india | nepal | bhutan | sri lanka | tibet | maldives

February 2015

Rajeev Kohli
Joint Managing Director

Dear Industry Colleagues

Welcome to another edition of award winning 'Creatively Yours'. Happy New Year ! We wish you all the very best for the new year.

February is a very important month for us in the Indian business environment for this is when the Government of India releases its budget for the next year. Are we going to get taxed again or will we get some tax relief ? Will petroleum prices go up even more or will employees get more tax benefits? February 28th is always a nervous day for all of us, but we are keeping our fingers crossed for some good news for the Indian tourism industry.

We are also expecting and hopeful on an announcement on the expansion of the list of countries in the Visa on Arrival system. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we may hear something in the budget.

With the end of the season approaching, we are working on some special options for industry professionals to come and visit India. Under our 2013 "Be our Guest" program, we have some exciting options at very special prices. Ask us for details. We are also working on some special low season pricing that will allow you to position the region more aggressively.

You shall see some new and exciting initiatives in the next season from Team Creative. New experiential inclusions, new circuits, new concepts... We take pride in our ability to make a trip to the Indian sub-continent something very different.

 

Take care

Have a Creative Day! Rajeev

India News Destination News Hotel News Aviation News
Government plans to extend e-visa facility in more countries
read more
Tiger Numbers in India up From 1,400 to 2,226 in 7 Years ...
read more
Courtyard Marks 1,000th Hotel Milestone With Global Celebrations
read more
Indigo launches Bengaluru-Dubai non-stop daily service read more

www.creative.travel

Connect with us on


top
In this Edition....
  • India News  -  Government plans to extend e-visa facility in more countries

  • Where you can find us next - ITB - Berlin, Mar 4 -8 Stand #219, GITB, Jaipur – 19-21 April. Stand # 27,28,29,30

  • Festival Alerts - Holi - 6th March 2015

  • Destination News  Tiger Numbers in India up From 1,400 to 2,226 in 7 Years, Hot air balloons to sky in soon in Goa ......and more

  • Hotel News - Courtyard Marks 1,000th Hotel Milestone With Global Celebrations, Marriott debuts upscale brand in Kochi,  DoubleTree arrives In Agra  ....and more

  • Aviation News -  Indigo launches Bengaluru-Dubai non-stop daily service, Emirates upgrades Kolkata service  ....and more

  • Indian Recipe of the month - Layered vegetable Biryani

 
Where you can find us next...
 
 
 
 
India News.....
         
    Government plans to extend e-visa facility in more countries

More than 14,000 tourists flew into India in December using the e-visa, or electronic tourist authorisation, facility that was rolled out on November 27. The number may increase significantly as the country plans to extend the facility to tourists from the UK, France, China, Spain and Italy, which together make up 63% of India's in-bound tourism source markets.

Under the e-visa facility, people from 43 countries can apply for a visa to enter the country online. Once cleared after a background check, the tourist can fly in to any of nine select international airports in the country and pay the visa fee there.
Tourists from the US accounted for nearly one-fourth of the electronic visas issued last month and a majority 35% of the arrivals happened in Delhi. In the past, industry experts have said that e-visa facility could double annual tourist arrivals to over 12 million in five years. The country is also planning to come up with a new tourism policy within six months to boost the industry. "The last policy was made in 2002 and it's time we revise it with suggestions from the industry

 
 

 

 

  India sees rise in foreign travellers after government allows visa on arrival

Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mahesh Sharma, launched e-ticketing facility for the Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb on a pilot basis, and a helpline number to ensure safety of domestic and international tourists. Ever since Sharma took charge of the tourism ministry, he has been emphasising on creating a safer environment for tourists coming to India, and the launch of Incredible India toll free helpline number is in pursuance of that. "The facility currently is available in two languages - Hindi and English across 6 lines. We will be introducing international languages like German, Russian and French soon," said Sharma.

