With this launch Connoisseur Conference and Leisure Consultants Pvt. Ltd, and Akqua Sun Holidays India Pvt. Ltd leading tour operators and travel service providers in India, also announced their merger. “The city has immense potential to become a tourism hub for all Indian Ocean countries,” declared while addressing the media.

Talking to the media Mr.Mahmood Shaugee, Minister for Tourism and Aviation added, “Maldives has been a favourite tourism destination for many Indians. We also have a plethora of Bollywood producers queuing up to shoot their movies here. With the new international airport in place, Bangalore has the opportunity to be the gateway of India for the small states of Indian Ocean countries. It has the potential to be the hub of travel trade in India. The formation of J Hotels & Resorts will add to the prospects of Maldives as it will to India and Bangalore. Professional hospitality services providers are important to the business and I am sure, leisure and corporate travels will benefit hugely from their services.”

Speaking about J Hotels, Mr. B A Rahim, Director Akqua Sun Holidays India Pvt. Ltd. said, “We have the combined expertise and exposure to give the very best to all our clients and customers. Tourism industry in India is growing with an average of 110% plus and we are confident of taking Bangalore to get a larger share of this pie.”

The promoters are looking at exploiting corporate tourism apart from the regular leisure travellers. With Connoisseur and Akqua providing a one stop solution with a host of services, the merger is seen by many as a blessing for today’s harried tourists and travellers.

Presently Connoisseur and Akqua Sun have offices in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and New Delhi.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Connoisseur Conference and Leisure Consultants:

Are professional conference, event and leisure tour organizer in India. Since its inception in 1999 ‘Connoisseur’ has provided a complete planning service for corporates across various cities in India. Their services include complete conference organization and facilitation. This encompasses destination management, hotel contracts and special pricing, delegate accommodation, surface handling, event management, speaker requirements, F&B, delegate registration, on-site management, conference dinners, pre and post tours.

They take care of every detail, to make the conference develop, grow and succeed with dynamic thinking, intricate planning and professional teamwork.

Connoisseur also adds a lot of boost to our tourism Industry by handling various foreign travel to India.

About Akqua Sun Group:

Akqua Sun Group is a one stop travel organisation providing exceptional travel services within India as well to Maldives , Sri Lanka , Dubai , Egypt , South Africa and Mauritius . They have branch offices in Ahmedabad, Goa, Mauritius , Sri Lanka , Maldives , Hong Kong and Russia .

The CNBC-TV18 'Emerging India Awards' initiative aimed at recognizing the most sustainable Value Creators among SMEs in the country. It is estimated that SMEs account for almost 90% of industrial units in India, 40% of value addition in the manufacturing sector and contribute 35% to India's merchandise exports. CNBC-TV18 'Emerging India Awards London 2008' provided a platform that enhances the visibility of these integral players in India's economic growth story. Travel and Tourism was one of the categories amongst the sixteen in which Pride Group of Hotels won the award from the total 200 participants. Three lakh SMEs participated pan India for these awards.

Feeling elated and speaking on the occasion after receiving the award. Mr. S. P. Jain said, that,” Receiving this prestigious award from Mr.Kamatha; who is a successful banker really feels good and makes one feel appreciated. At Pride our philosophy has always been to provide the best to our customers, this combined with the hard work and effort of my team has bought us this recognition that we received today. He further added that, Pride has come a long way, we started with one hotel in the year 1999 and now we have 6 operating hotels and five projects under construction and by the year 2010 we will have 11 operating hotels.

The Pride Group has a chain of hotels in Nagpur, Pune, Chennai and Ahmedabad. The Pride Hotel now offers total 501 rooms in Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Pune and Chennai and post expansion it will offer 1126 rooms in the 5 star categories. Currently The Pride Hotels has 15 food outlets which include restaurants, coffee shops and bars and 21 banquet halls and conference rooms in their properties.

The Pride Group of Hotels is planning to manage biznotels in cities like Hyderabad, Chandigarh, and Kochi. It has also tied-up for managing an up market resort in Mahabaleshwar and Hotel and Spa in Jaipur build in the Rajasthani haveli style. The Group has already acquired land in Mumbai for a five star hotel and at Alibaug and Goa for a resort and Spa.

SELECTION PROCESS OF THE AWARDS:

The first round of selection for the CNBC-TV18 'Emerging India Awards' involved review of financial Statements of the nominees by CRISIL. The evaluation was based on the performance of the company in the current and previous years to ensure consistency of performance.

During the second round of the screening, 25 short-listed entities in each category provided detailed information on:
- Comprehensive write-up on business
- Audited financial statements, verification from lead banker, any relevant references
from industry associations/ key large clients
- Future plans and strategies
- Management background, experience and track record
- Brief write-up and summarized financial performance on affiliate / group companies

CRISIL has also looked at the following factors to evaluate the nominated SMEs:
- Market position, competitive strengths
- Business strategy, growth plans and future prospects

- Management vision, quality, experience and depth

- Additionally CRISIL has also evaluated the companies on their ability to enter and establish their presence in global market and meet global cha The second round of screening resulted in the short listing of 3 entities per category. Each of the 3 short listed entries made a final round of offsite presentations about their respective businesses to a jury of independent experts. The jury selected the winners in each category after evaluating the SME's overall business, financial and management strengths and their ability for sustainable value creation for key stakeholders.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

This is the first biznotel launched by the Group; earlier known as The Plaza and owned by Dr.Bhosale; the hotel is now renamed as The Pride Biznotel and is managed by the Pride Group and it aims to fill the gap between business hotels and five star hotels. The Pride Biznotel offers a moderately priced, upscale, full service business and leisure hotel which offers the perfect choice for value conscious travelers and offers all comforts and facilities including restaurant, bar, conference halls and business centre. Ideally located on the Mumbai Pune highway opposite Gold Adlabs and Big Bazaar in the heart of Chinchwad city. Pride Biznotel is within easy reach of the City Centre and the hub of the business & industrial township.

It is a three star hotel with 62 well furnished rooms which has tea-coffee maker, mini bar, CCTV, direct dial telecom facilities, round the clock room service & wire-free high speed broadband connectivity. The hotel offers a choice of three banquet halls with a capacity of 20 – 250 persons. The outdoor lawn can accommodate up to 500 persons for get togethers. Eden Park the multi-cuisine restaurant offers a choice of Indian, Italian, Chinese and Continental cuisine. Bageecha; the exclusive garden restaurant offers authentic Punjabi cuisine.

The Pride Hotel now offers total 501 rooms in Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Pune and Chennai and post expansion it will offer 1126 rooms in the 5 star categories. Currently The Pride Hotels has 15 food outlets which include restaurants, coffee shops and bars and 21 banquet halls and conference rooms in their properties.

On the occasion, Mr. Arun Nayar, Director-Operations said that, “In India we have total 1, 10,000 rooms in star category of Hotel where as the demand is more then 2, 00,000 rooms as per the survey by FHRAI and Department of Tourism and clearly there is shortage of 90,000 rooms. Therefore the Department of Tourism has offered incentive scheme for construction of 1 to 3 star Hotels.

He further elaborated on the Group’s future plans and said that,” While 5 Star Hotels in India are at par with global competitors, there is a near absence of internationally acceptable 2 Star and 3 Star Hotels. This gap will now be filled by the Pride Biznotel chain – moderately priced, upscale, full service, business and leisure hotels – the perfect choice for today’s value conscious traveler.”

The Pride Group of Hotels is planning to manage biznotels in cities like Hyderabad, Chandigarh, and Kochi. It has also tied-up for managing an up market resort in Mahabaleshwar and Hotel and Spa in Jaipur build in the Rajasthani haveli style. The Group has already acquired land in Mumbai for a five star hotel and at Alibaug and Goa for a resort and Spa.

The Pride Biznotel

The Pride Biznotel will have 60-100 smartly furnished rooms with facilities designed for a comfortable stay. Business travelers will find a complete infrastructure available for them, including conference halls and business centres. Those seeking to unwind will find everything from a Health Club to various recreational facilities.

