Tourism and Travel Trends from India:
News and views on India's Travel and Hospitality Sector

Weekly News Related to Travel Industry in India

Top Travel Destinations
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Travel characteristics of Indians
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Travel and Tourism Support Industries …and much more

Top Travel Destinations

Places in the news

1. Dwarka artefacts show link between Indian, Roman civilisations
Scientists from the city-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) have found artefacts near Dwarka island off Gujarat coast which indicate close links between Indian and Roman civilisations. "During the excavation, we found artefacts dating back 3,500 years which indicate that India's maritime history is much older and Indians used to travel by sea even before Vasco da Gama touched Indian shores," said Dr K H Vora, deputy director and project leader, Marine Archaeology.

"Archaeological excavations at Bet (island) Dwarka, which is the western-most part of India, also revealed an interesting cultural sequence commencing from pre-historic period (3,800 years Before Present) to historical period (1,600 Before Present)," he said. "Interestingly, we came across amphorae shreds of Mediterranean origin. This indicates that Indian and Roman civilisations have similarities with each other through sea route," Vora stated. NIO's Marine Archaeology wing which is continuously exploring coasts of Somnath, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg and Goa besides Dwarka, consider the revelation as a milestone in marine history.

NIO scientists, during their study on shoreline changes during last 2,000 years on the Saurashtra Coast of India, off-Gulf of Kutch, have encountered large number of stone anchors dating back 2,000 years. "That means, the stone anchors were used even before iron anchor came in use by the ships which were anchored off-Gujarat coast," Vohra stated.

Thursday, March 29, 2007
Source: PTI via Ahmedabad Newsline, Google News India

2. In India, the hunt for tigers provides heart stopping excitement
Corbett National Park, India: I would rather be on an elephant than in front of one. It's no fun when a wild tusker is lumbering toward you, and you are trapped in a Jeep with no choice but to drive in reverse on a muddy, twisting, hilly road flanked by a jungle on the left and a gurgling river to the right.

The heart-stopping encounter with an irritated elephant occurred barely 30 minutes after we had driven into the Corbett National Park — India's finest tiger reserve in the foothills of the Himalayas — in search of the big cats.

At the wheel was a friend, a city lad whose skills in reverse driving were limited to parking between parallel lines. Still, he did an admirable job of driving us — a shaken party of four — backward to safety behind a curve in the forested hill.

The elephant, apparently bored by our lack of sportsmanship, ambled away after a while. We were lucky. Later at a forest lodge — the staging point for tiger safaris — we saw another vehicle that had been gored the same day by a tusker, possibly the one we met. The vehicle displayed two holes in the metal grille in the front. No humans were injured.

But Rajiv Bhartari, the director of Corbett Tiger Reserve, which encompasses the national park, later told us that it is common for wild elephants to confront humans although fatal encounters are unheard of. Still, he said, we are better off being atop an elephant while in the forest. "Besides, that's the best way to see a tiger," he said.
And nothing can be truer.

Corbett National Park is no Serengeti or Kruger. Unlike those African parks, you won't see hordes of animals under shady trees or watering holes. But tracking and spotting a tiger in the Indian jungle with an experienced guide turned out to be every bit as thrilling as homing in on a pair of cheetahs in the African grasslands.

But more of that later.

Corbett National Park, located in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, epitomizes India's success in saving the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger, the magnificent yellow-and-black striped cat found only in Asia.

A victim of hunting, poaching and human encroachment, the tigers were threatened with extinction when the global Project Tiger was launched in Corbett National Park on April 1, 1973. At the time, the tiger population in the park was 44. Across India, only about 1,800 existed, down from 40,000 at the turn of the 20th century.

Under Bhartari's stewardship, the tiger population in Corbett has increased to about 175. Overall, there are about 3,600 tigers in India but other national parks have not fared as well as Corbett and some reserves have no tigers left.

"Right now, what you see is a glorious Corbett. We have never seen anything like it. (Tiger) sightings are becoming more common," said Bhartari in an interview at the Dhikala forest lodge. It is the largest and most frequented of the 12 lodges, operated by the state forest department, inside the 520-square-kilometer (200-square-mile) Corbett National Park.

The park is named after Jim Corbett, a British colonial army colonel who was born in 1875 in Nainital, not far from the sanctuary, and lived virtually all his life in India until 1947. An ardent hunter, he gave up killing for sport after witnessing a carnage of water fowl by three army officers, and dedicated his life to preserving wildlife.

The accommodations in Dhikala lodge are basic but comfortable and adequate. Only vegetarian food is available because meat leftovers and their scent attract carnivores. Still, the lodge, protected by an electrified perimeter fence, can't be beaten for its location in the heart of the park, overlooking the Ramganga river where tigers sometimes come to bathe and drink in summers.

Visitors to Corbett National Park — about 160,000 come every year — usually spend two days at the lodge. Lodge officials arrange elephant and Jeep safaris that set out twice a day — once at dawn and again before dusk when most animals come out to hunt or forage.

