Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is conducting a 12-day guide training programme in Nagpur to train the local tourist guides. The inauguration of certified guide training programme was recently conducted at MTDC’s Regional office in Nagpur by Swati Kale, General Manager, MTDC in the presence of Arati Meshram, HOD-Government IHMCT College, Nagpur; Vilas Kale, Chairman-Cenin Travel & VED Council along with IITTM faculty. The aim is to make more than 900 guides available for tourists at various destinations across the state. MTDC has conducted guide training programme at various cities across Mumbai, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Sindhudurg. Programmes will be conducted in Pune, Nasik, Amravati, Solapur and Kolhapur in the year 2018-19. Madan Yerawar, State Tourism Minister, Government of Maharashtra, “I am delighted to announce that Nagpur and Vidarbha got certified local tourist guides for the first time and they are ready to offer services at various tourist destinations in the state to cater to the needs of tourists. They play a significant role in promoting the destination and thus, act as the representatives of the state and our country.”
Read More »Andaz Delhi receives ISO certification
Andaz Delhi has been awarded the ISO 22000:2005 certification, a food safety management system, which can be applied to any business in the food chain from farm to fork. Andaz Delhi ensures that they follow the established code of food hygiene practices that are applicable nationally as well as internationally. The hotel follows food safety and hygiene regulations through close monitoring, verifications and training of employees, involvement of people and delegation of authorities. “Achieving the ISO 22000:2005 is a testament to the Andaz Delhi’s commitment to excellence. This indeed a matter of pride and the credit for this this outstanding accreditation goes to our entire team and I am grateful to them for all their efforts,”said Madhav Sehgal, General Manager, Andaz Delhi. ISO 22000:2005 also requires a business to have created a fully documented system in place and implemented which includes: programmes to ensure a clean sanitary environment, hazard analysis and critical control plan to prevent food safety hazards, and established food safety standards throughout the organisation at all levels.
Read More »JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa debuts in Rajasthan
Marriott International has announced the opening of its 200-key JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa, marking the debut of the global luxury brand in Rajasthan. The resort features 200 guest rooms, villas and suites, including Royal Terrace Rooms, Royal Courtyard Rooms and Royal Pool Villas with private plunge pools, as well as two-bedroom Palace and Presidential Suites. It has a Kids’ Club and a full schedule of family-friendly programming – from sessions with a local magician to creative culinary workshops with friendly hotel chefs. “This beautiful city is a serene modern oasis steeped in ancient traditions and culture and is the perfect setting for the newest JW Marriott in Asia-Pacific,” said Bruce Ryde, Asia-Pacific Vice-President for Luxury Brands and Brand Marketing, Marriott International. The resort has indoor and outdoor banqueting venues of over 52,000 square feet, featuring multi-functional event spaces equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, including a 11,000-square-feet pillar-less Ballroom, making this the great venue for weddings and events. “We welcome our guests with modern, contemporary hospitality that is steeped in the warmth and beauty of Rajasthani tradition,” said Chandrashekar Joshi, General Manager, JW Marriott Jaipur Resort and Spa. “We offer our guests unforgettable experiences, whether it is through our impeccable service, culinary memories that honor the region’s flavours brought to life by our master chefs, or exciting experiences for guests of all ages to discover Jaipur’s rich history and culture.”
Read More »Renaissance Hotels debuts in Ahmedabad with 155-key property
Renaissance Hotels, part of Marriott International, announces the opening of the Renaissance Ahmedabad Hotel in Ahmedabad. This becomes the brand’s third property in India, with two others in Mumbai and Lucknow. Neeraj Govil, Area Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International, said, “The debut of the Renaissance brand in Ahmedabad will further strengthen our presence in India. With Ahmedabad being hailed as an emerging global business destination, we expect a huge influx of business and leisure travellers to the city.” Located at S G Highway, Renaissance Ahmedabad Hotel features a contemporary design and has 155 rooms with six suites, 62 twin rooms, 87 king rooms and 24 inter-connecting rooms. The hotel offers extensive facilities for social events and meetings spread over 29,220 sq ft, of versatile indoor and outdoor spaces. “Apart from being a fast-growing business city, Ahmedabad is also the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage City, making it not only economically but also culturally significant. With our vibrant, new F&B options, extensive leisure facilities and insights into the city, we are confident the hotel will be a favourite for travellers and Ahmedabad residents alike,” said Vishvapreet Singh Cheema, General Manager, Renaissance Ahmedabad Hotel.
Read More »Rajasthan Tourism takes Heritage Palace on Wheels on maiden voyage
The third luxury train in Rajasthan run by Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) – Heritage Palace on Wheels (HPOW) – departed from Durgapura Railway Station in Jaipur for its maiden voyage, with 27 domestic tourists and a foreign tourist from South Africa. The passengers were given a warm reception up on arrival at the Gandhinagar Station with music and traditional garlanding along with a gala celebration by the RTDC and the Department of Tourism. This train, which departed on December 30, 2017, will run with two itineraries – first three nights (Golden Triangle) Delhi-Jaipur-Sawai Mahdopur-Agra-Delhi and four nights (Desert Triangle) Delhi-Churu-Bikaner-Jaipur-Agra-Dholpur-Delhi. The train can also be booked for facilities like conferences, board meetings and even pre-wedding ceremonies. Pradeep Bohra, General Manager, HPOW, informed that the train arrived at Jaipur’s Gandhinagar Station on the last leg of its ‘Golden Triangle Circuit Tour’.