Tickets for the Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb can now also be booked 90 days in advance. Payment can be made via debit card, credit card or through net banking and there are three categories of tickets for visitor's viz. foreign visitor, Saarc visitor and domestic visitor. Sharma also released a book in Braille on Delhi's monuments. "This is the best time that the stakeholders become partners because development is not possible without them. We will have inputs from stakeholders and discuss issues with them and see how those inputs can be included in our final decision making process," said Sharma.

 
top
Festival Alerts
         
    Holi - 6th March 2015

Holi is a religious festival celebrated by Hindus all over the world. Holi is considered as second biggest festival on Hindu calendar after Diwali. Holi is also known as festival of Colors. Places related to life of Lord Krishna are known as Braj regions. Holi rituals in Braj regions - Mathura, Vrindavan, Gowardhan, Gokul, Nandagaon and Barsana - are the most famous one. The Lathmar Holi – the traditional Holi festivity in Barsana is world famous.

On first day bonfires are lit after sunset at Right Holika Dahan Muhurta. Main Holi day when people play with colours is always next day of Holika Dahan or Holi bonfire. Next day in the morning people play Holi with dry and wet colours. People are more willing and comfortable to play Holi with dry coloured powders which are known as Gulal. However many people feel that Holi celebrations are incomplete without wet colours. Wet colour is applied on the face and is made on the spot by mixing little amount of water with dry coloured powder. More enthusiastic Holi folk mix dry coloured powder in full bucket of water to drench complete body in wet colour.

 
top
Destination News.....
         
Tiger Numbers in India up From 1,400 to 2,226 in 7 Years

The number of tigers in India has seen a sharp rise to 2,226 tigers from just over 1,400 seven years ago, the environment ministry has said. "India is now home to 70 per cent of the world's tigers," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday. Karnataka has the most number of tigers at 406. Uttarakhand has 340 tigers, Tamil Nadu has 229, Madhya Pradesh has 208, Maharashtra has 190 and the Sundarbans in Bengal has 76 tigers. India has struggled to stop the rapid decline of its big cat population in the face of poachers, international smuggling networks and loss of habitat. read more...

Hot air balloons to sky in soon in Goa

Goa Tourism plans to launch hot air balloons and amphibious vessels by April this year, for which it has roped in two agencies - Camping Retreats Pvt. Ltd., and US-based D'Souza Leisure Pvt. Ltd.- to provide hot air ballooning and amphibious vehicles respectively. "Both adventure services will focus on highlighting Goa's hinterlands and will give tourists an opportunity to explore the rich geography of the state via the sky and the waterways," said Chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (GTDC), Nilesh Cabral. As many as six amphibious vehicles will be introduced utilizing Goa's wide networking of ferry ramps. The vessels can operate on water and land and will be equipped with all facilities required for effective and smooth conduct of operations. read more...

The Union Ministry of Tourism to lift ban on satellite phones for adventure tourism   

The Union Ministry of Tourism has finalised a scheme for Procurement, Registration and use of Satellite Phones by the Tour operators which has been agreed on by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) had urged the Ministry of Tourism to end the ban on use of Satellite Phones for tourism purposes. Lack of communication facilities has long hindered some adventure sports such as high altitude mountaineering, trekking etc.

The various adventure sports available in India include mountaineering, trekking, river rafting, parasailing, paragliding, bungee jumping etc.

    E-ticketing launched for Taj Mahal, Humayun's tomb

India saw a steep rise in number of foreign travellers a month after the government allowed tourist visa on arrival (TVoA) scheme enabled by electronic travel authorization (ETA). Last November, the government launched the scheme for visitors from 43 countries. Prior to it, only the normal TVoA scheme was in operation for 12 countries. According to the data released by tourism ministry on Monday, 14,083 TVoAs were issued in December, against 2,700 in December 2013, a growth of 421.6%. read more...

 
    Railways mulling train from Kolkata to cover key Buddhist sites

Railways is planning to introduce a special train from Kolkata to offer tourists a spiritual tour of key Buddhist circuit cities spread across the region where the religion originated thousands of years ago. The train will benefit tourists looking to visit Kolkata as also the states popular for their Buddhist pilgrimages, a senior Railway official told PTI. Among the Buddhist tour circuit cities are Bodh Gaya, Dungeshwari Caves, Kesariya, Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda,Kushinagar, Sarnath and Varanasi.