Elephant safaris are highly popular and get booked days in advance. We were slow in booking and had to settle for the Jeep. Our first day proved to be fruitless. Riding in an open Jeep, we crisscrossed the dirt tracks across the dry brown grasslands and stopped at a spot where a tiger was seen a day before. But patience proved futile and as dusk began to approach we hurried back to the lodge before the curfew. Big mistake.

M.C. Klaarwater, a young Dutch engineer on his second trip to India, lingered and came across a frolicking tiger, leaping over the grass, its black-tipped tail up in the air. He even had pictures to prove it. That evening M.C. proved to be the most popular man at the lodge with all residents lining up to see the pictures on his digital camera.

With renewed vigor, despite near freezing temperatures, we set out at dawn the next day to the same spot and parked ourselves. The stillness of dawn was soon broken by jungle sounds. To us they were just sounds. To our guide, the language was jungle telegraph: a Sambhar deer was alerting its herd and another species, a barking deer, had issued its warning as well.

"It's definitely somewhere here," the guide whispered, urging everybody to keep still and quiet. As the minutes ticked away, The warning calls became more frequent. Soon, the white-and black furred Langur monkeys, perched atop tall Sal trees, joined the chorus with loud "keeee... keeee." They could clearly see the tiger from their vantage point. Tension mounted as the monkeys' shouts became cacophonous. The tiger was certainly there, but where was it going to emerge from? Suddenly, we all saw a flash of orange and black in the thick shrubs under the trees.

Cameras trained and eyes peeled we tracked the blurred patches of galloping color. The rustling through the dry bushes was loud and clear. A gasp went up among the assembled audience — many more people had arrived by then in Jeeps including M.C. — as the majestic tiger bounded through the forest, onto the road in front of us, 50 yards away, before disappearing into the foliage again.

A young woman squealed with excitement. Men said "wow" in hushed tones, and immediately began to look at their camera screens to see if the moment was trapped in digital magnificence. I did too. And realized with great chagrin that I had set the camera on manual and shot on extreme slow shutter speed. The picture turned to be shaky and blurred. M.C., on the other hand, wisely relied on automatic and got a series of terrific images. He was once again a popular guy back the lodge.

Never mind. What I saw that day through my camera's viewfinder will be printed in my memory forever.

If You Go...
CORBETT NATIONAL PARK AND TIGER RESERVE: Near Ramnagar, India; http://www.jimcorbettnationalpark.com. or 011-91-59-4725-1489.

GETTING THERE: Take the overnight train, the Ranikhet Express, from Delhi to Ramnagar, the nearest town to the park. From Ramnagar, hire a jeep for 700 rupees (US$15;€12) to Dhikala forest lodge for the 50-kilometer (30-mile) journey. The Jeep and its driver will stay with you during your stay in Dhikala, and take you on two safaris every day for another 700 rupees (US$15;€11). Delhi to Ramnagar is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) by road but the taxi journey on the national highway, which is dug up in long stretches for widening, is difficult and takes about eight hours.

LODGINGS: If you are unable to find accommodation at Dhikala or any of the other forest lodges, there are plenty of resorts outside the perimeter of the Corbett National Park. If you feel like splurging stay at the Corbett Hideaway or Corbett River View Retreat, http://www.leisurehotels.co.in. They offer day trips into the park.

OTHER WILDLIFE: Other animals that one can encounter at the park are leopard, wild boar, hog dear, Indian marsh crocodiles, peacocks, woodpecker, cormorant and a variety of snakes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information about the park and about Jim Corbett, click on http://www.jimcorbettnationalpark.com

WORTH VISITING: Jim Corbett Heritage Trail and Jim Corbett Museum in Choti Haldwani village, once owned by Corbett, located 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Ramnagar.

SUGGESTED ROUND TRIP: For a complete holiday, take a taxi to Ranikhet after visiting Corbett National Park. Ranikhet is a picture postcard town with stunning views of the Himalayas and magnificent walks. From Ranikhet drive to Binsar, located at a height of 2,438 meters (8,000 feet) and ideal for superb treks in the hills. Stay there if possible at Khali Estate — http://www.nivalink.com/khaliestate — whose location on the top of a mountain provides gorgeous views. Drive down from Binsar to Sonapani, another hill resort — http://www.himalayanvillage.com — and onward to Kathgodam in the plains to catch a train back to New Delhi.

Thursday, March 29, 2007
Source: International Herald Tribune via Google News India

3. Save chinar campaign in Kashmir
Say chinar, and you think of Bollywood hits like "Kashmir ki Kali" and "Aarzoo". The trees are synonymous with the beauty of Kashmir, and have remained a major attraction for tourists. Sadly, their numbers have fallen by half since the 1970s.

Waking up to the fact, the Jammu and Kashmir government has launched a drive to plant chinars, popularly known as 'bune', all over the state. The legislators took the decision at the recently held budget session here.

On March 1, celebrated as Chinar Day, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad planted a chinar sapling at a girls' school in uptown Srinagar. He has made plantation of chinar saplings a part of his visits to educational institutions.

"We must plant trees if we want to save our environment and future," Azad told IANS, adding that during his school days no one used to ever buy apples from the market. There were so many trees then!

