENTAL BOUTIQUE HOTEL OPENS IN BOMBAY: The first Asia Pacific boutique hotel of Intercontinental Hotels and resorts opened on Bombay’s Marine Drive. It has 54 “oversized” rooms and suites and offers such innovations as 42” plasma TV, DVD player, Bose-audio equipment and high speed internet.

 

Leela Group to start five-star hotel at Bekal: One of the leading names in hospitality business in the country – the Leela Group is planning to construct a five-star hotel at Bekal in Kasargod District as part of its project to tap the tourism potential of North Kerala.

 

CAMP ON WHEELS, GOA: This is a novel concept in bringing the conveniences of home to the great outdoors, allowing you to connect with nature in relaxing comfort. Camp O’Wheels is designed with a sturdy steel frame and laminated sidewalls for easy-care, strength and good looks. The interior reflects the same commitment to quality with premium components and furnishing. It has ultimate luxury and space for you and your family, equipped with a king sized double bed, 2 bunk beds and a complete kitchen, a hard wall bathroom with shower and western commode. A dinette with wide glass windows provides a panoramic view of the surroundings. The other features include air conditioning, fridge, wall to wall carpets, camping gear like tents and garden umbrella, mobile phone, music system, fans, etc. To top it all, you are offered unlimited free running within Goa and also low season discounts.  TOP

 

FESTIVALS / MARTS & EVENTS

 

Thrissur Pooram Vadakkumnatha Temple, Thrissur 10^th MAY 2003: Thrissur is best known for its mammoth Pooram festival held in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May). It is the most colourful and spectacular event in Kerala. Spectators from all parts of the State and even outside throng the Thekkinkadu grounds to watch the spectacle.
 

Introduced during the reign of Sakthan Thampuran (1775-1790), the ruler of Kochi, the Pooram is a display of strength by the two groups representing the main geographic divisions of Thrissur, Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi. Two teams of fifteen richly caparisoned elephants each line up face to face on the vast grounds. And then Kudamattam, a competition in the swift and rhythmic changing of brightly coloured and sequinned parasols is conducted. The whole event takes place in rhythm to the traditional orchestra ' Pandimelam'.

Nearest railway station: Thrissur, a few minutes drive from the Thekkinkadu Maidanam.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 58 km from Thrissur town.  Source: Kerala. Tourism (Website www.keralatourism.org)

 

The Namche Conference, NEPAL FROM May 24-26, 2003: HMG Department of National

Parks and Wildlife Conservation of Nepal, Bridges-PRTD, and Dr. Teiji Watanabe (Laboratory of Geo-ecology, Hokkaido University, Japan) jointly announced a global conference on mountain ecotourism to be held in Namche Bazar, Nepal, on May 24-26, 2003. The Namche Conference is to coincide with the events marking the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on May 28, 1953. Namche Bazar (3450 m, 11,319') is the gateway to Sagarmatha [Mt. Everest] National Park in the Khumbu district of Nepal. This park, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, is a World Heritage Site, and arguably the most important mountaineering and mountain ecotourism destination in the world. The venue itself will offer a point of reference for the conference; furthermore, the conference itself may be regarded as a variety of "mountain ecotourism" worth examining in its own right.

 

Presentations and workshops will cover a range of topics, according to the interests of participants. These may range from high altitude waste disposal to the viability of introducing South American camelid (llamas and alpacas) in the Himalayas. However, special attention will be given to the role of parks in mountain ecotourism.  

 

Musician and Drummer Ian Farrington and his Australian band “The Agents” are all set to hold a rock concert at the Everest base camp to commemorate the conquest of the Mountain’s 50th anniversary. They plan to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for holding a concert at the highest altitude. They also will film the concert & sell the videos. Farrington who has worked with such famous names as Phil Collins and Pink Floyd, U2 and Metallica is already camping there in order to get acclimatized. He also plans to bring 100 artists from all over the world to Kathmandu for concerts and workshops. His band is dedicated to establishing music schools in Papua New Guinea, Gambia, Fiji and Samoa. It is all set to be the world’s biggest party – after all the first conquest of Everest 50 years ago (27 May) was a glorious achievement.

 

AERO INDIA 2003 A BIG SUCCESS: AERO India 2003, the fourth international air show (held from February 5 to 9, 2003) gave big names in aviation such as Boeing, Bombardier, Dassault etc. an opportunity to market their wares, not only to the civilian airlines but also for defence which has opened up to a maximum of 26% Foreign direct investment Six national pavilions  (UK, France, US, Israel, Italy and South Africa) plus aeronautical companies from 15 countries, Russia, Belgium, Canada among others did their best to woo the buyers. A major attraction for visitors was flying displays on all 5 days. Two-theme sessions on world aviation commemorated the centenary of the Wright Brothers flight.  