In fact, a proposed separate AC gallery at Indian Museum here to showcase the urn said to contain the ashes of Lord Buddha and other relics associated with his life is further going to aid the initiative for the introduction of the special train, the official said. The Bharhut Gallery at the museum showcases several Buddhist artefacts, among them the gateway of a Buddhist stupa complete with sculptures and carvings depicting scenes from Lord Buddha's life. read more...

 
    Now, Gujarat government to welcome travellers with liquor permit

Gujarat government has decided to start issuing liquor permits to foreign as well as domestic travellers arriving at Vadodara and Bhuj airports. "Foreign, domestic tourists and other visitors, landing at Vadodara and Bhuj airports, will just have to approach the tourism department counters set up there to seek liquor permits. The process will start from next week as orders have already been issued in this regard," Sanjay Kaul, Commissioner of Gujarat Tourism Department, said today. The department had initiated a similar move a few years back at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. "Now, in addition to Ahmedabad, airports in Vadodara and Bhuj will be added to the list, taking the total number of airports in Gujarat to three from where the visitors will get the liquor permits on arrival," Kaul said.

Gujarat has a total prohibition policy and liquor permit is issued to individuals only on the health ground. As per the new move, the visitors can get necessary forms, and file it along with the permit fee with Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) officials at the airports. "A foreign passenger only needs to submit a photocopy of the passport, while domestic travellers will have to give their identity proof. Once the licence is given, they are free to buy alcohol from any authorised liquor shops across the state," the official said.

 



top
Hotel News.....
         
    Courtyard Marks 1,000th Hotel Milestone With Global Celebrations

Courtyard by Marriott, the world's 8th largest hospitality brand*, reaches its 1,000 hotel milestone and celebrates on a global scale. The pinnacle of the festivities will be on March 31 when the Courtyard Walla Walla will be designated as the 1,000th hotel. On that same day, all Marriott Rewards guests checking into any Courtyard worldwide will receive 1,000 points as the brand's milestone gift, an estimated 50 million points.
"We are extremely proud of how far Courtyard has come. By listening to our customers over the past 30 years we have been able to continually evolve to meet their needs," said Callette Nielsen, vice president and global brand manager, Courtyard. "Our global expansion and robust pipeline is proof that we provide the experience that travellers want. That is why it is important to share our success with them." Boasting the largest global rooms pipeline in the Marriott portfolio, more than 50 percent of which is outside of US, Courtyard expects to be in 40 countries by summer and is in all 50 U.S. states. The brand celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2013 and is Marriott's second largest revenue generator.

Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests' needs for choice and control.

 
         
Marriott debuts upscale brand in Kochi

The Kochi Marriott Hotel is located in the Lulu Mall complex, one of India's largest shopping malls, 9km from the main city centre. It offers 274 rooms, including 'vice presidential' and 'presidential' suite options. Dining options at the hotel include two restaurants, one of which specialises in Keralan cuisine, plus a wine and whiskey bar. There is also a spa, fitness centre, swimming pool and 720m² of meeting space.

"Kochi Marriott Hotel is an exciting addition to the Marriott Hotels portfolio," said Rajeev Menon, Marriott's area vice president for South Asia. "We believe the city of Kochi has tremendous potential for business and hospitality growth, making it an obvious choice for the Marriott Hotels brand. The Kochi Marriott Hotel will set new standards in offering guests a dynamic hotel experience. " The Kochi property becomes the fifth hotel under the company's flagship Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand in India, following existing properties in Bengaluru, Goa, Hyderabad and Jaipur. And it becomes the second Marriott International property in Kochi, joining the Courtyard by Marriott Kochi Airport.