A dramatic fall in the number of chinar trees from 40,000 in the 1970s to a little over 19,000 now has alarmed the concerned departments. A worried government has launched the programme of planting chinar saplings on a large scale.

In the Jammu region, chinars dot the landscape of the Rajinder Singh Park on the Canal Road. A few Chinar trees can also been seen in the green belt area of Gandhi Nagar.

Kashmiri historians point out that the chinars were brought from Central Asia by Mughal kings. Some say that Mughal emperor Jehangir nourished the 1,000 chinar trees planted in Naseem Bagh - presently the Kashmir university campus - with milk.

There was a time when the Kashmiri youth enjoyed spending endless hours under the shade of chinar trees in Srinagar, with the breeze blowing in from the Dal Lake.

A number of Bollywood movies and songs have been shot with chinar figuring in them in a big way. Tourists would enjoy the 'shikara' (a small bedded open boat) ride from Dalgate to Char Chinar, through the waters of the Dal Lake.

According to M.S. Wadoo, author of "The Trees of Our Heritage", the largest and oldest chinar tree stands at Chattergam Chadoora in central Kashmir in the garden of Sufi saint Syed Qasim Shah's shrine.

Wadoo cautions Kashmiris against the environmental hazards caused by indiscriminate felling of trees. "If we do not care for trees today, we will turn our beautiful state into a parched land."

Friday, March 30, 2007
Source: MSN India

Travel and transportation infrastructure

Sector: Aviation

1. Jet, Sahara may get to fly Gulf routes next year
In a move that would enable carriers like Jet Airways and Air Sahara to operate flights to the lucrative Gulf sector, the government is planning to open up this market to private airlines early next year. The Gulf route, which has been reserved for state-owned Air India and Indian till now, is likely to see private competition in January 2008. The sector, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, is an important source of revenue for the two national carriers. The move is significant for Jet Airways, which is said to be keen on starting operations to the Gulf countries.

During a review of the civil aviation policy draft last year, the civil aviation ministry has proposed extension of the public sector monopoly over Gulf routes till 2010 - giving Indian and Air India two more years to benefit from restricted competition in this sector. However, officials of the ministry have now proposed, in the latest draft of the policy which was recently reviewed by civil aviation minister Praful Patel, that private carriers should be allowed to operate Gulf flights from next year.

The move would enable only Jet Airways and Air Sahara to fly to Gulf nations abroad as they meet the current criteria of having completed five years in the domestic market and fleet strength of 20 to fly internationally. “The civil aviation policy is currently under review. Private players can be allowed to fly to the Gulf early next year,” a civil aviation ministry official said. The change in the government stand on giving private players the leeway follows the merger of Indian and Air India, which is currently under way. It is felt that the merged entity - with its large fleet and huge network - would be in a position to take on the competition. The official said the move is part of government’s initiative to further liberalise the sector and prepare the state-owned airlines for competition from private airlines.

For private airlines, the move would throw up a lucrative avenue while passengers may hope for lower fares which could result from increased competition. Although only Jet Airways and Air Sahara would qualify to fly to Gulf nations, other carriers like Air Deccan, Kingfisher and SpiceJet have also been keen on operating on the sector. “Traffic on India-Gulf route has been on the rise, and an increasing number of Gulf-based airlines are seeking nod for connecting to India. So, the government feels that more Indian carriers should be permitted to fly into the Gulf,” the official said.

The Gulf region was earlier proposed to be opened up in January 2008 after completion of expansion plans of the two national carriers. However, with aircraft acquisition plans of Air India and Indian getting delayed, the government planned to extend the special status by two years.

Saturday, March 31, 2007
Source: Economic Times

2. BA announces Rs 36,000 return fare for US-bound travelers
Dishing out a bonanza for air travellers, British Airways on Friday announced a low starting return fare of Rs 36,000 for travel between India and the US in the summer season.

"Holidaymakers looking to fly to popular destinations in the US this summer can now book seats on British Airways for fares as low as Rs 36,000 plus taxes," an airline spokesperson said.

The premier British carrier, which operates 43 flights a week from five Indian cities to London Heathrow, also announced a series of new services, particularly for the kids, ranging from 'kids eat first' policy to children's channels like Disney and Cartoon Network, toys, games and even babycots.

Besides the new products, the airline also promises facilities like choosing of seats and check-ins through the airline website -- ba.Com -- besides faster luggage clearance at the airports, she said.

BA's Area Commercial Manager (South Asia) Amanda Amos said while the leisure travel market was growing in India, the airline was ensuring that Indian customers get value for money by booking their travel early.

"There is no better way to start your holiday than by avoiding the stress of an airport queue. We have been investing significant resources in making our customers' travel process much easier by embracing the benefits of technology and automating the many processes involved in planning, booking and travelling with the airline," Amos said.

Friday, March 30, 2007
Source: Zee News via Google India News

3. Lanka-India travel base strengthens
Travel between India and Sri Lanka is on the rise and this was the reason for Air India Express to launch daily flights to Colombo effective from March 25. The Sri Lankan economic growth is very high and due to this more and more peoples are traveling.

