India Outbound March 2011 Paris Road Show Special

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OUTBOUNDParis Road Show Special March 2011 Vol. 3 Number 1

OUTBOUND

Paris Roadshow 2011

Paul Roll: M.D. of Paris Tourism

Patricia Barthélémy: International Promotion Manager, ParisTourism

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Editorial

A s the year 2011 progresses, the world's attention is bound to increasingly turn towards India

across various sectors of the economy. But even in the booming Indian economy few have the

same lure as outbound tourism, a sector that has been growing rapidly over the last decade,

recording average annual growth of 15 percent. While the Indian tourists are clearly looking

for newer and more exotic destinations, some well established ones are also benefitting from

this boom. Notable among them is Paris, the French capital, which is increasingly becoming a

hip destination for the Indian tourists, more so in the category of the young FITs,

honeymooners and business and incentive clientele.

Paris Tourism too has been very excited and focused about developing the Indian market and

the board has made the first week of March each year its annual date with India, when a

delegation of key officials and tourism players visit India for about a week, meeting tourism

professionals and the press in order to ensure that Paris gets its due share from the Indian

market.

Though most European destinations suffered tremendously in the 2009 and 2010 due to the

economic crisis, Paris came out very much unhurt and even growing from this crisis. As Paul

Roll, the managing director of Paris Tourism, puts it the good image that Paris has

traditionally enjoyed globally has been of a big help to sustain the market even in the difficult

situations. Paris also launched several new initiatives to keep the market curious and alive.

Having weathered the storm, now Paris is setting rather aggressive targets for the Indian

market, visualising a four fold increase in arrivals from India in the next 9 years.

The roadshow this year has some new partners and some very experienced Indian hands,

those who have already tasted success in the Indian market, while some who are just about to

begin their discovery of the Indian outbound tourism market. This figure is bound to increase

as India still counts a very low percentage of total tourism arrivals in Paris, with the Indians

numbering a small fraction of the 17 million total arrivals that Paris recorded last year. But as

the market picks up pace, it is bound to get more exciting for other tourism vendors to flock to

India. It also helps that the Indian tourists have now developed a fine taste for things very

Parisian such as French wines, cuisine, fashion etc. With this new taste in the Indian tourists,

Paris can definitely count itself in for many more years to come.

In this issue we also take you on a trip to Spain's second largest city, Barcelona. The city has

several unique facets, going beyond FC Barcelona, one of the European champion clubs. But

Barcelona is much more. It has culture, music, cuisine and a very vibrant and throbbing

Mediterranean ambience which absorbs every tourist as soon as they set their feet here.

Barcelona is avant gardist in architecture with some of the most unique pieces of modern

architecture.

4 India Outbound Paris Roadshow Special March 2011

Photo Feature: ParisCity Of Art And Life

Various sobriquets havebeen given to Paris overthe centuries. City ofLights, the Fashion

Capital, the Arts Haven et al. Thecity really has something foreveryone.The monuments, themuseums, the shopping, parksand churches. Feel the city as youtraipse through the pages.Pictures courtesy: Paris

Content

Interview: Paull Roll, ManagingDirector , Paris Tourism BoardOur good image helped us tideover the crisis.

Interview: Claude Micallef,Director Tourism, Le Crazy HorseIndia is a booming market forus.

Interview: Patricia Barthélemy,International Promotion Manager,Paris Tourism BoardLooking forward to welcomingmore Indian Tourists.

Tourism BriefParis Roadshow Partners

Barcelona: SpainMuch more than a city

India Outbound Paris Roadshow Special March 2011

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We still have the reputation of being

non-English speakingfrog eaters and so on.

But the image has improved and I think

we have been very successful in combin-

ing the traditional image of Paris withthe modern image.

“

”

To promote a truly international destination like Paris, few persons would

perhaps be better placed than Paul Roll, the Managing Director of Paris Tourism.

Roll’s career and life, too, is a truly international one. Born in Chile in South

America, Roll has been leading the Paris Tourism team for nearly a decade. His

interest in India as a potential market began nearly nine years ago, in 2003, when

he led the first ever delegation from Paris for a roadshow in India. Today,

consistent activities and promotion have more than doubled the inflow of tourists

from India to Paris. In an exclusive interview, 56-year-old Roll tells Ranvir Nayar

about how Paris is adapting to a rapidly changing world of global tourism in

order to always stay that crucial One Step Ahead.

Paul RollManaging Director of Paris Tourism

'Our good image helped us tide over the crisis'

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How did the tourism industryworldwide fare in 2010. Whatwere the new trends that were detected?

Well the worldwide tourism, Ithink, for the two years, end of 2008,2009 and beginning of 2010, it wascrisis in what is called inappropriately the developedworld the crisis was quite strongand I think for the first time ever werealised that there were other markets which until then we hadtaken as a potential markets, but actually they were no longer potential but they were there. And ifyou take Paris as a worldwide reference, then 2009, as a bad year,was not that bad at all. And if youtake 2006 as a reference point thenit was a normal year. And awkwardly enough or not, for us2010 was a good year. So if you takeit differently, one year after theworst financial crisis since 1929, wedid a very good year, probably arecord year. So business was growing, Americans were probablyhalf the highest figure that we ever

had, Japanese also were around 50per cent of the highest arrivals everand we had a very strong increase inBrazilian, Mexican, Korean, Indianand Chinese visitors. So I think thisis a new pattern and I think this pattern is there to stay.

The trends in other places. Howdid say Spain do or the US do?

There is quite a common patternduring a crisis. In a crisis, the firstsegment to suffer is the businesstravel which drops immediately andthen leisure train stops later on. Andthe first one to pick up is the business travel and the leisure takesa bit more time to pick up. So this ishow the pattern is usually and thisis how it was this time. This is as faras the global reasoning in terms ofsegments. And now if I take in termsof global destinations, during roughperiods, people go back to basics.They go back to safe destinationswhere they wont be accused of overspending or going just for atrendy seasonal destination. So theygo back to the basics. And that is a

contribution for us and that’s whywe have not suffered. Obviouslythen you have all of the other factors. We have had a bumpy ridewith the dollar, a very bumpy badride with the pound. And obviouslythe effect of the weakening of thepound is very visible for us, and theBritish visitors are down by 20

percent. The Americans, we thoughtwould be back by 2010 but it looksnow that they will only be back in2011. But overall we are confidentabout the return of all these markets. For a very simple reason

India Outbound Paris Roadshow Special March 2011 7

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Velib Stand in Paris Street

Paris Plage : In the summers, Paris becomes a beach destination!


that we never had a better imagethan what we presently have. It isprobably the good news of these last10 years that Paris has a good image. Obviously, we still have thereputation of being non-Englishspeaking frog eaters and so on. Butthe image has improved and I thinkwe have been very successful incombining the traditional image ofParis with the modern image. Thebicycles (Paris has launched theVelib programme with public bicycles for people to use to travelwithin the city) have contributed,the technology also. So I think it is avery positive thing. The last pointon how the destination has performed or evolved is, and this isnot a surprise, that we see the building up of the internet as theleading means of distribution. Internet probably represents inParis 30 percent of the total salesand that is something that is thereto go and we obviously see these giant operators coming up and wesee probably the beginning of thefight against them. Because obviously in a city where you have90 percent occupancy, if you havevisibility then someone will buy youdirect instead of paying the 20-25

percent commission. So I think allof these are the main aspects of howthings are going, but I think thebottomline is very positive and verypleasant to live in.