 

SURAJ KUND CRAFTS FAIR SHOWCASED UTTARANCHAL: The Suraj Kund Handicraft fair held every year from Feb 1-15, has become a landmark on every tourist’s calendar. Every year it focuses on one particular state of India. This time it was the new state of Uttaranchal. There were over 350 crafts persons and weavers demonstrating their skills and selling their wares. A mini food festival and dances and songs from Uttaranchal greeted visitors to the fair. The colour, the noise, the sounds and smells are all evocative of a village fair complete with a “Chaupal” (gathering palace for village elders) and mud plastered huts. The Fair had a replica of the Badrinath Temple entrance Gate surrounded by the famous Valley of Flowers. The Mela is held every year just out side New Delhi.

 

JAIPUR HERITAGE WEEK CELEBRATED FROM JAN 14 – 20: Coinciding with the Makar Sankranti festival and the International Kite Festival, his was quite a befitting tribute to Jaipur’s heritage and culture. An extraordinary & wide range of performing arts from Dhoondhar, Mewar & Shekhawati, some of them never seen before, were performed at different locations in the city everyday. Also one could enjoy the devotional music like Dhrupad, Sufi, Qawali Bhakti Sangeet & dances like Kathak, etc. Many theatres, Nautanki & Tamasha were also organized. TOP

 

NEWS MEANS GOOD NEWS (India)

 

HOTEL EXPENDITURE TAX OF 10% ABOLISHED FROM 1 JUN’03: Indian Hotels will be cheaper with many levies removed in the new budget. Recognizing the employment potential of tourism and, with a view to making it a catalyst for national economic growth the Finance Minister removed the 10% Hotel Expenditure Tax. The exemption from the 8% Service Tax for the Hotel sector will also continue for another year. He also urged the States to abolish luxury tax on hotels. Many other benefits have been announced for the hotel and travel industry.

 

RED FORT OPENS MORE AREAS TO PUBLIC AFTER RESTORATION: The lost glory of the 17th Century Red Fort (Delhi) built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan is being restored. Its environs have been spruced up and landscaped and the moat in front is now running with water. Even the fountains in front of the Rang Mahal are “playing” again. Artisans are busy restoring the semi precious “pietra dura” (inlay) work in the Diwan-e-Khas. A secret tunnel, which once connected the fort to the Yamuna River, (hidden for years) will soon be re-opened. Tourists will get to enjoy several new facets of this great fort.  The Heritage Tea House will serve traditional food of Delhi and a Crafts bazaar is also on the anvil. The Fort has dominated Delhi and was even used by the British. The Indian Prime Minister unfurls the Indian flag from its ramparts on India’s Independence Day.

 

NORTHEASTERN FRONTIER RAILWAY (GUWAHATI) CELEBRATES CENTENARY: A century after the first train rolled down the Lumding – Badarpur Hill section of the Northeastern Frontier Railway with picturesque hills as a backdrop; it is to be made into a tourist attraction. The 183 km long scenic hill section dotted with over 586 bridges and 37 tunnels has the uniqueness of a jungle safari. A vintage steam locomotive adds the finishing touch to this “Jatinga Steam safari,” which is all set to carry tourists in the days to come.

 

ROLLING STONES SET BANGALORE AND BOMBAY CROWD ROLLING: April saw the Rolling Stones create Music Magic in Bangalore (04 April), and Bombay (7 April) Mick Jagger and his band hark back to the first generation of Rock but after 40 years they are still together and still draw large audiences. With “Sticky Fingers”, “Voodoo lounge” and “Its sleepy London town” the Stones made their show “The greatest spectacle India had ever experienced” – with 240,000 watts of sound through a state-of-the art sound system.

 

A NEW LUXURY DELHI-JAIPUR BUS SERVICE: The Government of Rajasthan has started a luxury air-conditioned bus service (their first Volvo B7R) from this month. The service operates between Delhi and Jaipur covering the distance in 5 hours. It leaves Jaipur at 0830, 1430 and 0015 hours daily and from Delhi it leaves at 0645, 1600 and 2245 hours. The fare is Rs. 400 (approximately US$8) inclusive of a meal at Midway. The bus also has a telephone facility on board.

