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Monthly Tourism Newsletter from India |
September - October 2005 |
| Permanent Feature - GOA | |
| Special Feature | |
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See you in India! |
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AIRLINES UPDATE
INDIAN AIRLINES GOES FOR NEW MAKEOVER BECOMES ‘INDIAN’: Indian Airlines has announced a new “look” by sporting a new logo and new livery. It will be called “Indian.” With a complete makeover, the state owned carrier is preparing to meet competition from private airlines head on.
Go Air offers tickets at 50 paise: If the Bangalore-based Air Deccan offered cheapest air fares of the country at Re 1, then Go Air is going to do it even better. The newest kid on the budget airline block will offer tickets starting at 50 paise! The airline, belonging to the well-known Wadia stable, will be launched on October 30 and ticket sales will begin from October 12. Airline Managing Director Jeh Wadia, son of Bombay Dyeing boss Nusli Wadia, told that the low cost carrier will be a high frequency, high quality, low fare carrier which will also be low on frills.
Kingfisher Airlines adds two daily flights from Delhi: With the launch of flights on Delhi-Mumbai sector, the airline offers connectivity between Delhi and Goa with two daily flights via Mumbai. One-way fares on Delhi-Mumbai route start at Rs 3,399, plus taxes while the Delhi-Goa one way fare starts at Rs 4,699 plus taxes. Air Deccan launches additional Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi flight: Air Deccan launched an additional evening flight from New Delhi to Amritsar on 24 August 2005. Presently Air Deccan operates a daily morning flight Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi. The air tickets on this route are priced at Rs 1,975. The additional flight was launched due to the tremendous response from the Delhi - Amritsar flight which is averaging load factors of over 90 per cent and the constant demand from the passengers of Amritsar and Delhi to start an additional flight enabling them to return to the city on the same day. This flight would help pilgrims, tourists and the business community alike. Jet Airways named as the `Best Domestic Airline for 2005: Jet Airways Ltd has been conferred with award for the Best Domestic Airline for 2005 at the 16th Annual Travel Awards held at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel in Pattaya. This is the third time the airline has received this award after sweeping it in 2002 and 2004. The fact that the company is the only Indian brand to win this prestigious award stands testimonial to its excellence and international standards. SpiceJet may offer low-cost late night flights on more sectors: Low-cost airline SpiceJet plans to extend the operation of low fare late night flights to more domestic destinations. When the airline gets more aircraft they may start late night flights on other sectors, including Delhi-Bangalore and Delhi-Pune or Delhi-Goa. The airline hopes to induct two more Boeing 737 aircraft into its fleet next month. Earlier this week, the airline launched late night flights between Delhi and Mumbai. The thrice-a-week flight has fares starting at Rs 1,599 for a one-way ticket. The airline is also exploring the possibility of operating the flight on a daily basis. Kingfisher to fly Goa-Agra from Oct, 2005: With a view to strengthening its presence in tourist circuits, Kingfisher Airlines is all set to introduce direct non-stop flights from Goa to Agra next month, thus becoming the first domestic airline to serve these cities. Disagreeing with a theory that Kingfisher airline's decision to outsource its ground handling to Indian Airlines was not a sound decision, Mr. Vijay Mallaya said on the contrary it has led cost savings, besides better utilisation of national resources. Kingfisher is paying Indian Airlines an annual fee of Rs 60 crore (Rs 600 million) for ground handling services, he said, pointing out that this was substantially more than the operating profit of Rs 44 crore (Rs 440 million) earned by Indian Airlines last year.
