German City Promotes Cultural Exchange with India

E d i t
Global DestinationsMar - Apr 2018 1
Dear Friends
Having been to many global travel shows right from WTM, London to IMEX,
Frankfurt to ATM, Dubai and PATA at numerous locations, ITB, Berlin still fascinates me
– for its sheer size and variety that they are able to bring to its visitors. From just 9
exhibitors from 5 countries in 1966 the show today attracts 10,000 Exhibitors from 180
countries. Like every year this year too over 160 Indian exhibitors will be exhibiting at
this global event. This will include Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, several
state governments, hotels and resorts, IT providers, tour operators etc.
We have previewed ITB, Berlin the largest and grandest travel industry event that is
all set to open its doors with 10,000 Exhibitors from 180 countries from 5 Continents
spread over 160,000 Square meters.
One of the most successful solo hotels that I have ever come across is the Express Inn
Nashik. Its success story can be a case study. When the largest hotel in Nashik was a Taj
group hotel with less than 80 rooms, Narayan Shelar, CMD, Express Inn had the courage
to dream of a 200 room hotel in Nashik. While some laughed and some poked fun about
its feasibility, today standing tall in all its grandeur is Hotel Express Inn, a business luxury
hotel that has created a niche for itself. Taking the reins of its operations is a dynamic
youngster of just 27 years - Vikas Shelar, Director, Express Inn, Nashik. With an MBA in
Finance he has made sure the hotel not only runs profitably but also adheres to the basic
principles of Indian hospitality ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. We had the pleasure of interacting
with this pleasant and innovative director on the salient points of the property.
When we decided to do a focus on World Heritage Sites we felt it was a great
opportunity to have an e-interview with none other than Dr. Mechtild Rössler, Director,
Division for Heritage & UNESCO World Heritage Centre. An expert in both cultural and
natural heritage and with a degree in cultural geography from Freiburg University
(Germany) and a Ph.D. from the Faculty for Earth Sciences, University of Hamburg
(Germany), she has published and co-authored 13 books and more than 100 articles. In an
in-depth e-interview she gives our readers insights into the importance of WHS and issues
related to them.
Germany has a substantial presence of Hilton hotels spread across the country with 4
hotels in Berlin and Frankfurt followed by Munich which has 3 hotels. A total of 24 Hilton
brand hotels are operational while two more are in the pipeline – Dortmund and Frankfurt.
Once completed Frankfurt will have the maximum Hilton hotels in Germany - Five. A
focus on Hilton hotels in Germany.
The recent visit of a delegation from the state of Baden-Württemberg to Maharashtra
coinciding with the 'Stuttgart Meets Mumbai Wine Festival’ organized by Lapp Group
and City of Stuttgart every year plus this year’s event was very special, as it also
celebrated 50 years of Mumbai and Stuttgart being twinned. Making their presence every
year alongside this event has been Karlsruhe which has played a pivotal role in bringing
closer exchange between the city and Maharashtra.
This year was no different as representatives of economic development, event, culture,
companies and other partners visited Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur to further the good
partnership. Also the city of Karlsruhe is getting ready to host the India Summer Days for
the second time from 14 -15. July 2018 for guests to experience the great diversity of
Indian culture and tradition in an authentic way.
We have done a photo essay on these two events.
Editor - Chandragupta Amritkar, Managing Editor - Chandra Talware, Design - Manoj Durgam
Contact - Global Destinations, B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059, India.
Phone - 91-22-29252569, Mobile - 9223419060 / 9969935878 e-mail: globalfeatures@lycos.com / globalfeatures@rediffmail.com
Annual Subscription Rates - India: Rs. 600; Overseas: US$ 60 (Rates include airmail charges).
Printed and Published by Chandragupta Amritkar on behalf of Global Features B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059
and Printed at Sumangal Press Pvt. Ltd. "Sumangal" G-8 Cross Road "A", Near Marol Bus Depot, MIDC, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 093.
Global Technologies makes all efforts to ensure that the information published is correct and reliable. However the publication holds no responsibility for
any inadvertent errors, commissions or opinions expressed.
Chandragupta Amritkar
Editor
chandraguptaa@hotmail.com
editor@globalfeatures.info
An Indian publication, Global Destinations
framed in a Ministers office

Karlsruhe
..........................26
Pictorial Essay
C o n t e n t s
Global Destinations Mar - Apr 20184
UNESCO WHS
World Heritage Sites
............................22
Event Review
ITB Berlin
........................08
The Fern Hotels
.........................12
Country Focus
Ethiopia
............................18
Interview
LUXURY
Express Inn
..........................06
India Summer Days
..........................27

L U X U R Y
Being already rated as the best
hotel in Nashik what was the need
to launch the Privilege card?
We are grateful to our guests, travel agents and media for rating
Express Inn Nashik as one of the best hotels in Maharashtra. We
have already been able to cater to both International and domestic
travellers. But in order to attract citizens of Nashik and surround-
ing towns we have launched Privilege Membership Cards. These
will enable guests who may never have come to stay and experi-
ence Express Inn facilities to do so now. In the pack we have
included a free room night stay and several coupons for F&B as
well as SPA and other facilities. In turn this card will help us in a
big way to attract residential weddings and social events thus
increase our revenue substantially.
That’s your finance brain, but don’t you think your hotel is
away from the city and may have a location disadvantage?
We are located prominently on Mumbai Agra highway and one
cannot miss it. Having said that it may seem a bit far from the city
but our cities connectivity is excellent. We are also quite close to
the industrial belts - Ambad, Gondhe, Satpur, Sinner MIDC,
helping us get lot of corporate clients. Also the connecting road
to airport, railway station and bus stand is so well planned it saves
guests from city traffic. Guests coming by their own transport
from Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad etc. can escape the city
traffic to reach Express Inn. So in short I can say we are truly well
located.
To what percentage of your hotels depend on International
and domestic travellers?
Our International traveller’s percentage is around 30-35%
while the rest 65-70% is Domestic traveller. With Nashik on an
expansion spree we expect to see a good increase in Internation-
al travellers including medical tourism, corporate travel and
defence movement. Our tie- up with Preferred Hotels & Resorts
has been a big support to attract International travellers for us.
Which are your key markets?
Our Key market is Mumbai and Pune followed by Gujarat,
Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. Apart from getting tourists, as
Nashik is a religious destination, our channels of sales include
travel agents, tour operators, corporate, MICE, wedding planners.
We are also focusing on Global sales through various tie-ups and
collaborations.
Many talk highly of the F&B in your hotel both at AFTER
DARK - The Sky Lounge and ASTER. What is the secret?
The Secret of our outlets is our Chef and F&B Team who work
in tandem to cater to our guest’s taste-buds. We have strived to
provide our guests to get personallised service and leave satisfied.
Yours is one of the few city hotels to have plenty of indoor
games facilities including billiards. How do you bring in this
awareness to your guests?
Club X is been promoted by a special team. Along with
“We have the best banqueting facilities in
Nashik and excellent F&B to back it”
One of the most successful solo hotels that I have ever come across is the Express Inn
Nashik. Its success story can be a case study. When the largest hotel in Nashik was a Taj
group hotel with less than 80 rooms, Narayan Shelar, CMD, Express Inn had the courage to
dream of a 200 room hotel in Nashik. While some laughed and some poked fun about its
feasibility, today standing tall in all its grandeur is Hotel Express Inn, a business luxury hotel
that has created a niche for itself. Taking the reins of its operations is a dynamic youngster
of just 27 years - Vikas Shelar, Director, Express Inn, Nashik. With an MBA in Finance
he has made sure the hotel not only runs profitably but also adheres to the basic principles
of Indian hospitality ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. We had the pleasure of interacting with this
pleasant and innovative director on the salient points of the property. Excerpts
L U X U R Y
billiards we have Table tennis, Play station, Salon Nutrition
Parlour Gym and the one and only squash court in town. We have
membership for localities to come and use our superior facilities.
To bring in awareness among Nashilkites we conduct public
relation meet once a month with local corporates, agents. For In-
house Guest my staff makes sure of doing a through site visit
showcasing all the facilities at the hotel.
Your hotel is well known across Maharashtra for MICE
and marriages. Can you throw light on the banqueting facili-
ties and how does you team go about generating business?
We have the best banqueting facilities in Nashik and excellent
F&B to back it. Our magnificent convention center - Express
Royale, is ideal to handle traditional weddings and grand confer-
ences for 800 + guests at a time. Our banquet hall Grandeur is
ideal for a corporate conference or a festive ring ceremony, high-
end social get-togethers or kitty parties or any other kind of
gathering upto 300 guests.
To maximise its utilisation we have an efficient team which is
in regular touch with leading corporates for their events,
seminars, get-togethers, product launch etc. Connecting with
leading online portals, wedding planners, event management
companies and PCO's is a regular process. Banner promotion
between Nashik - Mumbai – Pune is a reglar feature as well as
advertising in leading publications. Active participation in trade
shows like ITB, WTM, FITUR, IITT, OTM, SATTE, ITM, TTF,
International Travel Roadshow (India) have helped us showcas-
ing the property. Our team also uses social media such as
Facebook, Instagram, twitter, WhatsApp and
expressinnindia.com in a big way increasing our followers.
Express Inn Nashik is a member of Preferred Hotels and resorts -
marketing our property for MICE in 60 countries through their
Network. We cannot miss to mention the personal touch you and
your publication Global Destinations which has supported us for
the start and helped us grow our business network both within
India and globally.
I have always held high regard for your presidential wing.
What was the idea behind investing so much money?
Express Inn founder Chairman Narayan Shelar has always
thought Express Inn as a special property capable of giving world
class services and the best facilities that a hotel can have for its
guests. As he traverses across the globe he tries to notice the best
in these hotels and sees if he can replicate then with an Indian
touch.
This is how the idea of a Presidential Enclave was born – an
aim to give the VVIP Guest a special feeling and exclusivity.
Suite rooms on Presidential Enclave has its own Freesia Lounge
– an exclusive Library cum Dining Area for VIP Guests. Nashik
City has lots of VVIP movement but such a facility was always
missing and today our Presidential Enclave fulfils that gap.
What awards has the hotel won and what do you aspire to
win?
We have for long been No. 1 Hotel in Nashik as per the guest
reviews by TripAdvisor. We have also been ranked No. 1 in
Swachh Hotel Ranking in Nashik under Swachh Bharat Mission.
Recently we won LTG Award at London and also won India Hos-
pitality award (west and south) in 2016 as Best Luxury Business
Hotel in western India. Our next aim is to win a National Award
and get global recognition not just for our hotel but for our city
and country.
What are the not to be missed sights/ experiences in your
city? What length of stay do you recommend for tourists?
Nashik has many tourist spots – Temples, Kumbh Mela, Tram-
bakeshwar Temple, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Tapovan, Shirdi,
Kapaleshwar Temple, Saptshrungi Gad, Someshwar Temple etc.
Nashik is also famous as a Hill station and has scenic places in
and around like Pandavleni caves, Dadasaheb Phalke Memorial,
Bhandardara, Nandur Madhmeshwar, Dhammagiri Igatpuri,
Kalsubai Peak. Nashik also has acoin museum. Now Nashik is
termed as Wine Capital of India with Sula vineyard being a
demanding destination that tourists should never miss. According
to me at least three days visit to city is recommended to our guests
What are your expansion plans?
We are working and gaining Experience in hospitality industry
and looking at the government’s interest in developing tourism
across India. Express Inn is coming up with expansion plans and
very soon we will be operating a upscale hotel in Aurangabad
with 150+ rooms.
Apart from this we
will be adding more
rooms and construct-
ing a convention
centre in Nashik.
Later we will expand
to more hotels across
Maharashtra and
beyond.