DoubleTree arrives In Agra

Located in the centre of the Rajasthan city, the DoubleTree by Hilton Agra is one of the few hotels offering views of the world famous mausoleum. The hotel features 104 rooms and suites, all equipped with 42-inch HDTVs, minibars, rain showers and Wi-Fi.
Facilities include four F&B outlets, including one specialising in Indian Northwest Frontier cuisine, plus an outdoor infinity-edged swimming pool with views of the Taj Mahal, a 24-hour fitness centre, kids' activity room, spa and salon. The hotel also caters to the events sector, with a 357m² ballroom able to handle up to 425 people, plus two other large function spaces handling a total of 275 delegates. There are also two boardrooms and a business centre. "The opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Agra is a significant milestone as it marks the entry of Hilton Worldwide into this prime leisure destination," said Daniel Welk, Hilton's vice president of operations for India. "We look forward to welcoming guests with the award-winning service culture for which the DoubleTree by Hilton brand is known around the world." DoubleTree by Hilton Agra becomes the brand's fifth property in India, following existing locations in Bengaluru, Pune, Goa and Gurgaon.

    Holiday Inn adds Maldives facilities

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is expanding its range of guest offerings with the launch of a new kids' club and beachfront bar.
Kandoo Kids is a new 500m² facility, comprising a two-level indoor air-conditioned children's club and an outdoor pool area. It is designed to offer educational activities, with a library, art and crafts area and interactive gaming room for kids aged 8-12, plus a ball pit and craft-making areas for 4–7-year-olds.
The Splash Pool, which opens in late January 2015, will be the first of its kind in the Maldives and features a shallow wading pool, waterslides, water cannons, a spray wall and tipping buckets. Meanwhile, the new Baraveli Beach Bar becomes the latest addition to the resort's food & beverage offerings. Located next to the main lagoon, it serves up a range of cocktails and beverages, a casual dining menu and complimentary water and sun-tan lotion.

 
    Green Earth Hotels launches 'Munnar Tea Country Resort'

Green Earth Hotels launched its first unique resort in Munnar called the 'Munnar Tea Country Resort' in December 2014 . An all-villa/cottage resort overlooking the valley, each villa/cottage has a living room, dining area, mock kitchen area, bedroom, a balcony and verandah.

The smallest of these 33 units is sized 605 sq ft and they come in four different room categories. The resort has been conceptualized with families and honeymooners in mind. Families can stay together in the same villa/cottage with extra beds. Independent scenic villas with privacy make it ideal for honeymooners too. There are also a kids zone and an international spa. A mini conference hall takes care of small meetings and gatherings while the open-air amphitheatre can be used for performances. The property's restaurant, overlooking the valley, serves Indian, Arabic and Chinese cuisines. The resort is situated at Chithirapuram, Munnar, Idukki, Kerala.

 



top
Aviation News......
         
Indigo launches Bengaluru-Dubai non-stop daily service 

Budget carrier IndiGo has started its first international flight from Bengaluru to Dubai and announced the start of two more daily Mumbai-Bengaluru services.

A statement said, IndiGo will fly daily non-stop flights between Bengaluru and Dubai.
The Mumbai-Bengaluru services will start from December 20. With this, the airline will fly 11 daily non-stop flights between Bengaluru and Mumbai.

"These new flights between Bengaluru to Dubai and Mumbai are testimony to our commitment towards connectivity across the country's corners bringing more and more people closer to their dreams and new opportunities," IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh said. Last week, IndiGo had announced the addition of Kozhikode as the 32nd domestic and 37th overall destination in its network.

    Emirates upgrades Kolkata service 

Extra weekly flight and aircraft upgrade to boost options for West Bengal travellers
On 29 March 2015 the airline will add a 13th weekly flight on the Dubai-Kolkata route. Operating on Wednesdays, flight EK572 will depart Dubai International Airport at 1300 and arrive at Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at 1915. The return flight, EK573, will then depart the West Bengal capital at 2030 and arrive back in Dubai at 0005.
And also from this date, Emirates will start flying a larger Boeing 777-200ER aircraft on the route. Operating as flights EK570 and EK571, the new aircraft will feature 274 seats in three classes, including, for the first time, Emirates' first class cabin. Replacing an Airbus A330-200, the deployment of the B777 will lead to an increase of 250 seats per week on the Kolkata route.
"The additional flight and increased capacity also means strengthening of travel options available not just to Kolkata, but the entire east and north-east India region. Let's hope this capacity addition will help connect even more people to the market, and facilitate greater trade to the region and its economy.