The facilities are geared to match the needs of discerning patrons. The comfortable environment introduces our guests to a luxurious life-style, right from the moment of check-in till their stay. Service at Pride Hotel; Biznotel is unparallel in standards of sophistication and convenience.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

The Association on behalf of its members, requested the Broadcasters to be reasonable in their demand and also requested them to allow the Hotels and Restaurants to receive the signals from the local cable operators who are providing the services, as it was beyond their means to install equipments and obtain the signals directly from the Broadcasters The Broadcasters and their agents refused the request of the Association and hence the Association had to take recourse to the legal remedy. Accordingly, it approached TDSAT, for resolving the dispute. TDSAT while admitting the Petition of the Association, granted a stay and Hotels and Restaurants were therefore required to pay the tariff as was prevailing in 2005. In the meanwhile, the Broadcasters and their agents continued to take coercive actions against Hotels and Restaurants compelling them to pay exorbitant charges. TDSAT thereafter delivered its Judgment at the beginning of 2006, holding that Hotels and Restaurants are not consumers. The sheer un-reasonability of this Judgement compelled the Association to move an Appeal in Supreme Court of India, which thereafter ruled in November 2006 that Hotels and Restaurants are indeed consumers. The Supreme Court, therefore directed TDSAT to dispose off the Petition filed by the Association on that basis. In November 2006 TRAI for the first time issued a notification prescribing the tariff for domestic consumers. While doing so, TRAI excluded the following categories of Hotels from the tariff regime and these Hotels were left to discretion of negotiating skills between the Broadcasters and the subject Hotels.

a) Hotels with 50 rooms and above.

b) Hotels with a ranking of 3 Star and above.

c) Heritage Hotels.

Aggrieved by the notification, FHRAI the apex body moved TDSAT challenging the discriminatory treatment. After several hearings, TDSAT is yet to announce its ruling in the matter. In the meanwhile, TDSAT ruled that no coercive actions can be taken by the Broadcasters against Hotels. As things stand

today, all consumers both Residential and Hotels & Restaurants except the excluded category listed above, pay the tariff as per the TRAI notification, amended from time to time, both in CAS and non-CAS areas. Recently, the Broadcasters have once again started taking coercive actions against Hotels and Restaurants, by instituting criminal cases against them for copy-right infringement. It is the submission and contention of the Association as well as FHRAI that the product being supplied by the Broadcasters is same whether to a Residential consumer or to a Hotel or Restaurant and hence, there cannot be a price difference. According to Mr.Dinesh Khanna, President HRAWI, “Hotels and Restaurants are providing cable T.V. as a consumer service, free of cost like any other service provided in a Hotel, such as bed, linen, toiletries, newspaper, water and we pay various taxes to the government, we are already paying the cable operators, paying each individual broadcasters, their agents and also IPR for the music on the cable is nothing but harassment; we are waiting for the hearing in TDSAT which is on 14th July 2008”.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

ABOUT HOTEL AND RESTURANT ASSOCIATION (WESTERN INDIA):

HRA (WI) was incorporated 3rd February 1951 with the primary objective to serve the interest of the hotel and restaurant industry. The Association over the last several years has taken major effective steps to encourage, promote and protect the interest of member establishments. It has been rendering professional advice and assistance from tome to time to all its members, on the topic of vital importance.

The Association admits and assists members operating in the Western India Region viz. in State of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Chhatishgarh, Madhya Pradesh and the Union Territories of daman, Diu and Dadra and Nagar – Haveli.

The Association renders assistance during promotion and operation of any hotel and/or restaurant. The Secretariat of the Association manned by professionals & equipped with facilities required by the industry, provides to the members, information on various aspects such as applicability of law, tax matters, labour, liaison with tourism department, foreign exchange and import licensing etc. The Association issues from time to time circulars clarifying matters concerning the hotel and restaurant industry and brings out a monthly bulletin NEWS & VIEWS. It holds periodical meetings on subjects of topical interest to the industry and convenes Regional and National convention to deliberate upon matters affecting the industry

To celebrate this year’s Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2008, Vice Versa will be issuing a specially branded DSS card to promote the event. Every week, one lucky winner will find up to AED 3000 in Card-CashTM hidden on their Vice Versa card to spend instantly at the special summer event. Cardholders can enjoy up to 20% of their purchase value back on their Vice Versa card when they shop, dine or enjoy entertainment and leisure activities at more than 275 premium outlets within the city.

Vice Versa has a special surprise of it’s own for this DSS as well! A special DSS mini guide has been published that will form a part of the Vice Versa welcome package distributed to the visitors of DSS and customers of Dubai’s most prominent destination management companies like Arabian Adventures and Marhaba. The mini booklet will include information about the summer activities and the special summer promotions that cardholders have in store at DSS. The Vice Versa card is packaged along with The Premium Guide to Dubai that includes essential city information – from maps and tourist spots to a full listing of all premium partner outlets like Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, GF Ferre and many more.

Kira Milan, founder and Managing Director of Vice Versa International says “We had a chance to be a part of DSS in 2007 and we are proud to be a part of this year’s DSS as well to help visitors get the most out of their visit to Dubai. The chip promotion that we ran last year was widely popular among the visitors that used the card due to its instantaneous rewards. Besides giving visitors the chance to win extra holiday money, we have introduced a new and exciting promotion where the representative who hands out the winner card will also win the same reward amount once the card is used. So this year, we have rewards and surprises for everyone!”

Visitors to Dubai can enjoy the benefits of the Vice Versa card by picking up a complimentary Vice Versa welcome package, including the DSS Vice Versa Silver card, with the DSS mini booklet from key locations at the major shopping malls in the city. The mini guide will also be a part of the official DSS 'goodie bags' handed out at the airport. The Vice Versa cards are also distributed to visitors through tour operators as well as five and four-star hotels. Prior to arriving in Dubai, visitors can request for their welcome packs online on www.viceversacard.com. Visitors, already in Dubai, can request for complimentary welcome pack delivered to their hotel – free of charge – by calling the customer service hotline number on 04 3642999.

The Vice Versa card in the welcome package is valid for one month, making it the ideal accompaniment for tourists visiting Dubai. Frequent travelers to Dubai have the opportunity to upgrade their card to the Vice Versa Gold card, valid for 2 years, by logging onto www.viceversacard.com.

“Everyone is a winner with the Vice Versa card! Even if visitors do not get the winning card of 3000 AED, they will still be instantly rewarded with up to 20% of their purchase by simply presenting their Vice Versa card when they shop, dine or just enjoys the sights of Dubai. With the freedom to redeem their Card-Cash on anything from more than 275 partner outlets, they will be able to make money while they spend money.” concludes Kira Milan.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Vice Versa International FZ-LLC is the management company of the Vice Versa card programme, the leading smart chip card programme designed for premium travellers to use in some of the world’s most exciting and cosmopolitan cities. More than 100,000 cards have been placed in the hands of visitors from more than 100 countries. The card showcases the capabilities and wide range of features Vice Versa International’s technology can offer the retailers and service providers, such as immediate card acquisition and activation, instant reward and redemption and the ability to run both an incentive programme and a loyalty programme on the same terminal. The technology is capable of running incentive card programmes, loyalty card schemes and e-purse and events solutions for any size of company. The e-purse solution has successfully been used at concerts with artist such as Shakira, P!NK and Santana catering more 25,000 spectators during the events. All data is stored and processed at Vice Versa International’s headquarters and technology hub in Dubai Internet City and communicates with the ‘plug & play’ terminal network.

The launch of VITS Aurangabad was a gala affair, with eminent faces of Aurangabad society attending the function. Corporate heads and renowned personalities from diverse fields graced the evening.

With world-class services and unique dining options, VITS Aurangabad will be a prominent landmark of the city. The majestic exterior of the property is well matched by its plush interiors. The hotel is ideally suited for business class travelers visiting Aurangabad, the tourist spots of Ajanta and Ellora and nearby places like Jalna, Jalgaon, Nashik and Paithan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vithal Venkatesh Kamat, Executive Chairman & Managing Director, Kamat Hotels India Limited (KHIL), said, “The new VITS hotel is in sync with the development envisaged for Aurangabad, which is now being referred to as the upcoming manufacturing hub in the centre of Maharashtra. Aurangabad is a growing business destination for the manufacturing sector as well as emerging sectors such as consumer durables, electronic goods and other public infrastructure projects. With existing business houses expanding their base, there is a need for top quality hospitality services in the city, and VITS bridges the gap by providing best in class facilities and services.”

Facilities at VITS Aurangabad are among the best in the category across the state. Its ideal location provides guests proximity to the domestic airport and Aurangabad station. It will offer varied dining options: a spacious 24x7 coffee shop with a midnight buffet option in a contemporary ambience; Herbs & Spices, a restaurant that will serve vegetarian flavours from all continents and Behind the Bars, a bar with a lounge area.

VITS offers a range of spacious and luxurious accommodation to suit the needs of guests: deluxe rooms, one bedroom apartment & club rooms, twin and double rooms equipped with all modern & technical facilities, various mid size and a bigger banquet hall. It also has a lush green lawn for an open party that can accommodate 600 people or more. The swimming pool and 50 more rooms are scheduled to open by October 2008.