E v e n t R e v i e w
Having been to many global travel shows right from WTM,
London to IMEX, Frankfurt to ATM, Dubai and PATA at
numerous locations, ITB, Berlin still fascinates me – for its sheer
size and variety that they are able to bring to its visitors. From just
9 exhibitors from 5 countries in 1966 the show today attracts
10,000 Exhibitors from 180 countries. ITB is the ideal platform
for businesses and institutions from the whole world of travel,
from Albania to Zambia.
Like every year this year too over 160 Indian exhibitors will be
exhibiting at this global event. This will include Ministry of
Tourism, Government of India, several state governments, hotels
and resorts, IT providers, tour operators etc.
ITB 2018
ITB Berlin features a clear, logical structure: Along with the
familiar geographic organization according to Destinations, the
hall layout is also arranged in Segments which correspond to the
most important touristic topics. Segments covered include –
Countries & Regions, Adventure Travel, Responsible Tourism,
Business Travel, eTravel World, Gay & Lesbian Travel (LGBT
Travel), Hospitality, ITB BookAwards, Cultural Tourism, Luxury,
Medical Tourism, MICE Forum, Career Center, Travel Technolo-
gy, Youth Travel & Economy Accommodation.
Luxury travel
According to the ITB World Travel Trends Report 2017/2018
high-end travel accounts for seven per cent of the market and
annual growth is in double-digit figures. Luxury travel is
booming, while general attitudes towards this market are
changing. Affluence is no longer defined by glitter and exhibiting
wealth. Non-material forms of luxury are replacing status, and
values such as self-discovery, personal experiences, authenticity
and time are becoming more important.
With the new Loop Lounge @ ITB organised in collaboration
with Loop, the trade show for luxury products, ITB Berlin has
created a new platform for networking in an exclusive atmos-
phere with a select group of exhibitors in Hall 9. On 8th March
the first ITB Luxury Late Night will provide an opportunity to
cultivate the contacts made. At this new outstanding networking
event at Orania.Berlin, a new Boutique Hotel, exhibitors will be
able to meet leading buyers from the global luxury travel market.
eTravel Startup Day
On Friday, 9 March 2018 the eTravel Startup Day will be
taking place for the first time. On the same day startups from
Europe, America and Asia will come together on the eTravel
Stage in Hall 6.1. The new digital community will be presenting
its travel technology innovations at a startup competition and
several sessions. The latest edition of the startup Pitch powered
by Phocuswright promises to be an exciting event. Four interna-
tional startups will compete for top spot, closely scrutinised by
the jury members, the so-called ‘dragons’. Taking as their slogan
’Fun & Technology’, seven innovative Spanish startups will give
a brief summary to the international audience on how one of the
world’s most popular travel destinations is coping with the chal-
lenges facing the industry. Startups will be showcasing their inno-
vations everywhere in the eTravel World at ITB Berlin.
Health-oriented and medical tourism
In 2016, the world population undertook some 11.4 million
international health-oriented and medical trips, resulting in a
market share of 1.4 per cent on all outbound trips worldwide.
According to findings of the World Travel Monitor, conducted by
IPK International and commissioned by ITB Berlin, nearly 70 per
cent of all international health & medical outbound trips have
been made mainly for health-oriented reasons such as wellness
and spa holidays. The share of trips for medical purposes
(including cure, hospital rehab and stays in medical clinics) was
around 30 per cent.
For the second time ITB Berlin will be fully devoting a
platform to medical tourism and Medical service providers,
hotels and destinations will be able to exhibit their products and
services In the Medical Tourism Pavilion in Hall 3.2.
ITB Berlin 2018 will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, 7
to 11 March.
ITB Berlin: Adds eTravel Startup Day
ITB, Berlin the largest and grandest travel industry event is all set to open its doors with 10,000 Exhibitors from
180 countries from 5 Continents spread over 160,000 Square meters. Chandragupta Amritkar previews this
global event as Global Destinations gets ready to again bring the best of the show for its august readers.

G
ermany has always been my favourite destination having
last year finished my 50th visit to the country. In
Germany I have liked the Hilton hotels which have some
of the best and most kind GMs. Thanks to their perseverance
these hotels have won several awards. Hilton Frankfurt Airport
and the stunning Hilton Munich Airport have constantly been
among the top 10 airport hotels worldwide at Skytrax World
Airport Awards.
Germany has a substantial presence of Hilton hotels spread
across the country with 4 hotels in Berlin and Frankfurt followed
by Munich which has 3 hotels. A total of 24 Hilton brand hotels
are operational while two more are in the pipeline – Dortmund
and Frankfurt. Once completed Frankfurt will have the maximum
Hilton hotels in Germany - Five.
The four Hilton hotels that I have experienced in German
include the Hilton Frankfurt Airport, Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt
Airport, Hilton Frankfurt City Center and Hilton Munich Airport.
Hilton Frankfurt Airport has recently finished the installation of
the latest Samsung Hotel TVs in all their guestrooms in the Hilton
Frankfurt Airport. These 55 Inch TVs offer over a hundred
channels including HD and Ultra HD quality, featuring more than
150 international programs, including Indian channels.
They have also recently installed a huge TV wall in the hotel’s
lobby bar “The FIFTH, Lounge & Bar”, where they broadcast
amongst others large sport events such as the upcoming Football
World Cup summer. “We are the first hotel in the world where
this latest Samsung TV wall of 2.80 m x 1.60 m is installed. The
TV wall is a great new amenity for our popular lobby bar, and
highly appreciated by our guests from all over the world,” said
Charles Muller, Cluster GM for Hilton Frankfurt Airport and
Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport.
“If you are staying in the city ours would be the best option –
location wise as well as facilities,” said Marc Snijders, GM,
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre. How true it is Hilton Frankfurt City
Centre is located in the heart of Frankfurt and features a unique
architecture with a 45m high hotel atrium, a daylight flooded
ballroom, floor-to-ceiling windows with skyline or park view in
the guest rooms and an appealing offer of restaurants in the hotel
with a park terrace. Another highlight of the hotel is the half
Olympic- sized indoor pool.
Dagmar Mühle, GM, Hilton Munich Airport International
sensing the growth in passenger traffic out of Munich increased
its overall capacity by 162 deluxe rooms covering nearly 95,000
square feet. The Hilton Munich Airport now offers guests 551
rooms. All rooms were styled by JOI Design in a natural style
featuring authentic references to the region. It has also expanded
the hotel’s meeting spaces to a capacity of up to 1,000 partici-
pants.
H o s p i t a l i t y
Germany has some of the best Hilton properties
26 Hilton brand hotels in Germany
1. Hampton by Hilton Aachen Tivoli
2. Hampton by Hilton Berlin City Centre Alexanderplatz
3. Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West
4. Hilton Berlin
5. Waldorf Astoria Berlin
6. Hilton Bonn
7. Hilton Cologne
8. Hilton Dresden
9. Hilton Dusseldorf
10.Hampton by Hilton Frankfurt City Centre Messe
11.Hilton Frankfurt Airport Hotel
12.Hilton Frankfurt City Centre Hotel
13.Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport
14.Hilton Freiburg
15.Hampton by Hilton Hamburg City Centre
16.Reichshof Hamburg, Curio Collection by Hilton
17.Hilton Mainz
18.Hilton Mainz City
19.Hilton Munich Airport
20.Hilton Munich City
21.Hilton Munich Park hotel
22.Hampton by Hilton Nuremberg City Centre
23.Hilton Nuremberg Hotel
24.Hilton Garden Inn Stuttgart NeckarPark
Two hotels in the pipeline
1. Hampton by Hilton Dortmund Phoenix
2. Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt City Centre

