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Travel Tour 

Vol.:2, Issue: October 2013 

A N D 

A S I A 

Singapore 

Show Highlight 

Face to Face 

Ken Morrison, 

Chief Executive of Tourism & 

Transport Forum (TTF), Australia

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02 

10. Jordan 

Meetings Point 

05. Singapore: The stature of Singapore as an idyllic meetings hub is further reflected with 

the city-state playing host to a number of world class events and conferences, including ITB Asia - 

the annually held three day B2B travel trade show 

Traveller’s Musing 

10. Jordan: While Jordan is soaked with innumerable chronicles to share, we give you the top 

6 historical places you can visit when you are here in this remarkable country. 

Cover Story 

17. Travel Apps: To make the trip smarter, here are some of the major business travel apps 

which can be both fun and beneficial

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02 

City Chronicles 

21. Busan: With superb beaches, 

scenic cliffs, mountains which provide 

excellent hiking and extraordinary views, and 

hot springs, Busan is certainly worth a visit 

Theme Story 

37. Nightlife: When the heat 

subsides, the champagne flows and the 

inhibitions fade away as South East Asia 

comes up in true colours of the night 

Face to Face 

49. In an exclusive interview with TTW, Ken 

Morrison, Chief Executive of Tourism & 

Transport Forum (TTF), speaks about the 

prospect of Australia as a tourist destination 

and its future plans, developments and 

much more. 

37. Nightlife 

Travel News 

Discussion 

Asia Festivals 


Show Review 

Calendar of Events 

30 

44 

45 

52 

61 

75 

05. Singapore

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Asia is packed with activities this month. With fairs keeping October busy to all related with the 

travel business, things definitely seem to be looking up in Asia. The economy in Asia is booming and 

air-traffic in the region is forecasted to grow at 6.7% per annum. The cruise industry is also 

expecting a 17.0% annual growth in passengers. 

However, Asia pacific is experiencing more profits in comparison to the Middle East. With the recent 

terrorist attacks in Nairobi there seems to be growing fear among travellers about their safety and 

security in the region and travellers are weary about setting foot in Turkey too where the situation is 

deteriorating by the day. The U.N. Secretary-General has expressed his profound shock and regrets 

the usage of chemical weapons in Syria which resulted in innumerous casualties, particularly among 

civilians which include many children. Syria is middle of strong criticism from the world over. 

Asia needs to appease its political issues to offer greater stability to its people and create scopes for 

economic progress by generating jobs. Civil violence will only lead to a dwindling economy and ruin 

the chances of progress. Read more to learn what Asia offers this September. 

Mr. Anup Kumar Keshan 

(Editor-In-Chief) 

Editorial Team 

President & Editor-In- 

Chief 

Mr. Anup Kumar Keshan 

Vice President 

Mr. Apratim Ghoshal 

Executive Editor 

Mrs. Puja Keshan 

Intl. Correspondent & Marketing 

Mrs. Soumi Ghosh (Koley) 

Design Team 

Mr. Mufaddal Chittiwala 

Ms. Sonali Khan 

Mr Rajat ( Web) 

Mr. Kaushik Das(Web) 

Content Writers 

Mr. Ronee Roy 

Mr. Sayanta Manna 

Mr. Sudipto Roy 

Ms. Shreya Goswami 

Ms. Urmii Kar 

Ms. Shreyoshi Dey 

Ms. Arpita Banerjee 

Asst. Communication 

Executive 

Mr. Rana Singh 

Circulation 

Mr. A.K. Sharma 

Mr. Kajal Mandal 

Follow us

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05 

Singapore 

Singapore, the business hub of South East Asia, is best known for its grandeur. The city-state 

reflects the boisterousness of the modern society with a milieu of Chinese, Malay and Indian 

influences. The tropical climate along with tasty food, snazzy malls and shopping centres and 

a vibrant night-life scene, Singapore is the main hub of Asia travel industry. 

Much has been written and spoken about Singapore's flourishing MICE (Meetings Incentives 

Conventions and Exhibitions) industry and the wealth of opportunities it provides for 

business travellers. The stature of Singapore as an idyllic meetings hub is further reflected 

with the city-state playing host to a number of world class events and conferences, including 

ITB Asia - the annually held three day B2B travel trade show. This year, too, ITB Asia will be 

held in Singapore from October 23-25 at Suntec Singapore. 

Meetings Point 

ITB Asia and a Traveller's Musing

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ITB Asia: What's the fuss all about? 

If you are a travel trade analyst, then ITB Asia 

needs no introduction. This is where 

international exhibitors of all sectors of the 

travel-value chain, Asia Pacific's leading travel 

companies and emerging small and medium- 

sized enterprises meet with top international 

buyers from the MICE, Leisure and Corporate 

Travel markets. Acting as a perfect podium for 

travel trade professionals to exhibit and speak 

on their plans, carry out business, showcase 

their destinations' potential and increase 

their business contacts, ITB Asia is 

considered as one of the biggest travel 

trade shows in the vein of WTM London, 

IMEX and ITB Berlin. 

Why exhibit at ITB Asia? 

Here are certain benefits of exhibiting at 

ITB Asia. 

ŸBest value-for-money offer 

ŸEasy access from all over Asia 

Ÿ3,120 minutes of know how 

ŸConference content specially tailored to 

buyers' needs 

ŸFlexible hosting packages 

ŸHigh quality of buyers in terms of 

purchasing power 

ŸOver 21,000 buyer meetings 

ŸInternational coverage: More than 250 

media representatives 

Image Courtesy : http://singaporetourism.com/?gallery=potatoe http://singaporetourism.com/?page_id=57

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Speaking on the event, Horst Schulze - Chairman 

and CEO – Capella Hotel Group LLC, said, “It is 

clearly important for us in the hotel industry to 

expose ourselves to the travel agent community, 

to cross industries such as airlines and so on, and 

not only that, but to show ourselves to the press 

and consequently to the public. ITB is large, it is 

well known and there is a sizeable participation, 

so taking part as a hotel company or as an 

individual hotel is very important. It is extremely 

impressive that a relatively new show such as ITB 

Asia has over 800 exhibitors. It shows you the 

name ITB is pretty powerful! It's in the early 

years, but I can imagine what it's going to be. I 

think it's a great success for ITB, what they're 

doing here.” 

How to spice up your days in Singapore in 

between the event? 

Well, there are plenty of options to choose from. 

That's why people love visiting Singapore time 

and over again. Here's what you can make the 

most out of your stay in Singapore. 

Sentosa Island: 

Just 15 minutes away from the city centre is 

Sentosa, an idyllic resort island with pristine 

beaches, world-class attractions, sea sports, golf 

and retreats. 

At Sentosa, there are endless activities to indulge 

your every interest. Our biggest attraction,

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Imbiah Lookout offers something for everyone; 

thrill seekers can take a ride on Skyline Luge 

Sentosa, nature lovers can explore the walking 

trails and wonders of Butterfly Park & Insect 

Kingdom or learn about flora and fauna on the 

guided tour of Sentosa Nature Discovery. For 

some culture, try Images of Singapore. The 

sporty side of you can enjoy a game of beach 

volleyball on Siloso Beach, ride the barrelling 

waves at Wave House Sentosa and at night fall, 

be awed by Songs of the Sea, a multi-sensory 

extravaganza. Feeling hungry? Over 50 

restaurants from casual to classy are available 

at proximity to satiate every taste. 

Marine Life Park: 

Dive into the Marine Life Park, the world's 

largest oceanarium and be inspired by the 

myriad marine wonders of the blue planet. 

Explore the world's largest aquarium at S.E.A. 

Aquarium and plunge into wet and wild fun at 

Adventure Cove Waterpark. Come discover an 

action-packed aquatic world and fall in love with 

the spectacular ocean animals at Marine Life 

Park, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore! 

Gardens by the Bay: 

Spanning 101 hectares, this award-winning 

horticultural attraction houses over 250 

thousand rare plants and is just a five-minute 

walk from the city. The Gardens comprises 

three spaces—Bay South, Bay East and Bay 

Central. From the waterfront promenade, enjoy 

an amazing view of the Marina Bay financial 

district skyline. The grounds are perfect for an 

evening stroll and a picnic with loved ones. 

Singapore's new icon, a 101-hectare 

horticultural attraction, certainly seems to be 

the nation's most beautiful with more than 250 

thousand rare plants in huge domed 

conservatories.

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So, if you happen to be in Singapore to attend 

ITB Asia, make sure that you explore the event 

to the hilt. And in your spare time, explore 

Singapore's one-of-a-kind attractions and 

experience the best of Asia's offerings. Rest 

assured, you will bring back plenty of 

memorable experiences home.

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Traveller’s Musing 

Jordan 

Drenched in History and Culture 

There is utterly no qualm in the fact that Jordan is a Kingdom steeped in history and culture. From 

the second you arrive, you can intuit its rich heritage; all around are remnants of ancient civilizations 

long since passed, yet they still remain, stamped into the very fabric of this amazing Kingdom and 

etched into the soul of the people who live here. 

While Jordan is soaked with innumerable chronicles to share, we give you the top 6 historical places 

you can visit when you are here in this remarkable country.

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Amman 

A sprawling city spread over 19 hills, or "jebels," 

Amman is the modern - as well as the ancient - 

capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 

Known as Rabbath-Ammon during the Iron Age 

and later as Philadelphia, the ancient city that was 

once part of the Decapolis league, now boasts a 

population of around 2.3 million people. 

Amman, often referred to as the white city due to 

its low size canvas of stone houses, offers a variety 

of historical sites. There are a number of renovations and excavations taking place that have 

revealed remains from the Neolithic period, as well as from the Hellenestic and late Roman to 

Arab Islamic Ages. The site which is known as the Citadel includes many structures such as the 

Temple of Hercules, the Umayyad Palace and the Byzantine Church. At the foot of the Citadel 

lies the 6,000 seat Roman Theatre, which is a deep-sided bowl carved into the hill and is still 

being used for cultural events. Another newly restored theatre is the 500-seat Odeon 

that is used for concerts. The three museums found in the area offer a glimpse of 

history and culture; they are the Jordan Archaeological Museum, 

The Folklore Museum and the Museum of Popular Traditions.

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Madaba 

The trip south from Amman along 

the 5,000-year-old Kings Highway is 

one of the most memorable 

journeys in the Holy Land, passing 

through a string of ancient sites. The 

first city to encounter is Madaba, 

“the City of Mosaics." The city, best 

known for its spectacular Byzantine 

and Umayyad mosaics, is home to 

the famous 6th century mosaic map 

of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. 

