THE Indian government has toughened its rules for visa-on-arrival (VOA) seekers, forbidding medical tourists and media personnel from availing of the facility with effect from January.

This is likely to affect medical service providers in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the two states nearest to the Maldives. India has a separate visa category for medical tourists.

“The visa restrictions will have far-reaching consequences for Kerala as several accredited private hospitals have been approved by insurance companies. The economic implications will be felt soon,” said E M Najeeb, executive director, Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences, which treated 40,000 medical tourists from the Maldives in 2012, up from 36,000 in 2011.

Others, like the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, have tied up with Maldivian partners to facilitate medical tourism.

Air India officials said that at least 70 passengers fly daily on each direct flight from Male to Trivandrum and Bengaluru, largely for medical treatment. The Indian High Commission in the Maldives is currently processing 50 medical visas day, which is said to be less than the demand.

Some trade sources feel that the move is linked to the Maldives cancelling the contract of India’s GMR for the development of the Male airport last year.

Meanwhile, other changes to VOA are also afoot. After extending the facility to six South-east Asian countries in January 2011, plans are in the pipeline to extend the facility to several more prime source markets like Germany, France and Russia shortly.

VOA will also be issued from Kerala’s Trivandrum airport from April 1.

Padmini Narayanan, managing director of Chennai-based Akshaya India Travels, said: “This facility, if delivered seamlessly, can increase inbound tourism manifold.”

India issued 13,903 VOAs from January to November 2012, a 25 per cent growth from the 11,921 VOAs issued during the corresponding period in 2011.

YEAR-to-date arrival figures for 2012 showed a fall in numbers from Malaysia’s biggest market, but Tourism Malaysia’s office here believes there is no cause for worry even as the destination gears up for Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily yesterday on the sidelines of a welcome and farewell party for Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore directors, incoming director Noor Aine Ismail said between January and September 2012, there were 9.3 million arrivals from Singapore, a 5.1 per cent decline over the same period in 2011.

However, she believes the main reason for this drop is an administrative one. From last January, visitors to the country were logged according to their nationality rather than country of residence, effectively leaving out Singapore’s huge chunk of expatriates from the tally.

This year’s target is a three to five per cent increase in arrivals over 2012, a figure that Noor Aine feels is attainable, considering that her office would also be receiving additional budget in the run-up to VMY 2014. While the actual amount is still unknown for now, she said this would help in the organising of more activities in the market starting this year.

A new event planned for 2013 is a laksa food fair, which will showcase Malaysia’s many different takes on the dish. Consumer shows such as the Malaysia Truly Asia Travel Fair and product seminars for the trade will also continue.

“We will try to build interest in Singaporeans to go beyond common destinations like Johor Bahru, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur to places like Perak, islands off the East Coast, as well as Sabah and Sarawak. We will invite state (tourism representatives) and product owners to participate alongside us in fairs,” she said.

Formerly a deputy director in the international marketing division covering Europe, the Americas and Oceania, Noor Aine explained that unlike reaching out to those regions, efforts in Singapore would be more “mass”.

However, she noted a few up-and-coming special interest segments in Singapore that her office would be zooming in on, such as cycling trips and homestays.

Meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore outgoing director Zalizam Zakaria has been posted back to HQ.

THE Globus family of brands is set to increase its market share in Malaysia this year with the recent appointment of Kuala Lumpur-based Sedunia Travel as its GSA on January 1, 2013.

With a growing middle class segment fluent in English, Malaysia has the potential to become Globus’ largest market in Asia, said GSA business development manager Ray Smith.

According to Smith, Malaysia is currently the company’s third largest Asian market after the Philippines and Singapore, and the fifth largest Asian market for one of its brands, Avalon Waterways.

He added that Avalon Waterways, which offers river cruising in Europe, Egypt, Asia, the US and Galapagos, is primed for growth in Malaysia and would especially appeal to the baby boomers, retirees and the corporate market as river cruising is still a new product.

Avalon Waterways has introduced 12 new tours for 2013, including Mississippi River cruises as well as more themed cruises centred on food, wine appreciation and art.

Sedunia Travel’s executive director, Teoh Leng Lan, said the company would work with Malaysian travel consultants to sell Globus family of brands products through regular advertisements in the print media, product training and a fixed exchange rate that will be determined on the first of every month.

ABU Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has launched a destination promotion office in New Delhi led by Indian travel industry veteran Bejan Dinshaw and his team who will cover the entire market, with also dedicated MICE and PR representations.

“We have been getting the pulse of the Indian market via roadshows and participation in trade fairs (over the past two years),” said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, international promotions manager, TCA Abu Dhabi. “We have reaped dividends from our ‘toe in the water’ approach with India now being our second largest overseas market for hotel guests after the UK.”