Chief Operating Officer, Air India Express, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, Capt. P. P. Singh who was in Colombo with the inaugural flight said that Colombo is an exciting market and already they are operating over 80 percent seat factors. “Due to this success we hope to launch more flights from Colombo linking Bombay and New Delhi soon,” he said.

The airline has a fleet of state-of-the-art Boeing 737-800 aircraft which is one of the most technology advanced single-aisle jet aircraft and passengers have the ability to book through the internet and just go to the airport with the print out of the booking.

The airline was formed primarily to cater to the price sensitive market, which required point-to-point service at lower fares, and the airline is offering the lowest fair to India, which is 25% lower than the other airlines.

Unlike other low cost carriers, Air India Express serves passengers snacks and a soft drink in pre-packed boxes along with tea and coffee.

He said that in India there are nearly 50 domestic airlines and they are all doing well since the industry is booming. Air India Express international destinations include Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Sharjah, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Doha.

Chairman Heylays, the general Sales agent for air express, T. Wickramaratne said that they were very happy that Air Express is operating to Colombo. “This was a much expected service,” he said.

Saturday, 31st March 2007
Source: Daily News via Google India News

Sector: Railways

1. Buddhist circuit special train from today
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is all set to launch a new Buddhist circuit special luxury train, Maha-Parinirvan Special, from Wednesday. It will cover prominent Buddhist pilgrim centres in India and Nepal and end with a viewing of the Taj Mahal.

The train will start from the Safdarjung Railway Station here and cover places such as Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Varanasi, Shravasti and Lumbini (Nepal), besides the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri during the one-week journey.

"We are aiming at giving a new meaning to pilgrim tourism. This will provide the first major link to all Buddhist pilgrim spots in India and Nepal in the environs of luxury and comfort. We expect a large number of package tours and foreign tourists to take up this exciting new offering," IRCTC Managing Director P.K. Goel said.

To discover glory
An attempt had been made to discover the glory of the holy land of Buddha through this new venture.
The train was aimed at promoting Buddhist tourism in the country and targeted tourists from South East Asian nations such as Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, he said.
The fully air-conditioned train offered a complete package with facilities such as plush accommodation, food in star hotels and road travel by luxury buses. Besides, the IRCTC would also assist the foreign tourists in getting visas.
Mr. Goel said the beauty of the entire package was that once passengers boarded the train everything was taken care of by the Railways.
The train offered an attractive fare structure. From October to March, the fare would be $150 a day for a passenger in first AC, $105 in second AC and $88 in AC three-tier.
The fare was relatively cheaper during April-September. It would be $140 a day for a passenger in first AC, $98 in second AC and $80 in AC three-tier, he said.
The new package comes close on the heels of the recent Vaishnoo Devi pilgrimage tour by the IRCTC that has received a tremendous response.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Source: The Hindu

Sector: Hotels & Restaurants

Medical Tourism

Religious Tourism

1. Spring festival begins in Kerala
The ancient Sree Balasubramanya Swamy temple in Umayanalloor in Kerala's Kollam district is believed to have been built some 2000 years ago. During the Spring festival, the temple's main attraction is the elephant tail-catching ritual.

On the eighth day of the festival, devotees as well as tourists from far and wide flock to the temple for the unique ritual. Although the exact date of its origin is unknown, the ritual signifies the playful pranks of the deity Subramanian and his brother Ganesha.

Subramanian (Lord Kartikeya, brother of Lord Ganesha) in his childhood would grab Ganapathy's (Elephant God, Lord Ganesha) tail while playing. In the ritual the elephant represents Ganapathy and people represent Subramanian., so the tradition is that the people try to catch hold of the elephant's tail.

Elephants are taken through hours of rituals during which they are fed, decorated and then taken around the temple in a procession before reaching the starting position of the ritual.

Hindu devotee, Manoj Kumar says he has been taking part in the festival for five years and really looks forward to the event.

One final salute to the deity and the elephant begins his 100-metre (328 feet) dash.

Devotees, who have been observing austerities for six days, run after the elephant and the person who catches his tail first considers themselves blessed.

Tourist Christine Ross says the ritual is really exciting.

Baiju caught the elephants tail first this year. he says he was able to catch it because he observed an austere life for 6 days and that only those with God's blessings can touch the elephant's tail.  
The ancient Sree Balasubramanya Swamy temple in Umayanalloor in Kerala's Kollam district is believed to have been built some 2000 years ago. During the Spring festival, the temple's main attraction is the elephant tail-catching ritual.

On the eighth day of the festival, devotees as well as tourists from far and wide flock to the temple for the unique ritual. Although the exact date of its origin is unknown, the ritual signifies the playful pranks of the deity Subramanian and his brother Ganesha.

Subramanian (Lord Kartikeya, brother of Lord Ganesha) in his childhood would grab Ganapathy's (Elephant God, Lord Ganesha) tail while playing. In the ritual the elephant represents Ganapathy and people represent Subramanian., so the tradition is that the people try to catch hold of the elephant's tail.