With two million pieces of coloured 

stone, the map depicts hills and 

valleys, villages and towns as far as 

the Nile Delta. Other mosaic 

masterpieces found in the Church of 

the Virgin and the Apostles and the 

Archaeological Museum, depict a 

rampant profusion of flowers and 

plants, birds and fish, animals and 

exotic beasts, as well as scenes from 

mythology and everyday pursuits of 

hunting, fishing and farming. 

Literally, hundreds of other mosaics 

from the 5th through the 7th 

centuries are scattered throughout 

Madaba's churches and homes.

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Petra 

The ancient city of Petra is one of Jordan's 

national treasures and by far its best known 

tourist attraction. Located approximately 

three hours south of Amman, Petra is the 

legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious 

Arab people who settled in southern Jordan 

more than 2,000 years ago. Admired then for 

its refined culture, massive architecture and 

ingenious complex of dams and water 

channels, Petra is now a UNESCO World 

Heritage Site that enchants visitors from all 

corners of the globe. Much of Petra's appeal 

comes from its spectacular setting deep 

inside a narrow desert gorge. The site is 

accessed by walking through a kilometre 

long chasm (or siq), the walls of which soar 

200m upwards. Petra's most famous 

monument, the Treasury, appears 

dramatically at the end of the Siq. Used in 

the final sequence of the film "Indiana Jones 

and the Last Crusade." the towering façade 

of the Treasury is only one of myriad 

archaeological wonders to be 

explored at Petra.

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Aqaba 

Famed for its preserved coral reefs and 

unique sea life, this Red Sea port city was, 

in ancient times, the main port for 

shipments from the Red Sea to the Far 

East. The Mameluk Fort, one of the 

main historical landmarks of 

Aqaba, rebuilt by the Mameluks 

in the 16th century. Square in 

shape and flanked by 

semicircular towers, 

the fort is marked with 

various inscriptions 

marking the latter 

period of the Islamic 

dynasty. The current 

excavations at the 

ancient site of the early 

Islamic town Ayla, with 

its two main streets 

intersecting in the 

middle and dating back 

to the 7th century 

already revealed a gate 

and city wall along with 

towers, buildings and a 

mosque. The museum 

houses a collection of 

artefacts collected in the region, including 

pottery and coins. Aqaba also hosts the 

house of Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, the great 

grandfather of King Abdullah II. Other 

places of interest include the mud brick 

building thought to be the earliest church 

in the region.

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Jerash 

A close second to Petra on the list of favourite 

destinations in Jordan, the ancient city of 

Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human 

occupation dating back more than 6,500 

years. The city's golden age came under 

Roman rule and the site is now generally 

acknowledged to be one of the bestpreserved 

Roman provincial towns in the 

world. Hidden for centuries in sand before 

being excavated and restored over the past 

70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the 

grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism 

that is found throughout the Middle East, 

comprising paved and colonnaded streets, 

soaring hilltop temples, handsome 

theatres, spacious public squares and 

plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced 

by towers and gates. Beneath its external 

Graeco-Roman veneer, Jerash also preserves 

a subtle blend of east and west. Its 

architecture, religion and languages reflect a 

process by which two powerful cultures 

meshed and coexisted - The Graeco-Roman 

world of the Mediterranean basin and the 

ancient traditions of the Arab Orient.

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Ajlun 

Ajlun Castle (also known as 

Qal'at [Castle] Ar-Rabad) was 

built in 1184 by 'Izz ad-Din 

Usama bin Munqidh, a general of 

Saladin, who defeated the 

Crusaders in 1187. A fine 

example of Islamic architecture, 

the fortress dominated a wide 

stretch of the northern Jordan 

Valley and passages to it. From 

its hilltop position, Ajlun Castle 

protected the communication 

routes between south Jordan 

and Syria, and was one of a chain 

of forts that lit beacons at night 

to pass signals from the 

Euphrates as far as Cairo. Today, 

Ajlun Castle is a splendid sight 

with a fascinating warren of 

towers,chambers, galleries and 

staircases to explore, while its 

hilltop position offers stunning 

views of the Jordan Valley. 

The majestic ruins of the bygone civilizations have always been the highlight of Jordan. Its 

history is rich and absorbing. If you love savouring the enigma the historical sites always proffer, 

you should of course visit this enigmatic country once. Pack your bags and delve into the 

amazing historical-wealthy Jordan.

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Travel 

Cover Tech Story Talk 

app-titude 

ver the past six decades, tourism experienced significant expansion and 

diversification. It has emerged as one of the largest and fastest growing 

Oeconomic sectors of the world. Long term 

outlook predicts there is a possible rise of about 

3.3% international tourists from 2010 to 2030. The 

global business travel associations envisage that 

business travellers would spend billions of dollars 

to enhance the corporate image. Travel pioneers 

and investors depend more on electronic travel 

itinerary as it has abundant information and 

contents, quick and accurate positioning 

characteristics. 

Be it a short or long halt business trip, travelling is 

a quotidian part of it. To make the trip smarter, 

here are some of the major business travel apps 

which can be both fun and beneficial:

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1 

Google Drive 

Google's new Drive app is a fully-featured office suite, 

allowing users to seamlessly import and edit files from PC 

to tablet to Smartphone. This software also acts as a full 

cloud drive, letting you store any file type via a virtual drive 

app or the Web interface. Google apps are the top choice 

for small businesses with regard to webmail, and this new 

feature will get you a nice 5GB of storage for free. 

2 

Expensify 

Managing finances is never fun. Fortunately, the 

Expensify app will allow you to keep track of 

business expenses and mileage, while letting 

you scan and upload receipts. With just one 

click, users can even file receipts by trip and 

submit expense reports to employers. 

3 

TripIt 

The power of an itinerary can only be truly understood 

by someone who's had to make three connecting 

flights and rent a car on the same day. If this sounds 

like you, TripIt app will allow you to keep track of trip 

arrangements in one unified place. The app also 

gathers weather updates, maps, and directions to 

make traveling a great experience.

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Evernote 

4 

Ideas can spring up any time and at any place. Evernote 

is a handy app to “Remember Everything.” It allows 

users to store, organize, and share text, photos, and 

voice notes--a great tool for entrepreneurs looking for 

more ease in tracking their brilliant ideas. 

5 

Some 

InDinero 

Created in 2010 by two university students, Jessica 

Mah and Andy Su, InDinero is an easy way to keep 

track of business cash flow and manage day-to-day 

finances. This popular web app will sync your bank 

accounts and credit cards to help you predict future 

cash flows based on trends. 

other business travel apps:- 

Photosynth – Capture and share panoramic views of the places while you are aboard 

XE currency exchange - One of the best known and most reliable currency-related sites 

Wikitude - Application that draws a plethora of useful info about your surroundings 

Skype Wi-Fi - Lets you pay using Skype and only pay for as much time as you need 

AccuWeather - Lets you browse upcoming weather forecast by hours 

TripAdvisor – Internationally popular travel application that helps hunting hotels along with the 

reviews

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Advantages of using business apps 

ÜImproves communication:- Various communication technologies have been introduced in 

business which change the way the employees interact and communicate with workers while at 

work. 

ÜRefurbishes innovation and creativity: - Use of updated business technologies help in business 

growth and expansion. Online business promotion is one of the in-trend strategies. 

ÜEfficient human resource management:- Hiring, screening, training of employees become easier. 

Monitoring performance and productivity can also be done closely. 

ÜEnsures mobility:- Use of technologies has eliminated space and time boundaries. Technology 

can be used to automate various tasks at work; this automation guarantees efficiency and also 

increases production at work. 

ÜHigh maintenance costs: - Modern day gadgets are highly priced. Also, if not maintained with 

proper care, the performance will decrease; eventually affecting the cost of maintenance. 

ÜIncreases dependency on technology: - Interpersonal communication is affected. Group 

cohesion, team spirit and social interaction get reduced. 

Smart apps –virtue or vice? 

In recent years, the concept of "green economy and society" has 

become an essential international agenda. This concept does not 

substitute sustainable development, but there is a growing 

recognition that achieving sustainability largely depends on getting 

the economy right. Thus, every organization has its own definition 

of formal and informal meetings and presentations, depending 

upon its corporate culture, clients and individual responsibilities. 

Living in the 21st century, tech-meetings or teleconferences are 

more common than face-to-face seminars. With the 

implementation of the smart apps, it goes without saying that 

business traveling would be smoother than ever before! 

Disadvantages of using business apps 

“green 

economy 

and 

society"

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City Chronicles 

BUSAN 

adding glory to South Korea 

bustling city with approximately 3.6 million residents, Busan is located on the southeastern 

tip of the Korean peninsula. The size of Busan is 768.408 sq km, which is 0.8% of the whole 

Aland of the Korean peninsula. The natural environment of Busan is a perfect example of 

harmony among the mountains, rivers and sea. With superb beaches, scenic cliffs, mountains which 

provide excellent hiking and extraordinary views, and hot springs, Busan is certainly worth a visit.

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Best 

things 

about Busan 

®Total population 3.9 million 

® It is blessed with a pleasant coastal location and 

climate 

® Korea's second city and largest port is 

surrounded by mountains and makes for a 

pleasant base to explore the south 

® A good mix of modern and traditional culture, 

lively markets and a variety of sea-scapes 

including a bird sanctuary at Tadaepo and an upmarket 

beach resort at Haeundae 

® this is a quieter, fresher alternative to Seoul 

and a good staging post for 

travel to Ulsan, 

Daegu, Gwangju 

and on Jeju 

Island 

(Seogwipo) 

® The traffic can 

be horrendous 

but the cheap, 

efficient and 

easy-to use 

metro runs to 

most places of 

interest 

Image Courtesy: KNTO

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Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea, is a sprawling metropolis of 3.9 million people. The 

surprisingly green city is defined by a number of mountains which offer hiking opportunities and 

natural retreats. Astoundingly close to skyscrapers and a hectic, ultra-modern urban scene it is 

rather interesting to discovering Busan's fabled seafood, bizarre and exciting culture, fascinating 

history, beautiful beaches and more. 

Busan has an amazing array of sights, activities and events. Even the first time visitors will find 

Busan fascinating. For those in search of real Korea, or just a fun night out, Busan mixes old world 

charm with a modern and vibrant night life. 

A 

Sprawling Metropolis

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Well Connected 

All international flights flying from major 

cities in Japan, China, the Philippines and 

Vietnam touch Busan. In addition, there are 

flights to Vladivostok, Bangkok, Taipei, 

Saipan, Macau and Hong Kong. There is also 

a Lufthansa service from Munich via Seoul. 

