Delhi welcomes opening of new hospitality skills training centre

July 10, 2023

India’s largest training centre affiliated with the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), IIHM Institute of Hospitality Skills (IIHS), has opened a new facility in Delhi.

The centre aims to provide comprehensive courses on hospitality skills, catering to professionals seeking to enhance their career prospects. With a prime focus on vocational training, IIHS aims to bridge the skill gap and empower individuals in the hospitality industry, as well as cultivate ethical and socially responsible leaders who are equipped with the latest industry trends and best practices.

IIHM Institute of Hospitality Skills has opened a new facility in Delhi

Suborno Bose, founder of IIHS, said: “In our industry, there is a great demand for skilled manpower, and Delhi, being a hub of business, provides a great platform for hospitality skills development. This is part of the government of India’s Skill India mission. We are collaborating with Skill India and THSC to train hundreds of skilled hospitality workers for India.”

Recognised by government organisations including THSC, National Skill Development Corporation and Skill India, IIHS certifications can provide students with an edge in the job market and validate their skills and expertise.

Besides offering a wide range of core courses catering to the diverse needs of aspiring hospitality professionals, IIHS also offers short-term skill-based programmes focusing on various aspects of hotel operations, covering service staff ethics, the art of cooking, baking, concierge services, front-office operations, housekeeping, F&B services, bar and beverage management, kitchen assistance, bell desk services, and more.

Furthermore, courses also incorporate knowledge on essential topics like FSSAI regulations, safety training, and overall management skills.

PATA announces new executive board appointments

By TTG India

July 7, 2023

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The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has re-appointed Noredah Othman, CEO, Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysia and elected Gerald Perez, vice president, Guam Visitors Bureau, USA, to the PATA Executive Board for a two-year term beginning June 27, 2023.

With 30 years’ experience in Sabah Tourism, Othman is the longest-serving officer with Sabah Tourism Board where she is responsible for marketing and promotion of the destination. She has held various positions since October 1990 and served as deputy general manager for support services from 2016.

From left: Noredah Othman and Gerald Perez

Perez currently serves as the vice president of the Guam Visitors Bureau and is a founding member of the Micronesia Cruise Association. His dedication to the tourism industry is further demonstrated through his memberships in the Guam Tourism Foundation and the Executive Board of PATA.

Sofitel Melbourne on Collins appoints new GM

By TTG India

July 6, 2023

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Rachael Harman has been named general manager of Sofitel Melbourne On Collins.

She brings over 20 years of experience to her new role having spent time working in senior management roles for various luxury hotel brands across Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Before joining Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, she was general manager at Sofitel Adelaide.

UNWTO, G20 develop sustainable development roadmap for tourism

By TTG India

July 5, 2023

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As the knowledge partner of India’s G20 Presidency, UNWTO delivered the Goa Roadmap for Tourism as a Vehicle for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals at the meeting of the Ministers of Tourism of the world’s leading economies.

Halfway between the 2015 launch of the 2030 Agenda and the deadline to accomplish it, UNWTO called on G20 Tourism Ministers to lead the sector’s contribution to accelerating progress towards achieving the 17 SDGs.

The Goa Roadmap offers the G20 economies a proposed plan of action to lead the way forward towards a better future for all

The Goa Roadmap, developed with the Tourism Working Group, builds upon the five priority areas under India’s G20 Presidency.

The first is green tourism, which recognises the critical need to work towards climate action and environmental protection and related international cooperation. The roadmap incorporates recommended actions and good practices from G20 economies and guest countries on issues such as financing, sustainable infrastructure and resource management, integrating circular approaches in the tourism value chain and engaging visitors as key actors in sustainability.

Next is digitalisation – the roadmap makes clear the wide-ranging benefits of supporting businesses and destinations through digitalisation, including enhanced productivity, improved infrastructure management and delivering a safer and more efficient visitor experience.

It also emphasises on the need to provide tourism workers, particularly youth and women, with the skills employers need, to future-proof tourism jobs and to make the sector a more attractive career path.

With tourism MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) accounting for 80 per cent of all tourism businesses worldwide, the roadmap stressed the importance of public policies and public-private partnerships in addressing key challenges, including financing, marketing and skills gaps and market access to support MSMEs through the digital and sustainable transitions.

