PRSI’s seminar on ‘Travel Tourism and Hospitality PR’ concluded successfully. It was part of an annual event that has been held by the Public Relations Society of India Chennai Chapter, the 38 year old body and winner of the Best Chapter Award this year.

The seminar was inaugurated on 19th January 2007 by the Chief Guest of the event, the Hon’ble Minister for Tourism – Tamil nadu – Thiru N Suresh Rajan and Mr Aswini Kakkar, Exec. Vice Chairman Mercury Travel and former Chairman WTTC, made the Keynote Address. The full day business session of 20th had 10 speakers and 3 panelists, covering major integrated aspects of Travel Tourism and Hospitality.

The State Tourism Minister N Suresh Rajan said in the last eight months a lot of projects have been taken up to set up facilities for attracting foreign tourists. A Government Order had been issued for recruiting tourism police to extend safety and security to both domestic and foreign travelers in Tamilnadu, he said. Lesser-known tourist spots and destinations in Tamilnadu would be promoted by identifying entrepreneurs interested to develop these venues and providing five year tax holiday for the locations.

The government would soon appoint over 400 tourist guides who would be trained to help and educate the visitors to monuments, temples and heritage sites. Tamilnadu was in the second spot in attracting foreign tourists with the arrival of just over 1.2 million visitors last year; while domestic tourists increased to 3 crore fetching the third position for the State in the country. Public relations in the travel trade should help to make the State the favourite destination for both foreign and domestic tourists, he said.

Recalling the host of concessions and incentive packages being offered by the government to the hospitality sector, he said tourist brochures were now being printed in Hindi too, apart from English. He hoped the PR seminar would open up opportunity for Tamilnadu to expand its growth in tourism and hospitality sectors.

Earlier at the keynote address, Aswini Kakkar, executive vice-chairman, Mercury Travels and former chairman of World Tourism and Travel Corporation (WTTC), said travel and tourism was the single-largest industry with a gross revenue of $4.6 trillion. However, India’s forex earnings out of tourism was over $6 billion, which was not even the one-tenth of China’s tourism earnings of $300 billion. ‘The wealth distribution in travel tourism is much greater than other sectors. As against 1.20 lakh new jobs expected to be created each year in software over the next few years, in tourism nearly 5-10 million new jobs will be added each year,’ Kakkar said.

By 2010, there would be one billion travelers across the world spending around $7 trillion each year. ‘If India has to increase its share of the tourism pie, then its spending as a percentage of GDP (0.5 per cent now) in this sector should be raised,’ he averred.

With a huge change taking place in travel and tourism, India has to effectively use PR as a tool to attract tourists at a time when this sector had embraced modern technology to cash in on high spending by global travellers, he explained.

Mr Geoff Magee, CEO, Accord Metropolitan Hotel, said the hospitality industry could participate in a big way to woo quality tourists. He patted the State government for popularizing concepts like adventure, medical, wildlife and eco-friendly tourisms. Dr Ajit Pathak, National Resident, PRSI, and V S Ramana, Chairman, PRSI Chennai Chapter, spoke at the inaugural session and reiterated that PR has a major role in Travel Tourism and Hospitality sector – as much as any other area, and urged that Departments and players must leverage Public Relations over and above advertising – to build lasting brands in India and overseas.

Indian Tourism – Rediscovered Globally and by Indians:

The panelists Mr Sudheer Nayar (Regl Dir, South India – TCI), Ms Sujaya Menon (Consultant Cox & Kings) and Mr Prabhat Verma (GM Taj Coramandel) held that tourism in India is on a great rise and that apart from global tourists even Indians are rediscovering their myriad India. Mr Rangachari, retired senior official from Tourism Sector added that the Brand India has done great success in this, and held that across the sectors, all players need to maintain the momentum in meeting customer service – to match expectations. Delegates held that while globally, many PR agencies and PR intervention is well availed, India tourism and their departments would gain by way of PR support – overseas and in India. Participants also urged that Tourism could get privatized – or even moved to the next level of PPP – sought private participation. It was a matter of better Strategy support and better attitude development towards customer satisfaction.

Cutting-Edge Service:

Dr Palani G Periasamy (CMD Le Royal Meridien – Chennai) held the Chair for the session. Mr. Geoff Magee shared his overview on Ecotels as cutting-edge tools in hospitality management, and stated that this concept should move further to schools and institutions to find ownership of eco-friendliness, for this generation to leave behind for the next.

Mr. Steve Borgia (CMD Indeco Leisure Hotels) stated that it is now easy for any clever person to set up special hospitality centres, with innovation and niche plan – it does not cost the earth. Identifying ‘Good Tourists Experience and translation of that experience is all that needs to be taken care’ he said. His chain is embarked upon setting a local rural village experience to global tourists, in the most eco-friendly ambience, close to nature – they would come back to pay the best package. Tourism and hospitality is a matter of selling ‘Great Experiences’. Promise and keep the promise. Customers are very clever – they are tired of business gimmicks and false smiles. Genuine experiences are what they seek and travel to seek.