(Limited period' flights are sometimes 

scheduled from other airlines such as 

Singapore Airlines and Delta).

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Toyoko Inn BusanSeo-Myeon 

Paradise Hotel Busan 

£240 rooms £Located on Haeundae beach 

£Busanjin-gu area 

£3-star accommodation alongside onsite 

comforts 

£Spacious, cozy rooms 

£Ideal for business or pleasure 

£11.4 kilometres from Gimhae International Toyoko Inn Busan Station1 

Airport. 

£Five minutes from Jungangdong station 

Lotte Hotel Busan 

£Luxury guest rooms 

£Numerous facilities and amenities 

£Restaurants, a duty free shop 

£Good business facilities 

£Theme park and its own department store 

The Westin Chosun Beach Hotel Busan 

£Overlooks the beautiful Haeundae Beach 

£Well suited to both business and leisure 

£Multilingual staff and worldwide cuisine 

£30 minutes from Gimhas Airport 

Best hotel of Busan 

Busan offers numerous good places to stay and spend your days in 

the soulful lap of nature.

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Busan's ocean tours can make give you a glimpse of the city and its surrounding areas by boat. 

Famous for its seafood and beaches, as well as the Hallyosudo Waterway with its picturesque 

islands, Busan attracts an impressive number of tourists. Though not as cosmopolitan as Seoul, 

there are plenty of sites to keep travellers busy whether it is the mountains, temples, fun beaches 

or a dazzling array of eating and entertainment venues. There's a charming element to Busan that 

can best be appreciated by eating and drinking with the locals. 

Most popular tourist areas include Haeundae and Taejongdae beaches, OryukdoIsland, the 

Jagalchi Fish Market, Geumjeongsanseong (the largest mountain fortress in the country) 

Other than these, Beomeo Temple, which is one of the five largest Buddhist temples in the 

country, is situated in a beautiful setting and is visited by a number of tourists. 

The United Nations Park, the only international cemetery in the world 

dedicated to the UN soldiers died during the Korean War, 

also attracts visitors. 

Busan's 

attractions

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Busan International Film Festival and a myriad of other festivals and events are held in the 

city year-round. Recently, Busan has emerged as the centre of Korea's movie industry due to 

the successful hosting of film festivals. Busan has also hosted many 

international sporting events. Geumjeong Mountain 

to the west is a popular weekend 

hiking spot for Busan 

residents. 

Seomyeon is a lively 

restaurant and shopping 

area with a lane of street 

vendors and bars called 

Youth Street. Visitors can 

enjoy hair dressing, 

miscellaneous goods, 

drinks, foods, amusement 

facilities, or just watching 

people. 

Dongbaek island esplanade is a place where leisure walk will give you 

just the right feel of the environment. You will be blown away by the scenery. There are several 

places where you can stop to enjoy the scenic views. At the end of esplanade is the Nurimaru APEC 

house with Gwangalli beach and Gwangan Bridge, also known as Diamond Bridge, in the 

background. It offers a postcard perfect view. 

BEXCO (Busan Exhibition & Convention Center), one of the top convention centers in the region, 

is truly impressive. There are restaurants located on the basement level, Starbucks, and 

convenience store. It is perfectly suited for conference and exhibitions. Also, there are a couple of 

department stores located across this place.

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Jump! Comic Martial Arts Performance show is jam packed 

with endless actions and humor to keep you totally 

engaged all the way through. 

The best part is 

that there's no 

need to know 

Korean as the 

performance is 

very cleverly 

designed for 

international 

audience. 

TaejongdaeNurabi train ride is a great ride at very 

low cost. On weekend and public holidays, it has 20 

minutes interval while on week day the interval is of 

30 minutes. 

Busan Aquarium is on top of the list of Busan 

attractions and is one of the leading visitor attractions 

in Korea. A unique edutainment based aquarium on 

Haeundae Beach in Busan it has a lot of state-of-theart 

facilities.

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A 

guaranteed 

holiday 

Busan had hosted the Asian Games in 

2002 and on the same year, it also 

became one of the host cities of the FIFA 

World Cup. A city, which loves sports and 

offers an array of attractions, is definitely 

worth exploring. So, wait no longer and 

check out this new destination.

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Travel News 

The latest announcements in the 

Hotel Industry 

Mandarin Oriental opens luxury Oriental 

Chongging by 2016 

China welcomes new luxury hotel Oriental 

Chongging by 2016. Mandarin Oriental Hotel 

group announces the signing of an agreement 

which would manage a luxury hotel in 

southwest china. The hotel will be located in 

Jiangbeizui Central Business District, the new 

financial, commercial and business centre of the 

city. The hotel will be located some 20 minutes 

away from Chongqing Jiangbei International 

Airport. Located amidst an impressive location 

the hotel comprises of 231 spacious furnished 

rooms with all possible high end technologies, 

18 serviced apartments lending panoramic 

views of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers and the 

city skyline of Yuzhong Peninsula and Jiangbeizui 

Central Park. 

IHG and TAJ RP sign deal for Crowne 

Plaza Dubai Marina 

International Hotels 

group, one among the 

leading hotel companies 

enters into an 

agreement with TAJ RP International Limited to 

open Crown Plaza Dubai Marina by 2016. 

Spread across 3,037 square metre is located 

beside Dubai Marina Mall that lends a 

picturesque tour of the city lined up with cafes 

and restaurants. The hotel comprise of 280 well 

furnished rooms extending meetings and 

conferencing facilities ideal for the business 

travellers. They have large sized meeting rooms, 

board rooms and ball rooms. As well as a spa 

and health club, guests will also be able to enjoy 

three restaurants, two of which will be specialty 

and one all day dining, a lobby lounge and bar. 

Hyatt to open third Hyatt Branded Hotel 

in Colombia 

Hyatt has signed an agreement with Fideicomiso 

FAFP-Promover-Hotel Cali- Fiduciaria del País 

S.A for a Third branded Hyatt Regency Hotel in 

Santiago de Cali, Columbia. This will come third 

after Grand Hyatt Bogota and Hyatt Regency 

Cartagena which are likely to be opened by 

2016. Hyatt Regency Cali will be situated in 

northwestern Cali, in one of the city's most 

popular and upscale neighborhoods, adjacent to 

Chipichape Mall, the city's largest shopping 

center. The 218-room full service hotel will 

feature a restaurant and bar, meeting and

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banquet facilities totaling nearly 15,000 square 

feet, a spa and fitness center, and an indoor 

pool. 

has released its latest GBTA BTI Outlook report 

on Brazil as part of its semi-annual series. 

Sponsored by Visa, key highlights include: 

Inland American Lodging Group, Inc. 

acquires two Andaz hotels in California 

and Georgia 

Inland American Lodging Group, Inc. (“IALG”) 

has acquired a portfolio of two Andaz hotels for 

approximately $115 million as announced by 

IALG and Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Both the 

hotels, part of Hyatt's acclaimed boutique 

lifestyle brand, are located in Napa, CA, and 

Savannah, GA. They will be the second and third 

Andaz Hotels in Inland American's portfolio 

after the purchase of Andaz San Diego 

completed earlier this year. 

The five-story Andaz Napa features 141 rooms, 

including 89 oversized lofts and suites. The Napa 

hotel offers 6,800 square feet of meeting and 

event space, highlighted by a 4,200-square-foot 

outdoor terrace. 

Andaz Savannah, which was built in 2009 and 

branded as an Andaz in 2012, features 151 

rooms on six floors, including 68 lofts and suites. 

GBTA predicts Brazil as an emerging 

leader in the business travel industry 

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), 

the voice of the global business travel industry, 

ÜGBTA BTI has downgraded its near-term 

outlook for Brazilian business travel as 

forecasted in the first half of 2013 due to 

experienced volatility as a result of slower than 

expected, but still robust economic growth at 

home and abroad, particularly through June 

2013 

ÜHowever, Brazilian total business travel 

spending is forecasted to grow 6.3% in 2013 to 

$31.8 billion and another 12.6% in 2014 to 

$35.8 billion, as the global economy gains 

momentum along with Brazilian domestic 

demand 

ÜThe weaker external environment and the 

subsequent drop-off in trade with Europe and 

the U.S. have hit Brazilian international 

outbound business travel spending particularly 

hard. In 2013, international outbound business 

travel suffered negative growth over the first 

two quarters, but is expected to get back on 

track in 2014, advancing at a high growth rate of 

12.7% 

ÜDomestic business travel spending continues 

to show a strong correlation with job growth 

and has expanded 8.1% per year, on average, 

over the last 12 years. Domestic spending 

growth is expected to reach 7.7% in 2013 and

TTA 

32 

accelerate further in 2014 as the Brazilian 

economy strengthens to 12.6% 

ÜBrazil currently ranks 9th in the business 

travel global rankings and, assuming the high 

growth rate in Brazil resumes, will climb the 

ranks of the top business travel markets in the 

world surpassing South Korea, France and Italy 

over the next few years 

Brazilian economy gathers strength 

After over a year of stagnation, Real GDP will 

advance by 3.5% in 2013, driven primarily by 

domestic consumption, investment and 

advancing exports. 

Brazilian export volumes also continued to 

improve in 2013 – advancing by nearly 15% over 

year-ago levels. The principal reasons for this 

welcome change in direction are improving 

economic conditions in the United States, 

further stabilization in Europe, and stronger 

intra-regional trade. Most experts expect 

Brazilian exports to continue to strengthen 

through at least 2014. Given the strong 

correlation between export activity and 

international outbound business travel, this is 

good news for travel suppliers and payment 

organizations. 

Challenges to future growth 

Sharp increases in domestic wages, slower 

productivity gains undermining Brazilian 

competitiveness and household debt 

deleveraging slowing the advance of private 

consumption, all combine to bring further 

challenges to Brazilian growth over the forecast 

horizon. Transportation is one key area that 

Brazil seeks major improvement including the 

modernization of ports, the expansion of 

airports and the repair of crumbling highways. 

The pace and vigor at which this infrastructure 

challenge is addressed is key to the health of the 

Brazilian business travel market over the coming 

years. 

Brazil airport infrastructure ahead of 

many in the developing world 

The GBTA Foundation has uncovered some 

interesting information that puts Brazilian 

business travel in a context worth sharing. The 

table below compares Brazilian airport 

infrastructure with other developing and 

advanced markets. The comparison suggests 

that Brazil is mostly ahead of other developing 

countries in the region and across the world. At 

3.8 million population per paved airport, Brazil 

ranks ahead of most Latin American countries 

with similar spatial challenges. Moreover, Brazil 

is well ahead of China and India, although their 

higher population counts and numerous 

business centers pose a greater infrastructure 

challenge. 