With this launch, KHIL has taken another step in its ambitious plan to grow the VITS chain for business travellers. The first VITS hotel was launched in Mumbai in November 2007 and the second property opened in Belgaum in January 2008. In the next few months, KHIL plans to extend the VITS hospitality experience to Amravati, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Chinchwar, Gujarat, Hubli, Raipur, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, Surat and Thane, and twenty more locations in the next five years.

In the VITS chain of hotels, standardized amenities will include world-class service - from airport pickup by luxury car to one-time registration while checking in. The 24-hour, in-room dining, contemporary ambience, in room mini–bar, banquets for specific requirements, LCD Flat screen Television, in room Electronic Safe, Electronic access room lock system, impeccable bathroom amenities, high-tech business centre and seamless Wi-Fi connectivity on the premises will cater to all the needs of modern, business travelers. VITS also plans to include select facilities required by guests in specific locations.

As an inherited principle from its flagship Orchid Hotels, VITS will uphold the Kamat’s philosophy of giving the maximum value to customers without compromising on service, quality or food. The same values are epitomized in VITS' concise motto – ‘Guest. Rest. Best.’

The new VITS hotel chain will bridge the gap existing in the market by being present in all major Tier II and Tier III cities and towns in India. It will offer a complete package of top quality hospitality services for upwardly mobile business class travelers. VITS will have a trendy look which will be reflected in its logo, facilities and services and will be the best in class.

The VITS marketing plan revolves around acquisition, retaining and regaining customers. Exclusively designed customer loyalty programmes for guests, corporate houses and travel agencies will be announced soon.

The city of Aurangabad is known for its medieval monuments and cultural heritage. It was the seat of the Mughal Empire in the 17th century. Aurangabad is the hub for tourists and researchers to visit the world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora and the famous Bibi-ka-Makbara, a tomb that has some resemblance to the Taj Mahal. Aurangabad is famous for its silk & cotton textiles, is a manufacturing hub and an education centre.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About KHIL:

Kamat Hotels (India) Limited (KHIL) is one of the fastest growing hospitality groups in the country. KHIL was initiated on March 21st, 1986 by the late Venkatesh Krishna Kamat, a visionary in the business. His guidance and support helped Vithal Venkatesh Kamat, current Executive Chairman and Managing Director, steer the company into a successful public limited company in 1994.

Kamats is today a large hospitality business group with interests in Luxury Hotels, Budget Hotels & Restaurants, Travel Business, Catering & Educational Institutions, Departmental Stores and of course, Restaurants. With a turnover of over Rs. 160 crores (2007 - 08) and approximately ten thousand shareholders, KHIL is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Mr. S. P. Jain, Chairman of Pride Group of Hotels; said that” PIHM offers career opportunities in hotels, cruise lines, international fast food chains, travel & tourism and multi-national companies. It’s a global gateway for a career in hospitality as we will offer the passion and attitude needed to reach at the helm of this industry coupled with an unmatched learning environment for students. We have the most comprehensive hotel management programs where academic learning is mixed with hands-on work experience at our hotels. Our core mission is to link theory and practice to provide student to form a foundation for life long learning with skill for immediate employment”.

In India, hospitality and tourism are the third largest net earners of foreign exchange and is expected to be numero uno by 2010. Hospitality is a 3.5 trillion dollar service sector within the global economy. According to a survey by HVS, FHRAI, 25-30 hotels are expected to be launched in Pune in next 3 years and these hotels will require 10,000 trained professionals by 2011. Pride Group of Hotels has launched PIHM to bridge this gap and is also planning to open PIHM in Ahmedabad and Nagpur in near future.

According to Mr. Hemant Merchant- Director-Academics of PIHM, “Our objective at PIHM is to make our students industry ready professionals with the right attitude, communication and managerial skills and is apt with our motto which is “Enter to learn, go forth to serve”. Our institute offers immense potential for a stellar career in hospitality with 100 per cent guarantee in job placement in hotels owned by Pride Group or other star category hotels across India”.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

ABOUT PRIDE INSTITUTE OF HOSPITALITY AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (PIHM)

PIHM offers different programmes such as BSc in Hotel Management and Catering Operations, a three-year degree course and is affiliated with Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), recognised by UGC.

PIHM offers short-term programme Certificate Course on Food & Beverage Services, Certificate Course on Food & Beverage Production, Certificate Course on Front Office, Certificate Course on House Keeping, Certificate Course on Hotel / Restaurant Management or Catering Operation, Certificate Course on Bakery and Confectionery and Certificate Course on Bartending.

PIHM offers 100% placement guarantee in Pride Group of Hotels and other star categories hotels. The institute’s library houses a veritable collection of books, journals, periodical, subscription and audio visual and reference materials, apart from a computer laboratory with 20 terminals, a front office laboratory with capacity of 40 students, a guest room at par with 5-star hotel, a house keeping and laundry laboratory, broadband connection, training & placement cell and a Modern Cafeteria, Basic Training Kitchen and Quantity Kitchen.

PIHM offers diverse career opportunities in hotels, airlines, cruise lines, hospitals, MNC’s/retails outlets, international fast food chains, travel and tourism, teaching, and entrepreneurship.

Commenting on the current scenario in the hospitality sector, Ms. Namrata Jain, Director of Pride Institute of Hospitality & Business Management said that; “Being in the Hospitality business since decades we realized the importance of trained professionals and since the industry always faces the shortage of trained manpower. We decided to impart our students with not just theoretical training but hands on practical training in our hotels, our course module are designed in such a way that these students are geared up to start their work from day one.

PIHM offers a slew of educative programmes such as soft skill development programme, self learning and group activities, placement assistant and affiliation with national & international association. The institute has well equipped laboratories and industry approved teaching hospitality curriculum apart from special tutorials for students with futuristic techniques, which will help in imparting knowledge coupled with practical training within the campus, which is barely 10 minutes away from Pride Hotel, Pune

Tourism industry, like every other one in India, is expanding at an enormous rate. Irrespective of the technology replacing manpower, this is still very much a relationship oriented business and manpower is in heavy demand. The biggest plague to hit this market today is the supply of skilled professionals to fulfill the demand. PIHM’s core mission is to assist every aspiring student in finding that “perfect fit” between their skill and experience and the right career prospect in the hospitality sector.

For more information on PIHM, contact: 020-32335338/25511771/2; Ashutosh-9975294693, Siddharth-9850960302

Set amidst the serenity of plush flora, a stay at the Chardham camps by Leisure Hotels feels like a ‘home away from home.’ The Chardham Camps offer luxuries like spacious weather proof tents, attached baths and toilets with running hot & cold water, multi- cuisine dining facilities, guided visits to the shrines, first-aid at camps, ayurvedic massages and more.

The Chardham Camps, conceptualised by Leisure Hotels, are the first of its kind branded accommodation available in this circuit. Foreseeing even a further rise in tourism in this sector, Leisure Hotels has concentrated on providing unmatched hospitality and service at their camps. By providing quality accommodation, excellent in-house services and consistent F&B standards, Leisure Hotels has been able to cater to a wide audience comprising of domestic & international travelers. With Leisure Hotels’ Chardham Camps, one has the opportunity to explore the four most sacred shrines of Hindu mythology, for the ultimate experience in spiritualism. The sheer magnificence and the tranquility of the Chardhams is so mesmerizing that one experiences true peace & humility. Nature in all its splendor, at once huge & overwhelming and yet at times humble in its exquisite beauty – the pilgrimage to the Chardhams is an experience that will remain with you and beyond.

Accessibility:

Air - Nearest Airport is Jolly Grant for all four Dhams.

Rail - Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh for all four Dhams.

Road – Different for all four Dhams.

The Chardham Experience

The Cost of package for a person per night on Twin sharing basis is Rs. 2250. (Includes all meals)

The Cost of package for a person per night on Single occupancy basis is Rs. 3600. (Includes all meals)

Highlights of The Camps:

o Accommodation in spacious all weather proof, independent, thatched roof, luxury-tents (16’ x 12’)

o Attached baths and toilets with running Hot & Cold water

o Multi cuisine dining facilities

o Hot water bottles as sun down service

o Guided visits to the shrine

o Bonfire Every Evening

o First aid at camps with oxygen cylinders

o Escorted walk and visits to nearby areas

o STD / ISD conferencing facilities at the camps

o Well structured activity blocks for Aarti, Religious discourses, Yoga lessons, etc.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

The site, www.whghotels.cn, enables users to complete the booking process in their native language. The Chinese site supplements separate existing Chinese and English booking portals for the Ramada, Days Inn, Howard Johnson and Super 8 brands.

The new Web address will be featured in all Wyndham Hotel Group brand advertising and marketing materials in China, providing as a "single call to action" for travelers, according to Daniel Del Olmo, Wyndham Hotel Group vice president of international marketing and strategy.