Elephants are taken through hours of rituals during which they are fed, decorated and then taken around the temple in a procession before reaching the starting position of the ritual.

Hindu devotee, Manoj Kumar says he has been taking part in the festival for five years and really looks forward to the event.

One final salute to the deity and the elephant begins his 100-metre (328 feet) dash.

Devotees, who have been observing austerities for six days, run after the elephant and the person who catches his tail first considers themselves blessed.

Tourist Christine Ross says the ritual is really exciting.

Baiju caught the elephants tail first this year. he says he was able to catch it because he observed an austere life for 6 days and that only those with God's blessings can touch the elephant's tail. The elephants are trained by mahouts who regard the beasts as sacred. Raju is a veteran who enjoys his mahout's trust.

Mahout, Gopalakrishna Pillai says the elephants know what they are doing because they have done it many times before and draw their power from God.

The spring festival runs from the 13th to the 23rd of March.
The elephants are trained by mahouts who regard the beasts as sacred. Raju is a veteran who enjoys his mahout's trust.

Mahout, Gopalakrishna Pillai says the elephants know what they are doing because they have done it many times before and draw their power from God.

The spring festival runs from the 13th to the 23rd of March.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Source: MSN India

Holistic Healing Service Providers

Travel characteristics of Indians

1. Holidaymakers choose to fly this summer
Come April and May families pack their bags and head towards tourist destinations, particularly to hill stations and seaside resorts.

The exodus will take place this year too, but with a difference. Affordable air travel and rising middle class incomes are making travel quicker and more comfortable. With the popular perception of air travel as unaffordable now changing, flying is fast becoming the preferred choice for middle class families who wish to holiday in India. Some of the prominent low cost carriers have already registered bookings over and above 50 per cent of their load factor for April-May.

With almost all airlines announcing special fares and special tour packages for the summer, people who have planned their holidays early have been reaping the benefits of early booking.

Bangalore-based Air Deccan last Sunday announced unspecified numbers of tickets at Rs. 9 for travel during April and May. With proposals to connect Delhi with prominent hill stations such as Dharamshala and Shimla during the first and second weeks of April, the airline is expecting even more passenger bookings.

Some of the hot destinations chosen by holidaymakers on Air Deccan include Kullu, Port Blair, Goa, Coimbatore (for Ooty), Dehradun, Bagdogara (for Darjeeling and Gangtok), Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udaipur. An airline spokesperson said the bookings are the highest for Goa from all connecting airports with over 50 per cent seats having been booked already.

On the other hand, Mumbai-based GoAir, promoted by the Wadia group, did offer the sensational "Rs. 0" a ticket offer for those who booked before the Union budget — between February 23 and February 28 — for travel during March and August. This low cost carrier, which launched the operations in November 2005, connects 13 places, including some prominent summer destinations such as Jammu, Goa, Jaipur, Coimbatore and Srinagar. Almost 20 per cent of the seats in GoAir have already been booked for travel during April and May. The airline said prominent tourist sectors such as Mumbai Goa, Delhi-Goa, Mumbai-Srinagar- Jammu-Mumbai, Mumbai-Jaipur, Mumbai-Delhi have witnessed heavy bookings.

Catering to southern Indian cities, Paramount Airways has registered 80 per cent bookings for April and May. The airline witnessed heavy bookings to places such as Coimbatore, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

To catch the summer exodus, national carrier Indian has introduced a plethora of promotional schemes, including reintroduction of the "Spot Fare" offer, wherein the low last-minute fares would be available to passengers. Besides, the carrier has introduced holiday packages, "Flyaways," offering a single window holiday convenience to passengers for a complete holiday.

As a result, almost all the sectors where Indian operates have been witnessing heavy bookings, according to Indian officials. "The load factor for the summer months are very good and are more towards holiday destinations," he said.

Other prominent airlines such as Air Sahara, Jet Airways, Spice Jet and Kingfisher Airlines too have come out with various promotional schemes.

Monday, March 26, 2007
Source: The Hindu

Investment related

Travel and Tourism Support Industries …and much more

Policy Related

1. Bulldogs in India nixed
Due to new requirements imposed by the Indian government, Bulldogs in India will be canceled for this upcoming summer, the University announced Wednesday.

The new policies increase regulation of foreign education institutions operating in India and change visa requirements for professors and students, Assistant Secretary for International Affairs George Joseph said. The Bulldogs internship program must be reviewed to ensure that its offerings are consistent with the new requirements, a process that is projected to take at least three months, he said.

As a result, the 2007 Bulldogs in India program will be canceled, University Career Services Director Philip Jones said. In addition, all Yale programs that send students to India will have to review their activities to make sure they adhere to Indian law and immigration rules, Joseph said. In addition to reviewing individual programs, all faculty and students affiliated with foreign educational institutions must now have proper visas for work, research or study instead of simply a tourist visa. But students traveling to India independently will not be affected, Joseph said.

