Open skies: Cambodia-India Air Link Considered

India has urged Cambodia to open direct flights between the two countries in a bid to boost tourism.

“One of the best catalysts to promote tourist traffic between the two countries would be the establishment of a direct air link between India and Cambodia,” Indian President Paratibha Devisingh Patil said at an India-Cambodia business meeting last week. “This would open possibilities of attractive tour packages and also significantly reduce travel time.”

The proposal is now being considered by Cambodian officials.

Deputy Director of the Cabinet of the Secretariat of State of Civil Aviation, Long Chheng, welcomed the initiative, citing the potential for increased bonds between the two countries and economic benefits. Director General of Tourism Ministry Tith Chan Tha, expected that the two countries would take part in further discussions on the issue.

A Tourism Ministry report showed that the number of Indian tourists visiting Cambodia rose about 4 percent in the first half of the year, to a modest 6,238 from 6,000 in the same period of 2009.

Mohan Gunti, Advisor for Cambodia’s Association of Travel Agents (CATA), said that there is potential for expansion because of the Kingdom’s rich Heritage.

Indian President Pratibha Patil was on a 6 day state visit to Cambodia, on which she was accompanied by a 45-member business delegation with representatives from the CII, ASSOCHAM and FICCI.

FILM TOURISM: Films are indeed a fantastic vehicle to promote a Destination

Bollywood & Destination Tourism
The past 50 years have stood as a solid proof of the fact that Bollywood has always had a large influence on the Indian traveller’s choice of destination. Within Rajasthan, a few Hollywood and Bollywood films are known to have been set here because of its heritage offerings. Apart from the palaces, temples, museums, forts and havelis, the forests of Ranthambore, Bharatpur, Ramgarh and the Desert National Park in Jaisalmer have also been popular. The blend of hills, lakes and desert make Rajasthan a paradise for film makers. To fully capitalise on this form of tourism, the state needs to develop state-of-the-art studios and film training institutes.

For shoots in Rajasthan, films are now exempt from entertainment tax, to the extent of 50 per cent for a period of one year subject to the condition that the film does not have anything which is against communal harmony and national integration, and that the film doesn't have any objectionable scenes in it. The producer of the film is required to submit, in advance, copies of the shooting schedule to the director, art and culture and the deputy secretary, finance (tax) Department, Government of Rajasthan. Also, the minimum 50 per cent of the film time of the needs to be shot in the state of Rajasthan and be verified by a committee comprising the director, art and culture, the director, public relations and the deputy secretary, finance (tax) department.

Within the country, before major shoots began to happen on foreign shores, Patnitop in Kashmir had become a major honeymooner's resort due to the love songs picturised in the cinema of the sixties and seventies and remained so till the terror of early 90s bared its fangs. People from all over India used to throng to Mumbai and head to Marine Drive and Chowpatty which symbolised Mumbai in films. Internationally too, Switzerland’s exposure in Indian films made it the hottest destination for Indian tourists for almost 40 years, one could even have Indian meals with a menu in Indian languages. Kaho Na Pyaar Hai made in 2000, became a hit and the NZ Tourism saw an unprecedented wave of Indian tourists making them expand their immigration counter area from 500 square feet to 5,000 square feet. In India, the most sought after locations remain Rajasthan, Goa and Kerala. Though India has the most varied of natural locations, forts, and palaces, the logistics in some locations are not film friendly.

Films are indeed a fantastic vehicle to promote a destination. One, they are free advertising for the destination; two, they are not accompanied by the hard-sell factor of official media campaigns; three, they reach a wide target audience and four, they address deep, intrinsic feelings and connect them with a real place. In terms of promotion value, for around 40 per cent of potential international visitors to the UK, the destination image is influenced by films. In terms of visitation, there has been an increase of around four to six per cent of film-induced visitors who actually visit specific film locations in the UK. Film tourism is still neglected by many destination marketers despite the fact that media-induced tourism is a growing trend.

Bollywood, as it has come to be revered as, has been going places, quite literally. And in its wake, apart from generating eyeballs, the footfalls in the respective countries that the films have been shot at have multiplied over time. Their success can undoubtedly be attributed to the swelling fan following both from domestic audiences and from NRI pockets.

Film tourism is about to establish itself as a powerful destination marketing tool on one hand and as a niche tourism product on the other hand (e.g. film location products). Regions that have already recognised the power of films for tourism and have encashed on it are Great Britain, Australia (the film Australia), New Zealand (Lord of the Rings and others), regions in the US, Tyrol in Austria, the city of Salzburg (The Sound of Music) and Scotland (Braveheart, Rob Roy, etc). Regions that should start looking into film tourism are the Scandinavian countries, Germany and France.

The growing tourism destinations like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar & Indonesia in ASEAN region can benefit too from Bollywood Tourism.