 

New International Airport at Hyderabad: The new international airport at Hyderabad, the second greenfield airport project after Bangalore International Airport, has got the green signal. It is a joint venture between the State Government, Airports Authority of India and a private consortium.

 

Ajanta-Ellora-Phase II - Rs 300 Crore from Japan: The Ajanta-Ellora conservation project will get a major fillip with the second round of funding of Rs. 300 crore from Japan, making it the largest ever tourism funding project In Asia. The funds are to be utilised for development of the entire cave circuit of Maharashtra, which includes Pitalkora caves, Aurangabad caves, Bibi ka Maqbara, Daulatabad caves and Patnadevi temple. Aurangabad airport will also get a major boost, as it will now become an international airport.

 

SENSE APPEALING GARDEN IN DELHI: An unusual Garden of the Fives Senses was inaugurated by Delhi Tourism “to stimulate ones sensory responses to the environment.” A unique Pinwheel Tree and Wind chime tree with the chime of over 300 bells soothe the tired mind. The flowers and their fragrance appeal to the sense of sight and smell. The sense of taste is catered to by a food court with ethnic foods. Several sculptures adorn the hilly ridge making it a very restful and wonderful experience. The Mughal gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s House) were opened to the public and could be visited up to the end of March. Besides the thousands of flowers abloom there is a special display of bonsais, some up to 70 years old.

PALACE ON WHEELS IN KARNATAKA: A Palace On Wheels train, covering major tourist destinations in Karnataka, will commence operations from November this year. The railways had agreed to provide nine coaches which could be converted at a cost of Rs 23 crores. The seven day tour which would cover Bangalore, Mysore, Hassan, Hubli and Goa, would cost US$ 180 per night.

QUTUB MINAR TO OPEN FOR VIEWING FROM TOP: After a gap of 22 years, following a bad stampede within the minaret, now the same is going to be open from inside effective 1 July. Special safety arrangements are being done and an extra charge would be levied for the purpose.   TOP

  NEWS MEANS GOOD NEWS (International)

JANSSEN CILAG OPERATED INCENTIVE TOUR TO INDIA: The 79 strong contingent of the famous pharmaceutical giant Janssen Cilag, based in Singapore and Malaysia, was on an incentive tour to India in February’03. They had a great time in India and were much impressed with its cultural and spiritual heritage. They covered Delhi, Varanasi, Jaipur, Samode and Agra. Several theme evenings were arranged for them and specially in Jaipur and Samode, they really freaked out. While the Elephant Polo evening at the lawns of Jai Mahal Palace was great fun, which later on turned into a venue for football match between Singapore and Malaysia teams, the highlight of the tour was still the stay at Samode. The camel cart procession from the Samode tents up to the palace, when all the members were dressed up in Maharaj & Maharani costumes, and thereafter the gala dinner preceded by the cocktail evening at the Darbal Hall of the palace was an unforgettable evening! We are much honoured to have handled this elite movement to India! In Varanasi, they were deeply touched by the dance performance by the disabled children of a school from Chiraigaon, near Sarnath. They very kindly donated good sum of money as well as laptop for the children. The kind of itinerary they followed, could also be viewed on our website www.indiainvites.com under the column Special Interest (North India Incentive Itinerary) and some of the photos from this group under Guest Column of the same site.

KATHMANDU TO START HERITAGE WALKS: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has finalized its Kathmandu Heritage Walks. These walks center around the historic city of Kantipur (old Kathmandu) and are divided into three categories. “The Bazaar Heritage Walk” is sort of a ‘teaser’ that takes about two hours to complete and runs through the old Bazaar where the sights and sounds of centuries ago are kept alive in narrow lanes that bustle with commerce. This used to be the main center for trade with Tibet in the old days and as one moves through its surreal atmosphere one can almost expect to see a caravan being outfitted for the long trip to Lhasa. The “Inner City Heritage Walk” is slightly longer and lasts about three hours and takes in the old palaces, temples, pagodas and courtyards. The third and final walk is the “Amazing Steps Heritage Walk," which focuses mainly on the Newari art and architecture of the old city and can last up to four hours. TOP

 DESTINATION/S OF THE MONTH

HASSAN: Located in the South Indian state of Karnataka at around 187 km from the state capital Bangalore, Hassan extends from 13°01/’ North to 76°10/’ East. Being the nearest railhead to Belur, Halebid, and Shravanbelagola, Hassan is an ideal base to explore these historical sites. The region of Hassan had been under the control the Hoysalas from 11th to 13th century AD. It was during this period that the great temples of Belur and Halebid were constructed. Hassan was also greatly influenced by Jainism.