Source: GBTA.

TTA 

33 

New Connections in the Airline 

Industry 

Qatar Airways launched new route to 

Ethiopia's capital city Addis Ababa 

With three-flights-a-week on the route, Qatar 

Airways offers an excellent alternative gateway 

with great connections via Doha to an exciting 

range of business and leisure destinations 

across North and South America, Middle East, 

Europe and Asia Pacific. Popular destinations 

include Washington DC, New York, Houston, 

Chicago, Montreal, London and Dubai. 

and 12th into the wider Americas. The flight will 

be operated by a GE-90 engine-powered Boeing 

777-200LR and brings the winner of the Skytrax 

'World's Best Airline' 2013 award into Boston 

Logan International Airport on a daily basis. 

Etihad Airways increases flights to 

Pakistan's capital city Islamabad 

Etihad Airways has announced it has further 

increased its flights to Pakistan's capital city, 

Islamabad, from nine to 11 a week. With this, 

Etihad will now offer 31 weekly flights from four 

destinations in Pakistan which, along with 

Islamabad, include Karachi, Lahore and 

Peshawar. It has also unveiled new winter 

timings for services to Lahore and Peshawar 

starting from October and November. 

Emirates to launch flights to Boston 

Emirates is to launch a further transatlantic link 

with the start of flights to Boston from 10th 

March 2014. This will be the airline's 8th route 

into the United States, 9th into North America 

Etihad grows on Jet agreement to 

increase operations in India 

Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi based airline, 

which is buying a 24 per cent stake of the Jet 

Airways, announced a threefold increase in 

seats on the prime Abu Dhabi to Mumbai and 

New Delhi routes from November. Etihad 

Airways is expanding operations in India with 

more flights and wide-bodied jets, building on 

its deal with Jet Airways as it eyes growth in one 

of the fastest growing markets.

TTA 

34 

airberlin: Daily nonstop from Dusseldorf 

to Madrid starting in 2014 

Germany's second largest airline airberlin is 

focusing on further growth in the strategically 

important market of Spain and will start the 

year 2014 with a new connection between 

Dusseldorf and Madrid. From 13th January 

seven-day advance purchase airline pricing. As 

air taxi service is also available for on-demand 

flights, customers will have the unique option of 

also booking flights at different times, as per 

their convenience! 

Scoot Launches Low Cost Flights between 

2014, a nonstop flight will depart daily from the Singapore and Hong Kong 

city on the Rhine to the Spanish capital. 

Scoot, LCC of the Year1, announced the launch 

New non-stop Air Taxi service launched 

from White Plains to Boston 

Two transformative air taxi companies are 

teaming up to provide the only non-stop, sameday 

roundtrip service from White Plains to 

Boston. Their fares will be comparable with 

of flights from Singapore to Hong Kong, making 

Hong Kong the fast-growing airline's 12th 

destination. Starting 15th November 2013 you'll 

be able to fly to Hong Kong to shop and eat till 

you drop! Tickets are on sale from 23rd 

September 2013 and services will start five 

times weekly and ramped up to daily in 

December.

TTA 

35 

The fastest gadget arrives – iPhone 

5S set to entice smart travelers 

For smart business travelers, Apple brings 

something to cheer about. The brand new Apple 

iPhone 5S which has been launched gets a 

research endorsement from the Business Insider 

as the fastest smartphone in the recent times. 

With awesome camera features, innovative 

fingerprint scanner and some of the most 

rousing applications, the iPhone 5S is truly a 

technological delight. 

Business Insider commented that the iPhone 5S 

is way ahead than the other smartphones 

available in the market. Apple's new iPhone 5s is 

set to go on sale from Friday, Sept. 20 and the 

phone is already generating a lot of buzz. The 5s 

is the more advanced of two new Apple 

iPhones, and offers a lot of technical advantages 

over the iPhone 5c also launching the same day. 

Apple has worked some behind-the-scenes 

magic with its latest and greatest, and made 

some design changes for the better, too, all of 

which adds up to a new smartphone market 

king. 

Google joins hands with Solar 

Airplane manufacturer 

Solar Impulse, the first solar airplane capable of 

flying without any fuel usage is teaming up with 

Google to enhance the former's social media 

presence. According to reports, Solar Impulse 

will work in close association with the Silicon 

Valley-based technology giant to promote its 

goal of circumnavigating the globe in 2015 by 

using solar energy. 

Solar Impulse will use Google's plethora of social 

media platforms including YouTube, Google+, 

Google Earth and Google Glass to enhance its 

online presence and engage with the company's 

fans and supporters. 

Solar Impulse aircraft is able to fly round the 

time without any usage of fuel. Powered by 

solar panels and onboard batteries, the flight is 

one-of-its-kind.

TTA 

36 

IATA predicts significant profit in the 

world aviation industry in 2014 

According to the recent aviation industry 

outlook by International Air Transport 

Association (IATA), airlines are expected to see a 

significant boost in 2014 with profits of $16.4 

billion on revenues totaling $743 billion. 

Rising business and consumer confidence levels 

should indicate an uptick in the global business 

cycle (2.7% GDP growth is expected) which has a 

direct impact on airline profitability. Oil prices 

are expected to fall to $105/barrel (Brent, from 

$109 expected this year) on the back of reduced 

geo-political tensions and an improved US 

energy outlook. A fall to below $100 would be 

expected from normal market forces. But the 

OPEC cartel is preventing the full realization of 

the benefits of better supply prospects. 

Furthermore, the benefits of improving market 

structures on several regions are expected to 

continue to drive performance and consumer 

benefits. 

IATA expects slightly more robust passenger 

growth (5.8%) and a significant improvement in 

cargo growth to 3.7%. Yields, however, for both 

passenger and cargo markets are expected to 

continue to fall by 0.5% and 2.1% respectively. 

The balance between profit and loss remains 

delicate despite the forecast improvement for 

2014. “A $16.4 billion profit for transporting 

some 3.3 billion passengers means that airlines 

will retain an average of about $5.00 per 

passenger. That very simple calculation 

demonstrates that even a small change in the 

operating environment—a new tax or other cost 

increase for example—could change the outlook 

quite significantly,” said Tyler 

Source: IATA.

TTA 

37 

Theme Story 

Ultimate Club Action 

& 

Vibrant Party Time 

Asia night life

TTA 

38 

When you wish to go for some real good fun 

time, you will get plenty of choices for party 

places in Asia. Be it the classy champagne 

time or gala time from late evening hours to 

early morning, Asia has some top venues to 

suit everyone's taste. Most of the places, 

especially the clubs and pubs, follow lots of 

rules. Rules like how to dress, how to behave, 

how much to booze and when to leave may be 

at times frustrating but are essential to ensure 

a smooth party time. 

When the heat subsides, the champagne 

flows and the inhibitions fade away as South 

East Asia comes up in true colours of the 

night. Now it's your call whether you want to 

have a quiet cocktail night or a full scale 

Hangover style night, vibrant but careless. 

Here comes some of the must- visits in Asia 

for all the party revelers.

TTA 

39 

Seminyak, Bali's fun time party hub 

Yes, you are in the right place where no pesky 

rules are going to budge you. This is the 

perfect place where you would love to see the 

sun go down but need to be aware of the 

cocktail prices. Seminyak's Ku De Ta opens up 

over the sand of Seminyak Beach. It has an 

endearing concept where the sun loungers 

can see the sun going down into the Indian 

Ocean with a well mixed cocktail and some 

chill out music making the mood. But come 

ready with some high cash. 

Apart from pricey Ku De Ta, Kuta is the prime 

region of Bali's night 

life. The whole area is 

lined up with cozy 

parlours, clubs and 

bars. The entrance to 

the bars comes free and 

the complimentary 

drinks make you fall in 

love with the happy 

hours from 6pm to 9 

pm, at times even 

longer. Seminyak has 

the most sophisticated 

bars and chic clubs and 

eateries that drive in 

the hip hop, the funky trend setters, artists 

and designers with creative mind to enjoy the 

classy night. 

There are some lined up little pubs along the 

main street but the real colour and action 

happens at the beachside clubs that gear up 

late in the night. But wandering near the 

beach or wishing for a dip in the cool waters is 

a serious 'no' as severe currents flow with the 

tide at night.

TTA 

40 

Sky bar and Sirocco's music make the night vibrant 

Just seated in front of the beach, the Potato 

Head Beach Club is all brimming with night time 

revelers and some high end rock tunes. The gala 

mood and the incredible appearance of the 

place need you to be dressed perfect and wait 

and watch over the pool. You can't miss the 

finest of experience to dine out in the world's 

highest restaurant. Watching Bangkok city under 

the starry sky adds an enticing atmosphere. To 

dine in among the frescoed walls and one of the 

most coveted dinning hubs is certainly a lifetime 

experience. 

There are some sinful dens where some new 

youthful 

travellers might 

be robbed off 

some Baht. 

There are some 

hideouts which 

are famous for 

backpacker 

activities. If you 

want to stay out 

of these you 

might head 

towards 

something up-market. But if you want to join 

the infamous hives you would enjoy the party 

quite cheap and come across some bland 

version of local drinks of Thai as well. 

But if you have a taste for some classy 

establishment, go for Silom in Bangkok. You 

need to pay some more Baht. Apart from 

Sirocco, you can enjoy the rooftop venue of 

Moon Bar of Banyan Tree Hotel. It renders a 

perfect party time though without singers and 

dancers but some upscale cocktails with party 

people gathering at their favourite Q Bar.

TTA 

41 

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam sets a party atmosphere 

Money is never a problem when you have a 

plan for boozing and feeling good. When you 

are in the famed destination, Ho Chi Minh 

City, you get cheap boozing and a perfect 

party time. You will enjoy once the sun goes 

down around Pham Ngu Lao. The narrow 

streets are buzzing with bars, nightclubs 

thumping the Karaoke beats. You will come 

across the mixture of the backpackers and 

local drinkers at the sidewalk cafes finally 

leading to something sophisticated and cozier. 

Le pub is one of the famous in the area where 

the party starts off late after the sun goes 

down and you end up at Go2 dance floor 

when the night emerges young and late, when 

most of the bars and clubs are closing.

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42 

Manila, Philippines is all set to sooth your craze 

Manila caters to all tastes and cravings of 

young heart. It has all possible options to 

pamper your whims or if you call it craze. The 

place is flanked with the up market, chronicles 

and road side local pubs. There are some 

humming karaoke bars frequented by 

passionate singers and merry makers. 

