Established 1996
Tourism Consulting
Tourism Consulting Services
Tourism sector has yet to realise its potential in India,especially,when it has so much to offer which is uniquely Indian.The Govt. is also receptive to public private partnership in strengthening and building state of the art infrastructure. and professional cadre to service the tourist. The recent initiative of visa on arrival for 43 countries is indicative of the Govt.’s resolve to move in the direction of Tourism promotion.Segments like Business,Leisure and special categories of tourism like Medical tourism,Sports tourism,Hallmark events,heritage destinations & attractions,ethnic tourismetc. are now being looked at separately with due emphasis on each category. While Hospitality sector always had large groups/MNCs players,the Tourism sector essentially has fragmented participants or smaller scale operators.Large groups,only of late have shown keen interest in multi destination presence and investing in developing virgin spots as product development initiative,Even large projects like huge convention centre at Hyderabad are drawing interest from large groups. The promotional aspect such as large special events generating huge foreign tourist on the lines of Dubai shopping festival could be distinct possibility in near future.On the domestic side Kumbh Mela is a regular feature.. The potential for development of Tourist spots like Beaches,Mountainside,Village tourism,Hallmark sports events like Olympics,Ski Resorts,Disney like Destination,Medicities,Yoga & meditation centers deserves attention from all stakeholders and realisation is there now.The intent needs to be operationalised now.
Tourism in Germany takes Off
Tourism numbers both inbound as well as internal are growing in Germany. This has been a constant theme over the last few years. A tourism consulting report provided by the DTV (German Tourism Association) has confirmed that overnight stay numbers have risen by four percent or seventeen million totaling now to more than four hundred and fifty million. The rise has been especially strong along the coasts of the North and Baltic Seas as well as Bavaria and around Lake Constance. Not all parts of the country are gaining from this boom though and they need to get their act together in order to leverage the current situation.
Source:http://www.dw.com/en/tourism-in-germany-takes-off/a-19512602
Tourism transforms long-hidden Buddhist valley in Himalayas
The Spiti Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh has long been hidden from most of the world but all that changed when the Indian government opened up the place for tourism in the early 1990s. The people here used to lead simple lives where greed was spurned and violence was condemned. The influx of tourists has brought massive changes such as economic development but also related problems. Grains and lentils not possible to grow here are now part of the diet but so are junk food items. There now are asphalt roads being constructed and flush toilets depleting or even polluting the Spiti river. Tourism consulting provided by Ecosphere confirms that the influx of foreign tourists like every year has increased again in 2016. While mass tourism has its pitfalls, the local community with help from outsiders is forging ahead with eco-tourism.
WB Tourism to promote Teresa-linked places on Internet
Since large numbers of tourists visit Kolkata for the primary purpose of experiencing the places connected with Mother Teresa, the West Bengal Tourism Department is developing a Teresa Circuit linking forty plus places associated with her within the city and the state. Redevelopment work is going on at such sites to coincide with the onrush of inbound tourists expected post the canonization programme. The Mother House, one convent on Elliot Road and a church in Darjeeling are of special importance. The government hopes to add to travel jobs post this circuit development.
