Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

National Tourism Organisation of Serbia has appointed Beautiful Planet Destination Marketing to expand its tourism activities in India. As part of the mandate, Beautiful Planet will be responsible for organising roadshows in Mumbai and Delhi and a familiarisation visit to Serbia. In a move to promote border free tourism, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the decision on visa exemption for Indian nationals in September 2017. Commenting on the same, Huzan Fraser and Beena Menon, Directors, Beautiful Planet Destination Marketing, said, “We are absolutely delighted to be chosen as the India representative for the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia to market this new and exciting destination in the Balkans. We would like to enhance the visibility and image of the destination using the culture, history and diversity, to uniquely position the same in the market.” On engagement with Beautiful Planet – Marija Labovic, Acting Director, National Tourism Organisation of Serbia, said, “Beautiful Planet has an excellent track record in destination representation. Outbound tourism from India is on a growth trajectory and we would like to be part of the growth story. Serbia has everything to offer the discerning travellers and we are geared up to cater to the needs and demands of the Indian market.” Some of the features that make Serbia an incredibly attractive tourism destination include: UNESCO World Heritage Sites; National Parks; Adventure Sports like white water rafting, free climbing, flying, orienteering; diverse Fauna; Nature Parks; Sports and Recreating Activities like hiking, bicycling, walking and hiking; Mountain Resorts and Spa & Health Resorts; Monasteries and Museums.

Raki Phillips, a hospitality veteran, has been appointed as CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA). Phillips, who took over since June 2019, brings to the table wide-ranging industry experience, which will aid Ras Al Khaimah’s goal of becoming one of the fastest growing destinations in the world. According to RAKTDA Phillips’ appointment heralds the beginning of a new phase of tourism development for the Emirate. He will be responsible for implementing the authority’s recently announced Destination Strategy 2019-2021, which aims to attract 1.5 million visitors to the Emirate by 2021 and 3 million by 2025. In his new role, Phillips will also be supervising key projects, with notable development projects on Jebel Jais including multiple zip lines, adventure park hiking trails, the Bear Grylls Survival Academy and a luxury camp. Phillips, an American national, is fluent in Arabic and has been working in the Middle East since 2005 and specifically in the UAE since 2007. Prior to joining RAKTDA, he was working for the Dubai-based International Hospitality Consulting Group INHOCO, where he was Senior Partner and Senior Vice President of Development. Phillips is also the co-founder and CEO of Dubai’s first online dessert delivery bakery, SugarMoo Desserts, and co-founder of Earth Hotels, a sustainable, tech-savvy and design-centric hotel concept. Phillips has previously worked for Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Universal Studios Orlando. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an MBA in Organisational Management.

On the third leg of its four-city roadshow in India, Nepal Tourism Board formally launched its ‘Visit Nepal 2020’ campaign in the city of Mumbai and interacted with key outbound agents here. Robin Regmi, Officer – South Asia Unit, Tourism Marketing and Promotion, Nepal Tourism Board, who was part of the three-member delegation, said, “India is very close to us and to me personally. It is a major market for us and we have seen a steady increase in Indian tourist arrivals since 2015 after Nepal experienced a major setback. We are now back to normal and request the travel trade in India to help us regain our lost glory in terms of tourism.” He added that the tourism board is now actively looking at organising big sporting and Mice events as well as festivals to draw in the numbers. Among them is the Nepal Tourism investment Summit to be organised in January 2020. The team will travel to Bengaluru for a similar launch on July 15, 2019.

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) conducted its destination presentation in New Delhi on 8 July at The Park hotel. The event showcased the country’s many tourism offerings, as the Board targets a 25 per cent growth in arrivals from India. By 2020, the government plans to operate two new international airports in Pokhara and Lumbini which will help boost tourism from India to Nepal and vice-versa. NTB will conduct the presentation in Ahmedabad at Courtyard by Marriott on July 10, at The St. Regis Mumbai on July 11, and then move to Bengaluru on July 15 where it will be conducted at the Shangri-La hotel.

