MODELLED on the popular golden triangle route of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur, four southern states in India are mulling the formation of a golden quadrilateral comprising Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily on the sidelines of the 29^th annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Suman Billa, secretary, Kerala Tourism, said: “We will be working on a system for seamless travel within the four states. If the golden triangle can do wonders for (tourism in) north India, then the south needs to create a tourist circuit along similar lines.”

The four states have already come to a consensus on inter-state taxation and plan to implement a single taxation regime for tourist vehicle movement in the region.

Officials of the states involved are scheduled to conduct a high-level meeting in Hyderabad on September 14 to further deliberate the proposal and make announcements.

Kerala and Karnataka accounted for 3.8 per cent and 2.9 per cent of total arrivals to India respectively last year, putting them among the top 10 states. India drew 6.6 million foreign tourists in 2012.

Subhash Goyal, president of IATO, commented: “We are extremely delighted that the interests of all the states are now aligned. (The NTO of) Karnataka has already launched a luxury train that covers the other states. If we are able to make an itinerary covering all southern states, it will increase their share of (national) tourist arrivals.”

Added Iqbal Mulla, chairman and managing director, Treasure Tourism Corporation: “It is high time that we create a golden quadrilateral in South India. This will help to take the tourism sector of the region to the next level.”

HOTELS in Singapore are already enjoying strong bookings in the lead-up to the Formula One (F1) Singtel Singapore Grand Prix, which pulls into town from September 13 to 23 (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 22, 2013).

Lim Ee Jin, director of marketing communications of the trackside Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford, said: “Booking pace at both hotels has been noticeably strong and we expect to run full (houses) at both hotels over the race weekend, as we have similarly experienced in past years.”

She added that room rates at both hotels have been kept “highly competitive” as in past years, and rates for the F1 season take into account the 30 per cent government levy imposed on all trackside hotels. Circuit-facing guestrooms at Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford are priced from S$1,150++ (US$905++) and S$1,350++ per night respectively.

At Pan Pacific Singapore, panoramic rooms starting from S$1,100++ per night are close to selling out, said spokesperson Nathalyn Fong. “Most of the room bookings are by foreigners, and we have managed to secure more group business this year as compared to the last two years.”

Non-circuit facing hotels are riding the wave of demand as well. Mark Bulmer, general manager of Carlton City Hotel, said the hotel is “definitely picking up business for the F1 period”. Deluxe rooms at the hotel are going for S$350-$400++ per night, compared to the current opening rate of S$258++.

Austin Watkins, director of marketing, Four Seasons Hotel, Singapore, said the hotel is “nearly full” and all suites have been snapped up for the season. Rates, while similar to last year’s season, are still 20 to 35 per cent higher than normal.

According to a survey by Hotels.com, the number of searches for Singapore staycations for the F1 weekend rose 42 per cent year-on-year.

While 2013 marks the sixth year of the event, Alicia Seah, senior vice president of marketing & PR, CTC Travel, said there is still “strong hotel demand” from F1 supporters, fans and crew members. “Most of the prime-location hotels are fully booked and there is also high demand from locals who want to soak in the atmosphere of the event.”

However, GTA’s head of sourcing (Asia), Alex Tan, noted: “F1 definitely brings hotels business, but it also chases away genuine tourists who want to explore the real Singapore but are not willing to pay the extra money for their rooms during this time.”

TIGERAIR will gradually roll out flights to four new destinations renowned for their historical and natural attractions beginning October 29 – Lijiang, Chiang Mai, Langkawi and Lombok.

Thrice-weekly flights to Lijiang will take off on October 29; four-times-weekly flights to Chiang Mai and Langkawi will start November 2 and 8 respectively; and Lombok services will run three times a week, commencing November 22.

The LCC has also announced that it will boost the frequency of its Surabaya-bound flights from seven to 13 times weekly from November 15.

JET Airways is set to enter codeshare agreements with Malaysia Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Vietnam Airlines, American Airlines and Kenya Airways.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation last week green-lighted the move, for implementation over the next four to eight weeks.

Commenting on the impact of the tie-up, Anil Punjabi, chairman-east, Travel Agents Federation of India, said: “Additional codeshares will help Jet Airways tap into a larger share of the Indian outbound market, especially from Tier Two and Tier Three cities where it already flies. This segment will emerge as a booming new client base for outbound travel from India.”

Mumbai-based Amazing Vacations’ director, Veneeta Rawat, expects the codeshare agreements would also boost shorthaul travel out of India.

“Jet’s growing flight network through Etihad (Airways’ acquisition) as well as the imminent (codeshare agreements) with Malaysia Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and Vietnam Airlines will facilitate the designing of new tour itineraries in these Asian countries, which are already favoured shorthaul destinations for Indian tourists,” said Rawat.

“Outbound numbers will increase, as longhaul travel is taking a beating because of the weak Indian rupee (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 12, 2013).”

Etihad Airways is in the process of purchasing a stake in Jet Airways (TTG Asia e-Daily, December 4, 2012). The deal, which is due to receive regulatory permission this month, will see 23 Indian cities linked to Abu Dhabi.