 
Air India flies direct to Vijayawada

New connection to second largest city in Andhra Pradesh
Air India has increased the number of flights it operates to Andhra Pradesh, with the start of a new daily direct service to Vijayawada.
The new route commenced on 15 January 2015 and will now depart Delhi daily at 0620, before arriving in Vijayawada at 0825. On the return leg, flights will leave Vijayawada at 0900 and get back into Delhi at 1105.
The new service will become Air India' second daily flight from Delhi to Vijayawada, but the first direct service. The other daily flight operates via Hyderabad.
Passengers from Vijayawada will be offered onward connections to international flights departing from Delhi, including routes to Bangkok, Birmingham, Frankfurt, Kathmandu, London, Melbourne, Sydney, Paris, Rome and Milan.
Air India said it will also provide a boost to tourist destinations like Kondapalli Fort, the Undavalli Caves, Kanaka Durga Temple and Bhavani Islands.
Vijayawada has a population of more than one million people, making it the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh.

    Jet enhances in-flight services 

New meal and in-flight entertainment options launched
Jet Airways has introduced two new in-flight offerings as part of its renewed full-service focus.

A new advanced meal booking service has been added for premium passengers, while all passengers will be offered a new range of Indian shows as in-flight entertainment.
The 'Book your meal' initiative is now available on all of Jet's international flights, allowing guests to pre-order meals online. read more...

 
top
Indian Recipe of the month......
         

Layered vegetable Biryani

A simple and delicious way to make a fragrant Biryani. Eat it with an accompaniment like curd or an potato dish. It is a meal by itself if you want it to be. Click here to read the recipe...

top
Newsletters Archive.....
Click here to visit the 'Creatively Yours' Newsletter Archive.....
top
Contact Us......
Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd.
Creative Plaza, Nanakpura, Moti Bagh, New Delhi 110021. India.
Tel: 24679192, 26872257-58-59, 26114281 Fax: +91-11-26885886 / 26889764
USA Fax: +1-646-349-1614 Europe Fax : +44-20-7681-1242
E: engage@creative.travel Website: www.creative.travel

24 Hours International Emergency Contact Number : +91 - 99 11 266 277
(prefix a '0' before the number if dialing from outside
New Delhi but from within India
)
top
Contact Us......
You may contact us or our any nearest regional sales office.

Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd.
Creative Plaza
Nanakpura, Moti Bagh
New Delhi 110021. INDIA
Tel : +91-11-24679192, 26872257-58-59
Fax : ++91-11-26885886 / 26889764
USA Fax: +1-646-349-1614
Europe Fax : ++44-20-7681-1242
Website : www.creative.travel
Click here to e-mail us

Creative Travel Sri Lanka (Golden Isle)
No 64, Lotus Road,
Colombo 01, Sri Lanka.
Tel :+94 11 233 4554
Fax :+94 11 233 4663
Email : srilanka@creative.travel 
Web : www.creative.travel 

Creative Travel Nepal (CTN)
5th Floor, Yeti Airlines Building
P.O. Box 7202
Tilganga,Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: (977-1) 4486412, 4486413
Fax: (977-1) 4465940
Click here to e-mail us

Our Regional Sales teams...

The Americas

USA
for all travel products


Andrea Kubon

Creative Travel / A.K.A Destinations
7A Jefferson Street
Port Washington, NY, 110050

T: +1 516 209 7736
E: andreakubon@creative.travel

Colleen Abernethy

Platinum DMC Collection

T: +1 9529299552
E: colleen@platinumdmc.com

 

Canada
for all travel products


Dallyce Macas

Creative Travel / Platinum DMC Collection

T: +1 4169704400
E: dallyce@platinumdmc.com 

 

Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Paraguay & Uruguay
for all travel products

Rosina Gomes De Freitas
Argentina 


Creative Travel / Avant Garde Buenos Aires

E: argentina@creative.travel
    
rosina@agbrands.com.br 

 

 

Brazil 
for all travel products


Sidney Alonso
Jeverson Zanini

Creative Travel / Avant Garde

R. Andre Ampere, 153 Suite 72, Sao Paulo - SP - 04562–080, Brazil

T: +55 11 3569-0857 
E: brazil@creative.travel

   
salonso@agbrands.com.br 
   
jzanini@agbrands.com.br
Mexico
for all travel products

Ofelia Barrios

Creative Travel / Avant Garde LTD.

