Being in the forefront for promoting India as a preferred MiCE destination for years, ICPB has now requested the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) to declare 2019 as ‘The Year of MiCE.’ Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB, informs, “We have recommended to Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to declare 2019 as ‘The Year of MiCE’, which will certainly give us an opportunity to organise a number of activities in collaboration with all stakeholders throughout the year to propagate the importance of MiCE and its economic and social impact, and also undertake various marketing activities to promote India as a preferred convention destination.” On the year gone by, he added, “The year 2018 has been very fruitful and full of activities. We conducted training programmes and a successful international road show in Europe, 11th Convention India Conclave in Kolkata. We also participated at various international trade shows. “There has also been a substantial increase in our membership in the last one year, also the one-time membership of eight State Government’s, has not only given us the financial benefits, but also has enhanced the status of ICPB. Now, we can truly call ourselves a pan-India bureau.” Regarding plans in the pipeline, he said, “We are planning two international residential training programmes with ICCA and IAPCO, apart from regular training programmes. We will be holding  the12th Convention India Conclave in Kochi for which we have initiated the process with Kerala Government. We hope to open  new ICPB State Chapters in two more states. We will be conducting road shows in India as well as international road shows in the UK and Europe. We will also aim for a greater participation of ICPB in …

Zen Cruises has announced its collaboration with The Apollo Group, an American custom cruise-hotel operator. Jurgen Bailom, President and CEO, Zen Cruises, said, “Zen Cruises has partnered with global experts from the cruise, entertainment, port and marine industry to bring closer home the grandeur experienced by Indians onboard foreign ships. With their vast knowledge of serving global cruise industry, our strategic partners will offer quality services to domestic passengers, both in terms of innovation and experience.” Zen Cruises’ maiden cruise will sail in Indian waters in 2019 on a 70,285-ton, 2,000 passenger ship. The ship, currently in service under a leading cruise line, globally will be renamed ‘Karnika’ post change of ownership and is set for its first domestic sail from Mumbai under the brand name ‘Jalesh Cruises’ in April 2019. The Apollo Group will be spearheading an array of on-board operations ranging from food and beverage, house-keeping, guest services, payrolls, public health, vendor management and revenue collection, among others. Zen Cruises has also announced its collaboration with a leading ship manager as a marine technology partner for providing on-board environment management, itinerary distance planning, fuel forecasting, compliance and class regulations, supply chain and budgeting, among others. For onboard IT and hardware services, broadcasting, satellite and shoreside link, Zen Cruises has collaborated with IPM Solutions, which specialises in providing seamless connectivity, services and project management for cruise ships across the world. Harding Brothers & Flemingo will offer on-board high-street retail therapy from international brands as part of its collaboration with Zen Cruises. The ship will undergo revitalisation in Singapore with Sembcorp Marine.

After MakeMyTrip (MMT) group’s chief executive Deep Kalra’s recent comment that the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) has no locus standi to determine commercial agreements between MMT and the establishments on its platform, Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, VP, FHRAI, says, “Goibibo and MMT have been exploitive, unethical and adapted divisive business practices, leading to predatory pricing, market distortions and cannibalisation. I fail to see how our letter clearly worded as requesting to “resolve” the situation would be misconstrued as trying to “dictate” terms. India has approximately 100,000 establishments which provide accommodation. Approximately, 65,000 are structured licensed establishments, out of which around 45,000 hotels are stand-alone hotels. “FHRAI has never got involved all these years in any negotiations with standalone vendors but takes a strong stand when the industry faces any outside coercion or intimidation. It is only when 1000’s of hoteliers realised Goibibo and MMT’s arrogant method of pressurising the small hotels in high commissions, more free rooms, started price control on the owners. FHRAI has, in its fiduciary duty stepped in to amicably resolve matters. Please note FHRAI is not here to negotiate as wrongly being projected. It is here to ensure that agencies like MMT and Goibibo do not take the industry for granted by parenting such market conditions in which it would be difficult to do business for one party but a win-win situation for the other.” He further said, “Going back to December 7, 2018, whilst the Ahmedabad Hoteliers blocked GOMMT in the city, Kalra wanted to sit with FHRAI and work out the issues. The team sent to “resolve” arrived but with a fixed agenda of “fixing” only commissions that too by a paltry reduction …

Beginning January 6, 2019, SpiceJet will operate direct flights on Bhopal-Jaipur, Bhopal-Ahmedabad, Bhopal-Hyderabad, and Bhopal-Shirdi routes. The airline will also start direct flight services on the routes of Shirdi-Bengaluru, Shirdi-Jaipur, Shirdi-Bhopal and Shirdi-Ahmedabad and will also add additional frequency on the Shirdi-Hyderabad route.

To attract more tourists in India, Niti Aayog has proposed increasing the validity period of e-Visas to 10 years and the number of annual visits for those on e-medical visa be enhanced. Currently, the validity of e-Visa (except e-Conference visa) is 60 days from the date of arrival in India. In case of e-Conference visa, the validity is 30 days. Double entry is permitted on e-Tourist visa and e-Business visa. Triple entry is permitted on e-Medical visa and e-Medical Attendant visa. Only single entry is permitted on e-Conference visa. e-Visa can be availed for a maximum of three times in a calendar year between January to December. In its report ‘The Strategy for New India @ 75’, Niti Aayog has said that despite the introduction of an e-Visa facility, visitors find the process of applying for a visa cumbersome. Niti Aayog has also suggested that the number of annual visits allowed under an e-Medical visa be enhanced. Currently, e-Medical visa holders are allowed three repeat visits during their one-year visa period. According to the report, “This may not be sufficient for patients who require follow-up/post-operative care.” The report also said that India should increase the number of persons accompanying those with e-medical visa from the current two to four under the same visa, as has been done in countries like Malaysia. Source: PTI