DGCA brings new rules on pilots' resignation:
With an objective to stop sudden resignation of pilots, which causes
cancellation of flights and creates inconvenience and harassment to the
passengers, the office of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)has
brought out a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) of ‘Notice Period’ by pilots to
the airlines employing them. NEW TERMINAL IN MUMBAI: In Mumbai a new airport terminal for private airline inaugurated: Phase I of terminal 1B with aluminium arches, composite panels and glass roof… with 38 check-in counters, designed to cater to 500 flights a day and 7 mn passengers a year. The ARRIVAL TERMINAL of old Mumbai Domestic Airport would go under renovation from 15th September 2005. Airlines using this Arrival Hall are Jet, Sahara, Deccan & SpiceJet. They would now arrive at the Indian Airlines arrival terminal. Hence passengers arriving by these airlines & connecting Jet, Sahara, Deccan & Spice Jet, will have to use transport as they will have to be transferred from Indian Airlines Terminal to Old Domestic Airport Departure Terminal. INDIA CLEARS INDIAN AIRLINES PURCHASE OF 43 AIRCRAFTS FROM AIRBUS: The Government of India has cleared Indian Airlines’ plan to acquire 43 aircraft from Airbus Industrie. Airbus Industrie have given a further discount of US$ 80 million (Rs. 349 crore) reducing the total price to Rs. 9,890 crore (US$ 2.2 billion). IA will now shell out about $ 1 billion less than the list price of $ 3.1 billion for the 43 Airbus aircraft of various combinations. E-TICKETING IN INDIA: e-commerce generated through e-ticketing and e-travel in India is set to double by 2006-07. The fast growing low-cost airline business coupled with increasing online hotel reservations is fuelling this growth, industry sources said. According to sources, e-travel business, wherein consumers book hotel reservations online, is expected to jump over 90% to Rs 1,800 crore by the next financial year, from Rs 976 crore in 2004-05. Booking of air tickets through the Internet is also estimated to double to Rs 1,600 crore next year from Rs 800 crore last year. The rapid growth in e-ticketing and e-travel business is also attracting foreign companies to set shop in India. AIR-INDIA LAUNCHES DIRECT DUBAI-PUNE SERVICE: Air India announced the launch of non-stop flights between Pune and Dubai. Beginning from 12th December 2005. The new flight, AI-719-718 will be operated on the Mumbai-Pune-Dubai-Pune-Mumbai. Route with 201 seater Airbus 310 aircraft on thrice a week basis-on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Air Canada expands network to India: Offers code share service to Mumbai: Air Canada announced that effective October 30, 2005, it is expanding service to India with the launch of daily code share flights to Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. Flights will be operated by the carrier’s future Star Alliance partner SWISS via Zurich. American Airlines to begin non-stop flights between Chicago and New Delhi: World's largest carrier American Airlines is set to start a non-stop flight between Chicago and New Delhi from November 15, making it the first non-stop flight from US to an Indian destination. Jet plans to start Indo-Thai services: Jet Airways (India) is planning to initiate services to Bangkok. The airline plans to start the service to the holiday destination in a month. Air Arabia launched 1st international airline to Nagpur: Air Arabia LLC, the first and only low-fares airline in the Middle East and North Africa region, is the first International airline to fly to Nagpur, India. Air Arabia''s Chairman and CEO led the delegation of senior officials, media, invitees and passengers on the inaugural flight yesterday. Lufthansa celebrates daily flights to Munich: From November 1, Lufthansa German Airlines will operate daily between Delhi and Munich. In celebration of this significant milestone, Lufthansa and The Imperial Hotel co-hosted an evening of entertainment and German cuisine. Top customers, business partners, frequent flyers, diplomats and expatriates participated in the celebratory dinner at the Imperial lawns. Jet AIRWAYS to commence service on Delhi-London sector from Oct 30: After getting commendable load factor of about 70-75 per cent on the Mumbai-London-Mumbai route, Jet Airways will now be launching its non-stop daily operations between Delhi-London-Delhi sector. The airline will commence operations on the Delhi-London route from October 30 this year and will use A340-300 aircraft. AUSTRIAN AIRLINES STARTS VIENNA-BOMBAY-VIENNA FLIGHTS: Austrian Airlines has added a second gateway in India-Bombay and is considering adding a third destination such as Bangalore, Hyderabad or Madras according to Mr. Josef E. Burger, Chief Commercial Officer. Having added Shanghai and Singapore to its programme of scheduled services in 2004, Austrian Airlines considers India as a growth area for its future operations Austrian Airlines has been till now flying to New Delhi from Vienna, Austria. JETSTAR LAUNCHES SINGAPORE-KOLKATA-SINGAPORE SERVICES: Jetstar Asia, the Singapore-based budget airline, has introduced three services a week between Singapore and Kolkata (Calcutta). Jetstar a majority Singapore-owned company with significant Qantas shareholding will expand its services to other Indian cities, latter. The airline offers services to Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok and Manila, now has a fleet strength of eight A320 aircraft. The fleet strength will be increased to nine shortly. The company will run three flights a week between Kolkata and Singapore at a base fare of Rs 4,000 and a maximum fare of Rs 12,000. Its fares were a minimum of 40 per cent cheaper than the existing services between Kolkata and Singapore offered by other airlines. Kolkata offered a great opportunity as a gateway to Darjeeling and the North-Eastern Indian States and for religious tourism to Bodh Gaya. TOP HOTELS NEWSHotels can't insist on $ payment from foreigners: Five-star hotels have been warned against insisting on dollar payments from foreigners