Manila is the best part of the world that 

provides some world-class party, clubbing and 

night life. The city never sleeps and some new 

clubs and bars are coming up to accommodate 

all the night time 

revelers. Some of 

the famous 

partying hub 

among many are in 

Metro Manila, 

especially Makati, 

Taguig / Bonifacio 

Global City (The 

Fort), Pasig, Pasay 

and Queen City. 

Some of the 

famous pubs 

frequented by 

international 

travellers are Republiq & Republiq Cabana 

Club, Prive the fort, 7th High, Opus, Hyve, 

Palladium, Time, Eden, Excess, prime Upscale 

Club Icon etc. 

Makati is the district which is best known for 

its night life. Kalyan Avenue is peaked with 

dive bars and some up-market clubs charging 

high price. Some of the most frequented are 

Hard Rock Café and TGI Friday's that have a 

varied western influence.

TTA 

43 

Asia is the perfect place for those who love 

partying out. There are hundreds of places to 

drink and have a good time but you need to 

choose that suits your choice. So whatever be 

you budget and whatever music makes you skip a 

heart beat you will surely find a good place in 

Asia.

TTA 

44 

“Europe remains the “No 1” 

Tourism Destination 

It promotes itself as the traditional destination.” 

Europe remains the “No 1” tourism destination, but that distinction 

is achieved by measuring all internal visits by Europeans as 

international. In reality the rest of the world is catching up: in some 

markets a greater proportion of people are going elsewhere in the 

world than they did 20 years ago. So the future lies, for Europe, in 

promoting itself as the traditional destination. 

Self-packaging and river cruising have seen huge growth in recent 

years. We await the return of the group tour. All businesses ought to 

have a mixture of distribution methods: the evolution of the 

internet as the primary source of information for those planning to 

come to Europe has made this imperative. 

Tom Jenkins, 

Executive Director, ETOA

TTA 

45 

Asia Festivals 

Pchum Ben 

rd th 

3 - 5 October, Cambodia 

Pchum Ben is observed as a three-day holiday so that Cambodian people are able to 

perform Pchum Ben tradition earnestly. During Pchum Ben, people usually visit the 

temple and offer food to Buddhist monks alternately in the hope that the offerings 

will benefit their deceased ancestors indirectly. 

The day is a time when many Cambodians pay their respects to deceased 

relatives. Cambodians go to the pagoda every year to honor this 

tradition. It is refreshing to see that, although many aspects of the 

Khmer culture were lost during the Regime, the Khmers 

have managed to maintain their religious devotion 

and their family-centered way of life.

TTA 

46 

Durga puja 

th th 

11 -14 October, 

West Bengal, India 

Durga Puja, or Navaratri is one of the grand festivals in India. Durga puja, as 

referred to in eastern india is generally celebrated for four days.Navaratri, 

celebrated for nine days is the time to celebrate the goddess of divine power 

against all evils. One of the most celebrated festivals of the Hindu 

calendar, it also holds a special significance for the Bengalis. These 

four days mark the time when the folks revisit their friends 

and relatives and rejoice to their heart's content. 

Dhak, dhunuchi and tradition attires tug 

every Bengali heart.

TTA 

47 

Jidai Matsuri 

nd 

22 October, 

Heian Jingu Shrine, Kyoto 

One of the most prevalent festivals of Kyoto, Jidai Matsuri is held at Heian Jingu Shrine. 

Unique of its kind, the festival represents various eras of Kyoto's history which is 

about 1200 years old. Near about 2000 people dress up in various costumes and 

conduct a parade throughout the city. Horses along with the oxen start 

marching from Kyoto's Imperial Palace. The old boulevard and houses of 

Kyoto makes the spectators feel as if they have travelled to 

antiquity. International visitors get an ideal chance to know 

about Japan's history chronologically. The costumes 

and the customs are very well portrayed 

through the fete.

TTA 

48 

Shanghai International Arts Festival 

th 

th 

18 Oct-18 Nov 2013, Shanghai 

Held annually since 1999, Shanghai International Arts Festival aims at absorbing excellent 

world culture, carrying forward Chinese national arts and promoting Chinese as well as 

foreign cultural communication. It has become one of the top festivals for foreign 

cultural exchange and has won the award of China's most influential festival. 

Stage performances, culture and art exhibitions, public cultural activities, 

drama and all kinds of art exchanges are some of the major activities 

in this event. Including world classics from prestigious groups, 

drama and mime from China and abroad, this art 

festival is full of originality and 

exploration.

TTA 

49 

Face to Face 

n an exclusive 

interview with TTW, 

IKen Morrison, Chief 

Executive of Tourism & 

Transport Forum (TTF), 

speaks about the prospect 

of Australia as a tourist 

destination and its future 

plans, developments and 

much more. 

Ken Morrison, 

Chief Executive of Tourism & 

Transport Forum (TTF), 

Australia 

TTW- Being in the field of travel and tourism for a 

long span of time, where do you see the tourism 

of Australia in the coming years? 

Ken Morrison- The outlook for Australian tourism 

is positive. We are seeing growth in both 

domestic and international tourism and the 

burgeoning middle class in Asia presents Australia 

with a significant opportunity. It's important we 

have the right policy settings in place to capitalise 

on this potential.

TTA 

50 

TTW- What are the recent trends of domestic of destinations and activities on offer, as well as 

as well as international travelling to Australia? the inclusive price. 

I may be biased, but Sydney has the world's 

Ken Morrison- The most recent figures show best harbour so it's no surprise that it is a very 

domestic visitor nights growing at 4.3 per cent, popular cruise destination. 

while international arrivals are up around 5.5 

per cent over the last 12 months. Pleasingly, 

we are also seeing growth in spending by both 

domestic and international visitors. 

TTW- What are needful reforms that you have 

undertaken to make Australia the most soughtafter 

destination in the world? 

Ken Morrison- Australia is continuing to 

improve visa processing, although there is still 

work to be done. We would like to see a better TTW- What are the remarkable attractions in 

alignment of tourism with Australia's foreign Australia that drive in most of the travelers 

affairs and trade activities and to continue to globally? 

expand our marketing and promotional efforts 

in key growth markets in Asia, including China. Ken Morrison- People come for the unique 

experiences that Australia offers. International 

TTW- What is the fate of Cruise tourism in visitors want to see kangaroos and koalas, they 

Australia? Why do you think it has a very come for the natural beauty, the laidback 

flourishing prospect in Sydney? 

lifestyle and fabulous weather. But they also 

come for the exceptional city-based 

Ken Morrison- The cruise sector is the star experiences which include outstanding food 

performer of the Australian tourism industry, and wine, luxury shopping and iconic 

with double-digit annual growth over the past attractions like Sydney Harbour, Sydney 

five years. People are attracted by the variety Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

TTA 

51 

TTW- Travellers from which countries or zone TTW- How far online media and marketing has 

fair Australia most? 

helped to boost tourism? 

Ken Morrison- While New Zealand is our 

number one source market by visitor numbers, 

Chinese visitors are by far the biggest spenders 

and we are seeing arrivals from China grow at 

more than 18 per cent per annum. Seven of 

our top ten source markets are in Asia, along 

with New Zealand, the UK and US. 

Ken Morrison- Tourism Australia has the 

world's most popular country page on 

FaceBook and they have an excellent social 

media and digital strategy. The agencies which 

promote our states and major cities also have 

strong online presences, with details of 

destinations, offers and events to entice 

travellers and give them a reason to plan a trip 

down under. 

TTW- What are the factors do you find make 

sustainable tourism a success? What initiatives 

are you taking to make tourism in Australia 

more sustainable? 

Ken Morrison- Australia is well-known for its 

clean environment and wide open spaces – 

they are a key part of our brand. It is vital that 

we continue to maintain this position, as it is 

very attractive to visitors from other parts of 

the world, especially people who live in megacities 

in Asia.

TTA 

52 


WTM London 

World Travel Market is one of the most 

awaited UK events for the global travel 

industry, is scheduled to take place in 

th th 

London from Nov - 4 to 7 . The 2013 

WTM Events programme will deliver 

valuable expert advice and key industry 

knowledge from some of the industry's 

leading figures. 

In an exclusive interview with Travel 

and Tour World, Simon Press, Director- 

Reed Travel Exhibitions and World 

Travel Market, shared some 

noteworthy information regarding the 

upcoming event. 

What will WTM 2013 look like? 

WTM 2013 will be the biggest and best yet 

with two great new initiatives taking place. 

Firstly, the Travel Tech Show at WTM will be 

launched as a travel technology focused 

event alongside A Taste of ILTM at WTM, 

which will increase the amount of luxury 

business taking place on the show floor. 

Why must Indian exhibitors, buyers and 

visitors attend WTM 2013? 

World Travel Market, the leading global 

event for the travel industry, is the event 

where the industry conducts its business 

deals. WTM 2012 had generated a massive 

166,738m INR (£1.8bn) in business deals

TTA 

53 

for all exhibitors, in contracts signed at the event What opportunities are there for exhibitors 

or generated from WTM 2012 before WTM 2013, and WTM Buyers' Club members to 

with the industry's senior buyers from WTM negotiate and conduct business at WTM 

Buyers' Club. WTM 2013 is poised to facilitate 2013? 

even more business. 

There is a whole portfolio of business and 

networking opportunities across the four 

How much business can Indian exhibitors days of WTM, starting with WTM Speed 

expect to conduct? 

Networking before the exhibition opens on 

Indian exhibitors can expect to conduct a great Monday, 4th November. On the final 

deal of business at WTM 2013. WTM 2012 morning there is the Networking Breakfast 

generated more than 22,676m INR (£253m) for followed by a second WTM Speed 

exhibitors from Asia/ Pacific/ Indian Ocean and Networking event to initiate post-WTM 2013 

the India regions. 

deals. 

India welcomed 12 new exhibitors last year 

including: Brys Hotels, Inbound Tour Operator 

Council (ITOC) - West Bengal, hotel company ITC 

Limited and Odisha Tourism. WTM 2013 will host 

many more new exhibitors including two 

regional tourist boards Andhra Pradesh State 

Tourism and Maharashtra Tourism Development. 

Last year, 310 buyers and 867 exhibitors 

started negotiations at WTM Speed 

Networking events. On the third evening 

there is a networking reception for WTM 

Buyers' Club members and exhibitors. 

Tell us more about WTM Buyers' Club? 