Spain Tourism recorded 6.7 per cent growth in Indian arrivals in the first quarter of 2019, revealed Miguel Nieto-Sandoval, Tourism Counsellor (Gulf Region), Spain Tourism. Sharing details, he said, “India is an important market for us and we are hoping that we will grow more in this market. In 2016, we had 106,000 visitors from India and then we grew to 150,000 arrivals. In 2018 , we reached 206,000 arrivals from India and this year we expect to increase it further.”

Buzz Travel Marketing, New Delhi, is the new representative for Travel Nevada in India. A state in Western USA, Nevada, is famous for its natural landscape and various entertainment options. Besides this, the state is also famed for its museums, shopping hubs, desert canyons, ghost towns, hot springs etc. Speaking more on this, SanJeet, CEO, Buzz Travel Marketing says, “We are thrilled to represent Nevada in India. Our aim is to showcase the state beyond what people think it to be. We will begin this by educating the travel trade fraternity. We are surely hopeful of increasing the number of Indian travellers to this state and beyond the conventional attractions.”

Papori Bharati has recently been appointed the official India Representative of VISIT LEVI-a pristine destination of Lapland Finland. Papori has been in the travel and tourism sphere for the last 28 years in different verticals. She says, “Levi is truly a hidden gem of the Finnish Lapland and has its own airport- Kittila. The destination is well connected with Finnair flights. It is 170 kms above the Arctic Region and Rovaniemi. More known for the ski resorts and the slopes in the winter, Levi summer is also very beautiful and the midnight sun is seen at its best and for a longer period. Keeping Levi as a base, one can easily travel to all the places around the Finnish Lapland. With vast space all around, the northern lights are more visible in the winters.” Papori will work closely with the pan India travel trade in terms of sales calls, training programmes , joint campaigns etc. and ensure all possible co-operation to have Levi as an unusual and must visit destination for those travellers keen to travel in the Nordic Region. She is accessible to come and meet agents interested in promoting this gem of a destination and sharing details of this Region, as this is truly a bucket list destination.

Speaking on the launch of Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign by NTB, Suraj Vaidya, National Coordinator, Visit Nepal 2020, says, “We will be conducting the first Nepal Tourism Investment Summit in January 2020. We are doing it as a strategy to bring Nepal back in the forefront. Also, about the Visit Nepal Year 2020- the last one was held in 2011, and since then, probably the world knows Nepal through a very negative picture. It is just not the numbers that we are looking at from India, but also the products. We want to show much more of Nepal, primarily, beyond its conventions- Mt. Everest and Lumbini.”

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) launched the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign in New Delhi on June 12. The event has been organised to help Nepal receive two million tourists by 2020. Deepak Raj Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Nepal Tourism Board was present at the event. Commenting on the increase of more than 25 per cent in tourist arrivals from India in 2018, SanJeet, Director, Buzz Travel Marketing India, says, “The Indian market continues to be one of the most important contributors of international visitors to Nepal. Over the years, there has been a steady increase in both MiCE and FIT movement to Nepal from India, a trend that led to the double-digit growth in arrivals in the previous year. Friendly relations between the two South Asian nations and Nepal’s growing focus on tourism from India have helped cement the bond even further.” Nepal is also set to add 4000 rooms in the four and five-star categories, in Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara. A number of international hotel chains, including Hilton and Marriott, are expected to operate properties in Nepal in the coming years. These positive developments coupled with the innovative approach of the government and the tourism board are sure to make 2020 a riveting year for tourism in Nepal!

Visitor arrivals to Mauritius from India went down -24.3% in May. Speaking to Tourism Breaking News, Vivek Anand, Country Manager- India, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), says, “The reason tourist arrivals from India has declined is because of the decrease in the number of flights flying from the various Indian cities to Mauritius. Earlier, there were 32 flights flying out, now there are only 22.” The total number of Indian visitors to Mauritius in the month of May were 10,463 compared to last year’s  13,815.