Which sectors of tourism faredthe best and which suffered themost? Which destinations werebest placed to adapt and howwere they able to do it?

I think during a crisis you goback to the basics. I mean travel is avery strange thing. You can not testbefore buying. It is expensive andwhen you go back the only thing youhave is souvenirs and pictures. Soobviously it is a very difficult andcrazy thing that you are selling. Butit is considered by everyone as beingas necessary as music, eating orwhatever. So that’s the positive


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thing. During the difficult periods,people don’t want to run the risks ofgoing somewhere which may bedisappointing. So luckily enough,some of us, Paris, New York, Londonand some others cities are safe, safebets. During the crisis, our pricesdropped a little bit, so it gives a second reason for coming and thatexplains why we have not sufferedmuch. Now how do we adapt to this?

I think that not so long ago priceswere contained in the catalogueswhich were printed every sixmonths. Now the prices can changeevery minute and every minutethere will be someone who will seea new price. So all of this gives us amobility of prices does give us akind of dynamism. So it is not advertising campaign, but just thefact that someone who wants to


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It is probably the goodnews of these last 10years that Paris has a

good image. and I thinkwe have been very suc-

cessful in combining thetraditional image of

Paris with the modernimage.

“

”


travel will find the right price. Lifemoves very fast. At times there aremoments of great drama. If youlook at Tunisia right now, it is goingthrough a difficult period. But I amconvinced that in 15 days, businesswill be picking up again, why because prices are there and there isalways someone who will say theprices are worthwhile indeed! So allof these is the new shape of tourismand I think it is positive for an industry, which in our case, is responsible for 12 percent of the direct employment and 20 percentindirect employment.

How did Paris fare during the turmoil and the main factors behind the performance?

I think the factor essentially behind this performance has beenthe fact that the appetite for the cityhas been building up. People want tocome to Paris because it is modern,because it is traditional. I think people want to come more and moreto Paris because of our image. I always give the same example.When you take the example of our

relationship with the Americans,but the press at times has been bad.If you consider then that Google forthe first time ever they bought advertising space for the Superbowllast year and the advertising theydid was exclusively on Paris. Don’ttake this as what it is. Paris was a reference even to the Americanswho will not travel. One must notforget that one American in fivetravels overseas. The key to our success in tourism has been

striking a balance between thosewho visit and those who live in thecity. As I always say, the cities thatare purely monumental, the deadcities you only visit them twice, firstand last, because nothing changesthere. In our case, it’s a lively city.Even for those of us who live here,there is something new always going on.

What are the perspectives for2011?

I was convinced that 2010 wouldbe the year when the occupancywould pick up and 2011 would bethe year when the occupancy wouldrise further and the prices wouldstart rising. But in fact, 2010 hadboth these elements. The occupancy, of course, picked up buteven the prices of rooms began toincrease. So in 2011, the pricesshould rise more and the occupancy should stay at a levelhigher than last year. So this bringsus back to our leading and mainconcern – that of lack of adequatecapacity in the hotels. So two yearsago, we launched along with the


Trocadero offers one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower

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Mayor of Paris a very huge programme to add capacity. Ourpriority is to add in the affordablecategory as the luxury segment isbeing fully catered to by the privatesector. So we committed ourselvesto putting on the market adequateland so as to enable the construction of 7,000 extra beds onthe city lands in the two and threestar category hotels to reach anoverall balance in supply of luxuryand affordable segments of hotels.So that is the main target for thisyear. For the rest, I think it should bea good year and rather a happy destination. You must not forgetthat in our trade, newspapers everyday have lots of news – whichcan be negative or positive depending upon the destinationand the time. So, for the time beingthe last newspaper that I read thismorning, the news was rather good.

What are the innovations thatare taking place in tourism andwhich of these have been implemented in Paris?

Probably, I think we are going

through something that is very interesting. The heaviest part of developing the industry has beendone. We have modern hotels andwe have good transportation. So, allthat has been done. What we see asan industrial evolution, but whichis not really visible outside, is themushrooming of a number ofsmaller companies dedicated totourism but not necessarily the central part of tourism, but essentially for a specific niche, like

just a specific segment of lodging,specific ways of visiting, cookingetc. Probably the biggest challengefor us is to convey all these smallthings that are taking place here andthe companies that are popping uphere to those in the outside worldwho are looking for them. We havehere in this building over 2200member companies. We have doubled in the last four years to 500-odd members the number oflittle companies that do simplethings like discovering French wineor excursions on the river Seine, oranother that covers the Louvre museum not through say Mastersthrough with subjects like food inLouvre, erotism throughout Louvre. Then we have companiesthat do tours of Paris through walking, jogging or bicycles. So allof this is happening and we need tolet the buyers outside know aboutthese developments. As the size oftourism is so big, if these people canget their information out to theright people, their business willgrow. So, we are in this post-industrial phase of our


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The Opera In Paris


tourism development, the hotels arethere, the transportation is there,and now we have development ofthese niches. I think this is the interesting aspect of what we havehere now. First people want to go tothe standard sites that they all knowabout and in their second or thirdtrip they would like to do somethingvery different. So I think the development of these small activities in tourism is a very interesting thing.

You talked of prices going up herein Paris. But the world is not yettotally out of the economic crisiscould Paris outprice itself in sucha situation?

If you take the capital cities inEurope here which are amongst themost expensive are London, Parisand Moscow. Paris, compared toLondon, is a little bit cheaper andhigher occupancy, while Moscow ismore or less at the level of Paris inprices but with lower occupancy. So,probably hoteliers will at one moment fear pushing the prices toofar. They may try to plat the card ofpushing the occupancy rather than

the room rates. But, behind this sortof very beautiful picture there areelements that the Indian tour operators have understood verywell and which allow them to findbetter tariffs in Paris. Which arethese periods? Essentially, theweekends. We have Friday, Saturday,Sunday and Monday, when the traffic is slower and that is when thehotels are more flexible with theircapacities and their prices. The restof the week is dedicated to the business travellers, who come infast and spend a lot of money andthen they leave. So that’s more orless where we are right now. I dohope that we will not go totally crazyand we will remain sensitive to whatthe markets are ready to pay for.There is an old expression whichsays that you can keep loading thesalt on the donkey’s back and it isessentially that last grain of saltwhich makes the donkey collapse.So hopefully we will be able to keepthe donkey standing.

What about the arrivals in 2010and 2011 projections?