I n t e r v i e w
As Concept Hospitality crosses 50 hotels - how do you feel
and can you take my readers through your journey?
Surpassing 50 hotels is a great achievement and with nearly 30
projects in the pipeline, we are confident to achieve our 2020
target of managing a 100 Hotels / Resorts.
I can't say that the journey was very smooth. Initially I couldn’t
devote all my time for the development and growth of Concept
Hospitality and the growth was slow.
From year 2009 April - the team and I separated from my
Partners and from there on we concentrated on the growth of
Concept Hospitality, where we expanded the team and from the
1st Fern Hotel at Jaipur, we now have 38 Fern Branded Hotels
and over 50 Hotels under our Management which includes 8
Beacon Hotels and 10 Independently Branded Hotels.
You have always promoted Eco Hotels and tourism. What
attracted you to this area or was it pure business sense?
In 1996 - it started as a pure business idea to create a fourth
position in the Indian Hotel
Sector since the 3 positions were already occupied by the 3
large hotel companies and I didn’t want to be a copycat brand.
As we understood the subject of ecotels, we became believers
and today it is the ethos and culture of the company. To put in the
right sense it is now our DNA.
What basic steps (implementation) can hotels follow to
make them eco-friendly?
Being environmentally sensitive means you follow the 3”R”
i.e. REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE
This should be implemented during the project stage and
during the operation of the hotel
Every hotel in our Group has adopted and stringently imple-
mented initiatives in 5 different spheres of environmentalism -
Sustainability Commitment, Water Management, Energy Man-
agement, Waste Management, Employee Education and
Community Involvement* (Ecotel Globes-The Hallmark of envi-
ronmentally sensitive hotels).
Sustainability Commitment: In this globe we demonstrate a
formalized commitment towards the preservation and enhance-
ment of the natural environment. For e.g. the Vision and mission
statement of every hotel/ resort explicitly mentions our commit-
ment to the environment. Additionally, our every hotel has a
green team headed by a member of the management ensuring that
all departments are working in consonance with the hotel’s
mission of environmental responsibility. We also have stringent
policies of greening the supply chain, encouraging fair trade
practices, and protecting the culture and heritage of each individ-
ual place. We also ensure equal employment opportunities for
women and local communities and empower them in their roles
at the organization.
Energy Management: We relentlessly strive to optimize and
conserve every unit of energy at our hotels. This is strategized
“We are confident to achieve our 2020
target of managing a 100 Hotels / Resorts”
It was around seven years back that for the first time I interacted with Param Kannampilly,
Chairman & Managing Director of Concept Hospitality Pvt Ltd. (who manage and
operate The Fern Hotels and Resorts). I was pretty impressed by his knowledge and his hum-
bleness. The same evening I spoke with my friend Rajib Roy Choudhury, GM, The Sonnet
Kolkata and casually mentioned I had met a dynamic personality the CMD of Fern hotels. He
beautifully summed it - "oh the encyclopedia of hospitality industry". How true he is. Though
Param Kannampilly is also considered as the father of green hotels in India, a visionary and a
successful hotelier, I like the term ‘encyclopedia’. Since then several times I have been to his
office - always to gain knowledge and tap his experience.
He has over 40 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry and is Fellow of The Institute of
Hospitality, London, Fellow of The World Academy of Productivity Sciences, Executive
Committee Member of FHRAI representing the Western Region and on the Board of Governors
in various institutions. He has been conferred the UN – Global Futures Network Award ( A
United Nations Affiliate ) a special honour of the Good Earth for his outstanding contribution to
sustainable development and future of humanity.
Over the years the group has received more than 40 national and International awards under his guidance. As the
group completes 50 hotels spread across the globe we at Global Destinations thought it the right time to get an
insight into the group and its success. Excerpts

I n t e r v i e w
through a formalized framework and standard operating proce-
dures. Some of our hotels e.g Meluha The Fern is a LEED
certified Gold rated building which exhibits state-of-the-art green
architecture, sustainable systems and energy efficient technolo-
gies. Other practices employed are energy efficient lighting, use
of natural lighting, intelligent key tag system, and a very unique
energy saving button -Eco Button. The master control panel in the
guest rooms incorporates this unique feature known as the ECO
button. On pressing the Eco button the thermostat of the air-con-
ditioning unit is stepped up by two degrees gradually. A certifi-
cate is then issued to the guest who has voluntarily participated in
conserving energy.
Water Management: To effectively conserve water in all
departments of the hotel, across all levels we have water efficient
and low flow faucets, shower heads, flushes installed. Further
water is recycled and utilized. Meluha, The Fern Mumbai is also
ranked No 1* in the country in the total water reuse rate since
recycled water is used for flushing, cooling towers, irrigation, etc.
(HVS benchmarking survey ) All employees are well versed and
conscious of the water management practices of the Hotel.
Waste Management: Waste Management is an important
aspect of environmental responsibility given the amount of waste
that is sent to landfills all over the world. Along with reducing the
use of natural resources at source though various measures, the
waste generated is effectively diverted from a landfill through
segregation and recycling. Our Hotels manage its solid waste by
segregating it in all the kitchens of the hotel. Four separate color
coded bins-Black, White, Green, Red are used for separating the
waste into wet, dry, recyclable and non-recyclable. Dry waste is
recycled by a scrap dealer and wet waste is either vermicomposed
or utilized in piggeries.
Employee environmental education and Community
Involvement: We at The Fern believe our environment is unique
and is the legacy our future generations inherit, therefore it is our
prime responsibility to protect it. This belief is not only in
thought... But is also exemplified in word and deeds.
In our endeavor to conserve our planet, we relentlessly strive to
create a paradigm shift towards sustainable thinking by transfer
of knowledge and delivering significant societal value through
education programs and community activities.
So you must be quite choosy about your staff and also
investing a lot on training them?
Yes. We hire individuals for enthusiasm and skill, and then they
are inculcated with our environment philosophy through a
dynamic and interactive training program. The Training and
engagement program encompasses
• Engaging presentations coupled with educative visuals.
• Activities and events to harness creativity with an underlying
theme of environment conservation
• Empowerment of key individuals of the department to be
leaders of the program (Green Team)
• Ongoing trainings through an online portal.
Well publicized ECO events/ Initiatives/Campaigns/informa-
tion and resources are organized from time to time to involve
citizens. Some on the past events include Cycle Rally on Car free
Day, Cleanup Drives after the Ganesh immersion, Vermiculture
demos to citizens, Switching off non-essential lights during Earth
Hour, Educating guests about the environment practices followed
in the hotel, Eco Ganesha Competitions, Environment awareness
with students. All our hotels have been extensively involved in
the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, in fact we have even adopted sur-
rounding areas to maintain daily cleanliness.
You have systematically moved to tier-II and III cities in
India. What is the strategy?
As there is a need for a branded hotel in the two and three tier
cities – investors are looking for putting up three/four star /
budget hotels - contact us directly for a brand that suits their
budgets. There is wealth in our rural areas and that we believe
that a good 60 to 80 room hotel will do well.
We first take up the market study and then a viability is under-
taken to check to see if the investments made would be profitable
to the investor and once it is viable we convince the investor to
move ahead and tie-up with them in the construction stage on a
Technical Services Agreement offering our Brand and in 18
months assist them in opening the property by associating with
them on a Management Contract.
Managing properties below 75 rooms is a challenge as you
have to also show profits and give revenues to the owners.
But many of your hotels are between 40-75 rooms. Your
views.
We start with a market study and financial feasibility and we
explain what is the likely Gross Operating Profit he can expect.
I n t e r v i e w
As of today we have been able to live up to our projections.
Most of our owners are first time investors into the hotel
industry and hence would want to test the business by minor
investments and if the business is successful then the next project
will be a bigger hotel. We have many of our Owners who now
have 2 or more hotels with us and some with multiple hotels in
the same city. These owners started with small inventories and
expanded the room count in the next hotel.
Can you throw light on your strategic tie up with CG Corp
Global?
The Private Equity Fund has now moved out with CG Corp
Global being a Partner with us in the business.
How do you distinguish between the brands in Concept
Hospitality?
The FERN is his Luxury Elite Service Brand which promises
premium standards of high quality service with physical
amenities with a true passion for the environment. The Hospital-
ity is always with Responsibility. Concept Hospitality also
includes another Brand called "Beacon" whereby they operate
smaller hotels/apartment hotels, which are smart and efficient.
With quite a few MICE specific hotels coming up across
India, how do you position your brands for this segment?
We actively promote MICE with our corporate clients and we
do have fairly a large number of meeting rooms in our hotels. We
are also listed on conferencing websites such as
findbestvenue.com and weddingz.in
To what percentage of your hotels depend on inbound
traffic from abroad and domestic travellers?
Across the group – about 85% is domestic - mainly corporate
and the balance is international travellers. However some excep-
tions do exist, for instance – The Fern in Mumbai – has 70%
international clients and 30% domestic.
You also have a rewards program. Can you tell about it in
brief?
Our reward program is Green Cover – Your Insurance for a
Greener tomorrow.
Green cover provides an opportunity to earn Reward Points on
any amount spent at any of our participating hotels & Resorts.
Guests can enjoy the infinite benefits of the
Loyalty Program and feel proud of their contri-
bution to the Greener World by donating
Reward Points to Green Causes ( WWF/
SANCTUARY ASIA ). Each enrolment will
have one tree planted that in turn will help the
environment.
Guests can simply notify the number of points
to donate to any NGO of your choice – an
acknowledgement of the benefit provided to the
NGO – will be sent to the guest
Tell us a little about your experience in the
hospitality sector – what drove you to pursue
a career in hospitality?
When I came in to Mumbai to study as my parents were
overseas – I managed to get into the Mumbai Catering College –
basically as it had Hostel / accommodation attached and I needed
accommodation at that point in time – and from there it has been
a journey for 40 years and always looking ahead.
What about your global presence and any plans to expand
globally?
We presently have a presence in Nepal, Seychelles and Sri
Lanka and plan to grow globally.
Concept Hospitality owns and operates a full suite of
hotels and resorts brands, from standard to deluxe
hotels, apartment hotels, boutique hotels with a true
passion for the environment. A living thing, the fern is
a perennial plant retaining a rare consistency and many
of it best characteristics over millions of years. It is an
epitome of pedigree flora and it aptly represents us –
The Fern Hotels & Resorts.
The Fern - This is the luxury badge for hotels & resorts
with a 5-star & above classification. It is a full-service
product with premium accommodation and services.
The Fern Residency - The Fern Residency is a mid-
tiered badge for hotels & resorts in the 3 & 4-star cat-
egories. It is a full-service product with upmarket
accommodation and services.
Beacon Hotels & Resorts - This brand provides a budget
hotel experience in the 2-star category. It offers limited
services with the essential amenities for a comfortable
stay.