by the Reserve Bank of India. The Central Bank has said that the practice of quoting a differential tariff in dollars is inconsistent with the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Such a practise also undermines the legality of India’s domestic currency, said the monetary authority. Most high-end hotels in the country insist that non-resident Indians and foreigners settle their bills as per the dollar tariff, which is invariably higher than the rates for locals. This has been a long-standing grouse with foreign tourists who have been told that it is in keeping with government regulations. Park Plaza Royal Palms to open in Mumbai: Royal Palms Estates and Park Plaza hotels (a part of Carlson Hospitality) has entered into a tie-up to launch a 5-star deluxe hotel in Goregaon, Mumbai. The 223 room hotel, which will be called Park Plaza Royal Palms will be the first hotel of the Park Plaza chain in Mumbai. After the tremendous success of Hotel Marine Plaza, in South Mumbai, we are now introducing Park Plaza Royal Palms in North Mumbai. This lavish and spacious hotel with 223 guest rooms and suites is located amidst 240 acres of lush, green beautifully landscaped and verdant surrounds. Park Plaza is a fine business hotel and in convenient proximity to the commercial hubs, the domestic and international airports and central business districts of North Mumbai. Park Plaza offers superior 5 Star facilities and services to suit the needs of a variety of business and corporate travellers. Hyatt plans massive domestic expansion: The US-based Hyatt International Hotels and Resorts (Hyatt) is on an expansion spree in India. The hotel chain has got plans to add another 15 five-star and deluxe hotels and resorts in the country over the next three to four years. Hyatt will set up two hotels each in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai. It will also expand in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh and Gurgaon. The group is eyeing states such as Kerala and Goa and cities such as Jaipur and Agra for its resorts. Hyatt currently manages Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, Hyatt Regency in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Pune (under development), and Park Hyatt Goa Resorts and Spa. ITC PLANS SUPER LUXURY HOTELS IN BANGALORE, MADRAS: ITC is to open two “super luxury” (seven star category) hotels one each in Bangalore and Madras according to Chairman, Mr. Y. C. Deveshwar, ITC currently has one hotel in Bangalore and two in Madras. Mr. Deveshwar added that they are looking for proper sites for these hotels. Shangri-La's soft launch in Delhi: The$70-million Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi soft opened recently. The17-storey, 323-room hotel is a 40-minute drive from the airport, within a two-kilometre range of Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, and the commercial and shopping district of Connaught Place. Catering to business guests, it is equipped with high-speed Internet access and wireless LAN throughout the hotel and business centre, three meeting rooms and its 600square metre ballroom, which is divisible into four. The hotel is planning a grand opening in early November. NEW CONFERENCE HALL AND ROYAL CLUB ROOMS AT WELCOMHERITAGE NOOR-US-SUBAH PALACE: The WelcomHeritage Noor-Us-Subah Palace has become a major conference venue in Bhopal. ‘Sadat’, a new 500 sq. ft conference hall, brings the total number of conference and banquet venues to five. Eight more plush Royal Club rooms have also been added, bringing the tally of these highly popular superior category of rooms to 30. In keeping with modern trends in décor, every room now has tiled floors in place of the earlier wall-to-wall carpets, and offers wi-fi internet capability and tea and coffee makers. CLARIDGES GROUP GETS FULL CONTROL OF SEA ROCK BOMBAY: The Delhi-based Claridges Hotels and Resorts have reached a settlement to buy out 30 per cent stake of the SB Luthria group in the Bombay-based Sea Rock Hotel for US $ 30 million in an out-of-the-court settlement. Sea Rock was at one time managed by Welcomgroup. Second JW Marriott hotel in India planned for Bangalore: Marriott International has planned to increase its Marriott portfolio in India by opening a second JW Marriott hotel in Bangalore, under a management agreement with Gstaad Hotels. The 250-room property is scheduled to open in early 2007 and joins the 358-room JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai. The hotel will be situated on a three-acre site and will be part of a 14-acre development that will also include the new headquarters for United Breweries (UB) Group and UB City, a one million-square-foot mixed-use development offering prime office and retail space. That apart, the refurbishment and expansion of the 168-room Viceroy Hotel to the 308-room Hyderabad Marriott will be over by the end of 2005. The hotel will be officially rebranded after the completion of the renovation work and will be located east of Hussain Sagar Lake, approximately a 10-minute drive from the airport. TOP
KALCHAKRA FESTIVAL- JAN’06: The holy Kalachakra Buddhist ritual will be held from the 03 to 15 Jan'2006 in Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh. An event of great religious significance for Buddhists, the Kalachakra event is being organized by different Tibetan and Indian Buddhist Organizations. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will lead the Kalachakra ceremony, where a holy mandala will be created and dismantled, amidst prayer ceremonies and Buddhist religious rituals. Because this is an event of international significance, the Kalachakra Amaravati 2006 is expected to attract around 200,000 tourists, many of whom will be from Asian Buddhist countries. Many visitors with an interest in Buddhism, as well as photographers and travel writers are likely to cover this event. History of the Kalachakra: The Kalachakra, (expounding of the wheel of time), was first delivered by Lord Buddha on the 15th day of the 3rd month, after he attained enlightenment. His philosophical sermon was delivered at Vulture Peak to a group of disciples, among whom was King Suchandra, who then instructed many of his subjects in the knowledge of the wheel of time. Lord Buddha also manifested as the deity Kalachakra at the Sri Dhanyakataka Stupa at Amaravati and passed on his divine teachings. His holiness the Dalai Lama has expounded the message of the Kalachakra and conducted this ceremony in many parts of the world. In 2006, the Kalachakra will be observed at Amaravati, where lord Buddha himself spread this divine message. The auspicious site of the Amaravati Kalachakra makes it even more significant to Buddhists worldwide. Kalachakra ProgramThe detailed program of the Kalachakra Amaravati 2006 is given below: 03 Jan 2006: Kalachakra Preparatory Rituals04 Jan 2006: Kalachakra Preparatory Rituals05 Jan 2006: Kalachakra Preparatory Rituals & Mandala Construction06 Jan 2006: Preliminary Teaching07 Jan 2006: Preliminary Teaching08 Jan 2006: Preliminary Teaching09 Jan 2006: Preliminary Teaching10 Jan 2006: Kalachakra Ritual offering Dance11 Jan 2006: Preliminary Empowerment12 Jan 2006: Kalachakra Empowerment13 Jan 2006: Kalachakra Empowerment14 Jan 2006: Kalachakra Empowerment15 Jan 2006: Long life empowerment for the Public & for his Holiness15 Jan 2006: Viewing & dismantling of the MandalaKERALA TRAVEL MART (KTM 2006): We are pleased to announce that KTM 2006, a premier Travel & Tourism Mart of Kerala will be held from 28th to 30th September 2006 at Cochin. Please mark these dates in your travel calendar. The ever growing bouquet of authentic original and local experiences has been the strength of the Kerala Tourism product. The Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), the outcome of the partnership of the various stakeholders including the tourism enterprises and Government, is a platform for the persons behind the creations to meet with buyers from around the world. The usefulness to the buyers of the KTM have been established by the growing number of international and national buyers that the three previous KTMs have been able to attract. In fact the KTM has now emerged as one of Asia’s most significant travel marketing events.
MALABAR TRAVEL &
TORUISM MART (KOZHIKODE):
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the second edition of the Malabar
Tourism and Travel Mart (MTTM) at the Kadavu Resort near here on September 1.
Foreign participation is mainly from the UK. Delegates from USA, Canada,
Thailand, Germany, Oman, UAE, Malaysia, France, South Korea, Russia, Japan and
Slovenia will be taking part in the meet. FOUR-DAY GULMARG FESTIVAL: A four-day Gulmarg Festival was held in Jammu and Kashmir from September 17 to give a boost to tourism sector in the state. The festival, organized by the state tourism department is now annual feature was inaugurated by State Tourism Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir at a colourful ceremony similar festivals are also organized Pahalgam, Leh, Kargil, Patnitop and Jammu showcasing the art, craft and culture of the state which has been receiving a record number of tourists. Goa is complete all-season tourism destination – GUIDE ASSOCIATION MEETING: The Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Wilfred de Souza inaugurated the 9th Annual Convention of Tourist Guides Federation of India hosted by Tourist Guides of Goa at a hotel in Utorda, today. About 200 delegates from all over the country attended the conference. He said our Goa is a complete all-season tourism destination. Even during monsoons the tourists can move around the state to see the beauty of nature. The colourful Goan monsoon festivals offer tourists an experience of life-time. The breathtaking landscapes and magnificent architectural masterpieces in the form of forts, temples, churches and heritage houses have made Goa a popular tourist destination all over the world. Further speaking Dr De Souza said the tourist guides are the cultural, historical and environmental ambassadors of this great country of ours. JAIPUR HERITAGE EFESTIVAL: Held in January every year, the Jaipur Heritage International Festival is not just about the arts, culture, heritage and conservation, but also about development. The festival's objective is to showcase Rajasthan's rich fabric of living traditions in craft, performing arts and buildings, while also leveraging this heritage to drive economic and social development. All activities of the foundation are, in fact, driven by the conviction that Rajasthan's heritage is the State's greatest economic asset and must be leveraged even as it is preserved. So, even as it is seeks to increase interest in Rajasthan's culture, craft and heritage, the festival must also have a direct and positive impact on the State's economy. Music, dance and theatre will be important components of the Jaipur Heritage International Festival 2006, to be held from January 14 to 23 next year. Other highlights include exhibitions, workshops, parties, `gala nights' and guided walks through heritage areas. And although the focus is on Rajasthan, the festival will also be a celebration of the country's creative arts, crafts and civilisation. A first at next year's Jaipur festival will be a `literary festival' with book readings and interactive sessions with authors. Writers to participate in the literary festival include authors in Indian languages as well as Indians who write in English. The idea is to turn the literary festival into a separate, annual event from 2007 onwards, he adds. The festival will also witness a series of workshops where people can pay to learn some of the traditional crafts of Jaipur and Rajasthan. WORLD SPICE CONGRESS TO BE HELD IN MADRAS IN JANUARY 2006: The 8th World Spice Congress will be held in Madras from January 27-30, 2006. Its theme will be ‘Food safety in spices challenges and opportunities and a being organized by the Spice Board and all India Spices Exporters’ Forum. It will have participants from over 40 countries. TOP NEWS MEANS GOOD NEWS (India)FOUNDATION STONE FOR RAIL MUSEUM LAID IN CALCUTTA: A Regional Rail Museum is to be set up in Calcutta, West Bengal. This will be