In a bow to Chinese culture, consumers are not required to provide credit card information to guarantee reservations booked at the new site. Those reservations are guaranteed until 6 p.m. on the arrival date. Chinese Web users who are not comfortable booking online may call a posted telephone number to complete their transaction.

"Domestic travel in China is becoming huge, and these sites were designed to cater to that market," Del Olmo said. "Our diverse hotel portfolio, ranging from budget to upper-upscale accommodations, offers more price options than most of our competitors." Wyndham Hotel Group has more hotels in China than any other U.S. lodging company.

By launching the new Web sites prior to the Olympic games later this summer, Wyndham Hotel Group has provided an "easy way for Chinese-speaking travelers alike to access our nearly 140 hotels in China," Del Olmo said.

www.whghotels.cn is Wyndham Hotel Group's first multibrand booking site outside of North America. "We selected China because it is a market of particular strategic importance to us," Del Olmo said.

(Source: Marketwire.com)

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Wyndham Hotel Group, one of three principal components of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), encompasses more than 6,550 hotels and 551,000 rooms in 59 countries on six continents under the Wyndham®, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate® by Wyndham, Baymont Inn®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge®, Knights Inn® and AmeriHost Inn® brands. All hotels are owned individually and operated independently or by Wyndham Hotel Management. Wyndham Hotel Group is based in Parsippany, N.J.

Additional information is available at www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

EDITORS: Photos and logos can be downloaded from www.wyndhamimages.com. Log in under the user name "service" and the password "excellence." For more information about Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and its businesses, go to www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

All HOME-LIKE HOTELS provide a fine standard of comfort for the discerning guest. With more hotels joining the collection this year, HOME-LIKE HOTELS provide a one-stop-shop for both the leisure and business traveller at affordable prices.

As HOME-LIKE HOTELS chief executive officer, Amrik Singh Khokhar, commented: “With the level of interest generated by the Indian tourism campaigns and the accelerated performance of the Indian economy, leisure and business travel to India has steadily increased. Travel has also become easier with increased number of flights and slow but steady improvements in airport infrastructure. Hence it is strategically important for HLH to make its services available to a wider audience outside India. With this agreement, HOME-LIKE HOTELS will be able to target its efforts and create a presence in Europe. And we expect that new sales avenues will be opened up along with increased revenue generation”.

With hotels in popular resort locations, like Munnar and Varkala in Kerala, to the valleys of the Himalayas, HOME-LIKE HOTELS offer unique holiday and travel options for any length of time. As for the business traveller, great value hotels are available in India’s major cities, such as Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad, with more destinations being added.

Based in London, HSSO’s specialist sales team will provide a broad range of sales and marketing activities to promote HOME-LIKE HOTELS in the UK and make them more accessible to the European clients.

Visit www.homelikehotels.com and www.hospitalitysalessolutions.co.uk for more details.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About HOME-LIKE HOTELS

HOME-LIKE HOTELS (HLH) is a hotel company which offers sales, marketing and distribution services to its member hotels.To the traveller, HLHallow India's myriad places of interest to be more accessible, available and affordable. To the independent hotelier, HLH provides the ability to sell and market their hotel to a wider audience through innovative use of the latest travel and hotel technology, as well as the support of a professional sales and marketing team on a global platform. HLHis based in India with its corporate office in Greater Noida and an international sales office in London. Company website www.homelikehotels.com

About Hospitality Sales Solutions Ltd (HSSO)

Hospitality Sales Solutions Ltd (HSSO) offers customised solutions to expanding hotel companies to enhance their sales reach and potential for revenue generation. As a specialist business based in the dynamic business hub of London, HSSO works actively with expanding hotel companies to access new European markets. HSSO also work to optimise internal sales processes and to introduce effective sales technology. Company website www.hospitalitysalessolutions.co.uk

The company is based on the concept of sales and marketing affiliation. It offers independent hotels the chance to come under a single sales and marketing umbrella, as part of HLH brand, to increase their sales and marketing voice. At the same time HLH addresses the increasing demands of the modern traveller for accommodation that is unique, yet affordable and trusted, across India.

The chief operating officer of HOME-LIKE HOTELS, Vineeth Purushothaman, commented: ”Anyone who has travelled through India has surely experienced the challenge of finding unique but dependable accommodation in the economy segment. Either you go for the luxury high-end hotels, which set you back enormous amounts, or you need to settle for not knowing what you get. Our collection provides a fine choice of carefully selected small hotels with character at a reasonable price. Most of our hotels offer rooms for less than 100 USD a day and offer great value for money.’’

With hotels in popular resort locations, like Munnar and Varkala in Kerala, to the well-known beaches of Goa and charming resorts in the Himalayas, HOME-LIKE HOTELS offer unique holiday and travel options whether just for the weekend or longer. For the business traveller there are great value hotels available in the major cities, like Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad, with more destinations being added all the time.

With many more hotels to join the collection this year, HOME-LIKE HOTELS aims to provide a one-stop-shop for unique independent hotels to both the business and leisure traveller at an affordable price.

For more information and to book a hotel, please visit www.homelikehotels.com

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

HOME-LIKE HOTELS (HLH) is based in India with its corporate office in Greater Noida and an international sales office in London. To the traveller, HLH will allow India's myriad places of interest to be more accessible, available and affordable. To the independent hotelier, HLH provides the ability to sell and market their hotel to a wider audience through innovative use of the latest travel and hotel technology, as well as the support of a professional sales and marketing team on a global platform.

‘Africa Day’ is commemorates the founding of the ‘Organisation of African Unity’ on the 25 May, 1963, which became the ‘African Union’ in July 2002 after amalgamating with the African Economic Community. By establishing of the organisation the leaders of the then independent Africa gave significant impetus to the continent's collective but then incomplete struggle for independence. The ‘African Union’ recently gained a higher profile internationally as a result of its peacekeeping activities in Darfur.

The Africa Day has been a great occasion in African countries and around the world to bring the African countries together to work for the greater political stability and rapid socio-economic development in the region as well as to showcase the African culture and strengthen their relationship with rest of the world.

Explaining the idea behind organising ‘Africa Day’, Hon’ble Ambassador of Republic of Egypt, H E Mohamed Hamid Higazy said, “We wish to seize this opportunity to express our deep gratitude towards our international partners from this region for the constant interest and support that they continue to lend to our efforts for integration and development of our continent. The African continent must build a united front in building a secure future for itself and its people. As we observe the rise of Asian giants, particularly, India and China, we must take up the challenge of ensuring that we claim the twenty-first century as Africa’s. We can only achieve this, if we can work together among ourselves and with developing countries like India to pronounce Africa's arrival on the global scene as a vibrant and decisive player.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

For further information please contact:
Sonalika Luthra – 9818130558, sonalika@lexicon.in
Prasoon K. Ghosh – 9953667117, prasoon@lexicon.in

Lexicon Public Relations & Corporate Consultants Limited. (A Fleishman-Hillard International Communications Affiliate)

Irish Pereira, The Executive Assistant Manager of Sun Spa Resorts Pvt. Ltd., puts it in her words:

“I have been working in the spa industry for over 7 years now. In that time I have seen how much can be improved in each spa – be it a small day spa or a big resort spa operation – by joining an international network community. We receive support in product sourcing and employee recruitment as well as training, while at the same time ensuring highest levels of hygiene and customer service – making a visit to our spas the truly exceptional experience each and every one of our guests deserves!”

Sun Spa Resorts Pvt. Ltd. follows the Code of Conduct created by ISPA – a list of rights and responsibilities for spa guests. It ensures that each spa experience be professional in communication, confidentiality, privacy and spa treatment. The code is especially helpful for those who are new to the spa industry because it describes spa etiquette and helps to manage a guest’s expectations.

A few of the guidelines from the Code of Conduct include…

As a spa guest, it’s your responsibility to:

Ø Communicate your preferences, expectations and concerns

Ø Communicate complete and accurate health information and reasons for your visit

Ø Use products, equipment and therapies as directed

As a spa guest, you have the right to:

Ø A clean, safe and comfortable environment

Ø Stop a treatment at any time, for any reason

Ø Be treated with consideration dignity and respect

You may read the Code of Conduct, as well as gain access to ISPA’s 3,000 members, through www.experienceispa.com.

Spas are entities devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit.

ISPA is recognized worldwide as the leading professional organization and voice of the spa industry. ISPA’s membership is comprised of nearly 3,000 health and wellness facilities and providers from 75 countries. ISPA strives to advance the professionalism of the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities, to promote the value of the spa experience to society, and to be the authoritative voice of the spa industry.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Sun Spa Resorts Pvt. Ltd. is a spa management company incorporated in the Maldives. Its primary aim is to develop, manage and operate full spa and wellness facilities. The company’s first Sun Spa was opened in December 2005 at Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort, followed by the second spa at Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort in February 2006. The third Sun Spa is scheduled to open in summer 2008 at the new 5-star island resort IruFushi Beach & Spa Resort in unspoilt Noonu Atoll in the Maldives.

