Dear Friends,

The Indian summer is on in full swing. For us in India, that means enjoying quick getaways to hill resorts, and lots of light and delicious summer food like savoury chaat, washed down with long cool drinks like chaas (buttermilk) and raw mango panna. Be sure to bring your wispy cottons, slather on the sunscreen, and get set to turn a gorgeous golden color.		  
     
 
    Government Ministers and Industry Leaders Met to Find New Ways to Realize the Full Social and Economic Potential of Travel & Tourism

In a series of highly interactive discussions and key-note presentations, leading government, industry and media players from around the world focused on the need for the Travel & Tourism sector to realize its full potential for social and economic good.
  
  As one of the largest industries in the world today, responsible for employing more than 200 million people and generating over 10 per cent of global GDP, Travel & Tourism provides a gateway to economic progress particularly in areas where there are few alternatives. Delegates discussed how success is being achieved which companies and governments are leading the way and the impact of future developments.  
         
  The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, New York, U.S.A, awarded all the Leela premium luxury hotels – in Bangalore, Goa and Mumbai - the prestigious 2005 International Five Star Diamond Award. The Chairman of the Group, Captain C.P. Krishnan Nair, became the first Indian ever to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. The awards, which recognize excellence in the global travel and luxury services sector, mark a coming of age, of sorts, for the Indian hospitality industry. They are bestowed exclusively on five star establishments that are deemed to be the pinnacle of quality. Evaluation criteria include hospitality, gastronomy, attitude, quality, cleanliness and above all service.    
         
    Every year, T+L’s readers rate hotels for value. The winners are not necessarily low cost: 6 of the 10 highest-rated properties overall cost more than $400 a night.

The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, ranked third (with 89.42%) in the list of the Top 10 Hotels for Value Overall, behind The Peninsula, Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand (93.01%) and Kichwa Tembo, Masai Mara, Kenya (90.82%).
 
  The“Worth the Splurge: More than $400 a Night” category includes The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, tops in Asia with 89.42% and The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, fifth in Asia with 80.30%.  
         
 
  Newsweek International’s April 11/April 18, 2005, issue trains the spotlight on the modern traveler: No longer do tourists want to just see the world, says the cover story, they want to engage with it. Today’s global citizens have moved from being tourists who want to rest the mind and body, to travelers who go to see and understand. For them, travel is a matter of personal fulfillment and they seek experiences from closer than the window of a tour bus. Trends covered include volunteer and trace-your-ancestors tourism; second, luxury and vacation homes; donor field trips; travel seeking spirituality; escapes to private islands and air cruises in private jets.  
     
  Harriet O’Brien tracks the most luxurious and the most exciting off-the-beaten- track places to visit in India, in British Airways’ Highlife.




    
         
    Thai Airways announced that their first ever chartered flight, in 30 years of business, would be to India’s Buddhist Circuit. A personal initiative of Thai President, Kanok Abhiradee, the flight is based on the airlines decision to open the holy circuit to thousands of Buddhist pilgrims around the world. “The Buddhist sites in India are as important to the Buddhists, as Mecca is to the Muslims or Rome is to the Christians,” said Mr. Abhiradee.  
  The initial trip, to be made from March 11 to 13, will cover Bodhgaya, Saranath and Varanasi (including a boat-tour of India’s holiest river, the Ganges). Kushinagar and Lumbini are expected to be added on soon after.  
         
 
  There’s good news for steam engine enthusiasts wanting to hire the 100 year old steam engine for the Simla to Kethlighat ride. The fare for hiring the steam engine has been slashed by almost 50% from Rs. 1.8 lakhs (US$ 4100) to Rs. 58,000 (US$ 1320) per trip.  
     
  For an unforgettable holiday experience, discover Royal Rajasthan on the
Palace on the Wheels heritage train, as 3100 tourists have already done. If trains are not quite your cup of tea, try one of the heritage properties -
Rajasthan has over 80% of them, out of the total heritage properties in India.


    
         
    Speaking at the International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin 2005, Dr. Christian Goke, Chief Executive Officer of Messe Berlin said "The worst of the recession is over for the international tourism sector … continuous improvement is now expected. The figures speak for themselves: The total of 10,409 exhibitors is not only a new record but we are also pleased to report that, despite unfavourable weather at the start of the event this year, the attendance of 142,351 is even better than last year's substantial total of 141,139."  
  Courtesy: Hotels Daily News Service  
         
 
  Incredible India has been getting a lot of coverage in international travel magazines and in-flight magazines. You can now access these articles online, on our website. Happy reading!  
     
   
     
             
     

Amitabh Kant
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism,
Transport Bhawan, Parliament Street,
New Delhi - 110 001.
T: 91 + 11 + 23715084
F: 91 + 11 + 23710518
M: amitabhk@incredibleindia.org
W: http://www.incredibleindia.org

 

While others may claim breathtaking locales, the mysticism of the east, the draw of civilization, the call of the wild.... India is that and much more.....
It is a journey of mind and soul.
It is a journey of the five senses
It is a journey of self-discovery
It is a journey of self-fulfillment.

  
     

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