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Business travel spending to grow at 6.7% in 2018

Business travel spending is expected to grow at 6.7 per cent in 2018 and rise to 7.0 per cent per annum between 2018E-2028, according to a recent report by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The emergence of business hubs like Mumbai (Finance), Bengaluru (IT), Chennai (IT) and Delhi (Manufacturing, IT) is likely to boost business travel. Leisure travel spending (inbound and domestic) generated 94.6 per cent of direct travel and tourism GDP in 2017 US$ 201.7 billion compared with 5.4 per cent for business travel spending US$ 11.6 billion. Leisure travel spending is expected to grow at 7.6 per cent in 2018 and rise to 7.1 per cent per annum between 2018E-2028.

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Revenues from Indian Railways to reach to $44.5 billion by the end of FY20

Revenues from Indian Railways are estimated to reach to US$ 44.5 billion by the end of FY20, according to a recent report by Ministry of Railways. Indian Railways’ revenues increased at a CAGR of 9.66 per cent to US$ 27.71 billion during FY07-18. Revenue during April-May 2018 stood at Rs 28,349.29 crore (US$ 4.40 billion). Indian Railways has undertaken various measures to boost revenues including passenger earnings, freight earnings, parcel earnings, among others.

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Domestic passenger traffic estimated to reach 293 million by FY20

Domestic passenger traffic grew by 18.28 per cent YoY to reach 243 million in FY18 and is estimated to become 293 million in FY20, according to a recent report by Airports Authority of India. International passenger grew by 10.43 per cent YoY to reach 65 million in FY18 and traffic is expected to become 76 million in FY20E. Domestic passenger traffic also expanded at a CAGR of 13.91 per cent over FY06–18 while international passenger traffic registered growth at a CAGR of 9.36 per cent over FY06-18. In the month of April 2018, domestic passenger traffic stood at 22.60 million while international traffic stood at 5.62 million.

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Govt formulates SOPs for cruise and ferry services

The Government has formulated new guidelines in the form of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to handle cruise vessels and cruise passengers. The salient features of these SOPs inter alia includes submission of documents/data electronically, seamless entry and exit process with access control and RFID for vehicles and persons and simplified Port Health Organisation Clearance Procedure. It further provides for e-landing card for shore excursion, doing away with face to face checks except at the first port of entry and last port of exit and allowing carrying of valid photo I-card for Indian cruise passenger on domestic leg instead of the passport. The five major ports – Mumbai Port, Mormugao Port, New Mangalore Port, Cochin Port and Chennai Port receive cruise ships as per the programme of various cruise companies as a port of call. Ferry services are run from Mumbai Port (Gateway of India) to Mandwa & Elephanta, and from Ferry Wharf to Mora, Revas and Karanja. An international cruise terminal is under construction at Mumbai Port at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crores. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned an amount of Rs 12.50 crores for this project out of which Rs. 5 cores have already been released.

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The Fern Residency opens in Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru

The Fern Hotels & Resorts has started managing The Fern Residency, Yeshwanthpur-Bengaluru in Karnataka. With this opening, the tally of the hotels managed by the group under The Fern Residency brand goes up to 22 hotels. Located 30 kms away from the Kempegowda International Airport, The Fern Residency, Yeshwanthpur is a mid-scale business and leisure hotel with 64 well appointed rooms. Suhail Kannampilly, COO, The Fern Hotels & Resorts, said, “The Fern Residency, Yeshwanthpur strives to offer excellent services with affordable pricing. I am happy that guests to Bengaluru and local residents will be able to experience our ​services at our second hotel now open in the Garden City.” ​The hotel has large banquet facilities and latest business services​ for the discerning  business traveller​. Guests can enjoy various facilities such as high-speed Wi-Fi, LCD TV, digital in-room safe, in-room tea and coffee, minibar, etc.

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OYO signs MoU with SBI & Bank of Baroda to offer financial fillip for small hotels

OYO Hotels has inked MoUs with the State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda for extending its support to budget hotels and creating jobs across levels. Signed under the aegis of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna, the MoUs will enable financial support for OYO’s existing and potential hotel partners for fuelling transformation and standardisation at their properties. This will also allow OYO to spearhead the creation of thousands of jobs in Tier II and III cities by nurturing micro-entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector. Speaking on the development, Jayant Chauhan, SVP – Fintech, OYO, said, “We are thrilled to join hands with banking powerhouses – the State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda and achieve the mission of job creation in the country by enabling the youth to emerge as micro entrepreneurs and run their own successful businesses. These MoUs will help us in shortening the demand-supply gap of quality accommodation by offering hoteliers a platform to transform their property and enhance the business by creating beautiful living spaces.’’ As a step towards enabling convenient financing for its asset partners through banks and NBFCs, OYO has also established an in-house Fintech division. These loans will help individuals hailing from Tier II and III cities to be self-employed and run their own budget assets with OYO’s diverse brand portfolio.  