Lastly, the roadmap presents a set of proposed actions to create a holistic approach to destination management that strengthens public-private-community partnerships and enhances a whole of government approach. It further shares examples of innovative programmes among G20 and invited countries.

UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said: “As tourism bounces back close to pre-pandemic levels, we must ensure that recovery is sustainable, inclusive and resilient. The Goa Roadmap for Tourism as a Vehicle for Achieving the SDGs offers the G20 economies a proposed plan of action to lead the way forward towards a better future for all.”

“Tourism can be instrumental in addressing many of the challenges faced by our societies while transforming itself to address its socio-economic impacts. Working together on a common roadmap for recovery and long-term sustainability will unlock its immense potential to deliver on the SDGs,” added Shri G. Kishan Reddy, minister of tourism, culture and development of North Eastern Region, government of India.

UNWTO and the UN Environment Programme also hosted the side event Towards a circular economy of plastics in tourism – the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, in association with the Ministry of Tourism of India.

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative provides a common vision for a circular economy of plastics in tourism. The side-event provided delegates and participants with practical guidance to address plastic pollution in tourism operations.

The Central Nodal Agency for Sustainable Tourism of India, a technical agency of the Ministry of Tourism, became a signatory of this initiative, together with the government of Punjab and the Responsible Tourism Society of India.

Travel confidence holds up for over half of Asia-Pacific travellers despite economic headwinds: Booking.com

By TTG India

July 5, 2023

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Booking.com has released the 2023 edition of its APAC Travel Confidence Index (TCI) which provides an in-depth analysis of travel mindsets across Asia-Pacific.

The TCI 2023 research, commissioned by Booking.com and conducted independently by Milieu Insight, involved a survey of over 8,000 travellers from 11 countries and territories across Asia-Pacific conducted between April and May 2023.

The report unveils four distinctive traveller personas and provides insights into their motivations, priorities and travel behaviours

It presents an in-depth analysis of travel confidence and sustainability interest across various destinations in Asia-Pacific. The report includes rankings that assess the confidence level of travellers in each market.

Despite financial concerns ranking highest among their worries (42%), 73% of Asia-Pacific travellers maintain unwavering optimism for their future travel plans over the next 12 months.

Over half (53%) of travellers surveyed have no intention of postponing any of their travel plans, despite the complex and interconnected crises pressuring the global economy, including inflation, climate change and supply chain disruptions. Furthermore, 59% of these travellers not only remain steadfast in their original travel plans, but also intend to increase both the number of trips they take and their travel budgets for the year.

Additionally, the report unveils four distinctive traveller personas for the first time, providing valuable insights into their prime motivations, priorities and travel behaviours.

Conscious Explorers (Hong Kong, India, China, Taiwan) actively pursue eco-friendly and sustainable travel. They are passionate about exploring while minimising environmental impact. They engage in ecotourism, stay at sustainable accommodations, and support local communities to align with their values.

Comfort Seekers (Singapore, Australia) prioritise comfort and convenience. They seek indulgent experiences and accommodations with maximum relaxation, and value personalised services, high-quality amenities, and prioritise comfort over sustainability in their travel decisions.

Mindful Voyagers (Vietnam) have a deliberate and thoughtful travel approach, driven by their sense of responsibility to the environment and desire to help local communities. However, they often experience anxieties in unfamiliar environments and actively seek resources to overcome travel concerns and gain confidence.

Homebound Pragmatists (New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Thailand) prefer practical travel and staying close to home. They prioritise convenience, efficiency, and optimising time and resources. They seek seamless travel experiences that are well-organised and efficient, making the most of their limited time and resources.

In Singapore, however, only 32% of Singapore travellers consider sustainability to be of importance, revealing a reduced emphasis on environmental considerations. In a world where eco-consciousness is on the rise, Singaporean travellers stand out as the least likely (18%) to invest in sustainable accommodation choices, suggesting a strong inclination towards prioritising personal comfort and indulgence during their journeys.

“Despite some macroeconomic headwinds, one thing remains clear for all Asia-Pacific travellers: their spirit of adventure and the desire to create lasting memories via travel remains steadfast and strong,” said Laura Houldsworth, managing director, Asia-Pacific, at Booking.com.

