Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 - (Page 27)

A tourism boom sounds loud and clear BY MARK ROGERS AGENTADVICE Pallavi Shah, chairperson of New York City-based Our Personal Guest, was INDIA IS ENJOYING the fruits of its ultra-successful “Incredible India” promotional campaign, and is welcoming additional visitors as new flights from the U.S. carry leisure and business travelers to the country. Tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of 2007 totaled 4.4 million; that’s up 12.7 percent from the same period in 2006. raised and educated in India and returns to her homeland on average three times a year. The passionate Shah has also been tapped as an actress, most recently appearing as one of the “aunties” in Indian director Mira Nair’s Hollywood feature film The Namesake. “India is much larger than people realize—it’s about the size of Europe, and just as varied,” says Shah. “India is many different cultures, and it’s a mistake to think you can do India in one trip.” She says the country can be best managed by dividing it into four sections and taking two weeks for every section visited. Shah breaks it down this way: (1) “Most people will want to see the Taj Mahal, so it will be necessary to fly into New Delhi. They’ll also want to visit Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra. This is the India people fall in love with.” (2) “South India is less touristy and doesn’t have the quality of hotels you’ll find in the north, so if your clients are planning more than one trip to India, suggest they start in the south—that way they’ll be pleasantly surprised by the level of hotels in the north.” (3) “Now they’re ready for the southern tip of India and old Madras [Chennai].” (4) “The fourth trip is the mountain states to the north and the Himalayas.” Shah has a trio of hotel brands she goes back to again and again. “I like the Oberoi properties, especially the villas,” she says. “The Delhi Imperial Hotel is world class—one of the best hotels in the world—and I like the ITC Sheraton Luxury Collection properties.” For clients looking to keep their costs down, Shah recommends the Welcome Heritage brand of hotels, which are less expensive but appealing because they are in historic buildings. Hotels Three New Delhi properties in the Claridges Hotels & Resorts (www.claridges.com) portfolio have just joined WORLDHOTELS, becoming the first in India to join the marketing and reservations network. The Claridges, New Delhi is a 137-room, low-rise Art Deco hotel set in three acres of gardens, close to the business district, diplomatic missions, shopping and cultural centers and historical landmarks. The two other Claridges hotels in WORLDHOTELS are side-by-side in the upcoming commercial area of South Delhi. The Atrium Hotel & Conferencing, Surajkund (www. atrium-hotels.com) is a four-star business hotel; The Claridges, Surajkund is a 204-room luxury hotel still under construction and scheduled to open next September. The Claridges Suite is one of The Claridges, New Delhi’s popular picks. It boasts not only a bedroom and living room but also a powder room. The living room’s separate living, dining and work areas make it a good choice for clients entertaining business guests. Both the bedroom and living room have interactive plasma TVs. Club Rooms here also garner many requests, especially by corporate clients. These accommodations have a large bedroom and a separate sitting area containing couches, a coffee table, interactive plasma TV, wireless Internet connection and work desk. These rooms might suit your business travelers or clients traveling with their brood—they are large enough for small business meetings and are the preferred choice for families. The Claridges Rooms and Claridges Suite have picture-perfect views overlooking the CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 Oberoi Rajvilas suite January 7, 2008 TravelAgent | 27 http://www.claridges.com http://www.atrium-hotels.com http://www.atrium-hotels.com

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Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: Top Hotels in the Czech Capital, Prague Europe News & Notes Pacific/Asia: India's Tourism Boom Hawaii Spas: Send Your Spa-Loving Client to these Havens of Relaxation in the Islands Hawaii Briefs Las Vegas: Restaurants are Taking Center Stage as Vegas Becomes a Destination for Foodies California: San Diego, La Jolla and Coronado Offer a World of Options Close Together Ski/Snowboard: Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Canada New Orleans: Hotels for All Types of Travelers and Can’t-Miss Events to Consider Central & South America: Selling Santiago, Chile Caribbean & Bahamas: The Reef Atlantis, Cape Eleuthera Debut in the Bahamas in Time for the New Year Caribbean News & Notes Cruises: Onboard Enrichment Programs Grow as Cruisers Seek to Work on More than their Tans Cruise Lines Expand the Variety in their Shore Excursions with Special Activities and Adventures Cover Story: A New Era for Classic Luxury Travel Expo & Home Based Travel Agent Expo: Photos and a Recap of the Events Rail: Company Books Private Train Trips Agent Profile: Dave and Christa Krick, Advantage Cruise & Travel in Northern California Technology: XML Enhances Sabre and Amadeus Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Onsite Reports from Queen Victoria Christening and Marriott Headquarters Funjet Vacations NCL’s New Ship, Norwegian Gem The African Country of Djibouti In the Spotlight Editorial Index Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - January 7, 2008

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