In 2007, the Sun Spa Resorts family grew even further by establishing its new brand within the company: ‘Shui’. The first ‘Shui’ resort spa has opened its doors in December 2007, at the luxury boutique resort The Beach House at Manafaru Maldives. Shui is closely linked with The Beach House Collection and offers a different product and treatment range than the Sun Spas, while still adhering to the same basic principles.

As a part of the rebranding, Trident Hotels also launched its own dedicated GDS Chain Code “TH”. The new GDS code came into effect on 1st April, 2008, from which date all Trident hotels are available under the unique “TH” designation, instead of the Hilton International code “HL”.

Trident Hotels are available on all major GDS with “Seamless Next Generation” connectivity and also participate in the newly launched “Total pricing” and best available rate programs of all GDS.

In 2004, The Oberoi Group and Hilton International Co. entered into a strategic alliance for marketing and co-branding hotels in India under the ‘Trident Hilton’ brand. While The Oberoi Group continued to plan, staff and operate the hotels, Hilton International was responsible for the sales and marketing of the hotels. With the termination, in addition to planning, staffing and operating the hotels, The Oberoi Group also supports the sales and marketing of Trident Hotels worldwide.

P.R.S. Oberoi, Chairman, The Oberoi Group said, “The outlook for the Trident brand in India is excellent and we are very confident that Trident Hotels will continue to expand exponentially.”

Referring to the new brand identity Rattan Keswani, President, Trident Hotels said, “Trident hotels are five-star hotels that are acknowledged for offering quality and value. The Trident brand stands for dependability and care. Our guests can depend upon us to make their stay enjoyable.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Trident hotels are five-star hotels that have established a reputation for excellence and are acknowledged for offering quality and value. These hotels combine state of the art facilities and efficient, warm and friendly service in a relaxed environment, making them the ideal choice for business and leisure travellers. Presently there are eight Trident hotels in India located in Mumbai, Gurgaon (Delhi National Capital Region), Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Cochin, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur.

For further information please visit www.tridenthotels.com.

About The Oberoi Group

The Oberoi Group owns and/or manages 33 properties across several countries under the luxury ‘Oberoi’ and five-star ‘Trident’ brands. The Group is also engaged in travel and tour services, car rentals, airport bars and restaurants, in-flight catering, delicatessen products, project management and corporate air charters.

For further information please visit www.oberoigroup.com.

Approach Communications is a leading PR and Rural Marketing and communications consultancy offering PR, Below the Line Promotions, Rural Activation, Marketing and Research solutions. The company already has corporate and social sector clients in the kitty and planning to launch a print magazine specifically for rural target audience called ‘ Gramin Today’.

As there is a boom in rural tourism in the country, the portal will offer online and offline rural tourism packages to domestic and foreign international tourists coming to India. Spiritual and rural tourism package will be clubbed together to promote India in International markets. Not only International tourists, but company is also eying urban children and students in a big way. Company will offer niche and specific rural tours for urban children and students to explore rural India. Gandhi ji said that India lives in its villages but now the situation is quite different as children are not aware about the rural living and culture. Rural tours to villages will be a very exciting and learning experience for them to understand real hardships of the life and building up the confidence.

Commenting on www.goruralindia.com, Sonu Tyagi, Director of Approach Communications, said “We are very excited about our portal www.goruralindia.com. As more than 60 percent of our population lives in villages, there was no digital plate form for them. Our portal goruralindia will bridge the gap between a villager and corporate. As we have the experience and understanding of rural audience, our portal will be a boon for people who wants to explore rural India for tourism or want to tap it for marketing porpose.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Approach Communications, which is just in 4 year of operations; have already handled leading companies, entertainment and social sector clients. The agency is present in 5 cities of India with its headquarters in Delhi. Agency has handled accounts like Mirage Group, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Rathi Thermax, U.S.Writopia, SOS Children’s Villages of India, Aaliya Productions, Greentech Foundation, General Motors,{ Regional}, Sutlej Motors Ltd, Malaysian Promotion Council, Handicapped Care Foundation, FMCG International , Jhankar Television, JMD Group among others. Agency is very excited about future prospects and soon entering in publications in a big way. Agency has already carved a niche in strategic rural communications services and pitchings for new clients are already on. Agency has worked across industries like FMCG, Healthcare, Lifestyle, Entertainment and Films.

v During the fourth quarter of FY 2007/08, the Company’s total income increased by 5% to Rs.71.65 Crores from Rs.68.37 Crores in the corresponding period last year.

v The company’s Hotels at Hyderabad have achieved occupancy of 87% and the Taj Chandigarh Hotel located at Chandigarh has achieved occupancy of 81 %.

v 7 % increase in F&B Income compared to corresponding quarter last year.

v Profit after Tax increased by 6% to Rs. 20.05 crores from Rs.18.84 crores in the corresponding period previous year.

v EPS for the quarter was Rs.3.19 against Rs.2.99 during corresponding quarter last year on the face value of the equity shares Rs.2/- paid up.

Results for year April 07 – March 2008

v During the period, the Company’s total income increased by 6% to Rs.259.12 Crores from Rs.244.11 crores in the corresponding period last year.

v The company’s Hotels at Hyderabad have achieved occupancy of 79% and the Taj Chandigarh Hotel located at Chandigarh has achieved occupancy of 75 %.

v 15 % increase in F&B Income compared to corresponding period last year

v Profit after Tax increased by 9 % to Rs.70.42 crores as compared to Rs.64.32 crores of the corresponding period last year.

v EPS for the period was at Rs.11.23 against Rs.10.26 during corresponding period last year on the face value of the equity shares Rs.2/- paid up.

Major Expansion Plans

The Company is planning to spend around Rs.500 crores in various projects.

The Hotel Project at Chennai, Taj Mount Road, is nearing completion and the Hotel will be operational by May 2008. The total cost on this Project is estimated to be around Rs.160

crores. The Chennai hotel is designed to be a trendy hotel with contemporary modern rooms and Food & Beverage outlets.

Taj Deccan, Hyderabad Expansion

Taj Deccan is under extensive renovation to transform the same to a benchmark property in Hyderabad. A new restaurant, restobar and 23 guest rooms are being added in the existing block at a cost of Rs 25 Crores.

The plans for expansion of Taj Deccan with an inventory addition of 180 rooms, at a cost of Rs.100 Crores have been finalised and the Company is awaiting statutory approvals.

Begumpet

The civil works for the new five star hotel project site at Begumpet, Hyderabad is progressing as per schedule. As per asset light strategy of the company, the owner of land is putting up the structure and company would be doing the interiors. The project would consist of around 189 rooms with cost of interiors at around Rs.80 crores, and is expected to be operational by December 2009.

Taj Krishna Expansion

The Company is proposing the construction of service apartments (43 nos.), 7000 sq ft spa and the additional Car parking facility at the existing premises of Taj Krishna, at an estimated cost of Rs. 75 Crores. The excavation works for the car park facility is nearing completion. The Company is now awaiting the necessary statutory approvals in this regard.

Other plans

The company is in process of identifying and acquiring land in Bangalore, Jaipur Kodaikanal and Amritsar for hotel projects.

Outlook

The Company’s growth during the coming year will be driven by the buoyant conditions in Indian hotel industry and commissioning of the Chennai project.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Sand is one of the main attractions for children on a beach. Building mountains, castles, canals, funnels, sculputures and many structures is a favorite beach activity for young and old alike. Sand sculpturing has been around for decades and has become an art all over the world.

The competition is being organized third time in a row by Wallace Periera Memorial Foundation. The response was very enthusiastic last year by the participants. ‘ Juhu Sand Art Competition’ is organized in the memory of Late Wallace Periera, who was very fond of the art and who had always dreamed of organizing an event like this. The event will be organized every year. The initiative was taken up by Renuka Periera single handedly without any support and sponsorship.

There are many competitions all over the world for sand art but here in India, there is no event to recognize the potential of sand art. Wallace Periera is not for profit organization working for various social reforms and educating street children. The organization has been set up by Renuka Periera, wife of late Wallace Periera.

To participate in Sand Art Competition, Please contact Renuka on 9867489389

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

For More Info: Sonu Tyagi - Approach Communications
Sonu Tyagi 9820965004 approachpr@gmail.com
Please visit us at www.approachcom.com

We noticed a great need for education about sports in the country. Because we were already organizing instructive trips in the field of education, we decided on putting together a sports trip as well," said Sandeep Joshi, director of Guardian Holidays.