C o u n t r y F o c u s
Lake Tana and monasteries
After enjoying Meskel celebrations the next day I proceeded to
the Addis Ababa airport to take a domestic flight to Bahir Dar.
The airport security check was in chaos but the lounge and the
one hour flight was good. At the airport the Kuriftu Resort & Spa
driver was there to pick me up. This is a wonderful resort situated
on the shores of Lake Tana. There are 28 rooms - very spacious
with balconies and well decorated offering views of the lake or
the outdoor pool. Some general maintenance is required before
giving the room to guest (water was leaking from my rooms WC).
Fortunately the staff changed it immediately. They have a nice
restaurant and bar overlooking Lake Tana and the food in the
restaurant was good. But the best part was the complementary
spa. It was quiet refreshing.
On arrival my guide took me in a motorboat around the Lake
Tana. This region was nominated as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
and was formed by volcanic activity about 5 million years ago. It
was exciting to see the hippos emerge from water and drop down
again. There were also numerous wetland birds, such as the great
white pelican. It was so peaceful. We then motored up to one
island where Azwa Mariam Monastery is located. The monastery
itself is quite a remarkable with some wonderful wall decora-
tions, murals and ancient artifacts. The islands and peninsulas of
Lake Tana collectively house more than 20 monastic churches,
many of which were founded during the 14th-century. One
monastery has a library of almost 200 old books.
Blue Nile Falls
My next destination was the Blue Nile Falls. While the sur-
roundings are pristine and natural without hotels or souvenir
shops it is somewhat difficult to reach the falls. The ride between
Bahar Dar and the falls is quite bumpy as significant road con-
struction is going on - though the drive made me get a glimpse of
the rural life.
There are two ways to reach the falls – a 60 minute return
"mountain" hike up and down the hillside which I did not fathom
for two reasons steepness and muddy (it had rained) + my shoes
were not trekking ones. The other option which I choose involves
a 10 minute walk across the village, then a short boat trip across
the river (be careful as I slipped getting into the boat) and then
again cautious walking as the path is uneven with wooden ramps
and requires focused attention.
But at the end the sight I saw made this all worthwhile. The
falls were breath-taking – in full flow and beautiful and an
excellent selfie spot. The falls are estimated to be between 37 and
45 meters high, consisting of four streams that originally varied
from a trickle in the dry season to over 400 meters wide in the
rainy season.
Lalibela
After a good night’s rest took another short flight to Lalibela to
visit rock hewn churches which were declared a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1978.
Mesmeric Ethiopia
On a recent tour to Ethiopia Chandragupta Amritkar continues his journey visiting some amazing
tourist destinations and UNESCO sites in the country.
The Ethiopian Aviation Academy Simulator
On a tour at the Ethiopian airways complex had the pleasure of visiting the
Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA). The EAA, since its establishment back
in 1957, has been filling gaps in skilled working force of the continent in
the aviation industry. Recently renovated with more than USD $ 100
investment it has 5 schools, namely Pilot Training, Aviation Technicians,
Inflight Services, Commercial & Ground Services and Leadership Schools.
EAA has full flight simulators for different aviation professionals. Experi-
enced a flight stimulation under the guidance of Captain Fisseha T. Bayou,
Manager, Flight training standards and facilities, Ethiopian Airlines. I
choose Frankfurt as the departure destination (having recently completed
my 50th visit to Germany) and then went through the procedures of takeoff
and finally landing.

C o u n t r y F o c u s
Arriving at the
airport I was
surprised to see that
there was no one to
pick me up so
boarded a common
shuttle for numerous
hotels which
included my hotel
too. Later I was
picked up by the
Celebrity Ethiopia
tours guide who
took me to a lovely
restaurant - Ben
Abeba restaurant.
Perched right at the
tip of the mountain
overlooking the vast
valleys of the south
this restaurant with a
unique architecture and plenty of terraces to soak in the glorious
view offers a variety of local and international food choices. Its
co-owned by Susan Aitchison, a Scottish lady with a passion for
food.
After lunch proceeded to visit the 11 medieval churches. The
Rock churches are one of a kind and worth the extremely high
entrance fees, USD 50 which is valid for 5 days instead they can
have a reasonably priced day ticket as well. Also with such huge
fees I was wondering…… as to me it did not seem to be used for
preservation and upkeep of the surroundings. Inspite of such a
hefty fee they don't even have a pamphlet or a map to guide the
visitor.
The complex of 11 churches and two chapels in Lalibela town
can only be explored on foot. So it is ideal to hire a good guide to
take you around as they can not only give you information but
also take you around the churches in the quickest way.
All eleven churches are arranged in two groups and are
connected with passageways. The largest church, the house of
Medhane, stands at a height of 10 meters and is 33 meters long
Thanks to Tadesse Tilahun, RD, Indian Sub-continent,
Ethiopian Airlines who insisted that I experience tradi-
tional Ethiopian food along with music and dance that I
visited 2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant. For the first
time I tasted Injera, a national dish in Ethiopia (it’s a
sourdough-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly
spongy texture). I had a feast consisting of six dishes
with vegetable stews, served on injera bread which is
an edible tablecloth. They also have a huge buffet with
drinks. “It’s not just the authenticity of the food but the
great atmosphere that we are able to create with our
band of singers and dancers. As you can notice its quite
interactive, lively,” said a smiling Negasi Gebre, CEO,
2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant.
and 22 meters wide. The most iconic church is Bete Giyorgis a
free-standing monolith carved in the shape of a cross and
dedicated to its namesake Saint George. The uniqueness is that
the roof is roughly at ground level and the church lies in a hole
some 15m deep. The church is carved out of a single solid piece
of pink rock. The workers must have carved a trench around a
single massive block, and then hewed the church from that
monolith.
This is also one of the very few UNESCO World Heritage Sites
of comparable vintage that functions as a living shrine, one whose
ancient stone churches have remained in active use since their
excavation almost nine centuries ago.
If you don’t mind crowds then visit this place in mid-January
during Timkat (Epiphany), when thousands of Ethiopian white-
clad worshippers, as well as tourists, descend on the churches.
Addis Ababa
The next day morning I proceeded to Addis Ababa for my
meetings at Ethiopian airways with Esayas Wolde Mariam, MD
Ethiopian International Services followed by Sisay Getachew,
Director, Tourism Marketing, Ethiopia Tourism Organisation.
On the flight had the opportunity to interact with H.E Helawe
Yosef Mengistu, ex Ethiopian ambassador to Israel. We spoke on
numerous topics and his fondness for India was clearly visible.
He said there is great potential for Indian companies tying up
with Ethiopian entrepreneurs as well as investing in the Industri-
al parks spread across Ethiopia.
Later that evening Ashenafi Kassa, CEO, Celebrity Ethiopia
tours drove me to another Kuriftu Resort (located in Bishoftu an
hour’s drive from Addis Ababa). On arrival I was given a lake
View Villa (it was only the next day morning that I noticed the
breathtaking landscapes that encompass the resort and the lovely
Lake Kuriftu). The rooms are spacious and comfortable with a
downside that the Internet was not working from my room. The
food was good especially the traditional buffet in the lake view
restaurant.
I also met Eskinder Getachew, MD, Kuriftu Resort who per-
sonally took me on a tour of the property. The resort has four con-
ference halls and can be an ideal MICE venue. Add to this a nice
Spa & Wellness Center with lots of activities like kayaking, table
tennis, billiards and volleyball. They also have a nice mini
Cinema theater with popcorn. “This will be the happening place
once the Kuriftu Ethiopian Cultural Village our premium outlet
shopping center opens up. Also adjacent to the village will be the
Kuriftu Water Park, East Africa's largest water amusement park
making it an ideal tourist destination,” said Eskinder Getachew.
The next day again I checked into Hilton and then proceeded to
see a bit of Addis Ababa in the short time that I had. We spent a
couple of hours at the National Museum of Ethiopia that houses
the nation's artistic treasures as well as many of the most precious
archaeological finds such as the fossilized remains of early
hominids, the most famous of which is "Lucy," the partial
skeleton of a specimen of Australopithecus afarensis. The whole
anthropology section is top-class. The rest of the museum include
historical artifacts of past kings and emperors and an assortment
of historical and modern paintings.
Ashenafi Kassa, CEO, Celebrity Ethiopia tours, a leading tour operator from Ethiopia was responsible for
all the land arrangements on behalf of Ethiopian Airlines. His soft spoken nature and attitude to go out of
way to help made him an excellent company. We present some of the insights provided by him on the
country and his group.
We Ethiopians are genuine hospitality people and its in our blood. While working at
the airport and interacting with foreigners, I got interested in this field. After com-
pleting my training in an institute I became a certified tourist guide. After working
for six years in various countries I felt why not come to Ethiopia and promote my
country. So I created celebrity Ethiopia with a major aim to clear the blurred image
of Ethiopia. Over the years we have become one of the most reputable tour
operator in Ethiopia and dealing with major companies like Ethiopian airlines and
international tour operators from overseas. We are staffed with highly skilled multi
lingual professionals providing all types of services related to tourism. I personally
also give training and impart knowledge to students at tourism institutes.
We have recently launched a ‘meet and great’ service at the airport on similar lines
to what I saw in Dubai while working in the city. We will receive our guests at the
airport in a truly genuine Ethiopian hospitality and then take them to their hotel
followed by appropriate tours. In the future we plan to have our own immigration
counter and our own lounges for our guests.
Our services include package tour across Ethiopia for groups and individuals, hotel
reservations, limousine and salon car shuttle service from to airport, car hire for
self-drive or with our driver as well as MICE.
Ethiopia is all in one destination – adventure, culture, nature, history, safaris etc.
It is home of ‘Lucy’ 3.2 million years old earliest hominid Skelton. We have 13 UNESCO world heritage sites, delicious
organic local and International foods especially for vegetarians. It can be an ideal place for honeymoon and family
vacation as we have some excellent hotels and resorts as well as world class amusement and water parks + balloon
tours.
MICE is well developed in Ethiopia as it is the third largest diplomatic city in the world. Over 150 countries Embassy
and many international NGO have offices in the Addis Ababa the capital. Above all Addis Ababa is capital city of Africa
as African Union (AU) head quarter is located in it. The country is attracting lots of number of foreign organization
for MICE.