Joseph said the regulations are a response to substandard educational institutions operating in India because of the demand from a growing population. The government is now bringing regulations up to the standard of many other countries, including the United States, which already requires correct visas and proper accreditation, he said.
“The process has been going on for several years, but only recently has it come to affect Yale as we initiate more new programs in the country,” Joseph said in an e-mail from India. “It will be most definitely interesting to see how some of these issues play out over the next couple of years because they will have enormous consequences for access and operations in India by Yale and other foreign institutions.”

He said other schools, such as Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and Cornell universities, will be more affected than Yale because they have larger physical presences in India, including offices and research centers. Jones said the Office of International Affairs was notified of the tightened regulations earlier this month, and UCS was told Tuesday that the review process would take too long for the New Delhi-based Bulldogs program to be feasible this summer. “There’s no question that we are going to be properly regulated going forward in the future,” Jones said. “If they had told us in October, we would have had time [before summer].”

None of the eight Bulldogs in India positions had been filled, he said, so students considering the internships should still have backup plans.

International Education and Fellowship Programs director Barbara Rowe said IEFP and the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies will likely be awarding fellowship and grants for travel to India in the next few weeks. Although none of the IEFP-administered fellowships are awarded specifically for activities in India, she said, individual students may propose projects — such as research or volunteer work — in India. Fellowships promoting travel abroad include the Thomas C. Barry Travel Fellowships, the Kingsley Trust Association Summer Travel Fellowships and the Henry Hart Rice Foreign Residence Fellowships.

Jones said he is dismayed at the cancellation of the New Delhi program.
“I’m very disappointed for the students because they get excited about these opportunities, and they’re pulled away quite literally by circumstances not under our control,” Jones said.

Jones said he anticipates that Bulldogs in India will be reinstated for the summer of 2008. Benjamin Siegel ’07, who used Yale-administered fellowships to travel to India during two summers, said the new regulation might cause students to consider travel to other countries in the area, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. But he said the cancellation of the Bulldogs program comes as a blow to Yale’s South Asian studies program.

“Since Yale’s trying to put a lot of emphasis on South Asia right now, it’s unfortunate that this is happening when a lot of resources are being pumped into the area,” he said. International Bulldogs internship positions are still being offered in Accra, Ghana; Athens, Greece; Beijing; Brussels, Belgium; Budapest, Hungary; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cape Town, South Africa; Hong Kong; Kampala, Uganda; London; Madrid, Spain; Monterrey, Mexico; Montreal; Singapore; and Tokyo.

Thursday, March 29, 2007
Source: YaleDailyNews via Google India news

Service Providers

1. Indians will be moved to book online more than ever before by a convergence of conditions

While e-commerce is gaining ground, it is felt that price seems to be the key driving point, experiential marketing is in a nascent stage and there is a limited focus on niche, high-paying customer.

During EyeforTravel’s inaugural conference in New Delhi last year, a speaker said Indians like to deal with people. In e-Commerce the whole idea is to save transaction costs by turning to automation and cutting down on people interfaces. This in itself is a paradox for Indians.

Providing his perspective on the same from the hotel sector, Puneet Mahindroo, director of revenue management, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces said, “I beg to differ from the statement – I think globally, hospitality is a “People’s” business and it’s all about engagement, experiences and moment of truth. If not, today majority of the Front Desks in the hotels would have been replaced by Kiosks and similar IT innovations especially in countries where manpower is a substantial cost. Internet like any other medium has been highly instrumental in expanding the reach…reach to our customers. It’s all about convenience especially for those who prefer the comfort of being able to review information and make travel arrangements anytime, anywhere at a click of few buttons.”
He added: “From an India perspective, the latest S&P survey indicates that there is a substantial population of Indians in the age-groups 5-19 yrs. Assuming that this generation is being constantly exposed to accelerated technology innovations and would have a far greater sense, education and comfort with the Net and computers; it is going to impact the buying behavior in the near future. How many of us have actually looked at the role of education and computer literacy with regards to distribution channel utilisation? How many urban house-holds in the country actually have a personal computer and what is the quality of internet infrastructure?”

Sharing his viewpoint in an interview with EyeforTravel.com’s Ritesh Gupta, Mahindroo, who was recently in Singapore for EyeforTravel’s Travel Distribution Summit Asia ’07, spoke about progress made by Taj’s websites, purchasing pattern for travel in India etc.

Excerpts: Hotel chain websites in India have evolved from basic brochure ware to robust e-commerce platforms. Could you share info on how Taj Hotels and Palaces has focused on direct web distribution? What initiatives have been taken in the recent past? Firstly, I think this transition is an on-going process and it will continue as technology expands the horizons and new opportunities surface. At the Taj, “Web-direct” has now been a conscious strategic focus for last 8-10 years and our website has been awarded in the recent past for its overall design. The key initiatives have always been to constantly and consistently improve the overall surfing experience, content, navigation and ease of use from a customer point-of-view.