From January to November 2012, 125,180 Indian guests stayed in Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments – a 30 per cent year-on-year increase – and accounted for 496,581 guest nights, a 34 per cent year-on-year rise. Indian guests stay an average of four nights in Abu Dhabi.

Al Nuaimi added that India would play a key role in assisting Abu Dhabi attain its 2013 target of 2.5 million hotel guests, and was likely to be the emirate’s largest overseas source market for hotel guests in 2014.

TCA Abu Dhabi, along with its trade partner Lama Tours, is currently leading an industry delegation on a roadshow promotion across five Indian cities, including New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. The inaugural promotion in Ahmedabad is aimed at leveraging Etihad Airways’ recently launched Abu Dhabi-Ahmedabad daily service.

TCA Abu Dhabi and a delegation will also attend SATTE 2013 in New Delhi later this month.

Said Kulwant Singh, managing director of Lama Tours, which recently opened a dedicated office in Abu Dhabi city: “The prospects are excellent with the Abu Dhabi product (segment) maturing. The leisure offering in particular will be given a major boost later this month when the much-anticipated Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi – the UAE’s largest waterpark – opens on the entertainment hub of Yas Island.”

“We see potential in the leisure sector as well as within the weddings and MICE segments,” he added.

HONG Kong’s Ocean Park has unveiled plans to launch several new attractions in 2014 and a hotel in 2016, as part of its strategy to expand the park into an integrated resort destination.

The 495-room Ocean Hotel will be built on a 17,044m² site in front of Ocean Park’s main entrance, providing convenient accommodation for guests spending multiple days at the park.

Allan Zeman, chairman of Ocean Park, said: “We are now ready to transform Ocean Park into a premier international resort destination and further fulfil our role as a major pillar of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. With the completion of the MTR South Island Line in 2015, the new hotel will also enhance Southern District’s position as a new base for travellers.”

A new shark aquarium and a koala exhibition will open in the third and fourth quarter of 2014 respectively, while the now-closed Tai Shue Wan area will be redeveloped into a water park, according to Zeman.

TTG Events has entered into a partnership with global association and event management company MCI Group to inaugurate Association Day as well as an education segment on incentive travel at all three IT&CM events in Shanghai (IT&CM China), Delhi (IT&CM India) and Bangkok (IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific).

MCI Group will lend its expertise to two half-day educational tracks. Topics focusing on incentive travel/performance improvement will be catered specifically to association buyers and corporate travel professionals. They will run concurrently alongside each other, with allocated slots for business appointments and networking with exhibitors at the event.

“Through the very nature of their job, association and corporate travel executives are isolated and have limited opportunities to interact and meet with peers who face the same strategic and operational challenges and issues,” said Robin Lokerman, president Asia Pacific & Americas of MCI Group.

He added: “MCI group is looking to educate association buyers and corporate travel executives on best practices in association and incentive travel management respectively and the latest trends in Asia during our two half-day tracks. Expect a highly interactive programme focusing on key Asian issues of immediate concern and relevance. From a keynote session to expert panel discussions of clients and round-table discussions, the different meeting formats employed will allow all participants to contribute and learn.”

Said Darren Ng, managing director for TTG Asia Media: “Association Day was born in recognition for the need of a focused and comprehensive association executive programme consisting of tailored education, networking and structured business engagement sessions for association decision makers. Exhibitors at the IT&CM events are also very eager to explore business opportunities with association buyers.”

The first Association Day and Corporate Travel education programme will take place at IT&CM China 2013 on April 18, 2013. Each Association Day is expecting an attendance of some 40 international and local association professionals.

The Association Competency Course for Professional Association Executives conducted by the Australasian Society of Association Executives and Canadian Society of Association Executives will continue to be offered at IT&CM China and IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific as part of its Association Day programme.

AS THAILAND continues to reign as the most popular South-east Asian destination for Europeans, TUI Travel has unveiled plans to shore up traffic there via a host of new direct charter flights.

Speaking at a press conference held at Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre yesterday, Peter Long, CEO, TUI Travel, said: “We are very excited by the opportunities in Thailand, which is TUI’s largest charter market, followed by India and the Maldives.”

To build on the continued interest in beach resorts, TUI Travel’s Thomson Airways will launch the UK’s first direct flight to Phuket from London’s Gatwick Airport in November 2013 on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

According to Garry Wilson, TUI Travel managing director-mainstream purchasing, sales for the London-Phuket segment had been “very strong” since commencing in November 2012, with UK customer volume expected to hit 7,000 in the first year.

He added: “We are also looking to launch direct flights from multiple points in the UK such as Manchester, as well as to other Thai destinations, with Krabi being an obvious choice.”