WTM Buyers' Club - the leading global business 

network: making contacts, concluding deals - is 

the original buyers club for the global industry's 

senior buyers. For the past 21 years, it was called 

WTM Meridian Club.

TTA 

54 

How do buyers find out if they are eligible for 

WTM Buyers' Club Membership? 

powerful Facebook is as an advertising 

platform. 

Buyers can register at 

www.wtmlondon.com/register as a visitor. The 

application will then be reviewed to see if they 

qualify for WTM Buyers' Club status. Buyers will 

be emailed to confirm their status. 

“Travel is in Facebook's DNA. More people 

share their travel milestones on Facebook, 

such as departing for a holiday or sharing a 

photo from their travels, than any other 

important events,” McCabe said. 

What will the event programme look like at 

WTM 2013? 

There will be sessions on a wide range of sectors 

including aviation, hotels, social media and 

responsible tourism. Last year 15,000 delegates 

attended 127 sessions. 

World Travel Market 2013, has an impressive 

lineup of social media speakers including senior 

executives from Facebook and Google. 

The WTM Travel Perspective programme, 

sponsored by Global Distribution System Sabre 

and part of the content to support the new The 

Travel Tech Show at WTM, starts on Tuesday, 5th 

November with a keynote session from 

Facebook Head of Travel Lee McCabe. The 

session entitled Facebook and Targeting: Finding 

the People that Matter to You will explore how 

“In fact, more than 70% of Facebook users 

update their status and/or share photos 

while on holiday. This is why travel 

companies are reaching out to Facebook to 

find the people that matter to them.” 

The session takes place in South Gallery 

Rooms 23-26 at 10.30am. 

Wednesday, 6th November will witness 

Google's Industry Head for Tour Operators 

Sarah McDonald takes the stage as the first 

keynote speaker of the day. Sarah 

McDonald joined the Google Travel team in 

2006, acting as digital consultant to online 

travel agencies and hotel suppliers 

throughout Europe. Prior to Google she 

worked for student travel agent STA Travel 

as Internet Sales and Marketing Manager.

TTA 

55 

EIBTM 

EIBTM, the leading global event for the 

meetings and events industry, taking place in 

the award winning business and tourism 

destination of Barcelona, has announced plans 

to increase the size of their Technology Village, 

as a direct response to the high demand 

received from international technology 

suppliers who have signed up to exhibit at the 

show. EIBTM 2013 will take place from 19th – 

21st November. The EIBTM Forum will take 

place the day before the exhibition i.e., on 

18th November. 

This year, the show will launch EIBTM 

Association Knowledge 

(www.eibtm.com/knowledge), which will 

comprise two full days of education, dedicated 

towards enlightening Association Meeting 

planners. The new knowledge brand offers 

even more insight and a new programme 

themed to the collective needs of the 

Association Community. 

theme will focus on community 

building - looking at how associations 

can create more effective communities 

both internally and externally through 

social networks, engagement and 

marketing strategies. The education 

programme will also include a keynote 

session 'The Power of the Association 

Community', tailored workshops and 

The Great Association Debate, which 

will give the opportunity for buyers to 

discuss key challenges their Association 

faces with a panel of experts”. 

Martin Sirk, CEO, ICCA commented, 

“Having a good solid education 

programme for associations, where 

Erica Keogan, Associations and Education 

Manager, Meetings & Events Portfolio, Reed 

Travel Exhibitions commented, “This year's 

th st 

When: 19 – 21 November 

Where: Barcelona, Spain

TTA 

56 

they can not only hear some interesting topics, 

but also can actually spend time networking 

with one another is very important”. 

The show organisers have also confirmed 

support from leading meetings industry 

associations including the Professional 

Convention Management Association (PCMA), 

the European Society of Association Executives 

(ESAE), the Center for Association Leadership 

(ASAE) and the International Congress and 

Convention Association (ICCA). 

EIBTM provides exhibitors with a unique 

opportunity to conduct business face-to-face 

with global Hosted Buyers, who have 

undergone a strict application process to ensure 

that they have proven international purchasing 

budgets. EIBTM 2013 will take place from 19th 

– 21st November, a week earlier than in 

previous years. The EIBTM Forum will take place 

the day before the exhibition on 18th 

November. 

you the opportunity to enhance your 

knowledge, grow in your profession and 

be inspired! Led by some of the most 

influential industry experts, the seminars 

cover a wide variety of topics, covering 

the latest key issues and developments. 

EIBTM has achieved third party 

certification for the Sustainable Event 

standard and is committed to continually 

improving and developing processes to 

ensure they become as sustainable as 

possible. 

The EIBTM Knowledge programme offers 

cutting edge professional education 

opportunities for meetings industry 

professionals at all levels. The programme gives

TTA 

57 

Bangladesh Int’l Tourism Fair (BITF) 

Bangladesh Int’l Tourism Fair is 

the only biggest, prestigious 

B2C annual tourism event held 

in Bangladesh. Though the nature of 

the event is B2C but a lot of buyers 

from all over the world participate in 

the B2B session conducted on the first 

day. 

operators, Air Express companies, SPA, 

National tourist Organizations, 

hospitals, souvenir, travel accessories, 

transport 7 car rental, amusement park, 

online travel planners, tourism property 

developers, tourism publication & film 

makers etc. 

This event, started on 2007, was initially 

an outbound event but now gradually 

both oubound and inbound stake 

holders participate. There are around 

160 stalls and those who participate are 

travel agent & Tour operators, hotels, 

motels and Resorts, Flying clubs, 

Airline, GDS companies, Cruise 

th th 

When: 28 - 30 November 

Where: Bangabandhu 

International Conference Centre, 

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka

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58 

The fair is also attended by buyers, 

Association leaders, govt. officials. 80% 

of the participants are tour operators. 

The event is recognized as one of the 

leading tourism event of the 

country that sees 20,000 

visitors round the globe. The 

event offers best competitive 

packages to the operators and 

both outbound and inbound 

tourists wait to buy desired 

packages, which are offered 

and sold instantly on the 

venue. 

night accommodation to the exhibitors. 

They promote 'cost effective cross 

border tourism'. 

Since the event is organized by 

non-profit organization, 

'Bangladesh Foundation for 

Tourism Development' main 

motive is to establish a proper 

network between stake 

holders of different countries 

with special emphasis to 

neighbouring countries. This 

has been reflected through its 

unique gesture of offering 

complementary local 

hospitality that includes 4

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59 

Dallas Travel & Adventure Show 

The Dallas Travel & Adventure Show is the best event gathers hundreds of captivating 

option to discover authentic travel experiences, destinations from exotic India to captivating 

snap up travel deals, win trips and giveaways, and Cayman and exciting activities including: 

be entertained and delighted at this amazing 18,000 Gallon Scuba Pool, Aerial Zip Line, 

travel extravaganza. You'll hear travel tips from Cultural Performers, Culinary Stage and 

the experts including Pauline Frommer, Chris much more. The Travel & Adventure Shows 

Harrison, Patricia Schultz, Andrew McCarthy, Bert are the largest series of travel shows in the 

Kreischer and more. Experience the rock wall, try United States located in six top DMA 

bubble rolling, and see cultural performances. markets: Los Angeles, San Francisco, 

Whether you want to escape to the Caribbean, Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas, and San 

discover the beauty of Japan, or see America like Diego. Each year, the shows attract over 

never before you'll meet the experts who can 100,000 qualified consumers and travel 

help you plan and book your next trip. 

agents who are ready to plan and book 

vacations with over 700 Worldwide 

The Travel & Adventure Show is the place to get destination tourism offices, tour operators, 

great story ideas, interview travel experts, and cruise lines, hotels/resorts, and other travelcapture 

amazing photos all under one roof. The related products/services. 

nd rd 


Where: Dallas , U.S.A.

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60 

Asia Pacific Tourism, Hospitality and Technology Conference 

Social media 

authors and 

consultants will 

be discussing on 

the benefits of 

using social 

media in the 

tourism industry 

globally. They will 

discuss in detail 

the benefits of 

twitter and 

facebook in tourism industry. 

Dr Madanmohan Rao will cover a wide 

spectrum on usage of social media which could 

benefit the tour and travel operators, 

publishers, key tourism stakeholders and 

travelers during his talk at the Asia Pacific 

Tourism, Hospitality and Technology Conference 

this coming November. 

Models of Tourist Communities: Tweet 

Tourism and Beyond.” 

Other speakers at the conference include 

Professor Ross Dowling, Salina Power 

(both from Australia), Edward Dramberger, 

Andrew Jones (all from USA), E M Najeeb, 

Dr Harsh Varma (all from India) Masaru 

Takayama (Japan), Albert Teo, Rohizam Md 

Yusoff, Duncan Bureau and Dr Peter Ting 

(all from Malaysia). 

Initiated and organized by UCSI 

Communications Sdn bhd, the conference 

will be held at the Borneo Convention 

Centre Kuching in Kuching, Sarawak , on 

November 21 and 22 this year. 

He will also provide resources and 

recommendations on how to fully utilize the 

social media to further boost business 

opportunities. His topic is entitled “Social 

st nd 


Where: Borneo Convention 

Centre Kuching, Kuching

TTA 

61 

Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) 

The Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) 2013 

took place 23-25 September at the 

InterContinental, Nairobi. AHIF brought together 

the most senior business leaders from regional 

and international markets to drive investment 

into tourism projects, infrastructure and hotel 

development across Africa. 

an open dialogue 

Ÿ Minister's Panel: What does the travel and 

tourism industry mean to Africa? 

Ÿ ABC of hotel development in Africa 

Ÿ Present your project 

A selection of confirmed speakers included: 

Samer I. Abu Ayash, Senior Vice President, 

Design and Construction, Kingdom Hotel 

Investments; Mossadeck Bally, Chief 

Executive Officer, AZALAI Hotels; Antoine 

Castro, Managing Director, Quantum Global 

Real Estate; Dr Martyn Davies, Chief 

Executive Officer, Frontier Advisory (Pty) Ltd; 

Jean-Jacques Dessors, COO Africa, Middle 

East, Indian Ocean & Caribbean Islands, 

ACCOR; 

What was new for 2013? 