UNESCO World Heritage
Sites (WHS) are some of the
planet’s most precious places
and the concept of creating an international World Heritage
Program is brilliant. But over the years how successful has
the World Heritage Committee been in achieving its goals?
Indeed the World Heritage Convention is a unique instrument
protecting both natural and cultural heritage of outstanding
universal value. The select World Heritage List displays our
legacy from the past to be passed on to future generations. Unfor-
tunately, nominations are more and more politicised, often
processed under pressure from local authorities and with little
awareness of the complexity of the implementation of the Con-
vention and its obligations. The main objective of the Convention
is the conservation of the irreplaceable sites included on the
World Heritage List, which are too often threatened by ill-advised
infrastructure projects, conflicts and wars or climate change. The
Convention was successful in one way with listing more than
1000 sites, but not so successful in obtaining the support for con-
servation, both financially and in terms of commitment on the
ground.
But you have removed two WHS from the list. Inspite of not
gaining support from the parent country, don’t you think this
is a step backwards?
In a decision unprecedented in the history of the World
Heritage Convention, the World Heritage Committee deleted in
2007 the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary from the World Heritage List
because of the State Party of Oman's decision to reduce the size
of the protected area by 90%, in contravention of the Operational
Guidelines of the Convention. This was seen by the Committee as
destroying the Outstanding Universal Value for which the site had
been inscribed in 1994. In 2009, the Committee also decided to
remove Germany's Dresden Elbe Valley from the World Heritage
List due to the building of a four-lane bridge in the heart of the
cultural landscape, which meant that the authorities failed to
maintain its Outstanding Universal Value as inscribed.
At the time Dresden was deleted from the List, the Chairperson
of the Committee declared "Every time we fail to preserve a site,
we share the pain of the State Party". The aim of the World
Heritage Convention is to ensure that effective and active
measures are taken by the States Parties for the protection, con-
servation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage
situated on their territory. The Convention text adds that that
“such heritage constitutes a world heritage for whose protection
it is the duty of the international community as a whole to co-
operate”. So each time a property had to be deleted from the List
was a clear failure of the system, and a failure not only of the
States Parties concerned to ensure the protection of the sites, but
a failure of the entire international community for not having
found alternative ways to protect the irreplaceable heritage.
At the same time, we are trying to build on those two cases of
failure to prevent other similar issues to happen in the future. For
example, the Committee itself recently requested an evaluation of
U N E S C O W H S
When we decided to do a focus on World Heritage Sites we felt it was a great
opportunity to have an e-interview with none other than Dr. Mechtild Rössler,
Director, Division for Heritage & UNESCO World Heritage Centre. An
expert in both cultural and natural heritage and with a degree in cultural
geography from Freiburg University (Germany) and a Ph.D. from the Faculty for
Earth Sciences, University of Hamburg (Germany), she has published and co-
authored 13 books and more than 100 articles. In an in-depth e-interview she
gives our readers insights into the importance of WHS and issues related to them.
Excerpts
“India is home to some of the most iconic
World Heritage sites in the world”
the Reactive Monitoring process in order to identify its weakness-
es and areas where improvements can be made. Another study
will shortly be launched to promote the provisions of the List of
World Heritage in Danger and demonstrate its benefits and the
implications for States Parties concerned.
How do you go about tackling global warming on one side
and harmful industrial activities on the other hand?
Over the years, and based specifically on cases at natural World
Heritage properties, the World Heritage Committee has expressed
many times its clear position that that mineral, oil and gas explo-
ration and/or exploitation is incompatible with the World
Heritage status, and that such activities should not be undertaken
within World Heritage properties. In 1998, due to growing
concern, the World Heritage Centre, IUCN and ICOMOS started
discussing the issue of extractive industries and their negative
impact on protected areas and other ecologically sensitive sites
with the ICME (now International Council on Mining and Metals
– ICMM). In 2003, a major milestone was achieved with the
adoption by ICMM of a commitment (also known as the “No-go
commitment”) by which all ICMM member companies
committed not explore or mine in World Heritage properties. A
number of cases of potential mining or oil/gas
exploration/exploitation activities were stopped thanks to the
actions by World Heritage Committee, and a number of extractive
industry leaders have since joined the No-Go commitment.
In 2016, the Committee also adopted a clear position regarding
the issue of dams in considering that “the construction of dams
with large reservoirs within the boundaries of World Heritage
properties is incompatible with their World Heritage status” and
urged States Parties “to ensure that the impacts from dams that
could affect properties located upstream or downstream within
the same river basin are rigorously assessed in order to avoid
impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)”.
The recourse to Heritage Impact Assessments and Environmen-
tal Impact Assessment has drastically increased over the past
years in order to address the growing threat which industrial
activities represent. The Committee requests that such Impact
Assessment include a specific section on the impact of the project
on the OUV of the properties.
As for global warming, the Committee adopted a “Policy
Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage
properties” in 2007. However, due to increasing concern over
climate change worldwide, growing negative impacts on World
Heritage properties, and taking note of the agreement reached
during the 21st conference (COP 21) of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in
Paris in December 2015, the World Heritage Committee asked in
2016 the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to
review and update the Policy Document in order to make
available the most current knowledge and technology on the
subject to guide the decisions and actions of the World Heritage
community. Activities have started in order to update this Policy
Document and a text will be proposed for adoption by the
Committee in 2019.
Our work to tackle climate change is also intimately linked to
our activities with regard to addressing sustainable development
and achieving the UN SDGs and Agenda 2030. As an example,
the recently adopted “Policy Document for the Integration of a
Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the
World Heritage Convention” (2015) includes a section about
“Strengthening resilience to natural hazards and climate change”.
There have been a lot of controversies on WHS selections
especially in conflict zones for e.g., the recent selection of old
city of Hebron and Hoh Xil. How do you overcome these
issues and in the long run protect the sites?
As you know, the World Heritage Committee is a sovereign
body, which adopts its own decisions. In accordance with the
Convention (Article 11.2), “the Committee shall establish, keep
up to date and publish, under the title of "World Heritage List," a
list of properties forming part of the cultural heritage and natural
heritage, as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of this Convention, which
it considers as having outstanding universal value in terms of
such criteria as it shall have established”.
Once a site is inscribed on the World Heritage List, it is closely
monitored through two distinct processes: the Periodic Reporting
(conducted every 6 years on a regional basis for all properties)
and the Reactive Monitoring (triggered whenever an ascertained
or even potential threat occurs at a property. At the request by the
Committee, the World Heritage Centre and the advisory bodies
(IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM) are also going to assess the
situation through on-site monitoring missions. Each year, reports
on the state of conservation of an average of 150 properties are
presented by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies
to the Committee for examination and decisions are adopted. This
Reactive Monitoring process also applies de facto to properties
for which, upon inscription on the World Heritage List,
immediate follow-up was requested by the World Heritage
Committee. The purpose of this process is for the Committee to
assist in seeking appropriate solutions to ensure that the Out-
standing Universal Value of the property is fully preserved.
U N E S C O W H S

