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MAHIDRA HOLIDAYS SIGNS MoU WITH KERALA GOVT

Thesynergyonline Tourism Bureau

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPTEMBER 11 :
MAHINDRA Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL) a leisure hospitality provider offering quality family holidays, recently signed a five year strategic alliance agreement with the Government of Kerala for the marketing and promotion of homestays within the State. The Kerala Government has currently registered over 400 homestays to help bring tourism revenues to a larger section of the community.

MHRIL established its Homestays business – Mahindra Homestays – in July 2008 to organize the growing homestay industry in India and market it under a strong brand. The company has set up a pan-India network of homes that aims to deliver the real India through an enriching host- guest interaction.

"This agreement will provide us with access to government affiliated homestays which would be promoted via joint PR and marketing campaigns in target markets.

Today, tourism has evolved from mere sightseeing to actually exploring and experiencing the authentic culture of a place. The homestay concept provides tourists with a unique vacation alternative, an opportunity to experience local traditions, customs and cuisine first-hand. Moreover, considering the shortage of hotel rooms in several destinations due to the increasing number of inbound tourists, a Homestay in the same locale could prove to be a big opportunity," said Mr. Ramesh Ramanathan, Managing Director, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India .

Mr. Sivasankar M., Director, Kerala Department of Tourism, said this landmark agreement will be a move towards wooing the alert, independent traveller, in search of experiential holidays".

He added that this agreement will help bring more than 350 classified homestays scattered across various destinations in Kerala under a single platform.

The agreement also provides owners with several advantages as Mahindra Homestays will contribute towards brand building efforts in a bid to create category awareness and promote Homestays as an authentic holiday experience. (npsinha@thesynergyonline.com) .

. JHARKHAND UNVEILS MAJOR INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE TOURISM

Thesynergyonline Tourism Bureau

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 26 :
AS part of major inititiatives to promote toourism the Jharkhand Government is organising three-day 'Baba Baidyanath Vishwa Mahotsav' in the Holy town of Deoghar from August 31 to September 2 ,2008.

The state plans to promote globally, all its facets of tourism, be it Religious-Spiritual, Mining, Tribal or Rural or Adventure. The aim is to put the state firmly on the world tourism map as the Ultimate Destination.

Talking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, Mr Arun K Singh, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Jharkhand said, “ the department has created a holistic plan for the promotion of tourism in the state. A series of events and other protourism promotional activities have been planned for the same.”

He further informed that on an average 45-50 lakh domestic tourists visit Jharkhand every year during the peak season, of which nearly 35 lakh visit Deoghar, famous as one of the seat of the Twelve Jyotirlingas in the country.

The main source markets currently for domestic tourists for the state are West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh.

According to Mr. Singh, the state tourism department is focusing on improving infrastructure and is facilitating the creation of tourist bungalows, yatri niwas, lodges, wayside facilities and resorts with private participation on a PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model.

Mr. Singh said, “The Government of Jharkhand has declared Tourism as an Industry. All incentives announced in the State Industrial Policy is now open to private investors in tourism – allotment of land, single window
clearance, tax incentives, electricity subsidy etc.” The state government has also identified the famous Ranchi-Netarhat-Betla circuit for
development and also an inter-religious circuit covering Parasnath Temple.

The temple situated at 4,431 ft (highest hill in the state) is also known as Sammed Shikharji and is the most sacred place for the Jains. It is located about 190 km from Ranchi, the state capital. Deoghar or Baidyanath Dham is also an important pilgrim centre with scores of pilgrims travelling for around 100 km during the month of shravan (July-August) on foot.

Elaborating on the initiatives for rural tourism, Mr. Singh informed that Tribal Folk Art of Jharkhand showcases the richest Indian ethnic traditions. Wall paintings, roof and pillar carvings, handlooms and handicrafts of tribal communities of Jharkhand are outstanding. The excellent work of Dokra, Grass mat and paintings of Kohvar, Sohrai, Payatkar, Jadopotia styles can mesmerise the tourists.

He further added, “We are also taking steps to revive the Firkaal dance, the martial dance of Bhumij tribe in the state. The dance,which is being practiced in Janumdih village in Potka block in east Singhbhum district, is almost facing extinction.

The state is also looking at developing eco-tourism in Janumdih village for the self-sustainability of the dancers.” The State is in talk with CCL ton provide demonstrative mining . The global players like Dee Beers and Jindal have been given licence to explore diomond , he said.

The state has also indentified 150 acre land for 160 tourist sites It has earmarked Rs 160 crore budget in trhe fiscal year 2008-09 to promote tourism besides other incentives to tourism sector , he added.

On job creation has rtisen from 450,000 lakh to 59 lakh and the state targets Rs one lakh in ther nex fiscal, he said.

The State Government plans to promote religious-spiritual tourism in a big way. According to Secretary Tourism, in this sector there exists great potential for Jharkhand as it has a series of popular religious centres like Baidynath Dham ('Lord Shiva's abode), Parasnath ( salvation point for Jain Tirthankaras at highest altitude – 4480 feet) Rajarappa (where the powerful Shakti deity “Chinnamasta” prevails), Ranchi (Jagannath Temple), Mahadev Sal (inside Saranda forest) and Maa Giri Rajeshwari in the forests of Kiriburu.

