Travel & Tourism Insights

​New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the US, is attempting to drive enough Indian visits to meet its stated goal of 2.8 million tourists by 2021.

"Visitation to US, when it comes to Indians, has been great. We have had an increase of 17 per cent in 2015. The aim is to reach a milestone of 2.8 million visitors from India by 2021," Cathy Domanico, Vice President, Global Trade Development, Brand USA, told IANS on Friday.

Brand USA was established in 2010 by the Travel Promotion Act as the nation's first public-private partnership to promote the country as a premier travel destination.

The organisation's mission is to increase international visits to the US in order to fuel the economy and enhance the image of the US worldwide. 

"Our goal is to really educate the trade and the destinations. The objective is to bring people beyond the gateways as they don't see much if they come through the gateways," Domanico said during the fifth annual "Brand USA India Mission" organised here to provide an opportunity to the US suppliers to engage with key decision makers through free flow one-on-one appointments.

"We have plans in work to accomplish our goal as there are a lot of prospects in tourism from India to the United States," she added. 

More than 258 million visitors travelled to California in 2015 from every corner of the world, 291,000 of them from India. Indian travellers stayed an average 19 days on their trip, spending $1,785 each, making them a valuable target for California tourism businesses, according to the Brand USA. 

"India is a very big country which has its population in billions. We want to focus on the luxury market and education travels. We will continue to work on the millennial market as India has more number of people under the age of 35 than most of the countries," said Domanico

Riyadh, Sep 18 (IANS) Saudi Arabia has agreed to form a company to develop and increase the capacity of the holy sites in Makkah and Medina, local Al Eqtisadiya news website reported on Saturday.

The proposed company, which will be owned by the government, was approved days after the kingdom announced the success of the Haj season that brought together more than 1.8 pilgrims.

The company will be in charge of enhancing the efficiency of utilities and services such as electricity, water, air-conditioning and cleanness. It will work to separate the routes of pedestrians and vehicles.

To generate money, the company will invest in the holy sites to be tourist attractions throughout the year, especially the religious archaeological sites.

The company is expected to generate thousands of job opportunities for local manpower.

The company is part of many initiatives the country are adopting to get ready for post-oil era by implementing various economic and investment projects.

With an arrival of more than 10 million tourists every year, tourism has emerged as a promising business sector in the UAE. The country is flourishing with three national airlines and a huge number of tourism organizations such as travel agencies, tour operators, ground operators, hotels, and destination tourism authorities.  Capitalizing on the strengths and opportunities, the country presents an ideal tourism model to rest of the world.  Its strategic location, an optimum blend of natural attractions (sun, sand, sea) with those of man-made such as palm islands, sky scrapers, shopping festivals, well established infrastructure and availability of a range of accommodation, make UAE a perfect destination for a variety of tourists.  All this and a huge support and investments by government to diversify from oil sector have given a major thrust to tourism development and promotion.  Though the last few years cast a shadow on the UAE economy as well, yet tourism industry would be a thriving business in the times to come.

Subsequently, the tourism statistics in UAE are quite encouraging. According to WTTC (World Tourism and Travel Council), the direct contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP in 2015 was AED64.9bn (4.2% of GDP). This is forecast to rise by 4.2% to AED67.6bn in 2016.

The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment (including wider effects from investment, the supply chain and induced income impacts) was 557,000 jobs in 2015 (9.6% of total employment). This is forecast to rise by 3.8% in 2016 to 578,000 jobs (9.8% of total employment). By 2026, Travel & Tourism is forecast to support 850,000 jobs (12.4% of total employment), an increase of 3.9% pa over the period.

The encouraging statistics supported by unique characteristics of the UAE such as political stability, low barriers to enter the market, a well-managed banking system and other supporting services and an excellent infrastructure, establishes a solid platform for the investors looking for a business opportunity. What makes UAE business support different from that of others is the clarity in their procedure, rules and regulations.

However, at the same time the tourism sector in the country is starving for suitable man power to work at all levels ranging from the top management decision makers to bottom level operational staff in various tourism and hospitality related organizations. As in many other business sectors in UAE, most of the human resource is being outsourced for tourism and hospitality. While there is nothing wrong in that but one should not forget the importance of training the newly recruited staff about the new markets, and more importantly about the country itself.  Many medium and big size organizations in tourism do have separate Human Resources department taking care of training requirements whereas the small size enterprises might find it challenging to spare their staff for such activities. Need of the hour is to understand tourism industry's functioning at a larger level and fuel a sustainable growth which is socially, culturally and environmentally viable. This is possible only when the people running this sector are equipped with holistic knowledge of tourism sector and take decisions accordingly. At the same time the educational institutes and varsities should also respond innovatively and effectively to the training and education needs of this ever growing sector. Although a whole range of tourism related courses, job oriented professional diplomas and certifications are being offered in the marketplace, their credibility remains questionable. Tourism sector aspirants should carefully analyze their requirement, affordability, availability and match it with the training program and the institute's credibility.