Ÿ Increased networking time with regional and 

international leaders of the industry 

Ÿ Round table sessions allowing delegates to 

interact with the facilitators and each other in 

When 

rd th 

23 -25 September 

Where 

InterContinental, Nairobi

TTA 

62 

Bernard Forster, Director - Asset Management 

(Hospitality), Rani Investments; Peter 

Greenberg, Travel Editor, CBS; Jonathan 

Jackson, Founder & Managing Director, 

Lordship; Alex Kyriakidis, President & CEO, 

Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, 

Inc.; Mike Macharia, Chief Executive Officer, 

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and 

Caterers; Mark Martinovic, Chief Executive 

Officer, Hotel Spec; John Ngumi, Chairman, 

Konza Technopolis, Development Authority; 

Director of Investment, CFC Stanbic Bank 

(Kenya); Marianne Ndegwa Jordan, Managing 

Director, KTDC; Rohan Patel, Director, Sankara 

Hotel Group Kenya Ltd; Rica Rwigamba, Head 

of Department, Tourism and Conservation 

Department Rwanda Development Board; 

David Scowsill, President & CEO, World Travel 

& Tourism Council; Filippo Sona, Head of 

Hotels, Middle East & Africa, Colliers 

International; Denis Sorin, Chief Executive 

Officer, Inaugure Hospitality Group & 

Mangalis Management Group; Simon Vincent, 

President EMEA, Hilton Worldwide; Trevor 

Ward, Managing Director & Founder, W 

Hospitality Group and Philip Wooller, Area 

Director, Middle East & Africa, STR Global 

amongst many others.

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63 

Africa Hospitality Show 

The Africa Hospitality Show was organised by Litina 

Travel in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism, 

Culture and Creative Arts, Ghana Tourism 

Authority, Ghana Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry, Ghana Investment and Promotion 

Authority, government agencies and partnered 

sponsors with the aim of bringing suppliers, buyers, 

consultants and the media together to create a 

versatile marketing platform for businesses. 

Africa Hospitality Show also involved conferences 

and seminars aimed at 

addressing the various 

challenges and prospects in 

the Hospitality industry. It had 

as its theme, “Networking for 

Sustainable Growth in the 

Hospitality Industry”. The 

sessions; mainly talks and 

interactive panel discussions 

provided various 

opportunities for the 

international community, 

academics, stakeholders, 

market and industry analysts, government 

officials and policy makers to present their 

concerns, exchange ideas and develop a new 

vision for the growth and expansion of all 

facets of the Hospitality Industry. 

When 

th th 

12 - 14 September 

Where 

Accra International 

Conference Centre

TTA 

64 

The AHS attracted a plethora of sponsors 

from both local and international companies 

in the hospitality industry. 

Experts and stakeholders spoke on different 

themes and selected topics which interested 

the Hospitality Industry. This educated the 

exhibitors and participants about the 

opportunities and best practices in the 

industry. Among the various topics that were 

discussed were: 

Ÿ“Education for Tourism and Hospitality 

Management: ( Hospitality as a Career and 

not as Second or Last option )” 

Ÿ“Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the 

Hospitality and Tourism Industry – The Global 

Perspective” 

Ÿ“Contemporary Issues on Tourism and 

Hospitality” 

Ÿ“Customer Relationship, Efficient 

Management and Marketing Strategies in 

Hospitality and Tourism Industry” 

Ÿ“Legal Regime in the Hospitality and Tourism 

Industry” 

Ÿ“Acquisition of Capital in the Hospitality 

Industry: Management of Finance in the 

Industry” among others 

As an annual event, the AHS showcased the 

various attractions, engage stakeholders and 

governments, and bring all the industry 

players, stakeholders and partners from all 

over Africa together.

TTA 

65 

IBTM INDIA 

The first IBTM 

India, launched by 

Reed Travel 

Exhibitions to 

complement its 

global portfolio of 

meetings industry 

events on 6 

continents, was 

praised by both 

suppliers and 

buyers as an 

“excellent new 

forum for business 

and knowledge”. 

The new table top event placed over 80 Hosted 

Buyers with 72 exhibitors on 12th September 

over the course of 3 days at the Grand Hyatt in 

Mumbai. 

countries and also came from 8 key cities in 

India. Suppliers represented 22 countries 

and 29 came from around India. 

The success of the one-to-one pre-scheduled 

appointment system guaranteed some 2496 

appointments which meant an average of 34 per 

exhibitor. Hosted Buyers represented 16 

When 

th th 

12 -14 September 

Where 

Mumbai, India

TTA 

66 

The event opened with a half-day conference 

attended by over 200 delegates and a keynote 

session from Devdutt Pattanaik, who talked 

about the teachings of mythology and how this 

can be translated into modern day business 

practices. It provided a perspective on how the 

world of business in India is evolving whilst it still 

maintains elements of tradition and beliefs, 

which remain ingrained in society and culture. 

This session was followed by a panel debate 

about the state of the industry both inbound and 

outbound. 

“As an exhibitor at a first time show, there is 

always some apprehension as to whether 

the show will meet aspirations and deliver 

leads from our target market. IBTM India has 

shown a very positive performance to date 

and I look forward to actively following up on 

the gold standard sales leads it has 

produced.” Said Edward Mitchell, Sales 

Manager, Rovos Rail Tours, South Africa.

TTA 

67 

CIBTM 

CIBTM, China's leading meetings, incentives and CIBTM's buyers with powerful purchasing 

business travel exhibition, which took place from power, is one of the key highlights, making 

2-4 September in the China National Convention CIBTM a very attractive exhibition to attend. ” 

Centre (CNCC), Beijing, saw some 9,402 prescheduled 

business appointments (10% increase The number of exhibitors who attended the 

on PSAs compared to 2012 figures), taking place show this year also increased by 17%, with the 

over the course of the show. 

show introducing new and returning brands to 

the China meetings and incentive industry 

Jeffrey Xu, CIBTM Project Manager, Reed Travel including Sri Lanka, Japan National Tourism 

Exhibitions comments “We have been delighted Organization, Madrid, Czech Tourist Authority - 

with the level of business which was achieved this Czech Tourism, Hungarian National Tourist 

year and we have had a great deal of positive Office, Saint Petersburg Express, JSC and 

feedback so far from all of our attendees. This Russian Federation. 

feedback gives us a true indication of just how 

effective the Hosted Buyer programme is in KumuduHennedige, Marketing & Promotions 

generating business for buyers and suppliers from Manager, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, first 

across the globe.” 

time exhibitor at CIBTM commented, “It's the 

first time we have exhibited at CIBTM. We have 

Kevin Shi, Sales Manager, Ramada Beijing North found the quality of 

commented, “This year CIBTM has more hotel Hosted Buyers 

exhibitors, and the buyers' quality has improved to be very 

When 

greatly. CIBTM has allowed us to connect with good and 

nd th 


clients from different countries and regions. we are 

Where 

Compared with other exhibitions in the industry, pleased Beijing, China

TTA 

68 

levels improved. Our appointments were 

encouraging and we hope to see some bookings 

as a result. I hope to attend CIBTM in 2014.” 

with the amount of interest they have shown in 

Sri Lanka. We are very happy with the 

arrangement of the Pre-Scheduled Appointment 

system, and have a full diary. Our Destination 

Presentation provided us with a fantastic platform 

to showcase Sri Lanka to Chinese Hosted Buyers.” 

Bun CHO, Assistant Manager, Business 

Development Section, Japan Convention Bureau, 

Japan National Tourism Organization who also 

exhibited at CIBTM 2013 also commented, “This is 

the seventh year that Japan has exhibited at 

CIBTM, we believe CIBTM to be a very important 

platform to facilitate business exchange and 

negotiations. Overseas buyers this year are of a 

high level of quality and quantity. We hope to 

meet with Chinese buyers, and also connect with 

more overseas buyers as well.” 

Cathy Li, Regional Sales Manager, SK networks 

Walkerhill commented, “This is my second year 

attending CIBTM. I have found the arrangement of 

the show floor to be well organised, the quality of 

the Hosted Buyers to be higher and the security 

This year's Professional Education programme 

was also considered “a huge success” with a 

113% increase in attendance over the 20 

sessions, which were delivered as part of CIBTM 

Knowledge marking an 18% increase on sessions 

delivered at CIBTM 2012. The programme 

featured a number of diverse speakers through 

partnerships with some of the world's leading 

industry associations including MPI, SITE, ASAE, 

ICCA and IAEE. 

Jacqui Timmins, Reed Travel Exhibitions, 

Exhibitions Director, AIME and CIBTM 

commented, “CIBTM continues to be the 

leading trade show for meetings and events 

organizers, venue providers and incentive and 

business travel services in China and Asia and as 

a team, we are committed to developing the 

show further through strategic partners and 

new innovations to ensure that the show 

continues to catalyze an already booming 

industry in China.”

TTA 

69 

rd 

3 Annual India Hotel Expansion Summit 

Noppen Conferences & Exhibitions Pvt Limited 

along with BMGI, strategic advisor, hosted the 

third edition of the India Hotel Expansion Summit 

on 29th- 30th August at the Westin Hotel in 

Mumbai. This Summit was supported by 

prestigious companies like Zyxel Technology, Asian 

Paints, Tyco Security, Alko Therm, Duni Benelux 

BV, Crompton Greaves, HSIL Limited, Aquanomics. 

Senior management from the likes of Starwood 

Group, Marriott International, Holiday Inn, 

Svenska Design, Berggruen Hotels, Sahara 

Hospitality and many more attended this Summit 

to understand more about the ever changing 

trends in the Indian hospitality market. 

The Summit kick started with Mr. Naresh 

Raisinghani, CEO & Executive Director of BMGI's 

Indian office discussing about the macro trends of 

the growing foreign tourist arrivals and domestic 

visits in the light of increasing available rooms and 

current occupancy rates. He identified several key 

factors that led to the growth for business such as 

MICE tourism and increased GDP per capita in Tier 

2 & Tier 3 cities. He also shed light on the 

challenges faced due to development costs, 

capacity expansion, and skilled manpower. 

Ms. Benaifer Jehani, Director with CRISIL, 

discussed the new oversupply situation at 

certain locations in the premium hotels 

segment. She pointed out that REVPAR growth 

will be marginal (premium) or flat (business) and 

increased competition will lead to stable ARRs. 

Mr. Rajiv Puri, Vice President for Design & 

Project Management from Marriott 

International shared his thoughts on branding 

for creating end user value and how 

stakeholders as well as owners should be 

educated on operational and technical aspects, 

global alliances and new trends in creating 

brand visibility. He also stressed on the need of 

incorporating consumer feedback in designing 

the brand proposition, dispelling the myths of 

brands associated 

with higher 

spending. When 

th th 

29 -30 August 

Where 

Mumbai, India

TTA 

70 

Next, Mr. Anurag Bhatnagar, Area General 

Manager with Westin Hotels spoke on how and 

where a brand should expand. He explained the 

scenario of hotel investments made in the 

branded segment to an oversupply situation. 