similar to the National Rail Museum, New Delhi. The foundation stone was laid at south of the heritage Howrah terminus on a four-acre area on Foreshore Road on the bank of the River Hooghly. The history and heritage of the Railways in the eastern region of India was introduced by the British 151 years ago. Steam locomotives, coaches, wagons, clocks, lamps, signals, etc would be exhibited. KALKA TO SIMLA TOY TRAIN AVAILABLE FOR CHARTERS: Indian Railway has offered to run chartered train services on the historic Kalka-Simla route in Himachal Pradesh. The British had made Simla their summer capital for India and had introduced the train 102 years ago. The train comprising three coaches can accommodate about thirty five passengers. A 1905 steam engine having heritage status will cover part of the 100 km/60 miles long route starting from the Shivalik foothills at Kalka and passing through the magnificent Himalayas. The special hill train with diesel engine as well during their journey. The diesel charter service, with two air-conditioned coaches and a general coach, will run on the Simla-Kalka-Simla section and a single trip would cost about US$ 800 (Rs. 34,580), whereas US$ 1700 (Rs. 73,988) would be charged for a round trip. The steam charter service will be only available on Simla-Kathlighat-Simla section and the booking cost for a single trip on this section would be US$ 640 (Rs. 27,848) whereas a round trip would cost US$ 1350 (Rs 58,808). The charter rates are valid up to March 31 next year. Over 70 per cent of the track is in curves, offering a panoramic view of the Himalayas to travelers. The railway track’s highest point is at an altitude of 6812 feet (2,076 metres) and it passes through 103 tunnels, with the longest tunnel of 1 km being at Barog. RAMLILA GETS UNESCO STATUS AS INTANGIBLE HERITAGE: Ramlila based on the epic Ramayan has now been recognized by UNESCO as “oral and intangible heritage”. Earlier, India’s Vedic Chants and Kudiyattam, were part of the list of 43 master pieces listed by UNESCO. The recognition means UNESCO will fund documentation of various strands of Ramlila as a living tradition in Kullu, Mysore, Dandi, Ayodhya, Ramnagar and Chitrakoot etc; each enacted in a different and distinctive way. CORBETT PARK SETS NEW GUIDELINES FOR GAME VIEWING: As the park opened to visitors after a long summer break, the rules for tiger viewing have become more stringent. Not more than 2 elephants, carrying tourists, will be allowed into the tiger viewing area. If sighted, visitors have to maintain a distance of 10 meters between them and the tiger. No tourist can stay longer than 10 minutes viewing the tiger and a tigress with cubs will be out of bounds for visitors. Violators will be fined Rs 5,000. 50th ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST EXPEDITION TO MOUNT KANCHENJANGA: The 50th Anniversary of first successful expedition to Mount Kanchenjanga will be celebrated at Gangtok, Sikkim from 17-18 September 2005 as a major tourism event. The stunning beauty and challenging heights of Mt. Kanchenjanga have allured mountaineers from all over the world. It is the highest mountain in India and the 3rd highest peak in the world. The first successful expedition to the peak took place on 25th May 1955, when George band, Joe Brown and Antony Streather from the U.K. and Norman Hardie from New Zealand, who were members of the Charles Evans Expedition, reached the top. The commemoration of the 50th anniversary to coincides with traditional Sikkimese festival to worship the Kanchenjanga as the guardian deity. On the occasion, living mountaineers who reached on the top of the peak like George Band, Norman Hardie, Joe Brown and Col. N. Kumar will be honoured. Film and flower show seminar related with various aspects of the Mountain Kanchenjanga will be held beside the release of the book about the peak. A two day cultural festival ‘Pang Lhabsol’ on the occasion will provide rich glimpses of the region. The celebrations are being organized by the State Government of Sikkim in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. MESSAGE FROM BIBI BASKIN OF RAHEEM RESIDENCY: We are happy to report a great and wonderful improvement regarding Alleppey Beach. At long last Kerala Tourism has appointed a group of young ladies who come in their lovely dark green uniform and various bits of unusual equipment to clean the beach TWICE A DAY. Hooray! The result has brought impressive reaction from our guests this season. We have been told ‘the beach is very inviting’; ‘the beach is surprisingly clean’. As a result a number of guests have enjoyed swimming there who tell us that it is good out to 25 feet. We still tell our female guests that the local boys are not accustomed to seeing ladies in swimwear. And as you all know by now, we don’t market ourselves as a ‘beach property’ for the reason that I, as a westerner – for one - interpret a ‘beach property’ to be one that is actually ON a beach. We believe a ‘heritage property’ paints the right picture. Most of you by now will know that a ‘heritage property’ is indeed an official and accurate appellation for Raheem Residency since the government of India (Tourism Dept) inspected us a few months ago and actually passed us first time around. We are now officially a ’Heritage Hotel of India’. And we are well pleased! SILK SAREE IN GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS: The world’s largest sari (1,246 ft long and 4 ft wide) has entered the Guinness Book of World Records made of silk. It depicts India’s history from the Mohenjadaro-Harappa period to the Independence. The sari costs US$ 40,000 and weighs 40 kg has oil paintings and zari motifs. Mr. S. Ramesh, Managing Partner, Pothys, a sari retailer in Madras (Chennai), said it took three master weavers, six weavers and nine painters to create this piece. INDIA AMONG 5 TOP NET USERS: India has made it to the top five countries in terms of number of internet users. According to global statistics, India had 39 million users as on July-end. However, in terms of actual number of subscribers, India has only 5.7 million. United