​Panaji, Sep 13 (IANS) Goa hopes to ride the heritage tourism wave with the help of vintage vehicles, state Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said on Tuesday, while announcing the state's first vintage bike and car festival organised by the Tourism Ministry.

Over 50 such vintage bikes and cars will be driven through the main streets of Panaji as part of the one-day festival on October 1, Parulekar said. 

"We are planning this event which is going to be very exciting and enlightening as vintage cars and bikes from vintage car museums, those in use and those maintained for exhibitions and special occasions will all be participating in it," Parulekar said, adding that the event would be included in the Tourism Ministry's annual events calendar. 

"We hope to make it a regular attraction for in-bound travellers," Parulekar said.

Vintage two-wheelers and four wheelers dating from 1921 to 1970 will be on display during the event. Cars that one would get a glimpse of at the festival include the Citroen, Austin, Morris, Cadillac, Ford, Chevrolet, Mercedes, Volkswagen and bikes like Norton, BSA and BMW.

"Vintage automobiles are another form of heritage and in Goa there are vintage car fans who are passionate about this. Through this festival we hope to kindle that hobby and motivate local Goans and others to preserve vintage vehicles so that the present generation and the future will have something to appreciate and admire," Goa Tourism Development Corporation Chairperson Nilesh Cabral said.

"This can draw tourists from domestic and international markets who have an appetite for heritage and they will surely have one more facet to engage in when in Goa," he added.

The state already has two privately run vintage car museums and a large number of vintage bike and car owners and collectors.

​Istanbul, Sep 13 (IANS) The scintillating blue water of the Bosphorus strait and the high boundary walls of the erstwhile Byzantine civilisation strewn with royal structures in every nook and corner of Istanbul offer travellers everything they would ask for on a holiday.

Thanks to Bollywood, Indians have of late become acquainted with various parts of Istanbul and Turkey at large.

The film "Guru" (2007), apart from picturising the sizzling bellydance in the song 'Mayya Mayya', had also shown Istanbul's Nuruosmaniye Mosque. Also, several scenes of "Baby" (2015), a film based on international terrorism, were shot in the Turkish capital.

Belly dancing is very popular in entire Turkey. One can visit a night club to get a glimpse of this spectacular show. Belly dancers are even hired for private parties and weddings.

The scenic beauty of the place and various historical sites spanning several civilisations have always attracted tourists from across the globe.

Istanbul, earlier known as Constantinople and Byzantium, is the most populous (around 15 million) city in Turkey with the majority of the population believing in Islam. Uniquely located in two continents -- Europe and Asia -- the city is home to seven hills. Thus, while travelling across the city, one experiences a lot of undulating landscapes.

Emerging from Istanbul's Kemal Ataturk Airport and approaching the city, one can see a lot of construction work under way in this centuries-old city. But as one heads deeper into the city the high walls of Byzantine civilisation stand tall to welcome visitors.

In some parts of the city, the old houses may make Indians feel they are in Goa.

A cruise down the Bosphorus strait along the azure coloured Marmara Sea, looking at the landscape and buildings in Asia on one side and Europe on the other, makes people feel they are straddling two worlds. And when one is tired of taking selfies and clicking pictures of the sea and the beautiful palaces alongside, a host of eateries are there along the strait waiting to welcome guests. On alighting from the cruise, one can adequately satisfy gastronomical desires.

One must-visit is the Blue Mosque or the Sultan Ahmed Mosque with its five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes. It was build between 1609 and 1616 during the Ottoman period.

Adjacent to Blue Mosque is the Topkapi Palace. This was one of the major residencies of the Ottoman sultans for around 400 years. The sprawling palace, which overlooks the Marmara Sea, has interesting museums of armoury and clocks. The royal structures and the greenery around cast a sort of spell on every visitor.

For food connoisseurs, Istanbul is a must-visit destination. A visit to a fine Ottoman cuisine restaurant, Asitane, will surprisingly reveal an extensive vegetarian menu.

It serves dishes like Ottoman humus, which is crushed chickpeas, lightly pureed with currants and cinnamon powder; Lor cheese blend, a mix of Lor cheese with scallions, parsley, green peppers and tomatoes, seasoned with rosemary and paprika among many other preparations.

If you want to loosen your purse strings, the places to go are the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar. The Spice Bazaar, as the name suggests, offers a variety of exotic spices and herbs along with other Turkish delights, while the Grand Bazaar has everything from hand-painted porcelain items and textiles to gold jewellery.

The warmth of Turkish hospitality is visibly in the hawkers' attempt to lure Indians by singing film legend Raj Kapoor's famous "Awara hoon...". Even film star Aamir Khan is quite popular among the masses. Many recalled watching his hit movie "3 Idiots".

But tourism has taken a hit after the attempted military coup in mid-July that claimed at least 90 lives in Ankara and left around 1,150 injured.

"We get a lot of Indian tourists, but they are mostly from the US or Europe. In the last few years we have seen lots of tourists coming from China as well. But, of course, after the coup attempt, the flow of tourists has slowed," Ozlem, a tourist guide told said.

The Turkish government and Turkish Airlines are going all out to spread the word that the country is safe and tourists can visit without fear.

