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Western Ghat biodiversity to help drive Ayurveda-based tourism

Posted by Nozirake Wednesday, December 12, 2012 0 comments

Endemic biodiversity that has pitchforked Western Ghats as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is set to make it a hub of Ayurveda-based tourism as well.

The rich medicinal plants reserve along the lofty reaches will provide the backdrop for a new Kerala Tourism campaign focusing on Ayurveda.

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“The States is naturally blessed to be the flag bearer of Ayurveda,” said Kerala Tourism Minister A. P. Anilkumar.

A large number of foreign and domestic tourists for Ayurveda treatment descend on the State since it is an accepted fact it is the most authentic, the minister added.

Kerala is home to over 900 species of Ayurvedic herbs. The ‘Agasthyakoodam’ peak near here is home to some of the rarest medicinal herbs.

Even typical homestead sacred groves or ‘kavu’ across the State are treasure troves of Ayurvedic herbs, a spokesman for Kerala Tourism said.

A quality assurance policy will guide a visitor looking for therapeutic and rejuvenative programmes to ‘green leaf’ and ‘olive leaf’ grading for Ayurvedic institutions.

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These are separately marked as Kerala Tourism-approved Ayurvedic centres,’ the spokesman said. The State received 94 lakh domestic visitors last year while the number of foreign tourists was eight lakh.

A majority of them plumping for Ayurveda wellness programmes here were from Germany, the Middle East and Australia. Ayurveda as practised here is essentially wellness-oriented, said Suman Billa, secretary, Kerala Tourism.

“It is a treatment to bring vigour and existence to your system,” he added. Therapy programmes are expected to push the length of holidays for tourists further.

ref: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/travel/western-ghat-biodiversity-to-help-drive-ayurvedabased-tourism/article4147139.ece

Unearthed: 6 Asian travel destinations for 2013

Posted by Nozirake Tuesday, December 11, 2012 0 comments

AS travel continues to change and develop, there’s an ongoing search for unexplored and pristine destinations. Here are some to consider for 2013.

East Timor
War and conflict is all over in East Timor, making it one of the newest tourism destinations waiting to be discovered. Just one hour by flight from Darwin, East Timor has excellent diving, snorkelling, fishing, trekking and mountain biking. While much of the nation is developing there is already a tourism circuit that includes the capital Dili, the beautiful islands of Jaco and Aotaru, the regional centre of Baucau and the delights of the interior and the highest peak Ramelau.

Sunrise at Aotaru island. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com

Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin has come of age in recent years with steps in urban renewal transforming the city landscape. There’s plenty of history for buffs seeking out WWII remnants, there’s also fantastic food and dining to be had at the markets and harbour areas around the city, the waterfront area is particularly splendid with a sunset cinema and even a wave pool, and there’s beach just outside the city limits with the famed sands of Mindil and its equally well known weekly market. Mindil is also home to the annual beer can regatta where boats made of beer cans are raced in the sea.

Darwin’s annual beer can regatta. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
In Kota Kinabalu you can dine on succulent seafood, fruits and local delicacies; take a short boat ride out into pristine waters perfect for diving and swimming; organise your trek up the famed Mt Kinabalu a soaring 4000m over the city; and see wildlife as varied as orangutans, Malayan tiger and Proboscis monkey. It’s a feast for sights, sounds and experiences.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Kota Kinabalu. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com

Kathmandu, Nepal
The Himalayan kingdom is experience a resurgence in tourism numbers as peace returns to the nation. Kathmandu and the surrounding valley has numerous sightseeing opportunities including a number of UNESCO world heritage sites, excellent shopping in Thamel and plenty of colourful festivals year round. For those that like a bit of adventure it’s also a starting point for treks.

View from Poon Hill of the Annapurna range. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com

Kerala, India
While Goa has long been the beach destination of choice for holidaymakers to India, the joys of Kerala are still undiscovered by many. While beaches such as Kovalam are an alternative to the packed sands of Goa to the north, there is plenty to do away from the ocean front as well. A rich system of backwater canals makes for the perfect house boating holiday, while the cities themselves are full of old churches, synagogues and spices. Kerala is also home to Ayurveda and the oily, but relaxing massage, is the ultimate way to unwind on holiday.

Houseboating in Kerala. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com

Vientiane, Laos
Fifty heads of state from Europe and Asian nations met in the Laotian capital in November this year, pushing the city into the spotlight. With roads, hotels and other development taking place to accommodate the international guests, it’s also touted as a boom for Laos tourism. It’s not the only event they will host either, with the Asean Tourism Forum taking place here in January 2013. While the capital has a population of 800,000 it remains one of the most laid back in Asia, perhaps thanks in part to its watery location by a meandering bend of the Mekong River. This river not only provides plenty of lovely watery vistas and cool escapes during the hotter months, but is the feature in the annual boat racing festival and a good place to dine. There are also some wonderful historic sights in Vientiane including temples, Buddhist statues and great markets.