States tops the list of internet users with over 2 billion of them, while China is the only other country to cross the one billion user mark. The number of internet users is higher than the number of internet subscribers because there can be multiple users for a single connection. Of the 5.7 million internet subscribers in India, 90% are on dial-up and the rest on broadband. MTNL, which offers internet services in Delhi and Mumbai, accounted for one million subscribers as on March 31, 2005. MTNL and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd together have the biggest chunk of the internet subscriber base with a 51% market share, the position once enjoyed by Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd in the initial years of the ISP sector privatisation. Henry Ford IV comes to Himachal with a $300-m ski village: For the fast-growing Indian jet set, the fabulous ski slopes of St Moritz in Switzerland may soon be passe with Alfred Brush Ford, great grandson of Henry Ford, keen to invest over $300 million to develop a ski village in the Dhauladhar mountain ranges above Manali in Himachal Pradesh. The company plans to develop world-class ski-slopes between Kothi and Jagat Sukh, north of Manali, with gondola ski-lifts that will cater to the well-heeled adventure tourists. A 600-room five-star hotel, 300 chalets, food courts, handicraft village, theatre complex, convention centre and even a sanatorium for hospital tourism will come up. The architecture will be on the lines of Bhimakali Temple of Sarahan in Virbhadra Singh’s Rampur constituency. Sims said there would be a 2000-car parking in Manali, from where the skiers will be lifted through gondolas to the village. At the village, another lift will take the skiers and tourists to the mountain tops at 14000 feet for skiing. ‘‘The company intends to begin construction in 2006 and complete the first major phase by 2009...after which India can become a legitimate contender for the Winter Olympics,’’ he said. The project is the brainchild of Detroit-based Alfred Ford, who is married to an Indian, Sharmila Bhattacharya. One of the directors in the Ford Motor Company, Alfred Ford, Chairman of HSV, has a keen interest in India and wants to lead investment in the country NEW TRAINS TO UDAIPUR: This is to Announce that now there is 2 Trains on Broad guage Departing from Udaipur, the Schedule timing are as follows. UDAIPUR / JAIPUR EXPRESS TrainNo UDAIPUR SAWAI M’PUR JAIPUR 2966 DEP 2030 0310 - 0330 0600 2965 ARR 0700 2330 - 2345 2130 MEWAR EXPRESS UDAIPUR NIZAMUDDIN 2963 DEP 2145 ARR 1025 2964 ARR 0830 DEP 1950 MADURAI TEMPLE TO GET GOLD STEPS: One of South India’s foremost temples the Arulmigu Dandayudhapani Temple in Palani is paving the steps leading to the sanctum sanctorum with golden plating. Currently these are now covered with silver plating. The Dandayudhapani Swamy hilltop temple is one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga. TONY BLAIR IN INDIA AS HEAD OF EUROPEAN UNION: Mr. Tony Blair, Prime Minister of U.K. was on a three day visit to India as head of European Union. He lead a large contingent of British CEO’s who were participating in talks with their Indian counterparts. Mr. Blair had talks with Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh on a wide ranging subjects and a number of agreements are expected to be signed during his visit. Mrs. Cherie Blair, wife of Mr. Tony Blair also accompanied him and had a busy schedule visiting schools and institutions. A civil aviation agreement on increasing the number of flights by airlines of both countries was also signed. TONY BLAIR ENCHANTED WITH UDAIPUR: This Rajasthan city (called by some as Venice of East) got a big boost with Prime Ministers of Great Britain and India, Mr. Tony Blair and Dr. Manmohan Singh visiting here to hold talks. The talks were originally planned at the Wildflower Hall in Mashobra in the outskirts of Shimla, the summer capital of India in British time, but due to bad weather were shifted to Udaipur. Mr. Blair was enchanted with Udaipur and said he would like to spend more time here during his next visit. Both Wildflower Hall in Mashobra and Udaivilas in Udaipur, where Mr. Blair and Dr. Manmohan Singh stayed are properties of Oberoi Group of Hotels. Udaipur also featured in James Bond movie Octopussy. CLINTON DROPS IN AT LUCKNOW: Former US president Mr. Bill Clinton arrived in Lucknow in yet another of his frequent visits to India. He avoided arriving in the Indian capital New Delhi where the government was busy feting Mr. Tony Blair and his delegations of leading CEO’s of British and Europe companies. The state government of Uttar Pradesh laid out a red carpet and held a gala reception in his honour. Mr. Clinton was on a private visit but accompanying him were members of the Clinton Foundation including Douglas Band, Rank Gustra, Justin Cooper, Jay Carson and Tim Philips. LUXURY LINER SUPERSTAR LIBRA TO START SERVICE IN INDIA: Superstar Libra a luxury line from Star Cruises will start service in India shortly. The 1480-passenger-capacity vessel displaces 42,000-gross-tonnes and has 740 cabins. Measuring 216 metres long and 28 metres wide, she has eight restaurants and bars, seven entertainment outlets, meeting facilities, and a number of sports, health, and recreational facilities. After a series of one-night cruises – aimed at introducing and showcasing the ship in Bombay – Libra will offer a regular four-night destination cruises to Kadmat in Lakshadweep and Goa, till April 2006. Libra will reach Bombay on September 25 from Singapore after touching at Phuket in Thailand, Madras, and Colombo, en route. SuperStar Libra departed in the evening on a one-night maiden voyage, the first of a number of one-night cruises to introduce and showcase the ship in Mumbai. From 2nd October till April 2006, SuperStar Libra will commence regular 4-night destination cruises to Kadmat (Lakshadweep) and Goa, 2-night cruises to Goa and 1-night weekend getaway cruises. Four special cruises have also been planned to Kochi and Goa on 25th December 2005, 20th January, 12th and 26th February 2006.