In the first of its kind Guardian has now come up with the concept of sports tourism wherein 35 city students will travel to the Paradorn Srichapan Tennis Academy at the educational city of Kon Kaen in Thailand.

The trip which departs from the city on May 7 is open for students of between 10 to 16 years of age. "It will consist of a week long stay at the academy and a 3-day sightseeing trip of Bangkok which will include Dream World , Safari World and city tour of Thailand.

At the camp the students will be put through 5-6 hours of rigorous tennis training and Physical training and will spend the evenings learning Thai culture through interaction with local kids.

Champions are often born out of encouragement, in today’s world exposure to children is essential part of their development, our aim is to give the child his/ her first international exposure, which could help in altering their perception and importantly boosting their self confidence, Mr. Joshi added.

According to Mr. Joshi “We chose Thailand because of cost effectiveness. Thailand has a cultural diversity which is similar to the one prevailing in India." The entire cost of the 10 day tour package including, airfare, training costs and sightseeing is priced at Rs. 45000 per child.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

The workshop for Burren-based business owners follows the publication of market research results that indicate a strong demand for such activities among Burren visitors and tourism providers.

The objective of the visitor survey carried out by the Burren Connect Project in the summer of 2007 was to assess the visitor experience of the Burren, to allow information to be targeted more effectively, and to develop sustainable services and activities based on real visitor demand.

538 visitors, all of whom were availing of accommodation in the area, participated in the survey. 63 accommodation providers and 10 visitor centre managers were also surveyed.

Commenting on the market research for the Burren Connect Project, Ms. Carol Gleeson, Project Manager, stated, “The survey questions teased out information on how visitors hear about the Burren, how they get here, what they do here, what they would like to do, and most importantly, if their visit met their expectations and if they would return. Visitor’s knowledge of the fragile nature of the Burren environment was examined, as well as awareness of the impact of certain practices such as picking flowers or removing stones.”

Ms Gleeson added that the findings of the survey pointed towards a number of opportunities, particularly in the area of ecotourism style activities.

The top 5 rated activities amongst visitors were visits to visitor and interpretative centres, visits to archaeological monuments, participation in local cultural events, guided tours and walking routes. Many visitors expressed a desire to engage in more activities than they actually undertook on their holiday.

“This demand for activities and the length of visitor stay suggest there is considerable scope to increase the overall time spent by visitors in the area. As less than 1 in 3 stay entirely in the Burren, and only 14% stay more than 4 nights, it would be fair to conclude that there is significant unsatisfied demand for the identified activities. This suggests that there is strong potential to retain visitors longer through increased accessibility and availability of such activities”, explained Ms Gleeson.

64% of visitors surveyed knew that the Burren is protected under legislation. When asked to rate the impact (high, medium, low or none) of removing stones, picking flowers or building mini-dolmens, on the environment, 36% of respondents rated all three activities as having high impact.

Ms. Gleeson said, “These statistics show that just over one third of visitors surveyed have the necessary knowledge to act in a way that is environmentally sustainable in a basic sense. This, despite the fact that 64% are aware of legislative protection, suggests that further visitor education is a priority.”

Feedback from the accommodation providers and visitor centre managers surveys revealed that 97% of accommodation providers and 80% of Visitor Centre Managers believe the Burren should be developed and promoted as an eco-tourism destination and should be branded accordingly.

An overwhelming majority of those surveyed said this approach would have a potentially positive economic impact on the area. 60% of accommodation providers affirmed they would be interested in achieving internationally recognised accreditation as an eco-tourism provider.

A summary report of the market research findings will shortly be distributed to the survey participants and will be available at the nine Burren Information Points; The Burren Centre, Kilfenora; The Burren Smokehouse Lisdoonvarna; Ballyvaughan Visitor Centre; Michael Cusack Centre Carron; Burren Perfumery Carron; Caherconnell Fort Visitor Centre; Corofin Genealogical Centre; Doolin Cave Visitor Centre; Café Beo, Kinvara. The report will also feature as a downloadable PDF on the Burren Connect Project website, which is currently being developed.

Mr. Niall O’Dwyer, Chairperson of the Doolin Tourism Development group and Proprietor of the Doolin Activity Lodge, said the results of the market research came as no surprise to him.

He indicated that businesses across the Burren region must continue to look at new ways of attracting long-stay, as well as short stay visitors.

“The Burren Connect Project recently brought some tourism-related business owners from North Clare to visit Ireland’s first Ecotourism destination at the Greenbox in the North West. During this trip we learned that there are many clear advantages of developing a conceptual and spatial 'Green Box' containing environmentally sustainable products, accommodation and attractions within a context of clean natural resources”, added Mr. O’Dwyer.

Meanwhile, Fáilte Ireland is exploring the possibility of rolling out the Greenbox ecotourism strategy to other parts of the country, including the Burren, and is funding the workshop, which will be held from 9.30am to 5pm in Vaughans, Kilfenora on May 20th.

The one-day event is free of charge and will include presentations from tourism agencies and the Greenbox, as well as workshop sessions with business people who have successfully attained Greenbox ecotourism certification and EU Flower accreditation.

Speaking ahead of the event, Mr. Paddy Mathews, Environment Unit, Fáilte Ireland, said, “With the recent increase in the awareness among our visitors of environmental issues, ecotourism presents significant growth potential for Ireland. Fáilte Ireland is delighted to be involved with the Burren Connect Project, which it considers a model for sustainable tourism in a protected area.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“Enhancing reputations–Increasing exposure–Increasing understanding”

Founded in 2006, Dunphy Public Relations is a communications group led by Mark Dunphy from County Clare. Mr. Dunphy previously held the position of ‘Head of News and Current Affairs’ in Clare FM Radio.

Dunphy Public Relations has secured extensive local, national and international media coverage for clients including Clare County Council; Supply Network Shannon; The Atlantis Holiday Group; Shannon Town Council; Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience; Clare Museum; Digino Marketing; Renewable Energy Skillsnet; Magico.ie; Kilrush Town Council; Clonlara Wholesale; Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen; Clare County Library; and Ennis Town Council.

Catering to the business executives at the middle and senior management levels, The Pride Hotel, Chennai, is located at a distance of about three kilometres from Mount Road, which is one of the main business centres in Chennai. The property is spread over land admeasuring 9,904.25 sq. ft along with hotel building of 80,000 sq. ft. comprising ground plus ten floors. The car parking and other amenities is spread over land admeasuring 4,147.5 sq. ft.

The Pride Hotel, Chennai, presently has two food and beverage outlets, The Treat and Casablanca. The Treat is a 24 hours coffee shop, which serves breakfast and varied food and beverage items. Casablanca is a fine dining restaurant, which serves a variety of cuisines including Indian and Continental accompanied with live music performance. The Pride Hotel, Chennai has two banquet halls. The individual capacity of each banquet hall is as under: Pavilion (1,612 sq. ft.) --- 150-175 people; Senate (510) sq. ft. --- 35-50 people. The Hotel also has a board room admeasuring 190 sq. ft., which can accommodate 10-15 people for small meetings.

Mr. S. P. Jain, Managing Director, Pride Hotels Limited, said, “With the Pride Hotel, Chennai, becoming fully operational, we have commenced the implementation of a multi-pronged expansion and growth strategy for the south Indian market. The average occupancy and average rate per hotel room in Chennai has been growing steadily over the years. We are also exploring the possibilities of leveraging our expertise and experience in tapping opportunities in marketing and managing hotels owned by others.”

As per the FHRAI & HVS international: Indian Hotel Industry survey 2005-06, the average occupancy of hotels in Chennai has shot up to 78% in fiscal 2006 (up from 61.6% in fiscal 2004), which is higher than other metros such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata as well as the all India average (64.1%).

Mr. Arun Nayyar, Director-Operations, Pride Hotels Limited, added, “We have implemented a multi-pronged strategy for setting up and operating hotels across various cities in south India. Our Chennai hotel is conveniently located to cater to business and other guests. The F&B outlets enjoy independent brand value among clients and we have an experienced management team and motivated work force.”

“We wish to expand our presence in the major cities of south India. We wish to achieve growth through a combination of new hotels and increasing capacities at our existing properties. We shall leverage our expertise and experience in acquiring and managing existing hotel properties. The focus will be on corporate clients and building image and awareness of the ‘The Pride’ brand,” Mr. Jain said while talking about the future strategy.