We would have had 17 million

visitors of which just over 40 percent are French and 55-57 percent from outside France. Probably we will have an increase of2-3 percent this year. So that’s positive. There are two different setsof figures that we would watchingvery closely. One is whether theAmericans and the Japanese, ratherthe Americans more than theJapanese, whether they would becoming back. The other would befrom our new markets in which webegan working from 2003-2004, tosee whether the proportion of theindividuals from these markets hasincreased compared to the past orwhether they still continue to thedominated by the groups. Obviously that is directly linked tothe facility of having visas. It depends upon whether our consulates from all the Schengencountries as a whole will delivermore multi-entry visas for visitorsfrom these countries because thatwill make their travel easier. Because, it is clear that if you can afford everything else but you cantget your visa, then we are missingsomething here. ■

12 India Outbound January-February 2011

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Invalides: Napoleon’s Mausoleum Paris is known for its bridges and city lights


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Patricia Barthélemy, joined the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau in March 1998. She

handles markets such as Japan, India, China, Korea, and South-East Asia. Totally

different from other Asian countries, India has been a new challenge for the Paris Tourism

Board. A challenge that Patricia Barthelemy has undertaken successfully by creating a

unique network of TO, Media and other tourism professionals in France and in India in

the last seven years. In an exclusive interview with India Outbound, Patricia Barthelemy

presents the trends and the new projects that the French capital is undertaking to make

the most beautiful city in the world even more attractive for Indian tourists.

Looking forward to welcomingmore Indian TouristsLooking forward to welcomingmore Indian Tourists

Patricia Barthélémy International Promotion Manager, ParisTourism Board

As you prepare yet another roadshow in India, howhas the Indian market been faring?

This is the 9th year of the roadshow since we began coming to India and the perspectives for the future are verygood. India is the sixth largest economy in the world and wehave a regular increase in the arrivals from India, at least 10-15 percent or even more per year. Last year, we received230,000 as against 200,000 in 2009. In 2020, we expect

800,000 Indians to visit Paris, but we have been told that thisfigure would be reached by 2015 due to the rapid growth inthe outbound market from India. Unlike earlier when themarket was concentrated in Delhi and Mumbai, today ourclients are from all over India. So many cities have becomeorigin and source markets, but unfortunately, we can not goto each city in India as it is difficult in terms of time. Ourpartner Atout France goes to the other cities.

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15India Outbound Paris Roadshow Special March 2011

How has the connectivity between India and Paris?The recovery of the global aviation industry has been a

help in improving the connectivity with India. But thebiggest changes are coming from within the Indian airlineindustry. As you know better, the Indian aviation has beenbooming over the last couple of years and we have seen manymore airlines come into the picture. Even if some of them remain in the domestic market, this is important for us as itimproves the connectivity between the various cities spreadall over India and the cities that act as gateway to the overseas destinations like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangaloreand Chennai. One very big change which is happening is themerger of Air India with the domestic Indian Airlines. Thismonth the merger will be completed in all aspects and thiswould immediately put Paris within the reach of the 71 citieswithin India that Air India currently operates to.

What are the other factors for the booming Indian market?

A major factor is that there are a lot of days off in India and the school vacations are also numerous and longenough to allow overseas travels; So all this presents a goodopportunity for them to travel. What we are seeing in major destinations like Paris is that the travel periods of theIndian tourists are changing. Earlier the Indian travel season was restricted to between April and September, but

now we are seeing a lot of Indians coming in the winter aswell and this is a positive development. They like to comeand see the snow in Paris. They enjoy walking around Parisand discover all the different things and different eras thatwe have in Paris. And as you know Paris is a unique city during the Christmas season.

What are the segments of the Indian tourists and howare these evolving?

Earlier, the Indian tourism traffic was quasi-total ingroups. So these groups would come to Europe for a fortnight and spend 1 or 2 nights in Paris and do the verystandard thing – visit monuments and cabarets, go for acruise on the river Seine and go for food in the Indian restaurants. Now, the composition of the Indian travellers to Paris is evolving. Now, we have lots of FITs, ofcourse the corporate travellers and the MICE segment aswell. Another category which is becoming important is the

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Indian diaspora from the UK and other European countries.

Paris is the number two European destination just behind London and what we are seeing with the Indianclientele is that they are more and more visiting Paris asFITs and they are also staying longer and longer from 2to 3 nights and may be 5 soon!. We are also getting nowsome special and offbeat requests like wine tasting, introduction to the French cuisine, learning French language etc. Another trend is the arrival of very highvalue or elite Indian travellers. We are also seeing manygroups composed just of women tourists from India.

The MICE groups from India are smaller than sayChina. The average Indian group is only about 200-250,while the Chinese MICE groups can reach 1000 very often. The Indian MICE groups are more manageableand we are very happy to receive them.

What are your immediate objectives for the Indian tourists?

We have to work on their duration of stay in Paris. Wemust get them to spend one more night here. Also, wewould like them to shop a bit more in Paris, which offerssuch a unique shopping experience with the rich collection of world-famous brands that we have here.

And of course, we want more and more Indians to visitParis each year and we want repeat visitors.

What is new in Paris for an Indian visitor, especiallythe repeat visitor?

There is always something new happening in a dynamic and international city like Paris. There are always new spots like the Museum of Chocolate. Another novelty is centred around the L’Etoile du Rex, which is thelargest cinema theatre in Europe. They have nowlaunched back stage visits and also explanation of thehistory of cinema. Incidentally, the leading Indian starShah Rukh Khan has been to Rex and he was literallymobbed by his French fans.

We receive more and more Indian tourism professionals in France especially during the Rendezvous France etc where the representatives of 10-12 big companies representatives visited Paris in February. They also keep visiting Paris and France intheir private capacity so the Indian professionals arevery familiar with the offer of Paris.

What is your action plan for India this year?Our action plan for the Indian market has been the

same for the last many years. We have this 10-day long


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roadshow to India in the same period where we have lotsof meetings and workshops. The novelty this year for usis to plan a day trip to London to meet the large Indiantravel companies in London. This would be the newevent and held just before the World Travel Mart in London, as London is the base for the Indian market in Europe.

What is the main aim of the roadshow in India?First of all, we know that we need to meet the Indian

tourism professionals more often and that is why rightfrom the beginning in 2003, we have made it part of ourannual calendar to come to India in the same period andhold workshops and sessions with the Indian professionals. At this roadshow, we try and understandwhat the expectations of the Indian clientele are now. Itis clearly changing as FITs are increasing and we have toincrease the distribution of information about newproducts and services that Paris has to offer to thetourists.

At the roadshow, we listen to all major operators interms of what the Indian tourist wants and we try toadapt in Paris as per the feedback that we gather duringthe roadshow. The emerging markets are progressingvery quickly and the pace is increasing every year. So we


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have to pay a great deal of attention to these markets. Theseare our major efforts in our annual action. It is more thanthe plans for the established markets like US, Japan or UK.

What are the challenges for Paris in adapting to theIndian tourists? Cuisine,language?

No, cuisine is not a challenge anymore. There are a lot ofIndian restaurants which are well established in Paris

and most of the establishments like hotels etc have now vegetarian food on the menu and also many entertainment and tourism places have started serving Indian menus as well. Moreover, one more change we are seeing from the Indian side is that the younger lot is nowkeen to sample the variety of international cuisine, including the renowned French cuisine.