Indians are just about beginning to get comfortable browsing the net and making basic point to point bookings. What do you think, from suppliers’ perspective, would be the key to propel this trend? At the end of the day it is going to be a customer’s choice since the customer is the King but recent travel surveys and research available on customer buying behaviour indicates that customers are looking at:
1. Rate Parity
2. Pricing Flexibility and perhaps in the future Dynamic Packaging
3. One-Stop Shop i.e. Air, Hotel, Car Rentals
4. Recognition
5. Enhanced Content
6. Destination Information
7. Ease of Use
8. Last but perhaps one of the most critical aspect, security of transactions

Unlike the current trend we see at the moment on the Internet space i.e. “Lowest Prices Available” – how certain are we that the customers are only looking at the Internet to get lowest price deals. I believe this is a short-term approach perhaps to expose the channel but to be able to sustain customer preference and confidence; we need to able to address the above eight points, comprehensively.

How do you currently assess the purchasing pattern (for travel) in India when it comes to Internet? What new trends have you witnessed?

Taking a quote from a recent report:
“India’s rapid economic growth and ris­ing prosperity are fueling multiple sec­tors of the economy, including lifestyle products such as travel and tourism. Two drivers – increased business activity (including infrastructure improvement) and rising consumption of leisure travel services – are firmly in place. All sectors of travel – inbound, domestic and out­bound – are seeing double-digit growth rates, and the online travel market is set for a major boom with several catalysts coming into play almost simultaneously. Indians will be moved to book online more than ever before by a convergence of conditions, including:
· the growth of Web-focused LCCs; · aggressive moves online by traditional airlines;
· the push of international outbound carriers toward direct distribution;
· the lack of legacy reservations systems;
· the emergence of seven well-funded online travel agencies that will soon take aim at the fragmented hotel seg­ment.”
In addition, I believe the recent moves made by Indian Railways, one of the world’s largest travel institution, on the Internet space is worth commending and will open several new avenues for online-travel growth.
Last year was marked by the launch of well-funded online ventures in India. How do you assess the timing of such OTA ventures and where is the industry headed in your opinion?

From my perspective it is well-timed and I believe it is a great move by such ventures to bring together the fragmented hotel segment (independent hotels). I believe with the growth in domestic travel and renewed focused on the on-line travel market by the airlines; such ventures will really benefit the customers. However, it is too early to comment as to what such ventures are planning to do in terms of attaining sustainable differentiation and branding. In my personal opinion I find the advertisements and communication to be pricing driven which as stated earlier may not be a long-term sustainable growth strategy.

My thoughts are merely generalised looking at majority of the sample-size; though I’m sure all of us have seen some really great brand, awareness and experience-based campaigns from select players which I believe is a step in the right direction.
How has airline penetration, especially owing to low cost carriers, affected booking lead time in the hotel sector?

The booking lead time has been shrinking for several years now and I don’t think it is only due to the introduction of low-cost carriers. I would rather list a variety of reasons:
1. Penetration of the overall airline industry i.e. opening of new routes, increased passenger seat capacity, rationalisation of airline fares and pricing reforms.
2. Time – this is what people lack these days owing to extremely busy daily routines and we notice this even for people traveling on Leisure that holiday plans are now being made at much shorter lead times.
3. Economy – with the expansion of disposable income - as compared to the historical trend of “One Big Vacation” a year; people are now taking 2-3 breaks a year. Two out of three breaks are short-getaways which require very little planning and people may decide to beat the stress at anytime with an extremely short travel window.
4. Business today is extremely dynamic and response times are shrinking world-over. With increased competition across industries; today’s business traveler likes to connect and that too at a personal level with the respective associates and business partners. We don’t need a research to tell us this…just look at my inbox with last minute reservation requests. Even in my own case I traveled recently, on a two-day notice.
Dynamic packaging is yet to take off in a big way. Do you think the scarcity of hotel rooms in India is a big hindrance in dynamic packaging taking off?

I don’t think it has anything to do with hotel room availability in India. I think globally, the biggest hindrance which we face today is the development or rather the pace of development of technology in the hospitality segment. For instance, how many hotel distribution systems are even geared to effectively allow real-time dynamic packaging? At the most it is limited to Air and Hotel packages! On the other hand, even once the technology is matured and robust enough; what will be the cost implications in terms of replacement or enhancement of current technology? I think still a lot of concerns need to be addressed in this area.

There is a call for replacing the transactional price approach with an experiential relationship approach. What’s your viewpoint on the same?
I completely agree. For many years pricing has been a key pillar of competitive differentiation and with the growing transparency in pricing; we need to question ourselves if pricing will continue to serve as the most effective tool for competitive differentiation? In my opinion pricing may still play a key role but sustainable differentiation will be achieved and driven by the quality of the customer experience, relationships over a period of time and the association with the brand and its value-propositions.

Thursday, March 28, 2007
Source: Eye for travel via Google News India

2. Yahoo! India to offer travel services with partner
Yahoo! India is targeting to offer travel-related services including booking on its portal in India in the next couple of months. The company is in talks with various service providers and is expected to finalise the deal soon.

George Zacharias, MD, Yahoo! India, said this market in India had huge potential given the kind of business that is being transacted on the net for travel-related services. “We want to be in this space and we should be finalising our partner pretty soon,” he said. The travel space on the internet is growing at a fast clip in India over the past couple of years, with portals such as travelguru, makemytrip and cleartrip making significant inroads in this market.