 

This busy little town has a pleasant climate throughout the year. The summers are warm with the temperature soaring up to 35°C. The average annual rainfall in the district is around 700 mm. You can visit the place any time of the year but it is advisable to avoid the rainy seasons.

Belur and Halebid had been the capital of the Hoysalas, who ruled over a large kingdom between Krishna and the Kaveri rivers. Besides being great warriors, the Hoysalas were also great patrons of art and culture. As such, one sees the great works of art out here, the works which have survived over the centuries and even today mesmerize all those who come here year after year. Some of the main attractions are the Channekeshava Temple at Belur and Hoysaleswara temple at Halebid.

The main excursion around Hassan is Shravanbelagola, a Jain pilgrimage centre famous for the statue of Gommateshwara. Supposed to be the highest standing monolithic statue in the world, it is an impressive site, that stands on the Vindhyagiri overlooking the town of Shravanbelagola. Another place worth exploring is Chikmagloor, a historical town with several important monuments like Kodandarama Temple, the Jamia Masjid, and the St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Chikmagloor also provides some exciting trekking routes in the Western Ghats.    TOP

 NATURE DOES MATTER

ARUNACHAL FORESTS HOME TO THE SMALLEST DEER: The thick undergrowth of the lush Arunachal Pradesh rain forests hide a small secret, a new species of deer - the leaf dear. Said to be the smallest in the world, this deer scientists feel, lives in the forests close to Namdapha Tiger Reserve. The World Conservation Union (WCU) Switzerland describes it as the “smallest true deer in the world,” being all of 60-80 cm tall and weighing just 11 kg. Local tribes have known of its existence for a long time calling it “Ling – pun “ a cousin of the well known barking deer. It is a landmark biological discovery for the scientific world. Source: Wildlife Trust Of India   TOP

PERMANENT FEATURE -  GOA

BULLET TRAINS BETWEEN MUMBAI & GOA TO START LATER: The final dates for the commencement of much publicized bullet trains is postponed at the moment, even though they had successful trial runs. We shall keep you informed.

FIRST SARS CASE IN INDIA: First ever SARS case was reported as confirmed in Goa on 17 Apr, when a person, who had been to Hong Kong and Singapore by ship came to Goa via Mumbai. He himself opted for a blood check for the purpose. Fortunately, he has recovered from this and has been kept quarantined along with his wife. As on date, about 9 cases are tested positive, though they are not really acute.  TOP

 CONTEST

Just Answer Five Simple Questions:

1)    Shigmotsava is a festival celebrated soon after which festival in Goa & Maharashtra?

2)    What is the Hindu New Year known as?

3)    Which place in India is Dev Diwali celebrated (hint: at the Ganges)

4)    Which is the date of India’s independence from the British rule?

5)    In which place is the kite festival celebrated?

a.      Jaipur              b. Jodhpur

LAST DATE: 20 May’03 to send your entries at the email address pmaurya@vsnl.net

b.      Goa                  d. All of the above

ANSWERS OF LAST CONTEST: No All-Correct entries were received towards the last month’s contest.

1)     Which are the famous spots in Goa for bird watching?

ANS: Divar & Choraon Islands (Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. Also Carambolim Lake.

2)     Where is the world’s largest cattle fair held every year in November?

ANS: Actually the biggest one is held at Sonepur in Bihar, where they also sell and buy elephants. Of course the one at Pushkar in Rajasthan is also quite big.

3)     From which hill station in India can you view the Tiger Hill?

ANS: From Darjeeling in West Bengal

4)     In which state is the famous hill station Munnar, famous for tea, situated?

ANS: Kerala!

5)     Which is the famous hotel Tree House (literally made on the tree) located in India!

ANS: Green Magic Nature Resort, Vythiri, Kerala

WINNER OF LAST CONTEST: The proud winner of the last contest is Ms. Helen Fuge from Australia. She has been sent a book on India.

 

NOTE: This newsletter is currently being sent to about 1000 select tour operators, individuals, friends, tourist offices, and other organizations. The news contents of this are compiled through various resources, newsletters, magazines, newspapers, books, etc and are being customized to suit our needs of balanced information in tourism and its related field. The newsletter itself does not carry any commercial value and the sole purpose is to increase the awareness and disseminate the available information in a fast manner to the people concerned in the trade. We try to provide the news as authentic and correct as possible, however, there might be errors sometimes. TOP

 

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