It is a learning process. We learn more about each othereach year. Indians know more about us each year and theyare increasingly aware about how the French live and eat. Wein France also know lot more about India and the people andtheir way of life. ■


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ACCOR : Magali Faber

BATEAUX-MOUCHES : Djamila Bpuchaada

CHÂTEAU DE CHANTILLY : Patric Allias

CITYRAMA – PARIS VISION : Giovanni Maccio

FRASERS SUITES : Xavier Lamont

GRÉVIN PARIS WAX MUSEUM : Frédéric Gouguidis

HOTEL ROYAL SAINT-HONORE : Marie Nadal

KTS (agence réceptive) : Adeline Fiani

LA MAISON CHAMPS-ELYSEES : Valérie Buttignol

PARC ASTÉRIX : Laia Massalias

PULLMAN PARIS HOTELS : Satender Dass-Arcole

SOFITEL PARIS HOTELS : Laurence Barreau

ULTIMATE PARIS : Deniel Dhombres

VOYAGES SERVICES PLUS : Raj Devas

Paris Roadshow Partners

Parks and Gardens

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ACCOR

CONTACT

With over 4,100 hotels from economy to upscale around the world, Accor offers hotel packages specially tailored to customer preferences and budgets.

Says Magali Faber, in charge of the Indian market, “This roadshow is a great opportunityto present into more details of our French properties and explain to the key Indian operators different criteria for all brands. Accor counts many different brands reaching from economiclevel with Ibis to luxury market with Sofitel - and in India, all brands are not represented so itis very important to explain the differences. On the other hand, very important to meet withclients met before in Paris or London and visit their local offices and get to know the operations team who do not get a chance to travel to Europe.” She adds, ``Accor France handles very good relationship with Key Indian players on the market for groups andMICE business. For the last few years market shares have increased and 2011 seemsalso even more fruitful. In 2011 the objective is to maintain the current partnerships,strengthen them and develop the MICE groups which are also becoming more common in India,” she adds.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• Vegetarian meals • Indian food upon request

Magali FABERTel: 01 45 38 43 24E-mail: [email protected]

www.accorhotels.com

BATEAUX-MOUCHES

CONTACT

The Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches® and all its crew are offering you their entire fleet of 15 boats: 9 cruise vessels and 5 restaurant boats as an exclusive

venue for your events providing both tradition and prestige. In the very heart of Paris.You will enjoy a breathtaking view as you travel along the most beautiful avenue inParis : the river Seine.

Says Djamila Bouchaada, in charge of the Indian market,“We expect to develop thebusiness with Indian's tourist and see our Indian partners, In fact the best way tomake a good business is to go in India and visiting the agencies, we have to listenand understand the India's expectations when they comes in France.The Indian market is very good for us in 2010, I expect to develop more the diner cruises becausemost of them come and use the sightseeing cruise to visit Paris, only a small part ofthe groups come to have a diner cruise, it will be my objective to develop this part ofclients...”

Ms Djamila BOUCHAADAIndia Sales managerTel: 01 40 76 99 82 /

01 42 25 96 [email protected]

www.bateaux-mouches.fr

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CHÂTEAU DE CHANTILLY

CONTACT

Set in 7,800 hectares (19,200 acres) of forest, the princes’ Chantillye state is one of the jewels of French heritage. Its Condé museum is proud to exhibit one of the most important

collections of historical paintings, illuminated manuscripts and precious ancient books. Builtin the 18th century, the Grand Stables house some thirty horses of different breeds. The estateoffers a daily pedagogical dressage demonstration, weekly public rehearsals and spectacularequestrian shows.

Says Patrick Allais, in charge of the Indian market, “Our expectations from the IndianRoadshow is to confirm the first contract of series signed on the Indian market for 2011& develop our incentive activities on the Indian market .We just started to develop the business for 2011, with success as we already signed in London WTM with a wellknown company.”

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA • Orientation, audio, map guide in English.

Patrick ALLAISIndia Tel: +33 (0) 3 44 27 31 67patrick.allais@fondationdechan-tilly.orgwww.domainedechantilly.com

CITYRAMA – PARIS VISION

CONTACT

Cityrama and Paris Vision are part of the Tourexcel group. They provide regular tours by coach and minivan in Paris, its surroundings and the provinces,

run by multilingual licensed guides and driver-guides for FITs and groups. Our agencies also offer Paris night tours with dinner and cruises on the Seine onboard theMarina de Paris boats (part of our group) as well as cabaret shows at the Lido, MoulinRouge and Crazy Horse Paris. Theyspecialise in creating tailor-made programmes forindividuals and groups all over France that suit your needs and interests. A newbrochure providing customised itineraries is available for groups of 4 to 55. Last butnot least, they provide walking tours, tickets for museums, temporary exhibitions, theatre and opera. Programmes and tickets are available on our website and at theParis Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Giovanni MACIOCCOTel: 01 44 55 60 [email protected]

www.pariscityrama.comwww.parisvision.com

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GRÉVIN PARIS WAX MUSEUM

CONTACT

Since 1882 Grévin has been the place to go when visiting Paris. Over 250 wax figures (celebrities from France and the world over, in today’s news or out of the

history books) await your guests for a really unique souvenir photograph, full of dazzling decor! Come and discover the Hall of Mirrors light and sound show: thisunique attraction,created for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, has fascinated thousands of visitors over the years.

Says Frédéric Gouguidis, in charge of the Indian market “The india roadshow is veryinteresting to meet partners, journalists and tour operators.We have the opportunity to present all ours news and feel the expectations of the Indian market.On 2010 we had excellent score with the Indian market.We expect to keep onincrease in 2011.”BUSINESS TOURISM• Privatisation of Grévin for special events (evenings only): showcases, press conferences, dinners, cocktails … including a tour of Grévin.PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• Direct access for groups and visitors with open tickets .• Tours guides in English, Hindi.

Mr Frédéric GOUGUIDISIndia Direct Line: +33 (0) 1 47 70 41 [email protected]

www.grevin.com

FRASERS SUITES

CONTACT

Frasers Hospitality is a world leader in 4- and 5-star serviced residences. With twodistinct properties in Paris, Frasers Hospitality is more than accommodating

whether yours is a family, pleasure or business trip. The city’s most famous avenue,the Champs-Élysées, is home to the Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Élysées, andthe futuristic La Défense district, to the Fraser Suites Harmonie.

BUSINESS TOURISM• Special rates & deals for business travellers & long stays.• Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Élysées: 3 meeting rooms full of natural

daylight and Fraser Suites Harmonie: 3 meeting rooms.• Business corner equipped with computers, printer and Internet access.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA

• Apartments with separate and fully equipped kitchen.• Indian food delivery service.• VIP invitation to La Vallée Village shopping outlet.

Xavier LAMONTDirect Line: +33 (0) 1 55 23 26 [email protected]

www.frasershospitality.com


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HOTEL ROYAL SAINT-HONORE

CONTACT

Just a few steps away from Place Vendôme, the Louvre Museum and the Palais Garnier opera house, the Hôtel Royal Saint-Honoré**** is ideally located in the

very heart of historical Paris, close to luxury boutiques and the fashion district (Galeries Lafayette and Printemps).