The State Government has taken slew of inititiatives to promote Adventure Tourism. Jharkhand Adventure Tourism Institute (JATI) has already been established by the State Government, which would provide facilities to the visiting tourists in the state besides training the youth in various adventure sports activities but also. The Institute would enter into agreements with the Institutes of national and international repute to promote Adventure Tourism in the State.

The State has identified 18 water bodies have so far for the water sports activities including cruises, motor boats, parasailing, yatching, canoeing, kayaking, boat pulling . Aero sports facilities such as hot air ballooning, paragliding, etc would be provided at various suitable sites in the state. Trekking, rock-climbing, mountaineering etc. would be promoted under the land-based adventure sports activities in the state

The State also plans to develop way-side amenities at Bahragora, Ghatshila, Tamar, Latehar, Bagodar and at various other places in the state and renovating all JTDC Hotels. The State's Tourism Department claims that for “Pleasure or Profit” Tourism in Jharkhand has few peers in providing delight. The State plans to improve connectivity and transportation services . Indian, Alliance Air, MDLR, Air Deccan is connecting Ranchi to Kolkata and remote parts of the country .

Modernisation and revamp of Birsa Munda Airport at Ranchi is underway in collaboration with Airports Authority of India. Accommodation, transportation infrastructure is also being improved jointly by the Department of Tourism and its commercial arm JTDC and professionals from the private sector are being invited to run and operate these facilities after upgradation. (npsinha@thesynergyonline.com)

GOA TOURISM SHOWCASES NEW ATTRACTIONS AT SATTE TRAVEL SHOW

Thesynergyonline Tourism Bureau

NEW DELHI, APRIL 19: GOA Tourism Department (DTD) plans to launch new packages to lure tourists during summers and monsoons and to promote state as a 365-day holiday destination.

DTD , which is participating in the ongoing South Asia Tourism and Travel Exchange (SATTE), in Pragati Maidan is showcasing its new tourism attractions including promoting as message destination and promoting local feasts –Sao Joao and Bonderam at the Divar Islands across old Goa, held annually in August.

'Though the 'monsoon tourism' concept will be promoted world-wide eventually, the GTDC hopes that the immediate tourist inflow will be domestic, mainly from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Jharkhand. "We have already prepared our marketing plan and it will be distributed to our General Sales Agents (GSAs) in India as well as abroad," said Elvis Gomes, Director of Goa Tourism Department.

"The Goa government also plans to offer various kinds of massages as a product, which has found takers in most of the hotels across the state. Foreign tourist traffic into the state has doubled to more than 200,000 a year over the past five years. The number of domestic tourists has gone up 300 per cent to more than 25 lakh (2.5 million), according to figures available with the

NORTH HOT TOURIST SPOT FOR 07 CHRISTMAS

Thesynegyonline News Service

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 23 : OVER five lakh tourists are likely to visit various tourists destinations such as Jaipur, Udaipur, Massourie, Nanital, Shimla, Kullu-Manali, Kashmir valley, Goa, Mysore and Trivantapuram during Christmas, beginning t December 21 onwards.

According to the estimates made by the ASSOCHAM based on feedback received from various tour operators, bookings for Christmas celebrations have begun and the above identified spots are emerging as top priorities for tourists in various pockets of India.

As a result of economic boom and rising hotels tariffs in large metro’s and larger townships are the primary factor for shift of tourist choices to secluded places in states like Rajasthan, Uttranchal, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Kerala and Karnataka, in which the tourist destinations could be best enjoyed with budgeted pockets, says the ASSOCHAM President, Mr. Venugopal N. Dhoot.

The tourist operators and agents that appraised the ASSOCHAM emerging trends for the tourist during forthcoming Christmas include, Angad Travels India, India Tour Guide , Indian Travel, North India Tours etc., added Mr. Dhoot.

During last Christmas, Goa happened to be highly congested tourist spot, for tourist belongings to not only western part of country but equally for central and south India because it provided tourism opportunities at competitive tariffs. This year, the trend is more towards tourist spots that are comparatively cheaper as tariffs for hotels accommodation have jumped up by nearly 35-40 per cent with food and beverages cost also going up by nearly 20-25 per cent in larger towns and metros, said Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM.

Tourist spots that provide for cheaper cost have become the preferred destinations and tourist would like to enjoy the beginning of crisp winter in smaller places like Massourie, Nanital, Shimla, Kullu Manali.

Massourie and Nanital are also emerging as the best tourist destinations for North Indians as tourists can attain twin objectives their - one is that of site seeing and another of religious tourism as both Haridwar and Rishikesh are nearer to Massourie and that of Nanda Devi close to Nainital.

It has been observed that the identified places for Christmas holidays are best India suited for all kinds of tourism including rural, cultural, eco- tourism, spiritual, sports and adventure. The tourism industry encompasses accommodations, travel, transport, leisure and entertainment and offers immense employment potential at almost all levels.

Also, India's tourist industry is booming due to a rush of foreign tourists and increased travel by Indians to domestic and overseas destinations.

With the great potential available and the development initiatives taken by the government, Indian inbound Tourism has shown a substantial growth in 2006-07.

However, India has to struggle to market itself to the world tourists. For a long time, tourism has been treated as a leisure activity of the rich and somewhat unnecessary destruction for the poor in India. Hence, no concerted efforts were made to develop tourism as an industry in the country.

Now, the story is different as the government is making tourism as a lead industry because of its immense potential for higher revenuerealization and i.e. campaign like incredible India was launched in recent times.