MORE DETAILS ON
SuperStar Libra: The newest addition to the Star Cruises fleet in Asia
arrived in Mumbai on 25 September 2005 amidst a colourful fanfare of
music and excitement. About 300 guests and media representatives witnessed a
special Hindu blessing and welcome ceremony at the pier followed by the
auspicious lighting of lamps ceremony at the Galaxy of the Stars show lounge
onboard SuperStar Libra. The ship had just completed a three-week dry-dock
exercise in Singapore to prepare her for the homeporting in India and to cater
to the needs of the passenger mix. DECCAN ODYSSEY: With a capacity of 80, it's a great travel experience. In order to promote Maharashtra and its legacy, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is all set to flag off yet another season of Deccan Odyssey, the luxury train that takes tourists on an unforgettable weeklong journey through the erstwhile Maratha kingdom in October. Launched in 2004, the service offers a fully air-conditioned train with LCD TV, health spa, laundry service, room service and mailbox facilities among others. Each coach of the train is named after some of the best places and forts of Maharashtra. It boasts of special assistance to the physically challenged in the form of wheel chairs, crèches and a special attendant for manual assistance. With a capacity of 80, the plush interiors and extensive schedule appear to make it a great travelling experience for the traveller. Aimed at high-end international and domestic tourists, the eight-day journey covers attractions in Maharashtra and Goa like Ganpatipule and Bhatye beach in Ratnagiri, the fort of Jaighad, the sea fort of Sindhudurg and Tarkarli beach, Pune city, Ajanta and Ellora caves and wineries near Nashik. Priced at Rs. 20,000 in the peak season between October and March, it has been under speculation on account of low occupancy. "We saw almost 400 passengers in the last season from October to April 2004. We made 25 trips in that time period and have received a good response," assured Vijay Chavan, Project Manager for Deccan Odyssey. Going by the feedback of tourists last year, Deccan Odyssey has undergone some minor changes. "We have given additional facilities in the rooms and touched upon the interiors. Even the food arrangements have been improved to suit our passengers," said Chavan. They have tied up with Taj for the food and housekeeping arrangements setting a precedent to a partnership between the government and private parties. With a pre-dominant section of foreign tourists as their passengers, they took extra efforts to introduce the foreigners to the culture of Maharashtra. "We have cultural programs that showcase the traditions and art of Maharashtra like tamasha and dashavtaar. Since the tourists are keen to learn about the place, they look forward to it," he explained. With the next phase to start next month, bookings have already touched 400. "They may go upto 600 as it is season time," he added. With no change in the schedule of places to be seen, Deccan Odyssey is all set to chug off. For registration and bookings, contact 22836690. UTTARANCHAL DECIDES TO SET UP TOURISM POLICE: Uttaranchal Government has decided to set up tourism police to prevent harassment of tourists and provide a secure environment for them in the state. The Government will permanently station the police at Mussoorie, Nainital, Dehra Dun, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Kathgodam during the tourist season police will also be posted at pilgrim destinations such as Gangotri, Yamunotri and Badrinath. Initially 10 % of the personals would be from state police while the rest would be ex-service men. The police would work under State Tourism Development Board. ATITHI DEVO BHAVAH COMPAIGN: Atithi Devo Bhavah (A guest is equivalent to God) campaign which aims at educating the service providers such as taxi drivers and souvenir shop owners who come in immediate contact with the tourists, has been launched in seven states as pilot project. It is planned to extend it now to all states. It is likely to carry on for about 3-5 years. NILGIRI MOUNTAIN RAILWAY UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE: The 106 year old Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) runs between Mettupalayam and Ooty. Also known as the Blue Mountain railway, this “toy train” travels up the scenic Blue mountains / Nilgiris going through 16 tunnels crossing 250 bridges to the hill resort of Ooty. It was recently included as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. It’s scenic and quaint heritage Runneymede and Hillgrove stations can be tourist spots in their own right. TOP NEWS MEANS GOOD NEWS (International) AUSTRALIA AND INDIA TO COOPERATE IN TOURISM: The first Joint Working Group on tourism between Australia and India met in New Delhi. The Indian team was led by the Ms Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of Tourism and the Australian team by Ms Fran Bailey, Tourism Minister. India and Australia will jointly promote the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 