Says Marie Nadal, in charge of the Indian market, “I believe it is all about the personaltouch. It is important to understand their needs to better anticipate them, as well as informing the hotels back home as to how to welcome them in Paris with a littleflavour of what they would miss from home. I will be delighted to build a close relationship with the partners, providing VIP services, tailored-made experiencesand ensuring a mostenjoyable Paris stay, the first one of many more to come!”Added more, “some travellers know very well where they would like to stay at, Champs-Elysées comes first but then the Opéra area. They are looking forward to enjoying their stay the ‘Parisian way’. The Indian market is definitely to be considered as a huge potential for Paris, as long as we thrive for the best services andpersonalised attention.”

Marie NadalRepresentative for Asia-Pacific markets

Mob. : +91 9811016648 (New Delhi,

India)

KTS (agence réceptive)

CONTACT

KTS France has been a leading organisation active in the field of travel, tourismand transportation since 1952. Dedicated to quality, creativity and adaptability

in all services, we always offer the best whether it is motivating a sales team, hostinga client, livening up the corporate image of a company or launching a new product.

BUSINESS TOURISMPerformance, professionalism, availability, technology, efficiency, exclusivity, we create your event: our staff will cater to your individual needs.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• As a DMC located in Paris and operating throughout France for many years, weadapt all our services to the specific needs and requests of our worldwide clients;and we negotiate the best offers for our clientele with our suppliers. Adeline Fiani

Tel: 01 58 36 66 [email protected]


LA MAISON CHAMPS-ELYSEES

CONTACT

Ideally located close to the Champs-Élysées, between the Grand Palais and the avenue Montaigne shopping district, La Maison Champs-Élysées, future 5-star hotel,

welcomes you in an entirely redesigned location. Located in the historical building of the Maison des Centraliens in the heart of Paris, this soon-to-be five-star estate is situated at theintersection of the Grand Palais, avenue Montaigne and the rond-point des Champs Elysées

Says Ms Valérie Buttignol, in charge of the Indian market,“Meet some high contributiontravel agencies and tour operators for the Opening of La Maison Champs-Elysees.”Andspoke about the new target that is, “Opening in March 2011 new 5 star hotels.”

BUSINESS TOURISMThe hotel features 10 beautiful banqueting rooms: La Maison des Centraliens.Discover: the meeting room with its impressive glass roof, or an ultra-chic room withNapoléon moldings, parquet flooring and crystal chandeliers. Between the Grand Palais andavenue Montaigne, La Maison des Centraliens is a well-known place for Parisian receptions.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• All-inclusive minibar • Vegetarian menu

Ms Valérie BUTTIGNOLDirect Line: +33 (0) 1 40 74 64 65Mobile: +33 (0) 6 14 29 59 [email protected]

PARC ASTÉRIX

CONTACT

Welcome to the zaniest theme park! Join the Legion or watch our proud legionnaires perform feats of skill in the arena; immerse yourself in ancient

Greek mythology; put your courage to the test squaring up to the Vikings, and travelthrough time in the streets of Paris, from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century.

One of the highest roller coasters in Europe that turns you upside down seventimes.A superb mix of fun-tastic shows and wild rides all put together with Gaulishgood humour.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• Direct access for groups and visitors with tickets.

Laia MasaliasTel: 03 44 62 30 [email protected]


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PULLMAN PARIS HOTELS

CONTACT

Pullman is the leading upscale hotel chain in France. An Accor group brand, Pullman offers hotels in over 50 destinations worldwide, including 14 in France,

totalling 4,450 rooms.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• Your Indian speaking privileged contact.• English newspaper.• List of Indian restaurants available at the hotel.

Mr Satender DASS-ARCOLE IndiaTel: +33 (0) 1 41 33 72 [email protected]

www.pullmanhotels.com

SOFITEL PARIS HOTELS

CONTACT

Sofitel is the only French luxury hotel brand with a presence on five continents with 150 addresses, in more than 50 countries. Distinctive atmosphere

in each property from contemporary to traditional style. Every guest room equippedwith the “my bed” concept for a comfortable and healthy night’s sleep. Technology, connectivity, confidentiality; ideal for VIP meetings.

Says Laurence,in charge of the Indian market, “We really would like to develop the Indian market, the idea is really to maximise the opportunities of visibility and market penetration for our properties.We would like to put forward two of ourParisian properties which obtained their 5th star in 2010.”

BUSINESS TOURISM• 646 rooms, including 95 suites.• 15 meeting rooms – 2 board meeting rooms – 2 reception rooms.• 1 sales contact for each establishment.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERINDIA• Vegetarian dishes in all restaurants.

Ms Laurence BARREAUIndiaDirect Line: +33 (0)1 45 38 18 77Mobile: +33 (0) 6 84 33 56 [email protected]



ULTIMATE PARIS

CONTACT

Ultimate Paris is a French luxury lifestyle company offering unique travel experiences, tailor-made for individual clients’ expectations. With 20 years

experience in the luxury retail industry and a sound knowledge of dealing with VIPcustomers, we offer tailor-made, once-in-a-lifetime adventures in Paris to our highlydiscerning guests.

BUSINESS TOURISM• Ultimate Paris Corporate offers exclusive services to companies and their top executives. Board meetings, seminars, conventions: for all these corporate events weset up a veritable customised concierge service.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• VIP and personal shopping service provided by a multilingual team.• Half day and full day shopping at La Vallée Village with a personal stylist.and roundtrip transfer in a chauffeured private car.• Complimentary consultation to create a tailor-made shopping afternoon.• Recommendations for the best vegetarian restaurants in Paris.

Daniel DHOMBRESIndiaDirect Line: +33 (0) 1 73 02 04 26Mobile: +33 (0) 7 60 32 62 [email protected]

www.ultimateparis.fr

VOYAGES SERVICES PLUS

CONTACT

Created in 1987, Voyages Services PLUS (VSP) is an incoming travel agency specialist in France. If you are in search of a DMC that can help with all your

requirements for France, FIT & Groups then we offer hotels, restaurants,transfers, busservices, excursions, etc. throughout France. Everything is possible with VSP inFrance; all you have to do is ask.

PARIS COMMITTEE SPECIFIC OFFERSINDIA• Special offers.• Minimum stay 2 nights, all clients from the PCVB will benefit from a complimentary breakfast and a special gift.

Mr Raj DEVASIndiaDirect Line: +33 (0) 1 44 63 14 [email protected]

www.vsp-incoming.com

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City of Art and Life

Various sobriquets have beengiven to Paris over the centuries.City of Lights, the Fashion Capital,the Arts Haven et al. The city reallyhas something for everyone.Whatever be your interest in life,you are sure to find some of thefinest glimpses of that here inParis. In this photofeature, webring you glimpses of the best thatParis has to offer to a tourist oreven the residents. The monuments, the museums, theshopping, parks and churches. Feelthe city as you traipse through thefollowing pages.