Medical Tourism growing but obstacles hamper Trend in US Hospitals
American nationals traveling abroad for the purpose of medical tourism poses a threat to the long term financial well-being of US hospitals yet as of now it only represents a small amount of loss. Business research conducted by Oxford Economics confirms that this segment of the industry will grow by 25% annually but instead of perceiving this as a threat, US hospitals must embrace the opportunity. It allows for diversification as some hospitals even get foreign visitors for specialized healthcare. There are Academic Medical Centres (AMCs) where training is provided to budding doctors, and treatment at these places is much less expensive. Doctors in the USA need to develop as sense of brand appeal by marketing themselves. Also details on costs need to be transparently put up. Finally, even if some visitors do travel abroad for their surgeries, they will need reliable domestic partners for post operation recovery. Source:http://www.healthcaredive.com/news/medical-tourism-growing-but-obstacles-hamper-trend-in-us-hospitals/425343/
Global Travel spending still growing but at a slower Pace
Global spend on travel has grown by 3.1 percent which is 0.2 percent less than was predicted. These figures have been provided by tourism consulting giant World Travel and Tourism Council. In spite of the lower spending, the tourism industry has still be shielded as overall global spend has increased by only 2.3 percent. While terrorism plays a part in the comparatively lower business, macroeconomic factors play a bigger role. Those worried about safety concerns in France are making headway for Spain or Italy. The South Asian region has seen maximum growth in inbound tourism with India leading the way. Other parts of Asia are also growing at greater than four percent with China especially robust at over six percent. Latin America has seen the greatest decline. North America exactly matches global growth but Europe has seen a slight decline. Surprisingly, the UK has seen increased growth post Brexit mainly due to the weakening of the British pound.
14 Million Americans will go abroad for Medical care this Year. Should You?
With rising medical costs back home, increasing numbers of American tourists are visiting foreign countries for medical travel. As per tourism consulting provided by Oxford Economics, medical tourism is an industry worth US$ 439 billion at present. However, certain points need to be considered before making the plunge. Savings admittedly are massive. But serious risks may still arise due to language differences and standard safety practices being different in other parts of the world. There may be some unforeseen medical complications and thus specialized insurance for that must be availed. Before visiting any foreign country for this purpose, thorough homework must be done. Travelers often forget the very reasons for their travel and post recovery indulge in typical pleasurable activities which are often harmful to the body. Thorough planning must be done beforehand to avoid such cases. Before finalizing any medical travel plans, it is pertinent to consult the known doctor. There are certain alternatives in the USA which may be less expensive than the usual grind while providing good facilities. These must be considered such as those in Montgomery in Alabama.
Venice: Growing protests against Tourists
Joining the trend with fellow European cities such as Berlin and Mallorca, Venice has joined in the fray for anti-tourist demonstrations. The feeling that has now engulfed these places is that beyond the travel jobs that are created, by and large, tourism as an industry is creating more troubles in the host nations. Authorities aren’t sure who or which group created this stir for the protests. These protests were well reported in the local daily Corriere del Veneto. They took place at important tourists centres at the city such as the San Giovanni church and the Piazza San Marco.
Source:http://www.dw.com/en/venice-growing-protests-against-tourists/a-19488200
Complaints about Travel and Tourism leap in NSW
The state of New South Wales in Australia has witnessed a sudden leap in travel and tourism related complaints. The industry has been accused of violating fair trade practices. The authorities point out this surge in complaints to the fact that customers are now much more aware about their rights, though this particular upwards trend for tourism industry seems alarming. Business research conducted at the NSW Fair Trading confirms that complaints regarding the Travel and Tourism industry have surged up by more than eighteen percent which is double of last year’s and thus the highest growth for any sector.
Source:http://www.eglobaltravelmedia.com.au/complaints-about-travel-and-tourism-leap-in-nsw/
Iceland Tourism and the mixed blessings of Airbnb
Iceland has been one country that has seen a massive rise in influx of foreign tourists, yet its hospitality industry has been unable to keep pace with this growth. That is where bed-and-breakfast aggregator Airbnb has come in to the rescue. Tourism consulting provided by Statistics Iceland has confirmed that whilst there has been a forty two percent increase in hotel rooms in the country, the demand has gone up by more than six times that figure. This shortfall has to some extent been resolved by Airbnb whose numbers now indicate that nearly ten thousand travelers can now stay at any one point in the various bedrooms aggregated in the capital Reykjavik. This success of Airbnb though has not been met with unanimous applause as there have been accusations of price increase in the surrounding areas. Apparently Airbnb has even escaped paying the Hotel Tax plus a number of people who have invested in hotel properties are seeing the company as a competitor which is cutting away a huge slice.
Source:https://skift.com/2016/08/19/iceland-tourism-and-the-mixed-blessings-of-airbnb/
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