“Despite the profound impact of the pandemic, insights from this year’s Travel Confidence Index reassuringly proves that Asia-Pacific is well on its way to reclaim its position as the world’s fastest growing travel region.”

The report can be viewed here.

India leads British Airways post-lockdown recovery in Asia

By Rohit Kaul

July 4, 2023

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The Indian travel market is leading the recovery of British Airways in Asia, where the carrier is operating 56 flights a week in India, exceeding its pre-pandemic schedule of 49 weekly flights in 2019.

Addressing a media roundtable in New Delhi last week, Sean Doyle, chairman & CEO, British Airways, said: “One of the first markets that we were keen to rebuild all our presence was in India. We’re back flying to all of our flight gateways in India, (and) seeing a positive picture in terms of demand from the leisure and VFR segment although corporate travel has been slow to recover.”

British Airways now flies to five Indian cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai; the India Gate in New Delhi, pictured

Doyle was in the Indian capital to officially open CallBA, the airline’s new call centre located in Gurugram, near Delhi. The centre will offer round-the-clock support to thousands of customers worldwide.

In China, British Airways resumed its flights to Shanghai in April while flights to Beijing began just last month. Beyond India and China, the airline is also operating flights to Singapore, Tokyo (Japan), Hong Kong and Sydney (Australia). Prior to the pandemic, British Airways flew to Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Bangkok and Seoul – these flights have yet to be reinstated.

“There are a lot of footprints that we would like to reestablish. We would look to add our previous gateways back into the schedule before we add completely new destinations,” said Doyle.

Even though the carrier has no immediate plans to add more destinations to its Indian network, Doyle sees the strong Indian economy paving the way for future growth of the carrier.

“Fifteen years ago, we were flying to 20 to 21 cities in the US, and today we fly to 31 destinations. We don’t see any reason why we should not record that rate of expansion in India too and increase existing frequency,” he added.

British Airways now flies to five Indian cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. The airline also flies from London to Asia-Pacific destinations 113 times a week.

Sustainability tours join Go Green SG festival this year

By Karen Yue

July 4, 2023

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Visitors to Singapore this month can join the city-state’s sustainability journey, as the Go Green SG festival adopts a destination experience angle through a collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board.

The festival, formerly known as Climate Action Week, is led by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and features a host of sustainability-related events and activities in July that are put together by the public and private sectors.

Tribe’s Zero to Hero Food Sustainability Tour offers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to high-tech waste management processes as well as a walk through lively local food markets

Gardens by the Bay offers Sustainability Garden Cruiser Audio Tours as part of Go Green SG, where visitors will ride a cruiser to get an overview of the attraction’s sustainability features through the 30-minute audio tour. The tour runs daily at 12.00.

The attraction also conducts various activities under the Nature and Sustainability Tour banner – such as a Biodiversity and Ecosystems tour that looks at diverse habitats from around the world; and a Carbon and Climate tour that reveals Gardens by the Bay’s efforts in cutting carbon emissions.

Over at resort island Sentosa, visitors can join a two-hour guided bus tour that conveys the transformation of the island’s environment, or sign up for one of many enriching SentoSights activities organised by The Untamed Paths.

Green discoveries in July are available beyond major attractions, as curious ones are also invited to wade through freshwater forest streams and learn about stream ecology; find out how Black Soldier Fly contributes to waste management; spot flying lemurs in a secondary forest; uncover Singapore’s urban farms; and more.

One of Singapore’s most innovative tour designers, Tribe, is also contributing to the festival with its new Zero to Hero Food Sustainability Tour, which takes participants to various locations to find out what Singapore is doing to ensure and secure its food supply, and how ugly food can remain useful.

Tribe’s head of partnerships & business development, Yock Song Law told TTG Asia that the tour will remain on the market as a monthly experience, even as Go Green SG concludes, and will be offered mainly to corporate groups and niche international traveller segments.

Indie Singapore Tours, also known for curating unique tours of the city-state, has developed two programmes for Go Green SG – Planting Seeds, Harvesting Culture, which explores innovative sustainable initiatives in the Henderson area; and the History Wanderers, a kayaking tour that takes participants on kayaks down Marina Bay, where they will learn about Singapore’s relationship with water and commitment to water conservation.