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Opera Garnier

Pont Alexandre III

Eiffel Tower

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Arc de Triomphe



It is definitely one of thebest preserved cities in theworld. Paris has a range ofexquisite monuments, several of them rangingfrom the 18 and 19th centuries but maintained sowell as not to show their realage at all.

Assemblée Nationale & Invalides

Pont Alexandre III bridge

Tuileries Garden

Bastille

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Saint Eustache Church

Saint-Eustache Church

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Sainte-Trinité Church



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Sainte-Trinité ChurchSaint Germain-l'Auxerrois Church

Saint Germain-l'Auxerrois Church

Sainte Marie Madeleine Church

Paris also boasts of some very unique churches. Thecity skyline is dotted with spires. Notre Dame is ofcourse the most famous of the Parisian churches, buthere we take you to some others which are all marvelsof architecture.



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Few other cities around the world have as many museumsas Paris. The city has a museum for everyone. From the classic Louvre, Orsay, or Guimet, to exotic ones like PerfumeMuseum, Wine Museum or the majestic Grand Palais. Onecan spend months exploring the museums here with theirfantastic exhibitions that attract millions of visitors.

Musée d'Orsay

Musée de I'Orangerie

Musée de I'Orangerie

Musée du Louvre

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Espace Dali

Espace Dali

Musée de Louvre

Musée de l'Orangerie



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Jardin de Luxembourg

Jardin de LuxembourgParc de Bercy

Jardin des Tuileries Bois de Boulogne

Gar

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Paris has over 500 gardens. For a city that is as small as Paris, this means thereis a garden everywhere. Some of the gardens are very historic like the Tuileriesor the Luxembourg. In spring and summer the gardens become the favouritespot for the residents and tourists alike to take a breath of fresh air in themetropolis.

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Parc Floral de Vincennes

Jardin d'Acclimatation

Jardin de Luxembourg

Parc Georges Brasseus



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With a collection like Place Vendome, Champs Elysees orGrand Magasins, Paris is a shopper’s paradise. The city is ofcourse the best place to shop for products like perfumes,luxury goods and accessories, wines etc. The city also offersgreat bargains during the biannual sales that see most shopsdrop prices by up to 70 percent. Good time for bargainhunters of all kinds.

Louis Vuitton flagship store on Champs Elysees

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Crazy Horse

Jardin Tino Rossi

Moulin Rouge

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Opera

Crazy Horse

Lido de Paris



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Paris is known as the City of Lights and justifiably so as the city is lit beautifully roundthe year. But no other time is as magical and asmesmerising as the lighting for the Christmasand New Year period when the entire city is decorated with some of the most beautiful lighting that you can get to see. A reason enoughin itself for a tourist to visit Paris and enjoy thecreativity not just on the streets and buildingsbut also in the shop windows!

Hôtel de Ville


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Claude Micallef is an old India hand and knows India pretty much like the back of his

hand. The Director (Tourism) of Crazy Horse, the famous Parisian cabaret, has been in

touch with India for over 25 years. From 1985 to 2007, he worked at another Parisian

entertainment landmark Lido where he developed extensive contacts with the Indian

tourism professionals. He put his Indian connections to very good use at Crazy Horse

where thanks to his network the Indian turnout has increased manifold in the last three

years. In an interview, Micallef outlines the exciting plans that Crazy Horse has lined up

for the year 2011 for the visitors, especially the Indian clientele.

Claude MicallefDirector Tourism, Le Crazy Horse

How successful has Crazy Horse been in attracting Indian visitors?

Before I joined Crazy Horse in February 2007, there werenot too many Indians visiting the cabaret, perhaps due to thelow penetration of the brand in the Indian tourism market.When I joined, I brought the relationship and the trust of theIndian tour operators that I had built up during my 22 yearsat the Lido. I was able to convert this relationship in a veryfruitful manner and was able to convince my Indian associates and collaborators to sample Crazy Horse forthemselves and their clients. And the result was very astounding, even for me. In the space of three years, the

number of Indians visiting Crazy Horse has increased nottwo or three times but a very significant multiple. In the year2010, we received a total of over 2000 Indians, which is a veryhigh and satisfying achievement for me personally andCrazy Horse as well.

What was the main challenge that you faced in gettingso many Indians to visit Crazy Horse?My first and principal challenge was in creating the brandawareness of the product and the uniqueness that it has. Ihad to convey this uniqueness to the tourism professionalsas some of them see all the cabarets as being the same thing.

India is a booming market for us

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But once they saw the show at Crazy Horse it was not difficult for me to get their clients as the Indians love thedances that we have and the attraction to visit our show wasa natural one.

What are the special events or activities that you haveplanned for the year 2011?The biggest attraction for 2011 is that we are celebrating our60th anniversary this year and we are planning a series ofevents to lead up to the grand celebrations of the anniversary towards the end of the year. So in mid-Octoberor so, we will have several global celebrity guests at the CrazyHorse. A new number will also be created by a very famouscomposer but I can not reveal details as we are about to signthe contract.

What kind of Indian clientele are you targeting? Anyparticular segment that is specially likely to visit?We are targeting a broad segment of visitors from India. Thisis a show that any Indian will love. And not necessarily onlythe elite tourists but also the middle class persons. However,there are some focus areas. Principal among them are theHoneymooners, businessmen, couples, really anyone wholooks for a quality show. We are not competing with Lido andMoulin rouge as our show is different and it has its own personality. Indians come to the show for the quality, not justthe middle class, but we are open and attractive to anyone.

What is your marketing and communication strategyaround the world and especially in India?Our marketing and communications strategy is very simple,direct and action oriented. We basically aim to promoteCrazy Horse through workshops and sales calls in various

key markets around the world and that of course includesIndia. We also organise some very focused events that arekey to a market like India. For instance, in 2010, we had organised a fashion show by the reputed Indian fashion designer, Manish Arora. He had come to see our show andhe liked the place so much that he decided to hold a fashionshow here and this was a very positive and strong event forour marketing and communication in India.

Which are the principal target markets within India foryou?I will be visiting India again in October or November. I don’tgo only to Mumbai or Delhi but also to other cities which arebecoming important sources of business for us. The Capitaland Mumbai are important but the business is everywherein India. Even people from the smaller metros and towns aretravelling now and will be keen to visit Crazy Horse. ■

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Ba r c e l ona : M y s t e r i o u s A l l u r e

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Much more than a city


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The second largest city of Spain is

known for several things around

the world, not least its extremely

popular football club. But as

Charles Isabey discovered during

long stay in this Mediterranean

jewel that Barcelona has several

facets, each more mysterious and

exciting than the other.



It’s evening in the Rambla. The tourists move aroundnonchalantly with ice cream in their hands. Their facesstill bear signs of having been out all day in the hot sun.Life is soft, almost well rounded, falling softly on this citywhich is like a piece of muslin cloth bordered by theMediterranean. How does one describe this compositeand cosmopolitan city? Make a list of do’s and don’ts? No,of course not. Rather, offer you three moments, threeclichés about Barcelona, while mentally trying to put inwords the amazing sensations that this bubbly cityarouses.