The best time to visit is April-May and September-October.

​Istanbul, July 15 (IANS) China's Zuojiang Huashan rock-art cultural landscape was on Friday added to the World Heritage List at the 40th session of World Heritage Committee held in Istanbul.

The World Heritage Committee cited the site's uniqueness in combining the landscape and rock art with the vivid and deep social life of the Luoyue people, who lived along the Zuojiang river, Xinhua news agency reported.

The landscape was formed 200 million years ago, according to a report presented at the meeting.

The images on the rocks depicting drums and related elements are symbolic records directly associated with the bronze drum culture once widespread in the region, the report said.

The rock art landscape is the first of its kind for China's heritage, and raises to 49 the number of the Chinese properties on the World Heritage List.

During the evaluation of the site, the Turkish representative drew the attention to the natural risks that have been threatening the outstanding universal value of Huashan rock art.

The representative urged the committee to create a risk cover strategy.

At its meeting until Sunday, the World Heritage Committee will review the nominations of 26 other sites to the prestigious World Heritage List.

Among them are nine natural, 13 cultural and four mixed ones submitted from across the world.​

Colombo, July 1 (IANS) An increase in tourists mainly from China and India will help strengthen Sri Lanka's frail economy as tourism is poised to become the largest foreign exchange earner for the country, an official said on Friday.

The number of tourists from China and India increased in the recent years and due to the prevailing crisis in Europe, Asia has become an ideal destination, Xinhua news agency reported.

"India and China are one of our main markets and we will conduct more promotional programmes to attract tourists from these two countries in the future. Currently, the average money spent by a tourist per day is valued at $165, which is good," an official said.

While tourism was currently the third foreign exchange earner, it would soon lead as a higher number of tourists were selecting Sri Lanka as an ideal tourism destination, the official added.

An estimated 1.8 million tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in 2015, contributing to $2.98 billion of earnings to government revenues. 

The government said it hoped to attract at least three million tourists by the end of 2016, and it has set a target of four million by 2020.​

Chandigarh, June 28 (IANS) To support growth of tourism sector in the state, the Haryana government on Tuesday declared tourism as an industry for land use purpose.

The decision to this effect was taken in-principle in a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here on Tuesday.

The move has been made to attract big investment in tourism projects in Haryana.

"The components that have been classified as land use under industry include all tourism projects and activities with the exception of activities like hotels, tourist resorts, eat streets or outdoor dining areas or promenades or food courts or restaurants and commercial components within recreational or commercial activities," a Haryana government spokesman said here.

"These provisions would be applicable to mega projects only involving investment of Rs 100 crore or above or employing more than 500 people. These would be applicable with prospective effect to all new as well as expansion projects involving an investment of Rs 50 crore," he added.

Haryana was the pioneer state in highway tourism in the 1970s and 1980s with government-run and private outlets along highways running successfully. However, in the absence of further impetus, the state has lagged behind on the tourism front despite having a rich historical background and being the land of the Mahabharata battle.

​Hanoi, June 28 (IANS) The Taj Mahal in India is among the 50 most beautiful places in Asia, according to Conde Nast Traveler (CNT) magazine.

The 17th-century Taj, built entirely in marble by Mughal emperor Shahjahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz, is located in Agra, about 200 km south of New Delhi. It is India's most visited tourist spot. 

Xinhua news agency quoted CNT as saying that among the other 50 most breathtaking sites in Asia were Forbidden City in Beijing, the Great Wall of China and Lhasa in Tibet.​

Mumbai, June 25 (IANS) Attempting an image makeover, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has appointed Indo-Australian actress-singer and former MTV VJ Anusha Dandekar as brand ambassador to lure more women tourists and focus on 'girly getaways' there, an official said here on Saturday.

Dandekar has been selected for her love for Thailand and for symbolising the exact segment the country wants to target, said TAT Mumbai Director Soraya Homchuen.

"Women travelers already represent 30 per cent of arrivals from India, compared to a negligible proportion of our market mix and mostly visiting families on holidays earlier. We want to scale this up to more than double by 2022," Homchuen said.

TAT will showcase Thailand as a choice for women travelers to escape together for short breaks, weekends, bachelorettes, kitty parties and girly holidays, she added.

Excited by the new assignment, Dandekar said Thailand remains her favourite destination and though she has visited it over 50 times, it never gets old for her.

Homchuen said a Thomas Cook survey this year revealed 70 per cent of women prefer to travel with friends compared to family and love the local culture, cuisine, shopping, spa and wellness, and move without a tour manager.

"The women travelers prefer safe, easy-to-navigate destinations and Thailand fits all these requirements the best," she pointed out.

Referring to various global studies showing that nearly 80 per cent of all holiday decisions are taken by women and between 2011-2020, the women travelers' segment would grow exponentially, she said targeting women "makes sense".

Easily accessible by a four-hour flight (Mumbai-Bangkok), tourism accounts for overall 20 per cent of Thailand's GDP with 29 million tourists from all over the world visiting the country in 2015, with a target of 100 million by 2032.​