Mr. Sounderarajan shared his knowledge that people’s shortest way to reach to the heart is through their stomach. The Gen Sect of IFCA and award winner at various culinary events, he urged that cuisine should evolve to suit changing life style and habits – although may have deep rooted practices and ethnicity. Indian cuisine is the oldest – 10000 year old and tested. This will need its own branding and promotion to stand a niche position, he emphasized for people to recommend and practice.

Aviation Sector – Flying High

Mr Harish Shenoy (Branch Head – Jet Airways, Chennai) shared that his carrier has seen great growth and gained in the tourism boom. Additions to airline strength, newer routes – both domestic and international is adding to their growth he stated. Increase in air traffic is creating a concern on infrastructure – leading to longer air-time for aircrafts. He urged the government agencies to look into quickly executing plans to grow and meet these infrastructure challenges – the backlog as well as the anticipated growth – of about 25 – 30% every year, now for the next at least the next 5 years.

Mr V Narayanan (GM-PR Indian Airlines HQ, N Delhi) shared the aspect that the Indian Carrier was always the oldest and the first having served the nation the longest. He shared the brand transition story and the emergence of the brand ‘Indian’. From the position of ensuring connectivity, he added that the carrier was also gained to provide results and bottom line profits. More fleet and more connectivity is also on the cards. Airport infrastructure to meet the growing air passenger traffic and tourists was also a matter of concern raised by this speaker.

Capt. S Arulmani (DGM Operations IA and VC, Madras Flying Club) shared the clubs initiative to putting out more pilots into the stream – that is warranting the need for many professionals to fly the increased air fleet of the Indian aviation. There is a tremendous shortage of pilots – and this is growing! Training a pilot is very expensive – as high as Rs 10 lacs. This would not be easy without the support of state subsidy, especially for a common middle class segment. He held that he himself was an outcome of the old Tamil Nadu State Scholarship support. He stands to be ever thankful for that. He added that while other neighbouring states are offering support, Tamil Nadu currently does not have the – Subsidy – or Scholarship support. HE URGED PRSI TO RECOMMEND THE CASE TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT IN REVIVING THE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT – ONE THAT WILL ENBLE MORE TAMIL PILOTS FLY HIGH IN THE INDIAN AND GLOBAL AIR-SPACE AND REMAIN COMMITTED.

Chairing this session, Mr. V S Ramana, (Chairman PRSI Chennai Chapter and Head Corporate Communication at L&T – ECC), added that his organisation was engaged in creating infrastructure for the last over 6 decades. The pace of infrastructure build up in India is increasing, he added. L&T is rightly engaged in partnering the new International airport in Bangalore and in the civil work of both Hyderabad and Delhi airports. Highways, urban infrastructure, metro’s are all the thrust of the new emerging India. He added that he considered honoured and apt to chair this session – as an ‘interested party from both counts’. ‘Airways take the highest load of traffic movement in India and has a great role to play in the future as well’. Planners are taking cognizance of the infrastructure build up on a war footing’ he summed up.

Travel and Travel Services

Dr M K Ajit Kumar (VP Hi-Tours) shared that the going trend is to MICE – Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions. A tool for any organization in its business development, and growth. MICE is an apt concept-tool to take charge of the act and through a ’single-window’ service everything can be meticulously done – by virtue of a macro view and micro planning. MICE would therefore be a great way for inbound and outbound travel and consequently, be responsible for travel and tourism thrust sector.

Mr. V Sriram (Reg Dir – IRCTC) shared the plans of the new baby of the old parent – the Indian railways. IRCTC is today emerging innovatively through varied private sector collaboration. It is not merely moving tickets to the travelers but bringing in a lot of value based service integration to them. Be it air travel, stay apart from rail travel and catering-hospitality. Exclusive rail journey, packages, special stay arrangements in properties close to railway stations, reaching out tickets off fuel depots, are all offers emerging out of IRCTC. ‘This will change the way how a person can plan his travel, holiday – all done on-line, without a need to visit the railway ticketing counter’.

Mr. P Kamalanathan, Secretary of the Institute of Public Relations, Malaysia reiterated that PR in this sector – or for that matter in any sector – will be able to deliver higher returns than mere advertising thrust. He called for greater PR initiative in India, from the learnings of Malaysian PR fraternity, which had successfully promoted ‘Pongal’ as a national event for all their citizens to involve and celebrate, taking it beyond any cultural or religious barriers. ‘It is all in the positioning – and PR can do and deliver better positioning’.

The session was ably chaired by Mr. Anantakrishna Gupta, MD Travel Air Pvt. Ltd.

Dr. Babu George (Dept of Tourism Studies – Pondy Univ) summed up that greater focus is being given to preparing better professionals in this sector. The seminar at this juncture is so relevant for all players he urged.

While the event had the support of Tamil Nadu Tourism, Pondicherry, Indian Airlines, Apollo Hospitals, L&T and Hi-Tours, the Tourism Malaysia team picked draws from the seminar-participants. Two winners won two free tickets – two ways – for a trip to Malaysia and back, all paid for stay, hospitality and tour for a week during the ‘Visit Malaysia 2007′ – this marked an apt culmination to the seminar on ‘Travel Tourism and Hospitality PR’.

(This writeup was shared by VS Ramana)

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