Lemon Tree Hotels has announced the formal opening of Lemon Tree Premier, City Center, Pune. Comprising over 7,000 sq ft of modern banquet space, including large conference rooms and an open business centre, for meetings and events, this is its first ‘premier’ property in the state of Maharashtra and second ‘owned’ hotel in Pune city. Speaking on the launch, Mahesh Aiyer, Sr Vice President-Operations (South & West), Lemon Tree Hotels, said, “We are pleased to open our second and most anticipated property in the heart of Pune city. Known for its landmarks as well as noteworthy businesses, educational institutions and manufacturing companies, Pune has always been an important nerve centre of Indian culture and economy. With this hotel opening, we further strengthen our footprint in this demand-dense market. We expect to make a mark by offering a high-quality stay experience with our impeccable service and great price.”

InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the opening of InterContinental Dhaka in partnership with Bangladesh Services. The luxury hotel is situated at Minto Road, with easy access to the downtown business district. Located in the heart of the city, InterContinental Dhaka is easily accessible from all key city landmarks like the Prime Minister’s Office, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman Medical University, Bashundhara City Shopping Center, the famous Dhaka University Campus and renowned historical monuments. Built in a contemporary design, the hotel offers 226 stylish guest rooms, including 201 premium or deluxe rooms, 10 deluxe suites, 5 superior suites, 5 diplomatic suites and 5 presidential suites. Guests staying in the Club InterContinental Rooms can access the Club Lounge, to relax, work or enjoy exclusive dining options including breakfast, evening beverages and canapés. InterContinental Dhaka offers 2 ballrooms and 7 spacious meeting rooms equipped with the latest technology. With over 21,000 square feet of designed space for meetings and events, the hotel promises flawlessly executed corporate and social events. Vivek Bhalla, Regional Vice President, SWA, IHG, commented, “Today is a milestone occasion for us as we announce the opening of InterContinental Dhaka – a stunning property that will offer the guests a luxurious experience with signature facilities and high standards of service that we have become renowned for. We are confident that the hotel will be a great success and we look forward to welcoming our guests from around the world. The opening also aligns with our strategy to expand our presence across brands, and key cities in the SWA region.” Md Mohibul Haque, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and Chairman, Bangladesh Services, stated, “We are delighted to partner with IHG to open InterContinental …

AirAsia India has said it will commence flight operations to Mumbai from January 2019. Sunil Bhaskaran, MD and CEO, AirAsia India, said, “We are pleased to make the much-awaited announcement of adding Mumbai to our network. This is a great way to end 2018, and is in line with our ultimate vision to focus on revolutionising air travel in the markets that we operate in. We’re also happy to welcome our 20th Airbus A320 aircraft to our fleet.” Source: IANS

Taj has opened its second hotel in Udaipur – Taj Aravali Resort & Spa. Nestled in the foothills of the picturesque Aravali mountain range, the resort is spread across 27 acres of lush landscaped gardens. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), said, “Taj has been instrumental in developing India’s tourism potential in Rajasthan and putting the state on the global map with the iconic Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, since 1970. With the opening of Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, we are enhancing our offering for the global traveller and reinforcing our commitment to Udaipur – the Venice of the East.” The resort has 92 luxurious rooms, suites and tents with panoramic views of the Aravalis. The design ethos is contemporary with a mix of traditional Rajasthani influences and furnishings inspired by Mewar’s world-class equestrian heritage. The hotel is conveniently located an hour away from the airport. Anand Nair, General Manager, Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, Udaipur, said, “Taj Aravali Resort & Spa is ideally located to enjoy nature while also staying connected to the pulse of Udaipur’s vibrant character. We look forward to welcoming guests to experience Taj’s legendary service.” Guests have a choice of distinctive culinary options which include an all-day diner – Tiri; a specialty vegetarian restaurant – Javitri; an alfresco grill – Ridgeview and a bar – Odeypore Lounge.

IndiGo and Turkish Airlines have signed codeshare and mutual cooperation agreement enabling both carriers to provide more flexibility of choice to their respective customers to fly on sectors between India and Istanbul, and beyond. As part of its international expansion strategy, this is the first codeshare agreement for IndiGo. Through this cooperation, Turkish Airlines will be offering new destinations in India as Marketing Carrier on IndiGo operated flights, while IndiGo customers will be able to reach many European destinations through Turkish Airlines’ extensive network. This reciprocal arrangement will allow TK and 6E to provide seamless connections to their customers, besides enabling them to use through check-in and many other facilities. IndiGo will place its code “6E” on 20 points beyond Istanbul operated by Turkish Airlines. Similarly, Turkish Airlines will use its code “TK” on IndiGo-operated flights within India. Rahul Bhatia, Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo, said, “We are excited to be launching our first codeshare with Turkish Airlines. Apart from supporting our upcoming direct services to Istanbul, this strategic partnership will expand the choices available to our customers for journeys beyond Istanbul, using Turkish Airlines’ extensive network. It will become possible for our customers to book itineraries into many cities in Europe on IndiGo, using Turkish Airlines and experiencing their renowned inflight service.” Bilal Ekşi, CEO and Deputy Chairman of the Board, Turkish Airlines, said, “We are happy to host new operators in our main hub Istanbul, and IndiGo will be the first Indian carrier starting flights to Turkey. We believe that it would be a great opportunity to improve our cooperation with our new codeshare partner IndiGo, which will provide new services and destinations for our passengers …