Maintaining WHS requires specialised experience. Do you
have a WH Institute for training both students and
professionals? What about Internship opportunities in your
organisation?
Many universities have now specialized courses or pro-
grammes on heritage in general and a few even on World
Heritage specifically (such as BTU Cottbus, Germany; UC
Dublin, Ireland; Tsukuba University, Japan; etc.). In recent years,
the framework for training and research in the field of World
Heritage has changed significantly. Among the factors that have
contributed to these rapid changes, is the emerging of many new
institutions now offering capacity building within the World
Heritage context. In this regard, a major development was the
establishment, in various regions of the world, of capacity
building institutions that have been granted the status of
"category 2 centres under the auspices of UNESCO", dealing
specifically with World Heritage, such as in Dehra Dun (India).
Preserving 1000+ sites globally is not easy. Do you get
external funding?
World Heritage preservation is costly and takes immense col-
lective efforts. With the number of World Heritage sites growing
every year and traditional sources of funding stagnating or
decreasing, we are turning more and more to innovative ways to
identify funding (such as our market place initiative), to large
scale projects with the EU and other donors (e.g. for Iraq or Syria)
or to cooperate with the private sector to ensure a sustainable
future for those outstanding places. Supporting World Heritage
means for the business sector to win greater visibility on the inter-
national scene, to strength their brand loyalty through good
corporate citizenships, to benefit from a strong image transfer and
to boost employees’ motivation by turning their social responsi-
bility into reality. The World Heritage Centre welcomes assis-
tance in many different forms to carry out this global mission and
our door is open for dialogue.
If a country is not able to maintain a WHS do you also
provide financial assistance and if so what’s the criteria/how
do you decide?
Yes, the Convention also provides for the World Heritage Fund
(to which States Parties contribute). From this Fund International
Assistance is available upon request by States Parties to the
World Heritage Convention, in order to help them protect the
cultural or natural heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage
List and in particular those on the List of World Heritage in
Danger. The criteria are clearly indicated in our Operational
Guidelines and priority is given for example to developing
countries and sites in need. However the Fund is insufficient for
the growing number of sites and requests.
How do you view India as a WHS destination?
On the one hand, India is home to some of the most iconic
World Heritage sites in the world – such as the Taj Mahal. It is
also one of the top tourist destination in the world to the point
where now visitor management is a serious challenge for the
authorities. On the other hand some of the 35 other World
Heritage sites, have tremendous potential in terms of sustainable
tourism development and could benefit from more visitors. The
balance comes down to management and marketing. In order to
improve the visitor experience World Heritage sites cannot be
managed in isolation but as larger destinations. Heritage manage-
ment authorities need to work with the tourism sector and vice
versa. Involving the local communities is key. They are the ones
providing the food, the accommodation and are in the best
position to enhance the experience and help protect the sites.
What role do you think the Indian government can play for
the betterment of the sites?
Conservation has to be the top priority for the government and
policies and enforcement need to reflect this priority, I actually
had the pleasure to discuss this in November with your Minister
for Culture. Tourism needs to be a means of enhancing the Out-
standing Universal Value and not adversely impacting it.
Acknowledging the role and needs of communities and civil
society and providing incentives that encourage a shared respon-
sibility for better management and safeguarding of the sites is
needed. Providing incentives for sustainable tourism and policies
that redirect funding into the conservation are also key to a more
sustainable future for World Heritage in India
On a personal note what made you enter this specific field?
I have a background in both cultural geography and a PhD in
natural sciences, so I am able to cover both the cultural and
natural part of the World Heritage Convention. I work now for 27
years in this field at UNESCO and was able to advance with col-
leagues on new avenues for the Convention such as cultural land-
scapes, which display a unique interaction between people and
their environment. It is a dream job for me, but actually quite
challenging, if you take World Heritage conservation seriously
and try to find ways and means to achieve it.
U N E S C O W H S

P i c t o r i a l E s s a y
Karlsruhe delegation to Maharashtra tastes success again
The recent visit of a delegation from the state of Baden-Württemberg to Maharashtra coinciding with the
'Stuttgart Meets Mumbai Wine Festival’ organized by Lapp Group and City of Stuttgart every year plus this
year’s event was very special, as it also celebrated 50 years of Mumbai and Stuttgart being twinned. Making
their presence every year alongside this event has been Karlsruhe which has played a pivotal role in
bringing closer exchange between the city and Maharashtra.
This year was no different as representatives of economic development, event, culture, companies and other
partners visited Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur to further the good partnership. In a roundtable with their coop-
eration partner Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture, concrete steps were taken for
Pune to be a part of the initiative "Make in Karlsruhe: Innovative Mittelstand". In addition, there were
insights into "Best Practices" of Indian companies, which have already settled in and around the fan city.
This is also where the "Indo-German-Network Karlsruhe" with its strong partners and its excellent network-
ing can begin, as explained by Ralf Eichhorn of the Karlsruhe Economic Development. There was also a
focus innovation and start-ups. The advantages of the Karlsruhe infrastructure particularly in the areas of
transport, waste and energy was highlighted. As part of a "hackathon", cultural institutions in Mumbai were
linked with "open communities" of the Indian programmer scene.
Schlosslichtspiele light show in Karlsruhe
Experience the largest digital artwork of Europe
The SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE celebrated its premiere in 2015 for the
300th anniversary of Karlsruhe. Since then, the format has attracted
around one million visitors to the Karlsruhe forecourt, making the
castle an experience center for the city.
The city will once again become a meeting point and attraction in
summer from 28 July to 9 September 2018.
The elaborate projections and video mappings of internationally
renowned artists and artist groups entice thousands of people to visit
the castle every evening free of charge. The curator of Schlosslichtspiele will again be Peter Weibel, chairman of the
ZKM, Centre for Art and Media Karlsruhe. At nightfall, the projections can be seen as a spectacular visual and audio
experience on the entire 170 m long Baroque castle facade.
Shriguru Dr. Balaji Tambe
(left) and Martin Wacker,
Managing Director Karlsruhe
Marketing and Event
State Secretary Petra Olschowski,
curator Christian Lölkes from ZKM and
Lord Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup at the
Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan in
Mumbai
Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar
(l.) and Karlsruhe Lord Mayor Frank
Mentrup signed a memorandum of
understanding at the Goethe-Institut /
Max Mueller Bhavan in Pune.
Former Indian Ambassador to
Germany Gurjit Singh and Ralf
Eichhorn from “Karlsruhe Economic
Development”
Discussing with representatives of "Maha-
rashtra Tourism" the program of the upcoming
"India Summer Days" in Karlsruhe (from left):
Svenja Paukovic and Managing Director
Martin Wacker from "Karlsruhe Marketing and
Event”, Manasi Kothare, Officer International
Relations, and Tejal Divte
Martin Lautenschlager from “Baden-
Baden Economic Development”, Ralf
Eichhorn from “Karlsruhe Economic
Development”, Sumit Mullick, Additional
Chief Secretary & Chief Protocol
Officer, and Manasi Kothare, Officer
International Relations
Ralf Eichhorn from “Karlsruhe
Economic Development” and Martin
Lautenschlager from “Baden-Baden
Economic Development” face a lot of
questions
Merwan Klink from the “Automotive
Engineering Network” (AEN) and Lord
Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup meeting with
representatives of the “Automotive
Research Association of India” (ARAI)
Tourism Minister Jayakumar Rawal
and Lord Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup
P i c t o r i a l E s s a y
"Both tourism and Dr. Tambe are back for this all important
event which attracted more than 12,000 visitors. India Summer
Days provides one an opportunity to embark on a journey through
the culture of India, learn about the art of yoga in workshops and
learn the secrets of Ayurveda from internationally experienced
and renowned teachers, "said Martin Wacker, managing director
of Karlsruhe Marketing und Event GmbH on his recent visit to
India.
The 1st India Summer Days saw the presentation of a piece of
India under the motto “Baden-Württemberg meets Maharashtra“
– in the heart of Karlsruhe. The exhibition focused on Maharash-
tra in the heart of India, the sister region of the state of Baden-
Württemberg that the city of Karlsruhe has had a bond with for
years. The Indian bazaar saw numerous exhibitors showcasing
the dazzling diversity of Indian cultures and traditions in their
own authentic way. Both days brought a varied programme of
dancers in traditional Indian colours, numerous artists, musicians
as well as yoga and Ayurveda experts from India to Karlsruhe. In
addition to the extensive programme on stage, visitors had the
opportunity to attend workshops about the art of yoga and learn
more about Ayurveda from experienced and internationally
renowned teachers like Shriguru Balaji Tambe. Indian street food
was another attraction. Dr Frank Mentrup, mayor of the city of
Karlsruhe and chairman of the Karlsruhe India Board, was
equally excited by this new venture, “Our economic relationship
with India has already been great, but the India Summer Days
give us the opportunity to also introduce the public to the country
and its culture. And apart from that, the India Summer Days are a
fantastic addition to DAS FEST and the Pre-FEST on Karlsruhe’s
cultural calendar.”
India Summer Days
After the grand success of the inaugural India Summer Days the city of Karlsruhe is getting ready to host the India
Summer Days again from 14 -15. July 2018 for guests to experience the great diversity of Indian culture and
tradition in an authentic way.
Global Destinations presents a pictorial essay