An Afternoon in BarcelonetaWhen we say Barcelona, we think beach and quite

correctly as the city is located on the coast of the Mediter-ranean between Costa Brava and Costa del Sol. At theBarceloneta, I descend from the metro to find myself onthe edge of this neighbourhood, which was earlierknown as the workers’ quarter, wedged between the bayand the sea. The access is through alleys so narrow thatit prevents the sun from shining on them and drainingthe coolness that prevails there. In the scorching summer of Catalonia, it feels good to find a refuge in theshade and to get rid of the stress generated by months ofhard work that preceded my visit to Barcelona.

To leave one’s worries outside the area like a weightthat one is happy to get rid of. The Barceloneta is a bit likethat; an antechamber that makes you oblivious of the

everyday life. The sky seems to be burning in parallelbeams above the buildings whose perspective from hereplunges you into the abyss of something different. The balconies of these buildings are full of assorted trinkets,using granaries or dustbins to stock anything. On the upper floors, white sheets are hung over the windowframes and over the railings to prevent the hot summer sunfrom battering the interiors of the homes. As wind blows,it makes these sails come alive, clinging to these immobileboats, just like an echo of those who cross a short way away.It is a flying pavillion decorated with the mosaic of household linen drying at the windows, pretty much likenuggets of intimacy exposed publicly. A rather simple lifethat shows itself without prudence to the streets and thepassers-by; underwear juxtaposed with apples.

Then, at the corner of a street, a pub calls attention toitself, inviting me to take a break to enjoy this break in


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the summer. While the cold beer I ordered arrives at thetable, I look around and there appears, at a distance, thesea. It may be far away, drowned in the perspectives ofthis neighbourhood, but it is there. At the end of this tunnel, the blue of the sky merges with the blue sea. Attimes, the sea air, loaded with salt, comes in and this is acall for the feet to go the end of the street, out of this coolcocoon and to go and join the tumult of the touristsflocking the beach.

On the beach, naked bodies are spread out under theblazing sun, contrasting sharply with the haven of calmwhere I was just a while earlier. Barcelona is also a permanent contrast in the form of a sensory slap whichconstantly renews itself to surprise you at every corner.Backs reflecting the sun are spread out all so that beachlooks as if covered with scales, a kind of a lazy, big fishthat prefers to spread out in the sun rather than goinginto the sea that is just in the front. There is a perfectmelange of all these crisp scenes. There are boys who puton display their muscular bodies while playing frisbee.There are much younger boys building sand castles nextto sunbathing younger women with perfect bodies.These are the families of the warriors of the beach,armed with their beach umbrellas and coolers. In themidst of all this, there are vendors selling everything under the sun, screaming about the wares for anyonewho may care to listen.

A Stronghold at the base of Montjuic

On Thursday, after work, I began to wander aroundthe streets of Raval. It has not been for long that I havebeen living in Barcelona but the reality of the city is discovered only by walking its streets at will, nose up inthe air and the eyes wide open. The weather is rathermild as the hot hours have yielded place to moments


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better suited to walking around the town. The twistedand rather filthy streets of the Raval are linked to form achain and at times one comes across these evil faceswhich one does not wish to come across in the middle ofthe night, because Raval has been getting a lot of badpress for drugs and prostitution.

The neighbourhood leads me to a big avenue, but itis another small lane on the other side of the avenue thatattracts me. We are the foot of Montjuic, the fortified hillwhich dominates the city, with its beautifully landscapedparks. Ahead, this lane rises slowly and it is an invitation.The ocher facades reflect a surrealistic light, literally aglittering golden.


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Halfway on this road, another road catches my atten-tion. Its name may not mean anything to me, but it hada warm and welcoming look. Here some children wereplaying football and although they were few, but theechoes of their voices on the walls gave a feeling that theywere much more numerous. Passing these players on the

grass, my path suddenly opens up into a small square.The name is a magic formula or rather does it have something beautiful, a lyrical sound that traps thewalker, lost in his thoughts.

Plaza del Sortidor, Sortidor as the fate that descendson you late in the afternoon to reveal a piece of paradise.Sortidor as a mysterious art that evokes the charms andthe choice. A small terrace with small trees offers a perfect stop and I was very hungry and very thirsty. Therestaurant is an old one with an art-nouveau style indark wood studded with old souvenirs and press clippings. The restaurant manager is sitting behind herbox while I order.

Settled there under the trees with a backdrop of a twilight sky that even the Fauvist painters could not haveimagined, my beer tasting like an elixir prepared by a


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magician, each mouthful leaves me a little deeper in mythoughts disturbed only by the sounds of leaves and theloud voices of children still struggling with their footballgame. Barcelona infuses, lets its magic and charm workon me. One of serendipity and of small pleasures stolenfrom everyday. The charm of a generous city that givesitself entirely and the best of her, without any false prudence, to all who can embrace her.

5 pm, on a Saturday eveningin November

On the whole, a normal day. Normal and beautiful aswell. It is five in the afternoon and the autumn sun spitsbursts of gold on the facades of modernist buildings.This symbolic gesture which disappears gradually givesthese buildings a look of the Great Century, an old sepiaphoto. There blows a soft wind of nostalgia, deliciousand nostalgic because it is hooded in bitterness and sad-ness. The wide avenues and streets, spread out at each intersection with a lot of different perspectives, at theend of which arise views of the Tibidabo Hill or the Divine Sea.

The traffic now is very thin, unlike the crowded anddusty scenes that dominate the city otherwise. The activity is suspended, as if the city was prudently holding back its breath, suddenly repenting its normalattitude of giving away without any limits. The slight descent of the Enrique Grandos road makes my way easier, carries me, invites me to wander and to make myself available to life. Simple scenes of everyday playout on the roads and one can only look in amusement at


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what is happening around. An improvisation of life itselfbut which is ignorant while you are the privileged one.Privileged of what? Difficult to say. Perhaps of a lot whichis given bit by bit.

I turn left to Corsega road to continue my path. Thereare several intersections with sharp angles. This peculiarity is due to an architect who had the idea of abolishing the right angles on the streets, to make themin diagonals in order to improve visibility at intersections in order to avoid accidents. All around arethe 19th century facades, divided in homogenous blockslike the American cities so that the identification of theseneighborhoods is always easy.

After a walk of barely quarter of an hour, I am suddenly surprised by the Sagrada Familia. This landmark church of Barcelona, whose construction wasstarted by the architect Gaudi in the last century and isstill under construction, is a crazy wonder with its eightarrows and its organic columns, reminding of the exoskeletons of the insects. The milky white stone diffuses pure light whose nuances on the reliefs give asensation of vertigo. The sounds of the hammers of thestone workers and create a strange metallic sound in thiscrystallized and airy atmosphere.