and in Delhi in 2010 and take other measures to significantly increase the tourist flow. An action plan to have effective bilateral cooperation in various areas of tourism and travel will also be established. An eco-tourism working group to identify joint research and training projects will also be set up. India most favoured destination for Saudi tourists: India has become the most favoured tourist destination of Saudi Arabian citizens with a 16 per cent surge in their visits compared to last year. The Saudi tourism flow was also up a further six per cent in the first half of this year as against the corresponding period of last yeari. A total of 14,778 Saudis visited India during the period. The figures show that a growing number of Saudi tourists are visiting India for medical treatment, education and sight-seeing. A popular destination is Kerala, which has attracted visitors interested in rejuvenation through ayurvedic treatment. India has also emerged as a favourite destination for honeymooners, for whom a special brochure in Arabic has been released in Jeddah.
SWITZERLAND TOURISM REGISTERS A GROWTH OF 25%: With a growth of 25% registered over last year, India has become as one of the top five emerging markets for Switzerland Tourism. Speaking at the "Switzerland Travel Experience" in Delhi, Mr. Federico Sommaruga, Director, Switzerland Tourism, said, "India is one of the fastest growing markets for Switzerland Tourism and is indeed the second largest market in Asia after Japan. In the year 2005, there have been approx 2,50,000 overnights in Switzerland from India. The Free Individual Traveller (FIT) segment has seen a tremendous growth, making it almost 50% of the total leisure travel to the country." TOP Studio D’Image, the state of art cosmetic surgery center at Golden Palms Hotel & Spa Bangalore: The Studio D' Image located at Golden palms Hotel & Spa Bangalore, brings together the best of doctors, facilities & equipment to create a center of unmatched quality offering Cosmetic surgery, dental care, cardiovascular evaluation, & pathological diagnostics. The eminent panel of doctors attached to the Studio D'Image consists of both Indian as well as International surgeons. Dr. Narendra Pandya is one of the leading cosmetic surgeons in India who is the founder of Studio D'Image. The Dental department has prominent names such as Dr. Pradhan, Dr. Shalini Pradhan, just to name a few. Studio D'Image boasts of 4 state of the art Operating Theatres, recovery rooms and the kind of equipment most leading hospitals in the country only aspire to own! This in addition to the star-studded panel of doctors makes the Studio D'Image, a one of its kind facility in India. Treatments offered at the Studio D'Image consist of: Rhinoplasty, Liposuction, Tummy Tucks, Blepharoplasty (Baggy Eyes), Face Lifts, Hair Transplants, Collagen, Botox, Mammoplasty (Augmentation & Reduction), Aesthetic Dentistry, Restylane, Life Enhancement, Preventive Healthcare Programmes, Diabetic Evaluation Programmes, Cardiac Evaluation Programmes, etc. It's great news for you to enhance your image through world renowned surgeons, dentists and specialists. With the opening of this advanced Image Enhancement Studio, you get freedom from traveling to the United States or Europe as well as from the huge bills you pay for such services. And above all, Studio D'Image at the Golden Palms Hotel & Spa is a destination closer to you. It's like specialists at your doorstep! And what's more, you can also get your surgery done by top-notch American as well as Indian surgeons of your choice (through appointment) at Studio D'Image. TOP
GOA AS PERMANENT VENUE FOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF INDIA (IFFI): Goa, which had hosted the International Film Festival of India last year, is to be the permanent venue for this annual festival. The decision comes after more than three years of uncertainty, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the information and broadcasting ministry and the Goa government. The DFF, in its announcement inviting entries for the IFFI 2005, had listed Goa as the venue and also fixed the dates for this year from November 24 to December 2. The decision had, at that time, evoked much criticism, but Swaraj had been impressed with the infrastructure at the Cannes International Film Festival and felt that holding the festival at a renowned tourist destination would help both tourism and the growth of cine-literate audiences. The government has spruced up its act to host the mega international event. The IFFI is scheduled to be held from 24 November to 4 December this year in the state. Tourism industry is the backbone of Goa’s economy and IFFI has helped the tourism sector. Last year, the state government invested over Rs 200 crore and managed to earn a profit of 25 per cent. This year as well we expect to earn as much as last year. TOP
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NOTE: This newsletter is currently being sent to about 4000 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 |