How do you highlight the location advan-
tages?
Customers choose hotels that suit their needs
best, even if this requires certain compromises.
Some customers value location above every-
thing else and are willing to pay that little bit
extra; some put a greater emphasis on facilities
offered by the hotel itself and place less value
on its surrounding amenities; and others may
have chosen the hotel specifically to attend
nearby events. We are the best choice for all
three. We do have HUDA showground just on
walking distance, hotel is located just 300
meters away from National Highway 8 and we
offer great facilities in our luxury boutique hotel
such as- In -house Organic spa, gymnasium, in-
house laundry and awesome tempting food and
beverages facilities.
Why is it so important to have things in house?
Some of the most imaginative hotels (in terms of design and
amenities) are being developed around the world. From underwa-
ter hotels to treetop hideaways, new properties are pushing the
boundaries of what a typical hotel experience should feel like. It’s
getting very tough competition environment to sustain. Only
quality services can
sustain you. Most
important part of a
hotel services is
laundry. I believe
you get a better top-
end quality of linen
through an in-house
laundry. Consisten-
cy is a major factor.
You must be
confident that standards should be maintained
with your laundry and for the same you have to
have in-house facilities.
Medical Tourism is on the rise. Your hotel
is uniquely placed to take benefit. Any partic-
ular strategy to promote this segment?
The hotel is internally accessible from the
hospital and providing wheel-in facility for the
patients. We are centrally located for almost all
the big hospitals in Gurgaon, such as- Medanta,
Fortis, Mayom, Paras and Max.
Our chefs are specialized in making healthy
food for patients which is very important part
for treatment. We are adding new techniques to
make our room sound proof to provide quiet and
calm environment, the accommodation has to be
perfect for patients as well as their visiting
relatives. We are planning to provide a recreational area where
patients can spend some quality time.
Nepal-based Chaudhry Group (CG) Hotels and Resorts, which
has a 50:50 joint venture with the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces
for countries like Maldives and Sri Lanka and also for Taj safari
lodges is building another hotel under the joint venture in Phuket,
Thailand and will take Taj Safari lodges to other overseas markets
besides Nepal, also has invested in Concept Hospitality which
owns the Fern brand. The company is growing by leaps and
bounds. The group has about 45 hotels under operation. Group
also have brand called Zinc which tries to capture all segments.
Zinc living is our serviced apartments brand which is operational
in Rwanda. Zinc City, is an upscale brand and the first is under
development in Nepal. We are hopeful for great success in
coming 5 years. Fern and CG joint venture is planning to open
100 hotels in coming 5years.
“We offer great facilities in our luxury boutique hotel”
Located in Gurgaon, The Fern Residency which opened in January 2013 has become a
prominent hotel in the city. With just 42 rooms this boutique hotel and a multi-cuisine restau-
rant, two banquet venues is ideal for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel is well main-
tained and is self-sufficient in many ways. Headed by Shatrughan Tomar, General
Manager, Fern Residency Gurgaon who has over 13 years of experience spread across the
globally including The Langham, Auckland and The Ascot Auckland Metropolis, Fern Gurgaon
has won accolades for its par excellence service and awesome food. In an e-interview with
Global Destinations Shatrughan Tomar highlights the reasons behind the success of the
hotel. Excerpts
How can you make a 26 room hotel number one on TripAd-
visor in such a short time?
It is somewhat an understatement when you refer to our
property as a 26 room hotel. What is inherently missing from the
statement is, that it is a value addition to a premium Township
that is on the cutting edge of the smart city concept and ecofriend-
ly practices. When we took over the property to operate, we
realized the intrinsic value of the venue which is Ionian Greek
Colonnade in the form of an Amphitheatre. It is an ancient archi-
tectural elegance that is different from the modern properties and
endears any visitor.
Therefore we had a tremendous advantage to start with. I
realized, in this particular case, less rooms means every in-house
guest can be given a far more personalized service that any
regular size hotel would find difficult if not impossible. So from
the day one, our training curriculum built in the ethos that every
guest is a VIP and it is our utmost responsibility to make him/ her
feel so. Obviously discerning guests rated us highly. Moreover,
whenever we had an opportunity to host any corporate or an indi-
vidual event, we went out of way to assist the organizers in every
way. We made sure that our marvelous ambience provided the
perfect backdrop for their treasured event. This brought us
tremendous word of mouth publicity. It goes to the credit of my
entire team from managers to every associate of our team who
identified with the vision and performed accordingly.
Our Sales team has done a wonderful job and consistently
brought us corporate business wherein we have been able to
exceed their expectations. The result has been corporate are asso-
ciating with us for more and more of their events.
How do you highlight the location advantages?
Amanora The Fern Hotel and Club is extremely well thought
out entity. There are three aspects of our location advantage
namely Central Location ie, we are located strategically in East
Pune, within 15 minutes of driving distance to Koregaon Park,
Magarpatta software Park, Eon Free IT Park, World Trade Centre
Kharadi and Hadapsar Industrial Estate. We have a perfect venue
to host corporate events from board meetings for select few to
annual day celebrations for up to three thousand pax. Secondly is
the Approach and Ambience where our venue is a value addition
to a four hundred acres township which has won numerous
awards in managing green cover, eco practices, architecture and
town planning as also digitally enabled services. Even in this
premium township our venue is integral part of central green zone
and leans onto a manmade lake. In fact our each room has a sit
out balcony offering a fabulous view, a feature not really
available in modern properties. Thirdly we are within 30 minutes
of driving distance to the airport as well as railway station
therefore access to our location by outstation guests is really
convenient.
At ‘Amanora the Fern’ we are challenging the limits of person-
alized hospitality service. It is because of our quality of service
that within first year of operation existing facility has been very
well subscribed. In fact we have fallen short of rooms leading to
regrettable refusal of accommodation to discerning customers.
We do have plans to add more sports and fitness facilities. The
question of adding rooms to our property is actively being
debated. Till such time these plans are brought to fruition we will
continue to exploit every venue of ours.
“Corporate are associating with us
for more and more of their events”
In a very short span of 9 months Amanora The Fern, Pune has risen to #1 of 232 Hotels in
Pune on TripAdvisor. A truly amazing feat for any hotel. Spearheading the success story is
Amit Kumar Sharma, GM, Amanora The Fern. An IHM graduate from IHM Lucknow he
has 18 years’ experience across various levels in India & Internationally working with top hos-
pitality. He was the pre-opening GM of this hotel and has been involved from the start. To get
an insight into this success Global Destinations spoke with him. Excerpts