For a few euros more, a lift takes you up in the towersof the edifice. As the sun sets, Barcelona and its terracedroofs are transformed into a jumble of orange, red andgold, while beyond the buildings on the horizon of thesea, a violet veil climbs slowly as the sun disappears. After about 10 minutes of this spectacle, all that remainsis a clear and darkening sky that proudly displays all thecolours of the spectrum. This semi-darkness that prevails is the characteristics of the long summerevenings, when it is enjoyable to be out on the terracesof the several cafes that line the roads of the city. With thearrival of the night, Barcelona puts on its alluring lightsone by one and a mysterious atmosphere climbs slowlyacross various parts of the city, pretty much like an invitation to discover. ■



PATA 2011 awards out

The Pacific Asia Travel Association(PATA) has announced the winners ofthe 2011 PATA Gold Awards. Theseawards have long been proudly supported and sponsored by theMacau Government Tourist Office.This year, the awards recognise theachievements of 21 separate organisations and individuals. Therefore, the year 2011 sees 26 PATAGrand and Gold Awards presented,with multiple awards going to KeralaTourism as well as the Ministry ofTourism, Government of India, andTourism Australia. The awards ceremony will take place on Monday,April 11, 2011 at China World Hotelduring the PATA 60th Anniversary andConference, Beijing, China. PATAGrand Awards are presented to outstanding entries in the four principal categories: Marketing, Education and Training, Environment, and Heritage. This year,the Grand Awards go to Accor Asia Pacific, Singapore, for Education andTraining; Kerala Tourism, India, forEnvironment; Galle Face Hotel, SriLanka, for Heritage, and Tourism Australia in the Marketing category.Says Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, director, MGTO: “Our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners onreceiving the Grand and GoldAwards." The winning entries thisyear have established another ben

chmark of excellence, innovation andadvancement in the responsible development of travel and tourism. Weare also honoured to be the sponsor ofthe PATA Gold Award for the 16th consecutive year, especially whenPATA is celebrating its 60th anniversary; a remarkable milestonethat reflects PATA’s exceptional contributions and achievements in thetourism industry.”

Record turn out for 30thASEAN tourism forum

The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Tourism Forum 2011 (ATF2011) – SoutheastAsia’s longest-running annual leisuretravel trade event – drew recordcrowds from 15 to 21 January at Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center in Phnom Penh,Cambodia. The event attracted some1,600 heads of National Tourist Organisations (NTOs), Tourism Ministers, travel suppliers,

international buyers, media and otherglobal tourism professionals. Meanwhile, ATF TRAVEX 2011 (the

adjoining B2B travel fair that tookplace from 19 to 21 January at thesame venue) featured over 500 booths

from the 10 ASEAN countries and welcomed over 440 international buyers, as well as some 150 international media delegates from 32countries. The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) boothgreeted hundreds of visitors over thethree-day event, and celebrated the re-launch of its consumer travel website www.ExploreMekong.org, aswell as hosted a reception for thelaunch of Yunnan Mekong Travel, anew bilingual (Chinese-English language) magazine covering theGMS. The ASEAN Tourism Conference(ATC) – the educational side of ATF – took place on 19 January with aspecial focus on ecotourism to discussresponsibility to foster sustainableASEAN destinations. At the close ofATF2011 the event torch was passed toIndonesia, who will play host to theATF2012 (www.atfindonesia.com) inManado, the capital of North Sulawesiprovince.

TAT to launch stopover campain

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has revealed plans oflaunching ‘Amazing ThailandStopover’, a seven-month campaigntargeted to attract more transit andstopover tourists to Bangkok. The newstopover campaign is set to be

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unveiled at ITB Berlin in March 2011and run until September of this year.The campaign aims to increase transit tourists stopping over inBangkok and convert these stopovertourists into extended-stay tourists.Suraphon Svetasreni, governor, TAT,said Asia as having said that they arehoping to attract at least 10% of thesetotal transit passengers to take advantage of their special campaign,persuade them to take ‘appetiser’tours in Thailand and then enticethem to return for a more extended‘main course’ visit to Thailand later.TAT has provided stopover tours inthe past but mainly for tourists transiting at the Bangkok airport forless than 24 hours. This new campaign will offer longer-staystopover packages and assist thosewho plan to change flights at the airport in Bangkok and create packages that would fit their travelschedule.

South African Ttourism ROADshow in India

South African Tourism, in association with South African Airways, has hit the road with themost exciting road show undertakenby a tourism board in India. The annual event, year on year has offeredtheir Indian channel partners, an innovative opportunity to get acquainted with the most populardestinations and activities thatSouth Africa has to offer to the Indian traveler. Currently in its 7thyear, the road show has gained popularity not only with local delegate participation but also participation from South Africa, withrepresentation from 29 leading travelpartners in the travel & hotel industry. A true blue mix of tradepartners from India and South Africawill meet on a single platform to interact and identify mutually beneficial areas for cooperation thisyear! The road show comprises ofseveral destination presentations bythe board and delegates participating from South Africa, whovia a conversation will brief morethan 1200 representatives from thetravel and tourism industry in India.The success of the previous roadshows have set a precedent with theIndian market who are already quitewell versed with tourism in SouthAfrica and the USPs directly from themany brands that participate every

year. This includes the best in sportstourism to the toughest golf coursesglobally and luxury private gamelodges to merge the best of adventureand indulgent holidays. The boardhas expressed deep gratification inthe growing air traffic numbers fromIndia and the interest garnered fromthis market. Accordingly, a numberof initiatives to engage the industryon a B2B and a customer level regularly have been initiated, chiefamongst them being the ongoing“Learn South Africa” module that isfull day training and customized familiarization module intended ateducating travel agents across keymarkets in India.

Chinese tourists on New Yearshopping spree

Oxford Street is anticipating ashopping spree from Asia as Chinesetourists celebrate the lunar new yearby snapping up luxury brands. Although the Chinese new year is traditionally a time for families togather at home, a burgeoning middle

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class has the money and inclination totravel. Increasingly, the wealthy are using the holiday to get away, and Chinese tourist numbers are set todouble by 2014. In London, Chinesetourists make a beeline for the high-end shops. Wang Yanming, a Beijing publisher, is typical of the affluent visitors arriving in the UK. "Ihave always wanted to go to the UK. Itis a beautiful country with a long history," said the 32-year-old. "I did alot of shopping, because it was somuch cheaper. In outlets and factoryshops, the prices for brands likeBurberry, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood and Ben Sherman were incredibly low. For some of them theprice was not even half of that inChina." In all, she spent about 20,000

yuan (£2,816) on bags, clothing,shoes, souvenirs and chocolates – andanother 15,000 yuan on designerhandbags that three colleagues askedher to buy for them. The pound haslost about a third of its value againstthe renminbi in the past three years,adding to Britain's attractiveness as aholiday destination. "Stores such as

Burberry and Selfridges now haveChinese speaking staff assistants tocater to the huge number of Chinesecustomers," said Jonathan De Mello, aretail analyst at the CB Richard Ellisconsultancy. "Chinese workers taketheir holidays at the same time. Theycome here on tour groups, everythingis done for them. They are taken toshops in the West End where they feelobliged to buy something. It's very lucrative for both sides. They are thenew Japanese." De Mello said shoppers from mainland China andHong Kong account for about 30% ofthe luxury goods market in Britain, followed by Russians, Arabs andJapanese, with British shoppers making up only about 15% of the purchases. ■


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Date of publishing No. 6: March 2011

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India Outbound March 2011 Paris Road Show Special