COMO Hotels and Resorts will open its first property outside of Bangkok, Point Yamu by Como, in Phuket this November.

The resort is located on Cape Yamu in east Phuket, overlooking the limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a 20-minute drive from Phuket International Airport.

It comprises 106 rooms and private villas with ocean-facing, floor-to-ceiling windows in each room for views of the Andaman Sea.

F&B options include Italian cooking and local seafood at La Sirena, southern Thai cuisine at Nahmyaa, and healthy Como Shambhala cuisine at The Central Bar.

The hotel also offers biking excursions through nearby villages and plantations, snorkelling and diving off remote islands. Visits to a gibbons sanctuary and elephant rides can also be arranged.

Guests may enjoy other facilities such as a swimming pool; the Como Shambhala Retreat with eight treatment rooms, including one beauty treatment room and a yoga studio; and a child-friendly interactive learning area.

MINOR Hotel Group (MHG) has rebranded the Life Wellness Resort Quy Nhon to an Avani, its third resort under the brand.

The resort was acquired by MHG alongside Life Heritage Resort Hoi An earlier this year, which became an Anantara (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 14, 2013).

Situated 50 minutes from Quy Nhon Airport, Avani Quy Nhon Resort & Spa is also accessible via daily flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and by daily trains out of Ho Chi Minh City and Danang.

The resort offers a total of 63 guestrooms and suites, with rooms varying between 42m² and 48m², while suites are 51m². Rooms and suites can fit two adults and two children, or three adults with an extra bed, and come with the option of having adjoining rooms and suites.

A private island allows guests to enjoy a day out fishing, swimming, snorkelling or sunbathing, while Vietnamese cooking classes, cocktail making sessions and an orchard tour are available. Vietnamese language lessons are free.

Three F&B outlets within resort premises include all-day cliffside dining outlet Dine, poolside retreat offering beverages and light lunch options Sip, and common area Lounge which opens till late.

Other facilities include a spa, a beachfront pavilion for wellness activities, and bicycle rentals.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, MHG, said: “We are very pleased to add this third resort to the Avani portfolio. Since the brand’s launch, the first two Avani resorts in Sri Lanka have become very well established in the market there and we are looking forward to growing the brand across MHG’s regions of operation.”

Additional properties will soon join the portfolio in Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

MHG recently unveiled plans for building its footprint within Asia, Africa and the Middle East (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 6, 2013).

THAILAND is upping its game to compete with regional shopping meccas Hong Kong and Singapore by dropping the tax levied on luxury items, in the hope of encouraging spending by travellers.

According to Bloomberg, the import duties on luxury watches, clothes and cosmetics will be cut from 30 per cent to zero by the end of the year, although it will initially be reduced to between zero and five per cent for certain items.

Somchai Sujapongse, head of the finance ministry’s fiscal policy office, was reported as saying that the hasty nature of the change was to “help boost the economy this year”.

“Apart from buying luxury products, (tourists) will also buy our local products. We also hope wealthy Thai people will buy luxury items in Thailand instead of flying to Europe to make purchases.”

Areepong Bhoocha-Oom, finance permanent secretary of Thailand, said in the Bloomberg report: “The government has a policy for Thailand to be a shopping paradise. So it will reduce the tax on luxury imports to a competitive level with other (markets) like Singapore and Hong Kong.”

Thailand expects tourist arrivals to grow 18 per cent to hit 26.4 million in 2013, up from last year’s 22.4 million visitors.

TOURISM in Uttarakhand, which slumped after flash floods devastated the northern Indian state in June, will receive a boost from local and national level governments through a slew of initiatives.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 29^th annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, Uttarakhand department of tourism’s secretary, Umakant Panwar, said that major changes in the state’s tourism policy would be announced in a month’s time.

The changes would “provide tax exemptions to private players looking to invest in Uttarahkand on medium- and short-term bases”.

Said Panwar: “We plan to invest around US$151.5 million in the tourism sector with assistance from the central government and the Asian Development Bank. The government of India and the state government plan to invest around US$909.1 million in the next three to four years for rebuilding infrastructure in the state, including roads, water supply and electricity.”

The state tourism department is also planning fam trips to assure tour operators that the state is safe for travelling.

At the same time, the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board is inviting tenders for a US$757.6 million mega project around Tehri Lake, which is expected to be completed in five years. Modelled on Italy’s Lake Como, the development will comprise of adventure sports facilities, leisure activities and a township. The board also wants to promote MICE and film tourism.

According to trade sources, tourist arrivals plunged 85 per cent since the mid-June floods. The state welcomed 28.4 million tourists in 2012.

“Post-flash floods, tourists are scared to come to Uttarakhand even though only Kedarnath was affected by the natural calamity,” noted Panwar.

Commented Subhash Verma, president, Travel Plus: “There has been a misconception among travellers that the entire state is unsafe for travel. With the efforts of the government, I expect tourism in the state to revive completely in the next two years.”