Meanwhile, TUI Germany is also considering direct flights from cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt and Hamburg in 2014, said Christian Clemens, CEO, TUI Germany.

He remarked: “In 2012, we sent 90,000 German customers to Thailand, the biggest longhaul destination for TUI, which also sees more repeat visitors than the surrounding countries. Phuket, Krabi and, increasingly, Khao Lak are the most popular destinations in Thailand, followed by Bangkok.”

“As one of the first tour operators in the country, going back 25 years, we have changed the Nordic market’s perception of Thailand as a backpacker’s paradise to that of a family favourite,” said Henrik Norlin, CEO of TUI Nordic, which handled 200,000 customers from the Nordic region last year.

Noting that the dominance of certain markets to popular Thai beach destinations may impact the visitor experience, Norlin commented: “Maintaining a good mix is always a challenge, so we will choose suitable hotels which do not have an overwhelming presence of Chinese or Russian tourists. Khao Lak has been gaining Nordic travellers as they move away from Phuket.”

INDIAN low-cost carrier IndiGo has temporarily suspended sales of its Delhi and Mumbai flights to Singapore even as it prepares to launch a daily Chennai-Singapore service on March 1.

IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh revealed that new flights from Hyderabad and Bengaluru were also possibilities.

“Singapore Airlines, Air India and Jet Airways operate multiple daily flights on these two sectors, which may cause IndiGo to rethink the continuation of these flights and deploy aircraft on the Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad to Singapore routes instead, where there would be more profit and less competition,” opined Rajesh Sethi, managing director, Carnation Travel Services New Delhi.

Meanwhile, travel consultants welcomed the new Chennai-Singapore service.

Padmini Narayanan, managing director of Akshaya India Tours & Travels, said: “(The new flight) will boost both business and leisure travel to Singapore. Chennai has traditionally had good business ties with Singapore, and with investments from Singapore-based firms in Tamil Nadu increasing, the flight will see high demand.”

C Nagendra Prasad, chairman of Travelexpress, added that IndiGo had a positive market reputation for on-time flights.

The airline is currently offering introductory roundtrip Chennai-Singapore fares starting from Rs15,998 (US$290).

THE Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will focus on targeting special interest tourists as well as step up its collaboration with the private sector and usage of social media in order to meet its goal of nine million arrivals in 2013.

Esthy Reko Astuty, the ministry’s new director general of tourism marketing, said: “It is quite a challenge to increase arrivals by 12.5 per cent while our marketing budget remains the same as last year’s (around US$63 million).

“Therefore, we are going to increase our social media activities and form more partnerships with the private sector. Besides that, we will continue to target niche communities and special interest tourists.”

The country is likely to achieve its targeted eight million arrivals for 2012, with figures for January-November showing a 5.1 per cent year-on-year increase to reach 7.3 million (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 4, 2013).

Astuty predicted that 2013’s calendar of high-profile events such as the APEC Summit, Miss World pageant and sporting highlights such as Tour de Singkarak and the Musi Triboatton would help the country meet its target.

Other events expected to draw visitors include international rafting along the Alas River, Tour de Aceh, a surfing festival and numerous regional cultural festivals.

Furthermore, Indonesia is also the official partner country at ITB Berlin this year. “Being a partner country, we get the opportunity to promote more (before and during) the event. Apart from the big news opportunity, we expect participants will get inbound business to Indonesia, which means increased arrivals here,” said Astuty.

Astuty was appointed director general of tourism marketing last December. She was formerly director of Indonesia tourism branding.

NEPAL secured steady 10 per cent growth in inbound tourism numbers last year even without any substantial investments in the sector, helped in part by demand from India and China.

The mountainous country recorded 598,000 inbound tourists last year, up from 2011’s 544,981 arrivals, according to Nepal Tourism Board data.

While China displayed 17.6 per cent growth, sending a total of 53,373 visitors, India still comprised the largest segment and accounted for 164,689 arrivals, an increase from 145,338 in 2011. The US sent 41,908 tourists.

Anurag Agarwal, managing director of SA Southend Travels India, said: “Nepal has been a consistently attractive and affordable holiday option for Indians in metro cities as well as first- and second-tier city dwellers.

“The hills, casinos and the cooler climate offer several itinerary options. Many corporations organise incentive tours and annual meetings in Nepal.”

Added Rajesh Arya, director of India International Tours and Travel: “Religious pilgrimages to Hindu and Buddhist sites are an added attraction. So are the soft adventure options in Nepal.”

Kashiraj Bhandari, a Nepal Tourism Board official, said: “We are trying to develop more tourist attractions apart from the natural beauty and inherent attractions of Nepal. Golfing, spa and wellness and mountain biking are becoming extremely popular and we expect our inbound tourist flow to increase substantially.”