Mekong River, Laos. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com

ref: http://asiancorrespondent.com/93272/unearthed-6-asian-travel-destinations-for-2013/

Kerala tourism pins hopes on Kochi biennale

Posted by Nozirake 4 comments

The three-month-long Kochi-Muziris Biennale that opens on Dec 12 with an art and music gala will be playing to packed houses in this ancient Kerala city's tourism industry that is currently stagnating. Kochi (formerly Cochin), dating back to Biblical times, is booked for 12/12/12 -- a day that many god-fearing residents await with bated breath. The biennale will exhibit artwork and create site-specific installations in Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Kochi city and Muziris town, the site of an early secular port that was washed away by a deluge around 13 AD.

The non-profit event will use heritage buildings and disused structures in the old quarters of Kochi and Muziris as exhibition venues to regenerate the region's history and open its culture to the world. The tourism industry is thus pinning its hopes on the biennale to breathe new blood in the city's stagnating tourism economy. The inflow of domestic and foreign visitors here has not seen any increase despite investment and growth in the shipping trade. The bulk of tourists here are business travellers who come for short stays.

But projections by the Kochi-Muziris Biennale Foundation says the event is likely to draw nearly 800,000 tourists to Kochi in the coming months. The figure is huge given that 10 million tourists, both Indian and foreign, visited Kerala last year, according to official data. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale Foundation says Liverpool, which was designated the European Capital of Culture in 2008, pulled 800 million pounds into the city's economy. The Sydney Biennale the same year earned the city nearly 53 million Australian dollars.

Kochi's hospitality industry is looking at a spurt in footfall of alert independent travellers who will seek engagement with culture beyond customised itineraries. "We have not been packaging our art and culture well. Unlike many smaller countries, we have a culture that is millennia old. But young people in our country don't engage with art and culture because it is not attractively presented. They would rather go and engage with cricket and Bollywood. The mindset can change when culture is served as entertainment," V. Sunil, executive creative director of British advertising agency Weiden & Kennedy, told IANS.

"In five years, many more countries will use cultural resources for tourism. Kochi can become a biennale city like Venice with collateral events for two years to sustain itself," Sunil said. He said the biennale had opened a winter cultural tourism circuit in India, with the biennale in December, Jaipur Literature Festival in January and India Art Fair in February.

Jose Dominic, a leading hotelier who manages properties such as Casino Hotel and Brunton Boatyard in Kochi, said the currency the biennale had gathered in Europe in the last one year would translate into business. "I was at the World Travel Mart and the biennale was on the agenda. The event has been widely talked about in international media," Dominic told IANS. If the event is successful, it could "put Kerala on the tourism map at par with Rajasthan".

Edgar Pinto, who owns Old Harbour Hotel, an upscale heritage beachfront property, and an art gallery in Fort Kochi, said "Kochi is fully booked for 12/12/12". "In two years, Kochi will have 500 more rooms with chains like Crowne Plaza and the Marriott building new properties," Pinto told IANS.

ref: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kerala-tourism-pins-hopes-on-kochi-biennale/308599-26.html

Western Ghats to propel Kerala as global hub for Ayurveda

Posted by Nozirake 0 comments

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats, which is one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world, will be key to the new Kerala Tourism campaign focusing on Ayurveda, because of its rich medicinal plants reserve. “Kerala is naturally blessed to be the flag bearer of Ayurveda because of the state’s rich ecosystem available within the Western Ghats,” said A P Anilkumar, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala.

The Western Ghats, which run through the entire state - from the hills of Wayanad in Northern Kerala to the southern Sahyadri peak - is an abundant reserve for medicinal herbs. Under the Tourism Department's quality assurance policy, visitors will be guided by the ‘Green Leaf’ and ‘Olive Leaf’ grading for Ayurvedic institutions, which marks ‘Kerala Tourism approved Ayurvedic Centres’, according to a press release.

Suman Billa, Secretary Tourism, Government of Kerala, said, “The Ayurveda of Kerala is essentially wellness-oriented, a treatment to bring vigour and existence to your system. That is what tourists are looking for - a great way to get your system well in the circumstances where lifestyle changes and urban pressures and stress are increasingly affecting people.” The Ayurvedic therapy programmes are expected to push the length of holidays. Under the Ayurveda-focused tourism campaign, the average length of holiday for foreign tourists is expected to go up to 18 days per person from the present average stay of 16.2 days.

The state is also transforming itself into an Ayurveda therapy for illness, besides the present pillar as a wellness treatment destination. Another plan by the state to bring about a convergence between different systems of medicine is also on the cards. The state’s tourism department is also adding new destinations and new tourism products, including Adventure Tourism activities like rock climbing and paragliding, under its new season's campaign.

ref: http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/western-ghats-to-propel-kerala-as-global-hub-for-ayurveda-18568

41 luxury cruise ships to visit Kochi this year

Posted by Nozirake Monday, December 10, 2012 1 comment

Kochi's emergence as the busiest cruise destination in the country will once again be highlighted with the city expecting to host 41 luxury cruise liners this financial year.