Kingdom of Cambodia to Host ASEAN TOURISM FORUM (ATF 2011)

The Kingdom of Cambodia will host the upcoming 30th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF 2011) to be held at the newly-built Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center in the capital Phnom Penh from January 15-21, 2011. The theme of ATF 2011 is 'ASEAN – A World of Wonders and Diversity'. Quoting a message from Dr Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, the Kingdom of Cambodia and the chairman of ATF 2011 Host Committee, Pan Chantra, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom of Cambodia told, "ATF 2011 will offer a golden opportunity for all participants to discuss the development regional and individual tourism products of ASEAN member countries. It is also a cooperative regional effort to promote ASEAN, a world of wonders and diversity, as a single tourism destination. ATF 2011 will be a great platform for both sellers and buyers to meet and exchange business through Seller-Meet-Buyer (SMB) and Buyer-Meet-Seller (BMS) sessions." ATF is a cooperative regional effort to promote the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region as one tourist destination. This annual event involves all the tourism industry sectors of the 10 member nations of ASEAN, namely, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Mr. Pan Chantra said that though the main objective of ATF 2011 is to attract more tourists to ASEAN member countries and promote intra-ASEAN travel, but several Indian tour operators and travel agents are likely to attend the SMB and BMS sessions as more and more Indian tourists are visiting these ASEAN nations. Chantra was in Kolkata recently to attend a travel and tourism exposition, as head of a delegation from the Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom of Cambodia. He said that there is huge interest among the Indian tourists about the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
source: Indian Express - expresstravelworld

Indian President Pitches for Cooperation in India-Cambodia Tourism Sector

Indian President Pratibha Patil today said there was tremendous potential for both India and Cambodia in the tourism sector and emphasised on the need for a direct air link between the two countries.

“For Indians, South Asia is an important travel destination. In this context, I would like to mention that India-Cambodia tourism trade has tremendous potential for expansion”.

"I am also told that a large number of Cambodian tourists travel to India for pilgrimage purposes....One of the best catalysts to promote tourist traffic between the two countries would be the establishment of a direct air link between India and Cambodia," Patil said at the India-Cambodia Business Forum meeting here.

She said that this would open possibilities of attractive tour packages and also significantly reduce travel time.

Patil said the two countries could collaborate with each other, especially in the field of mining, oil and gas, hydropower, infrastructure, tourism among others.

Agriculture can be another area of mutual growth, she added.

The Indian president said Information Technology and IT enabled services could be worth exploring.

"I am glad that an Indian bank - Bank of India - is now cooperating in Cambodia. This will help facilitate business between the two countries," she said.

She appreciated the fact that bilateral trade between the two countries had reached approximately USD 50 million with pharmaceuticals being the dominating item of India''s export basket.

ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2011 TRAVEX Promises To Be A Sell-Out Event

ATF 2011 TRAVEX recorded strong interest and rapid take-up rate early in its registration process. To date, exhibitors have snapped up more booths than initially expected. This 2011 ASEAN leisure travel trade event showcasing the largest contingent of ASEAN destination products and services will also feature a larger show with 25% more booths space than last year.

More than 70% of the 450 available booth space has already been secured by some 240 exhibiting companies from across the 10 ASEAN countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Buyer registrations have also been overwhelming with more than 600 applications received from across the world. Only 400 of the best buyers will be selected to attend the event under a privileged hosting programme.

With regards to the buoyant interest for ATF 2011, Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, Cambodia and Permanent Vice-Chairman of ATF 2011 Organizing Committee explains, “Improving market optimism aside, a significant part of this year’s interest also has to do with the appeal of Cambodia as a destination. International delegates are motivated to experience the country’s rich cultural, natural and historical heritage.”

Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia believes that the country will be represented at the event in a big way this 2011. More than 800 participants from across Cambodia’s tourism industry gathered for the ATF 2011 event preview at Nagaworld in Phnom Penh on 31 August 2010. The purpose of the preview was to promote, increase awareness and encourage all Cambodian tourism stakeholders to participate at the upcoming ATF 2011. The event preview was presided by His Excellency Dr. Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers and Chairman of ATF 2011 Organizing Committee. The guest list included the country’s movers and shakers such as top government officials from the various ministries and heads of foreign missions. A large number of hotel owners and general managers were also present.

Host country, Kingdom of Cambodia, began its marketing efforts to tantalise the industry’s travel professionals at the last ATF 2010 closing ceremony by pulling out all stops to deliver a sumptuous and entertaining evening complete with a gastronomic and cultural showcase. Delegates enjoyed a sneak preview of what they can look forward to at ATF 2011 in Phnom Penh.

Scheduled from 19 to 21 January 2011, the three-day ATF 2011 TRAVEX will be held at Phnom Penh’s Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center located along the Bassac River. Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia will host the event’s Opening and Closing Ceremony, which promises to be even more spectacular than its 2010 preview. Delegates will also be thrilled to network in the company of their fellow industry colleagues and wind down at the end of a business work day at not two but three late night social events organised by Nagaworld, Fairmont/Raffles/Swissotel/TTG Asia and Pattaya City/Sofitel/TTG Asia respectively.

More information on the event’s programme will be made available in the upcoming months. Registrations for exhibitors, buyers and media are still open online at http://www.atfcambodia.com/ More information on ATF 2011 can also be found at the event website.

About ATF 2011
ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) is a cooperative regional effort to promote the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region as one tourist destination. ATF TRAVEX is the longest-running annual ASEAN leisure travel trade event, showcasing the largest contingent of ASEAN sellers. This annual event involves all the tourism industry sectors of the 10 ASEAN member nations: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Each year, the hosting of ATF is rotated among the member countries. Cambodia will host ATF 2011 and is all geared up to welcome over 1,600 delegates which includes 400 international buyers and 100 international media. ATF 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of this event since its inauguration in Malaysia in 1981.

2011 TRAVEX Dates: 19 to 21 January 2011
Venue: Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Media Contact
Cheryl Tan [ cheryl.tan@ttgasia.com ]
TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd
Organiser Website: www.ttgasiamedia.com