Pride Hotels Limited operates and manages a chain of hotels under the Brand name “The Pride Hotel” in Pune & Nagpur in Maharashtra; at Ahmedabad in Gujarat, and at Chennai in Tamil Nadu. In the four hotels put together, it has 430 rooms and operates 11 food and beverage outlets and 19 banquet halls. It has three subsidiaries namely Indralok Hotels Private Limited, Somti Hotels Private Limited and Pride Beach Resorts Private Limited. It also has an associate concern, Jagsons Hotels Pvt. Ltd. in which Pride Hotels Ltd., holds 22.34% of the Equity Share Capital. With a view to establish its presence in other travel and business destinations in India, it plans to set up hotels in Bangalore (Karnataka), in Mumbai and Alibaug (Maharashtra) and in Goa which are among the key travel destinations for leisure and business purposes. The hotels cater to all segments of guests for business trips, social events or leisure tourism. They are especially geared to cater to the needs of corporate customers at senior and middle management levels. Airline crew also forms an important customer category.

Pride Hotels Limited is proposing an initial public offering (“IPO”) of 5,950,000 equity shares of Rs. 10 (the “Equity Shares”) for cash at a price to be determined through 100% Book Building Process (the “Issue”). The Company proposes to list its Equity Shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (“BSE”) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (“NSE”). The Issue comprises a net issue of 5,900,000 Equity Shares (the “Net Issue”) and a reservation of 50,000 Equity Shares for subscription by eligible employees. The Issue and the Net Issue constitute 22.39% and 22.20% respectively of the fully diluted post issue paid-up capital of the Company. The objects of the Issue are to raise capital to meet the costs of construction of the new projects in Mumbai, Alibaug, Goa and Bangalore as well as capital expenditure for expansion and renovation of existing hotel property at Pune, Ahmedabad and Nagpur. The Book Running Lead Manager (“BRLM”) to the Issue is Edelweiss Capital Limited.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Note: Pride Hotels Limited is proposing, subject to market conditions and other considerations, an initial public offer of its Equity Shares and has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (“DRHP”) with Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”). The DRHP is available on the website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in; on the website of the BRLM at www.edelcap.com. This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for, any Equity Shares, nor shall it or any part of it nor the fact of its distribution form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or investment decision. Any potential investor should note that investment in Equity Shares involves a high degree of risk. For details, potential investors should refer to the DRHP filed with the SEBI including the section titled “Risk Factors”. The Equity Shares of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act 1933, as amended or any state securities laws in the United States. This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in any jurisdiction, including the United States, and any securities described in this announcement may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act.

For further details contact:
Ms. Annet Sumitra - Adfactors PR
Tel: 022-22813565

Speaking about the initiative; Mr.Dinesh Khanna, President-HRA said that, "Tourism sector has immense growth potential and the major hindrance to the inbound tourist besides the lack of infrastructure is the insufficient hotel rooms. This initiative of the Centre Government will not just give room for 5 star projects but also to mid-segment Hotels. He further added that the Centre and the State government should make the policy foolproof and mark the auction land exclusively for the Hotel developers. Mr. Dinesh Khanna also pointed out five major challenges faced by the Hospitality Industry.

A] Creating additional Rooms stock to cater to the increasing demand.

B] Planning for manning the Hotels and Restaurants and to increase productivity and skills of employees.

C] Facing the challenges of increasing power and fuel cost.

D] Realignment in the market place, with the growing interest of International Hotel chains in India; and

E] Prevailing upon the Government to introduce a user friendly and rational tax and licensing structure.

HRA also appreciated the State Government's initiative to reduce the state excise license fee to Rs.3 lakh. But its planning to appeal to the Government to rationalize this fee structure, since according to the revised structure the beer bar license fee is Rs.1,60,100 which is more than the permit room Licence Fee of Rs.1.00.000/- at places with a population upto 3,00,000. VAT: Since the introduction of VAT, Maharashtra State has adopted the uniform rate of 12.5% on F&B turnover and 20% on liquor turnover; with a rate at 8% on Food and Beverage turnover under the composition scheme. The rate under the composition scheme in the other states is 4%. HRA had requested the Finance Minister of Maharashtra that in sync with the rate prevailing in neighbouring States of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra should adopt the rate of 4% instead of 8% Vat on the Food and Beverage turnover under the composition scheme, as it's the common man who bears the Vat burden and the F&B product is for mass consumption.

ELECTRICITY DUTY: At present, Hotels and Restaurants are levied an Electricity Duty at 13%, inspite of the fact that Hotels have been notified since April 1999 as an Industry. In terms of the MERC tariff, Hotels and Restaurants, who are mainly L.T. consumers, are charged with a tariff of Rs.8.32 per unit as against Rs.6.57 per unit applicable to an H.T. consumer. It is estimated that the State is earning over Rs.100 crores by way of Electricity Duty levied on Hotels and Restaurants at the commercial rate of 13%. The Association has requested that all Hotels and Restaurants be charged Electricity Duty at the industrial rate of 6% with immediate effect. There is a discrepancy already in place, in that new Hotel projects are granted, under the Package Scheme of incentives, as defined in the New Tourism Policy, 2006, a rate of Electricity Duty is equal to industrial rate of 6%. It is therefore necessary that the existing Hotels would be levied the industrial rate of 6%.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Patu Keswani, Chairman and Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels said: “Whilst Kotak Realty Fund is already an existing investor, we now welcome Shinsei Bank as a strategic partner and investor in the company and look forward to their contribution to support our growth initiatives. We see this investment by a leading international investor as confirmation of their confidence in our track record and our objective of establishing Lemon Tree Hotels as India’s leading upscale hotel brand in the full-service, moderately priced category by 2010/2011.”

“This is an investment in India’s booming economy – no hotel company has matched Lemon Tree’s track record in growth,” said Sanjay Sachdev, head of Shinsei Corporate Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd., the Mumbai-based advisory arm of Shinsei Bank. “We are very excited about supporting Patu Keswani and his team in their strategic vision to strengthen the company’s position as India’s leading Hotel Company in the coming years.”

Surging domestic business travel and tourism across India has fuelled expansion among those hotels that are able to offer consumers a high quality product-service mix at reasonable rates. In line with its unique brand proposition, Lemon Tree Hotels promises it’s customers a memorable experience that is “refreshingly different”. These hotels aim to provide comprehensive business and leisure facilities in a fresh, fun and spirited environment. This includes well equipped rooms, front desk, business and conference center, coffee shop, room service, housekeeping and laundry facilities, all available 24X7 and run by experienced hotel professionals, at an extremely attractive price point. The hotels have been designed to be business and leisure friendly with fitness facilities, WiFi, a lounge bar and extensive entertainment and menu options. The first five hotels in India are already operating at over 80% year round occupancies, with over one quarter of the guests being repeat clientele.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Lemon Tree Hotels

Lemon Tree Hotels was promoted in 2002 and is rapidly creating a strong position within the hospitality sector in the moderately priced segment. The New Delhi based company which designs, develops, owns and manages all its properties, has five operating hotels in Gurgaon, Goa, Pune and Kaushambi (East Delhi). Eighteen more hotels, aggregating over 2500 rooms, are currently under development across India. On completion of all these ongoing projects by 2010/2011, the company will have a strong presence across 17 major Indian cities, including Gurgaon, Kaushambi (East Delhi), Pune, Goa, Indore, Aurangabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Shimla, Bhubaneshwar and Ranchi. (Website: www.lemontreehotels.com)

About Shinsei Bank

Shinsei Bank is a leading diversified Japanese financial institution providing a full range of financial products and services to both institutional and retail customers based on a three-pillar strategic business model comprising institutional banking, consumer and commercial finance and retail banking. The Bank has total assets of US$104 billion on a consolidated basis (as of December 2007) and a network of 42 outlets that includes 36 Shinsei Financial Centers, 2 Platinum Centers and 4 BankSpots (as of February 2008) in Japan. Shinsei Bank demands uncompromising levels of integrity and transparency in all its activities to earn the trust of customers, staff and shareholders. The Bank is committed to delivering long-term profit growth and increasing value for all its stakeholders.

About Kotak Realty Fund

Kotak Mahindra is one of India's leading financial conglomerates, offering a wide range of financial services that encompass every sphere of life. From commercial banking, to car finance, to stock broking, to asset management, to life insurance, to investment banking, the group caters to the financial needs of individuals and corporates.

The group has a net worth of around Rs.56 billion, employs over 17,100 people in its various businesses and has a distribution network of more than 1,250 branches, franchisees, representative offices and satellite offices around 344 cities and towns in India and offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Dubai, Mauritius and Singapore, servicing around 3.6 million customer accounts.

The Paradise Lagoon is situated in Kemmannu Hoode area of the Udupi district. It is about an hour's drive from Mangalore City, which is well connected by air, rail and road. This awe-inspiring ridge of land is situated between the Arabian Sea and the River Swarna, bestowing a distinctive character, which is not seen in other backwater locations in India.