Insurgentes Sur 859 Piso 2
Col. Nápoles
CP. 03810

T:  +52 5541220277
M: +52 1 55 28463659

E: 
mexico@creative.travel 
    ofelia@agbrands.com.mx

 

Chile
for all travel products

Claudia Pasten

Creative Travel / Agunsa Chile
Av. Andrs Bello 2687, Piso 15
Edificio del Pacfico
Casilla 2511, Santiago

T : +56-2 4602700
E: chile@creative.travel

Peru
for all travel products

Carla Beuno

Creative Travel / Agunsa Peru
Agencias Universales Peru S.A. Av. Nestor Gambeta 5502, Las 200
Millas, Callao

T: +51-1 619-0300
E: peru@creative.travel
 

Europe

Belgium
for all travel products


Hanna Manuel

Creative Travel /
Assert Management
Mereldreef 101, B-3140 Keerbergen
Belgium

T: +32 15 230 547
F: +32 15 230 549
E: hannamanuel@creative.travel
    salesMarketingEurope@skynet.be
Germany
for all travel products

Anja Dickmann-Schler
Stefanie Bueck

Creative Travel /
Tourism Marketing Communication
Fischtorplatz 17
55116 Mainz

T: +49-6131-600 7075
F: +49-6131-600 7376
E: germany@creative.travel
    adickmann-schueler@tmc-    agentur.de
      sbuck@tmc-agentur.de

 
Spain & Portugal
for all travel products

Diana Alvarez
Lourdes Porredon

Creative Travel /
Bitacora's Tourism Services

M.: +34 676365062
E:  madrid@creative.travel
      barcelona@creative.travel
Russia
for all travel products

Tatiana Pylaeva

Creative Travel / Destico
Sadovnicheskaya street, 5,
Office 4-3
Moscow, 115035

T: +7 9031367939
E: russia@creative.travel
    tanyapylaeva@destico.ru
UK
Incentive & Meetings specialist


Susan Scales
Mercedes Conde-Nieto

Creative Travel / GMC Marketing
Global House
152 Motspur Park
London KT3 6PF, Surrey
UK

T: +44-208-949-1234
F: +44-208-949-3456
E: susanscales@creative.travel
     susan@gmc.uk.com
     sales@gmc.uk.com

 

UK
for all travel products


Gill Webb
Mark Schmitt

Creative Travel
The Old Church 89B
Quicks Road
Wimbledon, London
SW19 1EX


T: +44 (0) 20 8545 2617
F: +44 (0) 20 8545 2604
E: london@creative.travel
    gill@sandraleach.co.uk    
    mark@sandraleach.co.uk
Poland
for all travel products

Barbara Dziedzic

Creative Travel/TravelReps
17 Podwale Street, ste 10
00-252 Warsaw, Poland

M: +48 603 857 571
E: bd@travelreps.pl
    poland@creative.travel

 

 

Asia

Africa

   
Philippines
for all travel products

Riza O. Tilokani

Creative Travel / Business & Leisure Delights

One Global Place
5th Avenue & 25th Street
Bonifacio Global City
Taguig, Philippines

T : +632 9105322 / +63 9175583987
E : manila@creative.travel
 
South Africa
for all travel products

Heidi Angell-Schau

Creative Travel / WorldView
11 Dale Minor Balder Road, Douglasdale, 2161
Johannesburg, South Africa

M: +27 82 786 9229
E: heidi@worldview.co.za
   southafrica@creative.travel
   

This is a formatted HTML email. If you receive it in a unreadable / garbled form, please let us know.
To keep the message size low, some images are linked to the internet and would show only when you are on-line.
If you would like to be removed from this mailing, please follow instructions at the bottom.
This mailing is going out to individuals we have met over the years or to people whose names have been
obtained from various lists provided to us by various trade shows. We do not mean to be intrusive to anyone.

Creative Travel, travel2india . com, The Guru of Destination Management and all associated logos and motifs are registered trade marks of Creative Travel.