Representing the Asian market, Rudiger 

Froehning from ALKO Therm GMBH, spoke on 

new cooling technology for air conditioning and 

ventilation to lower life cycle costs and increase 

sustainability. These life cycle costs comprise of 

investment, energy, maintenance, cleaning and 

displacement costs. He stated the possibility of 

sustainable reduction in these costs by “On 

Demand Use” ability without compromising on 

comfort. 

Later Mr. Rajnish Ohri, Managing Director for 

Coram India & Mr. Sanjay Sapra, CEO for 

Aquanomics Systems showcased their company's 

specialized solutions for water management of 

spas and swimming pools. They laid emphasis on 

the importance of balancing the PH value and also 

focused on the new age energy saving pool 

technology for all kinds of applications. 

Day 1 came to an end with a panel discussion with 

panelists – Mr. Rajiv Puri, Mr. Rushabh Shah, 

Mr.Beni Agarwal and was moderated by Mr. 

Ambarish Raj. The topic of discussion was how 

to capitalize on growth opportunities through 

innovative investment options. Mr. Shah 

initiated the discussion by pointing out that the 

industry demand is being fueled by medical 

tourism, institutional demand and MICE 

segment. Mr. Puri added that with infrastructure 

improvement at airport terminals, there will be 

a need to establish world class infrastructure to 

cater to the possible increase in tourist traffic. 

The second theme of discussion was about 

alternate investment routes for an “asset light” 

model like franchisee stated by Mr. Agarwal, as 

compared to investments with “fee based” 

model suggested by Mr. Puri. It was felt that a 

“single window” licensing system, industry 

subsidies from government and a new and

TTA 

71 

improved tourism policy to cover challenges of 

infrastructure development will be key enablers 

for growth of the industry. 

Day 2 commenced with the presentation of 

Emlyn Brown, Director of Spa Operations for 

Goco Hospitality who spoke about ways to create 

a profitable spa in India. He indicated that the 

spa industry is worth 60.3 billion USD worldwide 

and provided the audience with insights on how 

consumers today are looking at “Quick Fix” spa 

options with immediate results and ways one 

can achieve high value as against cheaper 

options. He 

also shared his 

ideas in 

alleviating spa 

experience by 

introducing spa 

memberships, 

integrated 

family solutions 

for creating 

unique 

customer 

experience. 

Another esteemed speaker, Mr. Param 

Kannampilly, Chairman for Fern Group of 

Hotels addressed the issue of environment 

depletion due to the ever growing tourism 

industry and how it is the responsibility of the 

said sector towards the environment's 

sustainability. New technology like the use of 

passive solar architecture, daylight harvesting, 

rainwater harvesting, energy efficient air 

conditioning, garbage management should be 

considered as some of the possibilities for a 

“Green Hotel”.

TTA 

72 

Mr. Rajesh Mohan, Head of Strategy Planning for 

Sahara Hospitality, outlined the conditions for 

Revenue Management. He also illustrated Gross 

Operating Profit per available room as against 

RevPAR as profit oriented metric and stressed on 

the importance of leveraging cloud based hotel 

technology for optimizing costs on hotel 

operations. He brought forth an interesting 

comparison of the reservation systems of hotels 

with airlines and the dynamic pricing system of 

airlines. 

Next, Mr. Partha Chatterjee from Advisor Key 

Hotels Resorts & Apartments provided 

interesting comparisons 

on construction time and 

cost per key across various 

segments- Budget, 

Midscale, and Upscale & 

Luxury. He presented a 

case study on Ginger 

Hotels and mentioned on 

how the budgeted cost of 

room development was 

much lower than the 

prevailing benchmarks at 

the time was achieved. 

Mr. Beni Agrawal, General Manager of Business 

Development for Berggruen Hotels, shared key 

factors in determining the location, Product 

profiling and positioning, Food & Beverages as 

well as provision for meeting & conferencing 

facilities besides Value Proposition. He ended 

his presentation by covering aspects in building 

a business plan for hotels in India. 

The 2 day Summit concluded with a 

networking tea break session where the 

attendees shared their perspectives on the 

hotel industry and future business possibilities.

TTA 

73 

ITE-HCMC 

Tourism Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, 

Thailand and Vietnam and senior government 

officials from different countries graced the ITE 

HCMC Opening Ceremony and Mekong Tourism 

Alliance Awards Gala Dinner. The Ministers also 

formally inaugurated the exhibition on its first day. 

ITE HCMC has seen a 50% increase in total 

exhibition floor space and it remains to be the 

fastest growing travel event in the region. 

Exhibitors came from Germany, United Kingdom, 

Egypt, India, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, South 

Korea, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos, 

Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and 

more. 

The 5th Tourism Alliance Awards 2013 (TAA) 

commenced after the Opening Ceremony. ITE 

HCMC Pre and Post Show Tours are designed to 

showcase Vietnam and the Mekong. Dedicated 

tours were arranged for hosted buyers, hosted 

media and event guests before and after the 

exhibition days. 

ITE HCMC is the largest and most established 

travel event in Vietnam and the whole Mekong 

region. The host country has been named the 

world's fourth fastest-growing tourist 

destination for inbound and the region's fastest 

growing outbound market. ITE HCMC is the best 

single platform catering to this multi-billion 

market. The exhibition serves as the leading 

powerhouse in presenting products and services 

in the Mekong and wide showcases of travel 

products from countries and cities in the Asia 

Pacific and beyond. It is the only event 

supported by the Mekong Tourism Alliance of 

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and 

Vietnam and has been declared by authorities 

as Vietnam's one and only national travel event 

with international standing. 

The entire show with its fabulous day and 

evening functions and industry trade activities 

continued for one whole week. 

When 

th th 


Where 

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

TTA 

74 

rd 

3 Annual Turkey Hotel Expansion Summit 

The 3rd Annual Turkey Hotel Expansion Summit 

was held in the Titanic Business Europe Hotel in 

Istanbul, Turkey on September 12 &13 as Turkey 

aims to become the fifth largest tourist 

destination in the world, by having 50 million 

arrivals in the country and 50 billion USD in 

revenue from tourism. The country is currently 

the sixth most popular country as per UNWTO's 

“Tourism Highlights 2012” report. 

The conference was marked by over forty 

speakers from International and local chains who 

shared their valuable insights on this industry. The 

event was supported by the Turkish Tourism 

Investors Association (TYD). 

The conference was lined with incredible speakers 

from Nikki Beach, GRL Hotels & Resorts, Premier 

Inn International, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, 

Hilton Worldwide, Accor, Hyatt, Louvre Hotels, 

InterContinental Hotels,, Marriott International 

& Corinthia and from local chains such as 

Dedeman and Limak. The speakers were not 

only from hotel chains but were investors, 

designers, consultants and banks who came 

together and discussed on the current and 

future trends to shape the future development 

of Turkey's hospitality market. 

NEC was the Gold sponsor, Öztiryakiler as 

presentation sponsor and exhibitor sponsors 

were INNCOM by Honeywell, Twent Inox, EEC 

Systems and Rentokill. OPTii, Callebaut, Lumar, 

Thermaflex and Tylo were attending specialists 

while Optimum was Communication Partner. 

The media partners for the conference were 

REIDIN, Travel & Tour World, Oxford Business 

Group, RFP, Europaproperty.com, Tourism 

Around the World and Horwath HTL. 

When 

th th 


Where 

Istanbul, Turkey

TTA 

75 

Calendar of Events 

OCTOBER 2 – OCTOBER 4 

MITM AMERICAS & CULTOUR FAIR 

Guadalajara, Jalisco,Mexico 

www.mexicowww.mitmamericas.com 

OCTOBER 4- OCTOBER 6 

India International Travel Exhibition 

Indore 

Indore, India 

www.iiteindia.com 


Routes Online 

Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. 

www.routeonline.com /events/160/ 

worldroutes-2013 


Holiday Expo-Nagpur 

Nagpur, India 

holidayexpo.in 


INWETEX-CIS TRAVEL MARKET 

St. Petersburg, Russia 

http://old.restec.ru/exhibitions/featu 

red/travelexpo/inwetex.en.html 


IMEX AMERICA 

Los Angeles, America 

www.imexamerica.com 


TTG INCONTRI 

Rimini, Italy 

www.ttgincontri.it 


India Travel Mart-Jaipur 

Jaipur, India 

itmtravelmart.com 


TDI ASIA 

Singapore 

tdiasia.questexevents.net

TTA 

76 


RUSSIA & CIS HOTEL INVESTMENT 

CONFERENCE 

Sochi, Russia 

www.russia-cisconference.com/ 


KARNIVAL WISATA 

Jakarta, Indonesia 

www.karnivalwisata.com/ 


INDONESIA TRAVEL & HOLIDAY FAIR 

Jakarta, Indonesia 

http://www.indonesiatravelfair.com/ 


ITB ASIA 

Suntec, Singapore 

www.itb-asia.com/en/ 

NOVEMBER 1 – NOVEMBER 3 

Swiss International Holiday Exhibition 

Lugano, Switzerland 

http://www.iviaggiatori.org/en/ 


Dallas Travel & Adventure Show 

Dallas, America 

http://adventureexpo.com/ 


WTM LONDON 

London, UK 

www.wtmlondon.com/ 


ICOMEX 

Mexico City, USA 

www.icomex-mexico.com 


The Luxury Travel Fair 

London, UK 

www.luxurytravelfair.com/

TTA 

77 

NOVENBER 8 – NOVEMBER 10 

Holiday Expo-Visakhapatnam 

Visakhapatnam, India 

holidayexpo.in 


IITM PUNE 

Pune, India 

www.iitmindia.com/ 


BANGLADESH INTERNATIONAL 

TOURISM FAIR 

Bangladesh, Dhaka 

http://www.bitf.com.bd/ 

NOVEMBER 29 – 1 DECEMBER 

IITM HYDERABAD 

Hyderabad, India 

www.iitmindia.com/ 

DECEMBER 2 – DECEMBER 4 

MITM EUROMED 

Seville, Spain 

http://www.mitmeuromed.com/ 


TRAVEL TURKEY IZMIR 

Izmir, Turkey 

www.travelturkey-expo.com/eng/ 


CHENGDU INTERNATIONAL 

TRAVEL FAIR 

Chengdu, China 

www.sc-citf.com/en/page/16/home.html 


BRUSSELS TRAVEL EXPO 

Brussels, Belgium 

www.btexpo.com 


INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL& 

HOSPITALITY SHOW 

Muscat, Oman 

www.iths-oman.com

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