The rise of this market has also led a global travel portal Travelocity to set up shop in India. It is also learnt that another global major Kayak and expedia is also set to enter Indian shores.

The internet shopping market in India is currently worth close to Rs 3,000 crore and of this 70 per cent is accounted by various travel portals led by IRCTC (Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation).

Yahoo! India, which is among the top two in attracting the Indian advertisers onto the Internet, in a market worth close to $60 million, recently invested in BharatMatrimony.com to make this site its preferred partner in India for matrimony-related offerings.

According to industry sources, Yahoo! India might take a similar route of making a strategic investment in an Indian travel portal to expand its travel services here. Zacharias, however, was not willing to comment on the profile of partner stating that when they finalise it would be made public.

"It may not necessarily be through a strategic investment pact like BharatMatrimony. There are all possibilities and we will sign a win-win deal for both parties," he said.
Yahoo! India has a pact with ebay in India to offer shopping services, a vertical which is still nascent for Yahoo! in India. If and when the pact for travel services fall in place, Yahoo! in India will be offering the entire gamut of services starting from email, search, messenger, job search besides others.

Friday, March 29, 2007
Source: Business Standard via Google News India

3. Remote Lands, Inc. Offers Bespoke Travel and Private Jet Journeys to Asia
Based out of Manhattan, Remote Lands, Inc. is a provider of Asian luxury custom - or bespoke - travel and private jet journeys with celebrity speakers. The company specializes in unique travel experiences and insider access to local dignitaries and VIPs, and exclusive events. Founded by Catherine Heald and Jay Tindall, Remote Lands promotes socially responsible tourism by donating five percent of their profits to charities in developing countries.

Remote Lands' first private jet journey, “Passionate Epicures and Insatiable Travelers,” features best-selling author Simon Winchester and celebrity food writer Gael Greene. The trip is scheduled for October 13-26, 2007 with space limited to only 36 guests. Guests will travel to Thailand, Burma, Bhutan, India and China to learn about Asian culture through its food, and will visit markets, private kitchens and homes. Highlights include a private cooking demonstration by a top chef at the home of Bhutan dignitary, a Thai wedding in Bangkok, a barbeque lunch on the beach with fishermen and their families in Cochin India, and a young monk ordination ceremony in Burma.

Remote Lands’ will be offering a golf trip and an art and architecture journey in 2008. Besides these package trips, Remote Lands’ offers bespoke Asian travel allowing guest to experience Asia in a personalized, intimate way. Remote Lands tailor-makes each journey considering the individual’s travel and lifestyle preferences. Travelers also have access to special services such as audiences with local nobility, celebrities and other VIP’s, and a full staff including bodyguards, chefs, concierges, photographers, trainers, beauticians, and massage therapists.

The company has recently been featured in Forbes, the LA Times, and BusinessWeek.

Saturday,March 30, 2007
Source: heliumreport.com via Google India News

4. Money back offer with The MasterCard Travelguru Promotion
MasterCard Worldwide, a leader in advancing global commerce, today announced a unique joint promotion with India’s leading online travel portal, Travelguru. The MasterCard Travelguru Promotion offers Gold, Titanium and Platinum MasterCard credit cardholders a 30% money back offer and Standard MasterCard credit cardholders a 15% money back offer when purchasing airline tickets online.

The MasterCard Travelguru Promotion runs until May 31, 2007 and is applicable to India’s three premier airlines, namely Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Indian Airlines. Standard MasterCard cardholders can receive up to Rs 6000 money back and Gold, Titanium or Platinum MasterCard cardholders can benefit from money back of maximum Rs 12000 during this promotion.

Mr. Nitin Gupta, General Manager, South Asia, MasterCard Worldwide said, “MasterCard understands that results are best delivered through the development of customized business solutions and we are delighted to collaborate with Travelguru to introduce this promotion that offers instant value to our MasterCard credit cardholders in India. Consumers and businesses alike across India are seeking faster, more secure and smarter methods of payment for an increasing array of transactions. In India, the online travel segment has witnessed phenomenal growth and an increasing number of MasterCard cardholders purchase their travel tickets online. “

Mr Ashwin Damera, Co-Founder & CEO, Travelguru said, “The introduction of the MasterCard Travelguru Promotion plays a significant role in our strategic focus of being a leader in providing maximum value to the Indian traveler. The synergy from this tie up with MasterCard both in terms of expertise and resources will create unique value for the business traveler on three of India’s leading airlines. The promotion is also timed to provide the best air deals for people planning their summer vacation travel. Coupling this with our market leading range of 3,000 hotels in India and 72,000 hotels globally, we look forward to providing Indian travelers the maximum summer travel options that fit every budget.”

Analysts predict that online travel bookings are set to soar over the next few years as India enters a new phase of economic growth spurred on by factors such liberisation, investment in infrastructure and a burgeoning middle class with increased spending power. The online travel market in India is projected to exceed $1.3 billion in 2007 and swell to over $2 billion by 2008, a nearly sevenfold increase in just three years.

Saturday,March 30, 2007
Source: Moneycontrol.com via Google news India