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Thai Airways launches LIVE TV on board

Thai Airways has  started broadcasting ‘LIVE TV’ on Board’, which allows it to broadcast streaming television programmes on its aircraft. The airline is fully aware that passengers need to keep informed of the latest news while traveling on board and has launched a new ‘LIVETV’ on Board” service that enables passengers to watch broadcast television programs, such as news channels and sports competitions. Available television channels are CNN, BBC, NHK, and Sport 24. Passengers can watch real time news with viewers around the world and enjoy exciting live telecast sport matches just as they did at home, a press release by the airline said. ‘LIVE TV on Board’ started on June 14 on twelve Airbus A350-900 aircraft that operate flights to and from Chiang Mai, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai, Rome, Milan, and Brussels and on eight Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft that service flights to and from Tokyo, Taipei, Dubai, Vienna, Brisbane, Auckland, and Manila. Panasonic Avionics Company is entrusted to provide inflight connectivity via satellite transmission from the ground. ‘LIVE TV on Board’ makes it possible for the national carrier, to offer more products and services for passenger comfort and satisfaction. Passengers can watch real time news and sports competition for free, while some airlines may require additional payment for such services. This service helps strengthen THAI’s marketing strategy and increases ticket sales. Passengers who board THAI’s flight can enjoy the added convenience of keeping abreast of world news, the statement said.

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Bjorn DeNiese to head Mayfair Hotels’ new ‘Business Development’ vertical

Bhubaneswar-based Mayfair Hotels & Resorts has appointed Bjorn DeNiese as Vice President, Business Development. In his new role, he will be responsible for spearheading the group’s future plans as it aims to deploy a new sub-brand into the market. The new vertical will initially keep the focus on the East and subsequently look to make headway to central and Northeast India. The new vertical will be responsible for the further development and expansion of the group which will establish itself through lease, management and franchise models under a yet to be named brand and aims to add on another 100 rooms to the current portfolio of 515 rooms by the end of this financial year and double the number of rooms within three years. Bjorn, who played a significant role in the group’s growth story post 2007, headed the sales, marketing and revenue for the group with key contributions in the setup of central reservations, the restructuring of the sales network and various other technological developments including the soon to be rolled out one touch virtual assistant app enabling bookings, a loyalty program for guests, corporates and agents and an integrated guest feedback system.  

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‘Focus Philippines’ kick-starts in Goa

More than 120 travel fraternity members from across India will mark their presence at ‘Focus Philippines’ organised by Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines, at the LaLiT Golf & Spa Resort, Goa. Over 20 exhibitors from the Philippines are showcasing their products, which include various Department of Tourism regional offices, attractions, hotels, integrated resorts, destination management companies as well as national and global air carriers. Through Focus Philippines, travel operators will witness exclusive, one-on-one meetings and gain a better insight on the destination. This will enable them to further customise their product offerings, based on exhibitor inputs, thereby taking Indian arrivals to the Philippines to the next level. MA Teresita C Daza, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines, said, “Focus Philippines is a good opportunity for different stakeholders in the tourism industry in the Philippines to interact with travel operators in India. It will be a good opportunity from both the sides to actually see what packages, can be presented and promoted highlighting different attractions in the Philippines.” Dakila F Gonzales, Head, Office of Product and Market Development – India, Department of Tourism Philippines, said, “The inspiration behind the creation of the event is the huge increase in tourist arrivals of Indian nationals to the Philippines. In 2017, we had reached almost 107,000 arrivals, with a growth of 22 per cent and this growth is being sustained. We have realised that there is a further potential to increase this growth. Therefore, we want to stay committed to our current partners, giving them more knowledge on new segments of Philippines tourism.”  

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MTDC appoints Suhas Diwase as the new Managing Director

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has appointed Suhas Diwase as its new Managing Director. Currently, he is also working as the Chairman and Managing Director of Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation. Prior to taking up his appointment as Managing Director, MTDC, Diwase worked in various districts at several positions. He was Director of Disaster Management and CEO of Pimpri-Chinchwad New Town Development Authority and Collector of Bhandara district. Diwase said, “It’s a pleasure to take over in my new role at Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Tourism is one of the most important and rapidly growing sectors in India contributing significantly to the economic development of our country. Therefore, my focus would be to develop and analyse and understand the present tourism avenues in Maharashtra through new programmes and policies aimed at developing and sustaining tourism in the state.” Diwase holds a Master’s degree in Horticulture. He has also done Public Administration from The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore. Currently he is perusing Ph D in Disaster Management.  

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