According to figures provided by Cochin Port Trust authorities, the Port will have a busy cruise season this financial year and the following two years.

Sources in the Port Trust said that 13 luxury liners have already called at the Port this financial year, starting April this year. Luxury liner ‘The World' called at Kochi on April 4 with 100 passengers and 120 crew to kick off the year in a grand fashion.

The last cruise vessel to call at the port here was ‘Oceanic,' with 930 passengers and 330 crew, on August 16. Another 28 vessels are expected at Kochi during this financial year. The new season will start off with the arrival of ‘Aida Aura,' here on Sunday. The vessel will bring 1,266 passengers and 950 crew.

Eleven of the 41 vessels expected to call here during the financial year will have more than a 1,000 passengers. Two of these vessels, ‘Queen Mary 2' and ‘Queen Elizabeth' will bring 2,500 and 2,000 passengers respectively.

The total number of cruisers, who will have visited Kochi during the financial year will be nearly 30,000, more than any of the preceding years.

Year 2011-12 also promises to be a busy year for cruise operations in Kochi with current updates showing that the Port will host 31 cruise liners during the year. Large liners like ‘Brilliance of the Seas,' expected to bring 2,112 passengers and ‘Arcadia,' expected to bring 2,120 passengers are some of the biggest vessels expected here during 2011-12.

A total of 11 vessels scheduled to call at Kochi during the next financial year are likely to bring more than 1,000 passengers. Four of them have the capacity for more than 2,000 passengers each. Updates on the schedule for the year 2012-13 indicate that 12 vessels have already booked their place in Kochi, starting April 1, 2012 when cruise liner AIDAdiva calls at Kochi. The big vessels expected during 2012-13 are ‘Brilliance of the Seas' and ‘Queen Mary 2.'

ref: http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/22/stories/2010102259770200.htm

Cochin Flower Show 2012

Posted by Nozirake 0 comments

Date : 28/12/2012 - 03/01/2013

Time : All Day

Category : Expo
Venue : Siva Temple Ground, Ernakulam
Organisers: The District Agro-Horticulture Society

The 30th Cochin flower show is organized by District Agri-horticultural Society for six days from 28 Dec 2012. It would be conducted at Ernakulam Siva temple ground. This is an annual horticultural extravaganza and regularly attracts thousands of visitors. The major highlight of this year’s cochin flower show would be flower arrangements on Egyptian theme. It include an exhibition of Imported Hybrid varieties of Phalenopsis and a display of the anthurium. This beautiful show features various types of plants and flowers, would be a visual treat to visitors.
The main objective of conducting this show is to instill awareness among the flower lovers, growers and people of farming society. This years thematic floral decoration by experts aiming to popularize various aspects of floral art and presents a mesmerizing scene with flowers of numerous varieties and colors. Exotic flora that are grown in the region and other imported varieties are also displayed in the exhibition.
The serious initiatives of the horticultural department has made the Cochin Flower Show more attractive. Public and private institutions including nurseries across the state are participating in the event.
To participate in the show and for more details,contact organizers.
Phone: 0484-2362738 or 94471 88443.
ref: http://www.keralaholidays247.com/cochin-flower-show/

Kerala tourism wins Conde Nast travel award

Posted by Nozirake Friday, December 7, 2012 0 comments

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 2012 DEC 6 News

Kerala Tourism has won the Conde Nast travel award for putting India on the global travel map.

The Excellence in Taking ‘Brand India’ Global Award, introduced by the international travel magazine, recognizes the contribution by Kerala Tourism to the travel industry and its efforts to put India on the global travel map, a Kerala tourism release said today.

Kerala Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar described the award as “big recognition” of the state’s sustained global campaign pitching God’s Own Country as a “must-see” destination in the world.

“With an abundant natural beauty, a pleasant weather and warm hospitality and services, Kerala has emerged as a world class tourist destination, representing the country well abroad,” he added.

Aimed at recognising and honouring the best in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, the Conde Nast Travel Awards are decided by its global readers.

KERALA RATED AS BEST TOURIST DESTINATION
For the second year running, Kerala has been rated the best tourist destination in the country, according to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine.The survey also found Kerala as the second best state for winter destination after Goa, while Rajasthan and the Andamans occupied the third and fourth slots, respectively.In the category of beach destinations, Kerala occupies the fourth place.Another highlight of the survey is about Kerala coastal city of Kochi, which has emerged as the sixth best city for tourists after Jaipur, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

ref: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/travel/kerala-tourism-wins-conde-nast-travel-award/article4171326.ece

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