A v i a t i o n
Firstly congrats on the recent success of St. Moritz Ice
Cricket tournament where Oman Air was the Official Airline
Partner and Sponsor. What was the idea behind investing in
this event?
Yes the event was a great success and we provided special
packages and rates to cricket lovers from across the globe to
witness quite a few former international cricketing legends show-
casing their skills in the Swiss Alps. In winter, the lake in St.
Moritz freezes up and can be an ideal sporting venue for Ice
Cricket. We used this opportunity to brand ourselves not just on
the event location but also on TV channels as the whole event was
broadcasted. Apart from us the other sponsors were Amul (India
Biggest Dairy Co.), Badrutt’s Palace (5* Hotel), Isanas (Pharma)
and Rolls Royce.
One of the major aims was to encourage Indian tourists to visit
Europe even during winter. Most of the tourists avoid winter but
this event showcased that Europe is equally beautiful and attrac-
tive during winter.
Probably with this in mind you launched a third daily flight
on the Mumbai - Muscat route.
Well it’s not just Mumbai but Delhi, Hyderabad and Calicut
also fly three times daily to Muscat. So its 4 cities now. Lucknow
frequency also has increased from once daily to twice daily.
Currently our overall weekly frequency of flights to India are
161.
That’s great but does your airline fly three times a day to
any other destinations apart from India?
Except for Gulf region where we have more daily frequencies
for e.g. 7 daily flights to Dubai from Muscat, India is the only
country to have such a good
frequency.
Consistency factor on Indian routes
is amazing making us look at increas-
ing our daily flights as well as
looking at new routes. This growth in
capacity was possible due to revised
Air Services agreement between the
Government of Oman and when the
number of weekly seats was
increased to 27,405 seats for both countries, compared to 21,145
seats in the previous agreement.
We recently obtained our first state of the art new Boeing 737
MAX which is scheduled to start operations from Delhi soon and
will also expand to other cities.
While most Gulf carriers have been successful in promoting
onward connections for Indian travelers, what is the scene at
Oman Air?
Muscat is fast becoming a hub for onward connections as we
are able to provide excellent onward connections to Gulf and
Europe. With 7 flights to Dubai many use our connections as we
reach Dubai at 11.15 am – a convenient arrival time for your hotel
check-in.
Also next month the $1.8 billion new Muscat International
Airport will open. It’s a state-of-the art complex, with aero-
bridges, located on the other side of the existing airfield. This new
580,000 sqm terminal will raise the capacity to up to 20 million
passengers per annum.
While the UAE relaxed visa rules for Indians but limited it only
for valid USA visa holders, Oman, a few months ago announced
a visa on arrival scheme for Indians holding valid U.S., UK,
Schengen, or Canada visa. The on arrival visa will be granted for
a period of one month for a fee of 20 Omani Rial (Rs 3,400).
Due to this we are sure more Indian tourists will travel. Also
those looking to go ahead can always take a stopover and in a
single flight ticket visit two countries. For those on business a
mini vacation in Oman can always be on cards.
Currently our airline provides international flights from Muscat
to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam,
Madina, and Kuwait, in the Gulf region, as well as Cairo,
“Muscat is fast becoming a hub for
onward connections”
Oman Air is the flagship carrier of the Sultanate of Oman and an Official 4 Star Airline
(Skytrax 2011). Founded in 1993, the airline has since witnessed massive growth not only
destination wise but also fleet wise with some of the best aircrafts (By 2022 total fleet size
is expected to be around 62) with First Class Mini Suite providing First Class passengers the
longest lie-flat seat in the skies. Oman Air is targeting 39 million passengers by 2030 and
India is bound to play a vital role. Its success story in India is amazing where it flies to
eleven destinations with overall weekly frequency of flights to India being 161 with a
capacity of 27,405 weekly seats. To get an insight into Oman Air and its operations from
India we decided to catch up with Sunil V A, Regional Vice President – Indian Sub-
continent at Oman Air. Excerpts
A v i a t i o n
Amman, Tehran, Nairobi, Mashhad, Najaf, Zanzibar and Dar Es
Salaam within the wider Middle East/Africa region. Those
looking for Europe connection we fly to London, Manchester,
Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich.
In the pipeline for this year are Istanbul (Turkey) from June 1st,
Casablanca (Morocco) from July 1st and Moscow (Russia) from
October 28th.
So we provide ample of opportunities for Indians travelling
from eleven destinations in India (Goa, Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi,
Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore,
Kozhikode and Jaipur) with multiple flight connections to select
onward cites.
How do you plan to attract MICE and Bollywood to Oman
and which are the most suitable locations for the same?
Our new International convention center - The Oman Conven-
tion & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) is already an iconic landmark
for the city of Muscat. Currently partial operational, by the third
quarter of 2018 we expect it to be fully operational.
OCEC will have the latest technologies in place and has been
designed to cater for global expos and conferences with more
than 22,000 square metres of column-free space for exhibitions, a
theatre that seats 3,200+, a 456 seat tiered Auditorium, a Grand
Ballroom offers for 2,688 persons in a theatre-style and 19
meeting rooms.
Apart from this two hotels – Marriott and Novotel which are
under construction will be just adjacent to the OCEC making it
ideal for delegates.
We also have some of the best hotels in the world and many
global brands like Shangri La, Ritz Carlton, Al Nahda Resort &
Spa, Sheraton, Alila. All these hotels have their own MICE
venues and are ideal as wedding destinations too.
I am sure with so many options Indian corporate or travel
agents will plan their expos or meetings or weddings in Oman.
Coming to Bollywood, we already have a few films shot in
Oman. Due to Oman’s natural beauty and diversity it’s bound to
be an attractive destination for producers. Compared to many
global destinations we are a reasonably priced country.
What can passengers expect to experience on Oman Air?
The best of the airline and hospitality industry. Currently our
fleet consists of some of the world’s best aircrafts. Our First Class
Mini Suite provides each of passengers with direct aisle access
and converts to the longest lie-flat seat in the skies. We have State
of the art in-flight entertainment systems and both mobile
telephony and Internet connectivity on board our flights available
in all three classes.
For those travelling in First or Business will find our new First
and Business Class lounges one of the best that they may have
experienced, featuring elegant and tranquil relaxation areas, com-
plimentary spa treatments and à la carte dining. Also a First Class
lounge-to-aircraft limousine service are offered to passengers at
Muscat.
How can Indians benefit from the new Oman Air Pass?
Our Oman Air Pass, delivered by Optiontown, is a simple, con-
venient and cost-effective way to chance to pre-purchase a
number of flights at highly discounted fares (up to 50% less) and
redeem them for ticketed flights when you want to travel. Ideal
for convenience of traveling to and fro from Muscat to all routes
in GCC countries, Indian Subcontinent and within Oman. Guests
will now be able to design a pass which suits their needs. Passes
can be customised for individuals, families, groups of friends or
business traveler. It’s valid for both Economy and Business class.
Frequent Flyer Program is very important for any airline.
Any uniqueness in your FFP?
It’s a very rewarding program with liberal mileage. Over the
years our Sindbad loyalty programme has undergone significant
enhancements and now reaching over 700,000 members.
The new Boeing 737 MAX will start operations from
Delhi soon – showing the importance that Oman Air
values for India. The airline has ordered 30 Boeing MAX
aircraft and by the end of this year they expect to
receive a total of 5 aircraft. The new B737 MAX will be
equipped with 12 new Business Class seats with large
17 inch touch screen monitors with USB outlets. The
150 seat Economy class cabin will also undergo a sig-
nificant refresh with new interiors, 10.2 inch Thales
Gen V touch-screen monitors and individual USB
outlets for every guests.

March 03 – 05 WTM Latin America, SAO PAULO, SP
March 05 – 07 21st International Hotel Investment Forum, Berlin, Germany
March 07 – 11 International Tourism Exchange (ITB) Berlin 2018, Messe Berlin, Germany
March 13 – 15 MITT (Moscow Int'l Travel & Tourism Exhibition), Moscow, Russia
March 14 – 16 GASTRO Helsinki 2018, Helsinki, Finland
April 22 – 24 Great Indian Travel Bazaar, Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre, Jaipur, India
April 22 – 25 Arabian Travel Market, Dubai
April 24 – 26 International Medical Tourism Exhibition & Conference, Muscat, Oman
May 04 – 07 Taipei Tourism Expo, Taipei, Taiwan
May 08-10 Indaba, Tourism Fair, Durban, South Africa
May 8-11 ILTM Latin America, Sao Paulo - Brazil
May 09-11 IEIA Open Seminar, HITEX, Hyderabad, India
May 10-11 International Travel Roadshow, Sydney - Australia
May 15-17 IMEX, Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events, Frankfurt, Germany
May 15-17 Global Travel Marketplace West, Las Vegas - USA
May 15-17 Airport Show, Dubai - UAE
May 16-18 ITB China, Shanghai - China
May 17-20 PATA Annual Summit, Gangneung - South Korea
May 19-23 International POW WOW, Denver - Colorado - USA
May 21-24 ILTM Asia, Singapore
May 21-22 Boutique & Lifestyle Hotel Summit, London - UK
May 29-31 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Geneva - Switzerland
June 01 – 03 Karibu Travel Market Tanzania, Arusha, Tanzania
June 04 - 08 Posidonia (shipping), Athens - Greece
June 07 - 08 Future Travel Experience Europe, Dublin - Ireland
June 12-12 International Travel Roadshow, Delhi - India
June 14-17 KOFTA (Korea World Travel Fair), Seoul - Korea
June 14-17 ITE Hong Kong, Hong Kong - China
June 15-17 BITE (Beijing International Tourism Expo), Beijing - China
June 15-15 International Travel Roadshow, Pune - India
June 25-28 Private Luxury Forum Europe, St. Moritz - Switzerland
June 24 – July 04 World Heritage Committee’s 42nd session, Manama, Bahrain
July 12-14 Global Travel Marketplace (GTM), Hollywood, Florida, USA
July 25-26 MICE INDIA and Luxury Travel congress, Hyatt Regency Mumbai, Mumbai, India
July 31 – Aug 01 MICE INDIA and Luxury Travel congress, New Delhi, India
September 5-7 IBTM Americas, Mexico City - Mexico
September 12-14 PATA Travel Mart, Langkawi – Malaysia
September 18-20 IT&CM Asia and CTW, Bangkok – Thailand
October 2-4 Africa Hotel Investment Forum, Nairobi - Kenya
October 5-7 TTF Mumbai, Mumbai - India
October 16 – 18 IMEX America, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, USA
October 23 – 26 INTERBAD (Swimming Pools, Saunas & Spas), STUTTGART, Germany
Exhibitions and conferences not only give you an opportunity to see and hear about the latest destinations, services
and products but also becomes a venue to meet and interact with International partners. One should plan much in
advance to participate in an expo so that he can get in touch with existing and prospective customers. We have
compiled a list of travel related Exhibitions for 2017-18
If your event is not listed, please e-mail us at editor@globalfeatures.info. It's free!
Your Dateline
If you are organizing an exhibition/Conference not listed above please get in touch with us at-
Global Technologies, B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059, India.
Phone - 91-22-29252569, Mobile - 9224339001 / 9223419060 e-mail: globalfeatures@lycos.com
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