Read More »AAI and Haryana Govt. to create aviation hub in Hisar
In a move to develop civil aviation infrastructure in the state, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government of Haryana for creating a world-class international aviation hub in Hisar. The MoU was jointly signed by Ashok Sangwan, Advisor Civil Aviation, Civil Aviation Department (DCA), Government of Haryana and Anil Gupta, General Manager (Business Development), AAI in the presence of other officials on December 11. Sangwan appreciated the role of AAI in creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure and airspace in the country. Gupta reiterated AAI’s commitment in assisting the Haryana goverment for creating and developing world-class civil aviation infrastructure in the state.
Read More »218-room Indore Marriott Hotel opens doors
Marriott International has added another property to its portfolio in Indore with the opening of the 218-room Indore Marriott Hotel. Neeraj Govil, Area Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International, said, “The Indore Marriott Hotel is an exciting addition to the Marriott Hotels portfolio, our eighth in the country so far. With tremendous growth as a business hub during the past few years, Indore is set to become one of the most sought-after destinations for both leisure and business travellers in India. We are delighted to be a part of this incredible growth story and to bring our inventive service and products to this city” On this occasion, Devesh Rawat, General Manager, Indore Marriott Hotel said, “The hotel is the perfect complement to the destination with multiple experiential spaces. We are excited to foray into the city of Indore and are extremely pleased to welcome our guests at the newest Marriott Hotel in the country,” He further added, “From spacious rooms to delightful dining options and expansive convention facilities, the hotel is thoughtfully designed to create an excellent stay experience.” Other facilities at the hotel include recreational facilities such as the renowned Quan Spa with 5600 sqft of space offering a blend of modern and traditional therapies. The hotel also boasts of an outdoor swimming pool and a fully equipped, state-of-the-art fitness centre. Indore Marriott Hotel is the largest in the state in terms of rooms and meeting space – which covers 55,000 sqft of meeting and banqueting space. The property is located a few minutes away from the airport.
Read More »China Southern to fly Delhi-Cairns via Guangzhou from Dec 4
Cairns will become the sixth destination for China Southern airlines’ operations in Australia, starting December 4. The announcement was made by Gloria Wang, General Manager, China Southern Airlines at a cocktail evening in New Delhi, celebrating 10 years anniversary of the airlines’ operations on the Delhi-Guangzhou route. The new flight connecting Delhi to Cairns via Guangzhou will operate thrice weekly. This addition gives a new perspective to the Indian market to use China Southern not only to travel to China but also to use it for its expanding networks globally. Talking about the future operations of the airline Wang added, “By 2020, China Southern Airlines will have 1000 aircrafts in its fleet and our flying map will cover many more international destinations in addition to our existing connections.”
Read More »121-room Fairfield by Marriott, Visakhapatnam opens doors
Marriott International has announced the opening of Fairfield by Marriott, Visakhapatnam. The 121-room Fairfield by Marriott Visakhapatnam offers a Business Centre and meeting rooms equipped with audio-visual facilities. All public areas and guest rooms have high-speed Wi-Fi. It is located in the heart of Visakhapatnam city and about 2km from the Visakhapatnam International Airport. It is the latest addition to the brand’s footprint in South Asia with four hotels in India currently open, including Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar, Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road, Fairfield by Marriott Lucknow and Fairfield by Marriott Belagavi. Neeraj Govil Area Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International Inc, says, “Recognised as one of the ‘smart cities’ in India, Visakhapatnam holds tremendous potential for high economic growth, infrastructure development and further evolution of the services sector, we are excited to open our 5th Fairfield by Marriott in India. With our hospitality expertise, in conjunction with our owners K. Subba Raju, CMD, KSR Developers, we are confident in delivering a seamless hotel experience at great value.” “Adorning a contemporary style and pastel hues, Fairfield by Marriott Visakhapatnam is the newest addition to the port city of Andhra Pradesh. The property and staff aim to provide a comfortable and convenient stay to both business and leisure travellers,” said Sudhanshu Singh, General Manager, Fairfield by Marriott Visakhapatnam. “There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm as we launch the Fairfield by Marriott brand in Visakhapatnam. As a Marriott International brand we strive to set the standards of delivering a great hotel experience through consistent and reliable service.”
Read More »Shopping tourism leader Value Retail appoints AVIAREPS India
Value Retail, specialists in the creation and operation of luxury shopping destinations offering outlet pricing, the Collection of 11 Chic Outlet Shopping Villages in Europe and China, has appointed AVIAREPS India to support in sales, marketing and trade promotion across India. Value Retail serves the world’s leading brands in key tourism markets in western Europe and China, working with the world’s top travel trade operators to attract customers from all over the world. Value Retail has consistently delivered double-digit growth in gross sales every year since the opening of the first Village, Bicester Village, in 1995. The Villages are widely recognised as the best performing shopping centres in terms of sales densities in the world. Speaking about the partnership, Marcelo Molinari, Group Tourism Director, Value Retail, comments: “India has been a strategic market for Value Retail for many years and we are delighted to be working with AVIAREPS to extend our presence in the region. India is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing outbound travel markets in the world, second only to China. Our award-winning Villages are just outside the major European cities and offer guests the world’s best brands along with memorable shopping experiences supported by events, food, styling services and unparalleled hospitality – there is something for everyone.” Value Retail also has specialist in-house Groups & Events teams in every Village dedicated to serving business tourism guests. The company creates tailor-made programmes for groups of between 10 and 7,000 attendees to support the needs of the growing Indian MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) and luxury tourism market. Also speaking on the association, Joseph Fernandes, General Manager, AVIAREPS India, said: “Shopping is the top activity for Indians …
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