“We are thrilled to initiate a venture that will showcase the stunningly beautiful landscapes of Coastal Karnataka. We believe that this move will set the tone for backwater tourism in Karnataka” said Y R Manohar, Managing Director of The Paradise Clubs and Resorts, who set up the state’s first luxury seaside resort- The Paradise Isle Beach Resort ,three years back.

The houseboat is approximately 67 feet long and 13 feet wide. It has a sun deck, spacious living-dining area and two private sleeping quarters. The boat is made of natural, eco friendly materials like bamboo poles, coir, coconut fiber, ropes, and bamboo mats. Solarpowered fans, lights and bio-chemical toilets also make the boathouse environment-friendly.

A cruise on the Houseboat offers spectacular views of the swaying palms, glimpses of the Arabian Sea and beaches at certain points and fascinating visuals of the idyllic village life. The Kemmannu Hoode area is an ecological wonder and home to numerous migratory birds on the sand reefs as well as shellfish habitats in the shallow waters near Thimman Kudru. The flocks of cormorant, egret, herons, four species of moorhens, water ducks, Siberian storks, purple herons, seagulls, teals, and the different types of kingfishers are a sight to watch.

The houseboat was inaugurated by Mr. I. M. Vittala Murthy, Principal Secretary of Tourism, Information, Kannada and Culture, Govt of Karnataka.Dr. C Somasekhara IAS, Director Department of Tourism and Mrs P. Hemalatha District Commissioner of Udupi .It was hosted by Mr N.D. Tiwari, MD, Jungle Lodges and Resorts and Mr .Y.R .Manohar , MD , Paradise Club and Resorts.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Paradise Club and Resorts

Paradise Club and Resorts is a company with a focus on leisure hospitality. Its resorthotels offer a full array of amenities for both business and leisure travelers – including luxury accommodation, fine dining, fitness centers, spa, meeting rooms, conferencingfacilities and a host of other leisure activities. The company's first development - Paradise Isle Beach Resort - has the distinction of being the first high-end beach resort in Coastal Karnataka, which is emerging as the next-big tourist destination in India along the lines of Kerala and Goa.

For further details log on to www.theparadiseisle.com or contact:
Mythili G Nirvan
+91 98450 18369
Prathima Manohar
+91 99001 08066

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Trident Hotels
The new brand identity of Trident Hotels was launched today. ‘Trident Hilton’ hotels located in Gurgaon (Delhi National Capital Region), Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Cochin, Bhubaneswar and Chennai have been rebranded ‘Trident’. ‘Hilton Towers’ in Mumbai is now ‘Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai’

For further information please contact:
Ketaki Narain
Director – Corporate Communications
The Oberoi Group
Telephone: 91 11 2389 0505
E-mail: ketaki.narain@oberoigroup.com

Ranjini Chalam
Corporate Voice|Weber Shandwick
Cellular: 91 981 095 6888 / 981 973 2608
E-mail: ranjini@corvoshandwick.co.in

“Business woman, entrepreneur, craft worker, wife and mother are but some of the titles one might place on her none of which fully capture the person she was”, commented Ben Johnson, Susan’s son and Director of Aillwee Cave.

He added “Aillwee Cave in Ballyvaughan stands as a testimony to some of her achievements and is probably the best known tourist attraction not only in Clare but throughout Ireland.”

Arriving in Ireland from Africa in the late 1960s Susan and her husband Roger settled in Kilfenora. Roger took over Liscannor Stone Quarries while Susan began her craft career by opening one of the first craft shops in the area “Burren Bazaar”. She made most of her own stock, including sand candles, soft toys and watercolour cards.

Against the odds and at great cost and risk Susan and Roger, together with Anni and Michéal Mulqueeney, began to develop Aillwee Cave in Ballyvaughan in 1974. The cave first opened to the public in 1976.

In addition to hosting Ireland’s premier show cave, the Aillwee Cave currently offers visitors a well serviced 24-acre site including Cheese Making at the Farmshop, Coppice Woodland and Mountain Walks, and attracts over 180,000 visitors a year.

According to Ben Johnson, “A dusty track up the mountain to a portacabin with a burco boiler and open hole in the ground, a string of bulbs and a diesel generator; that’s how it began.”

“The development of Aillwee Cave as a major tourist attraction became her life for the next thirty years where she had a hand in steering its course and watching it grow though hard work, foresight and determination to what it has become today”, he stated.

Ms. Barbara Faulkner, Marketing Manager of Aillwee Cave, described Mrs. Johnson as “a formidable woman remembered for her forthrightness, her humour, her ability to listen and dispense advice and most of all for her wacky ideas thrown out for others to run with. ‘Santa at Aillwee Cave’, for example, has gone on to be voted the best of its kind in the country and a huge success. She will be sorely missed.”

Ms. Faulkner continued, “Susan should be proud to know that what she has created continues to grow and develop and not only provide employment and generate income but provide visitors a chance to experience a little that reflects Susan’s character. Aillwee Cave is a fun and informative place, a place to gather your thoughts with stunning views over Galway Bay and perhaps into the future.”

“Our sympathy lies with her husband Roger who is residing in France and her three sons Nicky, Ben and Adam of whom she was immensely proud and who carry on in her stead. May she rest in peace”, concluded Ms. Faulkner.

A remembrance service for Mrs. Susan Johnson will be held at St. John the Baptist Church in Ballyvaughan at 7:00 p.m. on Friday 11th April 2008.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“Enhancing reputations–Increasing exposure–Increasing understanding”

Founded in 2006, Dunphy Public Relations is a communications group led by Mark Dunphy from County Clare. Mr. Dunphy previously held the position of ‘Head of News and Current Affairs’ in Clare FM Radio.

Dunphy Public Relations has secured extensive local, national and international media coverage for clients including Clare County Council; Supply Network Shannon; The Atlantis Holiday Group; Shannon Town Council; Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience; Clare Museum; Digino Marketing; Renewable Energy Skillsnet; Magico.ie; Kilrush Town Council; Clonlara Wholesale; Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen; Clare County Library; and Ennis Town Council.

Situated within 70 acres of rich coffee estates that provides a natural habitat for several genus of flora and fauna, ‘The Serai’ is a haven for anyone seeking escape and seclusion from the day-to-day travails of city life. 30 designer villas with amenities such as private pools, picturesque views, and exclusive Spa facilities backed by impeccable service will send you back into city life totally refreshed and charged ready to face new challenges. Take time out to lie on your own private sun deck or call in for a massage. Indulge in a variety of exotic Oriental, Continental or Indian menus. Targeted at the connoisseurs, who appreciate the finer things in life and are unabashed about enjoying them, ‘The Serai’ is a luxurious indulgence to keep aside your business suits for a few days.

Commenting on the launch of ‘The Serai’, Mr. M. Venkatesh, Director, Coffee Day Resorts, said “The Serai has been founded on the Coffee Day Group’s philosophy of offering trendy lifestyle products and experiences. We have recognized the need for a resort such as this, and more than that, is our pleasure in creating it in out very own coffee plantations which is so close to our hearts”.

The concept of the Serai was to create an ambience where one felt an innate alignment with nature – thereby bringing one into a state of tranquility and serenity. The resort is viewed as a contemporary response to the needs of creating luxury and to the fecundity of the nature around thereby creating a unique building typology that serves the ultimate aim of creating a seven-star world class resort.

Added Mr. AP Nanaiah, President – Coffee Day Resorts “Since we are already in the service industry, this is a natural extension of offering an international experience albeit in the luxury market catering to an older target audience. We are geared to providing a comprehensive world class experience and we are very sure our patrons will enjoy this new offering”.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company Ltd. (ABCTCL):

ABCTCL is an ISO 9002 certified company. With over 10000 acres of owned and managed estates, the Company has a rich heritage of over 135 years in the coffee business. Asia’s largest integrated coffee conglomerate, ABCTCL is present in the entire value chain of coffee consumption in India through different business that are vertically integrated under an established mother brand name “Coffee Day”. These business groups are: Café Coffee Day (pioneer and largest Indian retail coffee café chain), Coffee Day Xpress (retail fast food and beverage outlets), Coffee Day Beverages (coffee vending) and Coffee Day Fresh ‘n Ground (coffee powder), Coffee Day Exports and Coffee Day FMCG (packaged filter coffee).

The significant aspect of Cash-on-Delivery is that the customers can do their hotel bookings online and make payments in cash which will be collected by Travelguru on delivery of the hotel booking vouchers at the address provided by the customer. Cash-on-delivery benefits the customer who needs to pay for his travel bookings with cash.

Commenting on this new initiative Deepak Mavinkurve, Vice-President Operations, Travelguru said,