During the month of January 2012, a total of 1,359 Visa on Arrivals (VoAs) were issued as compared to 790 VoAs issued during January 2011, registering a growth rate of 72 per cent. The growth excludes the nationals of Indonesia, Laos and Myanmar, for whom no VoAs were issued in January 2011. Continuing the trend from December 2011, the maximum number of VoAs issued in January 2012 were for citizens of New Zealand (360), followed by Japan (263), Indonesia (220), Philippines (206), Singapore (173), Finland (95), Cambodia (5), Vietnam (13), Luxemburg (11) Laos (1) and Myanmar (12). During this month, the maximum number of VoAs were issued at Delhi airport (737), followed by Mumbai (339), Chennai (188) and Kolkata (100). The Centre initially launched the Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility in January, 2010 for tourists of five countries - Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore. In January 2011, the scheme was later extended to citizens of six more countries - Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during January, 2012 numbered 6.81 lakh as compared to FTAs of 6.24 lakh during January, 2011 and 5.69 lakh in January, 2010. The trend of positive growth in FTAs observed during 2011 continued in January, 2012 too with a growth rate of 9.2 per cent. The growth rate of 9.2 per cent in January 2012 over January 2011 was higher than the 5.2 per cent growth rate observed in December, 2011 over December 2010. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) during January 2012 were Rs 8,623 crore as compared to Rs 5,777 crore in January 2011 and Rs 5,593 crore in January 2010. The growth rate in FEE in rupee terms in January 2012 over January 2011 was 49.3 per cent as compared to 3.3 per cent in January 2011 over January 2010. FEE in USD terms during January 2012 were USD 1,681 million as compared to FEE of USD 1,273 million during January 2011 and USD 1,215 million in January 2010. The growth rate in FEE in USD terms in January 2012 over January 2011 was 32.1 per cent as compared to the growth of 4.8 per cent in January 2011 over January 2010.

In a bid to meet its target of attracting one per cent of the total international tourist arrivals by 2016, the Indian Ministry of Tourism is looking to set up 16 new representative offices abroad by late 2012. The Ministry has invited Expression of Interest (EoIs) from agencies to establish tourism marketing representative offices in Russia, Brazil, South Korea, Sweden, Spain, Thailand, Israel, Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Iran and Switzerland. These overseas offices will be responsible for generating awareness about the tourism products and destinations of the country, promoting India as a preferred tourist destination and increasing India's share in the global tourism market.

Focus of the start-up company is leisure group travel with Asia as one of the key origin markets After a hitaus of over six years from the industry, David Babai, travel entreprenuer who founded and built Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA) and eventually sold it to Cendant in 2005 for USD 1.1 billion has re-entered the wholesale tourism business as the Chairman of a start up G2 Travel (www.G2-travel.com). Babai on selling GTA to Cendant (which later became Travelport) signed a non-compete agreement for a period of six years. In April 2011, almost on the expiration date of his restrictions, GTA was sold to Kuoni for USD 720 million. Set up recently, the focus of G2 Travel is group travel with key origin markets as Asia, Middle East, Australia, North America and Europe. The top management of G2 Travel are all former GTA staff, who have left senior positions in other travel companies to create the start up. The senior team has been carefully hand-picked for its average 20 plus years experience in business development

Commences five-city India road show in Mumbai In a bid to streamline its marketing activities for the Indian travel trade, South African Tourism (SAT) has introduced a structured joint promotion activity programme with travel trade to promote the destination on a bigger scale and more effectively. Early this month SAT sent direct mailers and published ads in leading newspapers inviting interest from trade partners to participate in the joint promotion activity programme to be undertaken till March 2013. The joint promotion will be conducted in collaboration with four selected trade partners in the first phase. SAT received 21 applications and will shortlist four and announce the same by mid-February 2012. This information was divulged by Hanneli Slabber, Country Head - India, South African Tourism on the sidelines of the road show in Mumbai yesterday, the first of the five-city annual India road show. The eight edition of the annual road show comprises of 62 South African suppliers with a total of 135 delegates and will cover Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Pune. In a bid to tap secondary markets, Pune has been included on the road show itinerary this year.

In order to bolster tourism to Pattaya in 2012, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) officials will target India, Turkey and Indonesia. Athapol Vannakit, Director, TAT Pattaya said the association as received feedback and financial support from the Pattaya and Chonburi governments, the Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter and Pattaya Business & Tourism Association to raise Pattaya’s profile in India and the Middle East and build on TAT’s 2011 efforts to lure Indonesian visitors to the city.

Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister, Maharashtra, recently indicated that the state government may share an "equitable burden" with the Centre to provide relief to the aviation sector by reducing sales tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF). "The country needs a very robust aviation sector, and a developed state like Maharashtra needs it much more than a state like Mizoram or Manipur," Chavan said, according to a report by The Hindu Business Line. "It is clear that the aviation industry is bleeding. Always, when they (airlines) come to us, they request us for lower ATF rates," he said. "The Centre has allowed them to import ATF directly, which means it has lost revenue in some way or the other," he said, adding that the State was also ready to bring down sales tax on the jet fuel. "I have not calculated how much impact will be there. In 2008, the Centre gave a huge stimulus package to re- vive the aviation industry. I think the State will also have' to share an equitable burden that the Centre is sharing. We need a healthy airline industry." Sri Lanka tourist arrivals up 15.7 per cent in January 2012

Malaysia hits record foreign tourists number but misses 2011 target to achieve 25 million tourists and RM 60 million tourists and RM 60 million in foreign receipts. The 2011 target has been reset for 2012, according to Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen today. Tourist arrivals in 2011 rose to 24.714 million from 24.577 million in 2010.

Plan to be ready by 2013; CTB to conduct destination training programmes for travel trade in major cities of India The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board (CTB) has awarded Tourism Finance Corporation of India (TFCI) the mandate to draft a Tourism Master Plan, which is expected to be ready by 2013. CTB had invited entries from interested consultants to draft the Tourism Master Plan and a total of 12 empanelled consultants participated in the bidding process. TFCI was selected after a presentation from five short-listed consultants. This information was revealed by Ashutosh Sharma, Consultant, CTB. According to Sharma, the Tourism Master Plan will help develop tourism products in sync with the natural habitat and facilitate participation of the local and tribal communities in the state. He informed that while drafting the Plan, TFCI will look into various aspects like land requirement for tourism projects and possible opportunities for projects based on the PPP model. TFCI will chalk out possible revenue streams and employment opportunities besides forecasting the impact on the GDP of the state decade-on-decade after the complete implementation of the Master Plan; It will also chart out strategies for targeting High-Networth Individuals (HNIs). “We haven’t been aggressive in attracting investments for tourism development in the state, but once the Master Plan is in place, we will know exactly 'what to promote and how to promote it'," stated Sharma. He further added, “While TFCI has given a six month time frame to draft it, I expect the final Plan to be ready in nine months to a year.” Other plans of CTB for the year include conducting destination training programmes for the travel trade across major Indian cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune. The Tourism Board recently organised a training programme in the state capital, Raipur.

The Diamond Jubilee India Travel Congress, TAAI’s 60th Convention and Exhibition, to be held in Istanbul from March 11-14, 2012, will have ‘Involve to Evolve: A New Beginning’, as its theme. Iqbal Mulla, Chairman, Convention Committee and President, TAAI, informed, “It is important to keep abreast of the latest trends and adopt them to maximise business. We have selected the theme in order to equip our members to begin a new journey and reach new heights.” TAAI will have 95 stalls in the exhibition with exhibitors from all over the world. According to Mulla, Turkey has already confirmed 50 stalls. The convention committee has put together a host of pre and post convention tours for the delegates. “A full-day trip to the various attractions in Istanbul has been organised for the spouses. For delegates, a-day trip to Bursa, a two-night trip to Cappadocia, a two-night trip to Izmir and a three-night trip to Kusadasi and Izmir have been organised,” informed N G Shankar, Treasurer, TAAI.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, yesterday opened its Manchester guest contact centre with a reception for government officials and local business leaders. Based at the Voyager Building at Manchester Airport, the guest contact centre is the airline’s first in Europe and fourth in the world. It will operate in conjunction with existing guest contact centres in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and India, according to a Brinkwire report. Manchester was chosen as the location for Etihad Airways’ first European guest contact centre after research showed the city’s population offered the optimal mix of languages and skill sets. Manchester’s telecommunications infrastructure also put it ahead of rival cities

Fiji is taking strides in attracting the China and India market. With the introduction of direct flights to Hong Kong in 2011, the visitor arrivals from China and India are growing. Elizabeth Powell, Fiji Tourism Permanent Secretary revealed that the visitors from China grew by about 6700 in 2011. It is however a 37 per cent growth when compared to 2010. The arrivals from India increased by some 26 per cent. But with figures yet to be finalised, Ms Powell said these were conservative estimates, according to a Fiji Times report. The results come as the Tourism Ministry reorganises itself to better support the industry. Powell said the Ministry had been reorganised into four units: research, product development, local ownership, strategic and investment unit and policy and regulations.

The Union Ministry of Tourism is planning to develop seven religious tourism circuits across the country. “India is home to a number of religions and there is huge scope in terms of boosting tourism to religious places,” Subodh Kant Sahai, Union Ministry of Tourism, India, said while speaking to the press today in New Delhi. The ministry will identify Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Sufi and Sarva Dharma places, according to a report by cathnewsindia.com. The ministry has taken up the matter with industry stakeholders and some Sufi exponents. It has identified 35 destinations for Phase I and will cover another 89 in Phase II. The minister said his ministry is preparing a detailed project report to identify religious destinations. The aim of the project, he added, is to facilitate a packaged tour-like experience for people who visit religious places. “We have already engaged consultants to work on these circuits and hope to engage state governments in the project,” he added.

Chennai’s second airport project may get green signal by April 2012