The full list of tours is available here.

Anjali Chandra helms as president of Travel Corporation Asia

By TTG India

July 4, 2023

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Anjali Chandra has been promoted to the position of president, Travel Corporation Asia (TCA).

In her new role, Chandra will assume responsibility for the TCA brand, while maintaining her role as managing director of global groups at The Travel Corporation (TTC).

Chandra has 23 years tenure with TTC, initially managing the Australian Groups Desk for Insight Vacations for many years before taking on her elevated global groups role based out of London in 2014.

Indian government draws up strategy to boost cruise tourism

By Rohit Kaul

July 3, 2023

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The Indian Ministry of Tourism has drafted a national strategy for cruise tourism, which will serve as a roadmap for the sustainable growth of the segment in the country.

The draft strategy aims to promote India as a preferred destination for cruise tourism – coastal, ocean and river cruises. It identifies the current challenges and focus areas, and highlights that a sub brand, Incredible Cruises in India, will be developed to better position India as a cruise tourism destination.

The Indian government’s strategy aims to promote India as a preferred destination for cruise tourism; Mumbai Harbour in India, pictured

“The national strategy will help to attract investments and facilitate the development of cruise terminals, infrastructure, and services. This will not only enhance the overall cruise experience but also attract international cruise lines to consider India as a desirable destination,” said Jurgen Bailom, president and CEO of Waterways Leisure and Cordelia Cruises.

“One of the key potential benefits of promoting India as a cruise destination is the opportunity to tap into a vast market of global travellers who are seeking new and exotic experiences. India’s diverse destinations like Mumbai, Goa and Lakshadweep have immense appeal to international tourists,” he added, sharing that Cordelia Cruises began operating a service out of Chennai to Sri Lanka last month.

As per the draft, the ministry will work with port authorities and state governments to coordinate the development of international year-round cruise terminals in order to cater to large and mega sea cruises. In addition, development of river cruise tourism around heritage sites, religious places and wildlife sanctuaries will be encouraged.

The ministry will be reaching out to international cruise liners and river cruise liners to include Indian ports and terminals as part of their route planning or for home porting in India.

Raj Singh, founder & chairman, Antara Luxury River Cruises, remarked: “A national strategy drafted by the government in consultation with the cruise industry will help resolve problems for all kinds cruises.

“Taxation, permits and licenses will become much easier to manage while safety regulation will also become much more serious. The government involvement will encourage stakeholders to come onboard and invest in making rivers, shore operations and seaports offer superior quality and safer services.”

Upcoming is the Silversea’s World Cruise in 2026 which will include stops in Cochin and Mumbai. Additionally, Costa Cruises has announced that its ship, Costa Serena, will home port in Mumbai from November 8, where it will sail from Mumbai to Goa and Lakshadweep.

IHG to launch new Holiday Inn Resort in Kasauli

By TTG India

July 3, 2023

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IHG Hotels & Resorts and AHG Hotels & Resorts have signed a management agreement to develop the 300-key Holiday Inn Resort Kasauli in India.

Overlooking a valley within the Shivalik Hills, the new hotel will be located within one of Kasauli’s largest and most prominent resort areas, offering convenient access to the city centre, prime tourist spots, and the Chandigarh-Shimla highway.

Holiday Inn Resort Kasauli will be located within the destination’s largest and most prominent resort areas; Kasauli in India, pictured

The town is also famous for its dense forests and floras, panoramic views of the snow-clad Himalayan mountains, colonial architecture, and pleasant climate.

Once opened, Holiday Inn Resort Kasauli will feature an all-day dining restaurant, lobby lounge and bar, gym, swimming pool, and a 2,300m2 meeting room.

Delhi welcomes opening of new hospitality skills training centre

PATA announces new executive board appointments

Sofitel Melbourne on Collins appoints new GM

UNWTO, G20 develop sustainable development roadmap for tourism

Travel confidence holds up for over half of Asia-Pacific travellers despite economic headwinds: Booking.com

India leads British Airways post-lockdown recovery in Asia

Sustainability tours join Go Green SG festival this year

Anjali Chandra helms as president of Travel Corporation Asia

Indian government draws up strategy to boost cruise tourism

IHG to launch new Holiday Inn Resort in Kasauli

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