Rajasthan sets eyes on more tourists from Gujarat, Organises tourism festival across cities in Gujarat

Mumbai/ Rajkot: In a bid to woo more tourists from Gujarat, the Rajasthan Tourism Department is organising three day tourism festival in Rajkot, with more such events planned in other cities like Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara."Gujaratis are very fond of to travel and very large numbers of Gujarati tourists come to Rajasthan. However, we still see huge untapped potential in the state and hence, to attract more people from here, Rajasthan tourism department has planned to organise 'Rajasthan Calling' festival in Gujarat," said Anand Tripathi, deputy director, Rajasthan Tourism.

Organised under Rajasthan Tourism domestic tourism promotion campaign 'Rajasthan Calling', the festival will also cover other parts of the country and will travel to 22 major cities including Kochi, Ludhiana, Dehradun, Surat, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

The festival aims to give a feel of Rajasthan and facilitate a better understanding about the state and provide complete information and showcase Rajasthan's traditional culture and exquisite range of Rajasthani handicraft products and Rajasthani delicacies in the city, Amongst the major highlight of the festival are live dances and a food court.

"There are stalls put up during the festival where one can choose from handicrafts, woolen shawls from Bikaner, embroidery from Barmer, brass work and blue pottery from Jaipur, terracota from Udaipur and tie and dye from Jaipur, Pali and Jodhpur," said Tripathi.

According to Narayan Sharma, tourist officer, Rajasthan Tourism Department, more than 20.5 million domestic tourists had visited Rajasthan during 2010 and till August 2011 the state saw an influx of over 10.6 million tourists."Among the tourists that frequent Rajasthan, Gujarat tops the list followed by West Bengal and Maharashtra," said Sharma.

When asked about a potential brand ambassador for Rajasthan Tourism, Tripathi said, "Rajasthan is itself a brand and it does not need any brand ambassador for promotions. The tourism department is also marketing the state through social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blogs."

(sourced Business Standard)

How to Save Money when Renting a Car

Rental Car Savings Tips
By Donna L Montaldo

Donna L Montaldo

Renting a car can be confusing and expensive if you don't understand industry terms and how fees are calculated. If you have a poor driving record, renting a car may be next to impossible. Here are some points to consider and questions to ask when you reserve a rental car.

Choosing a Rental Car Company
What Size Car Do You Need?
Before you reserve a car, think about the size you want or need and how much you are willing to spend. This will help you avoid making a hasty or expensive decision that you may regret later. At the same time, be aware that vehicle classification systems vary. The terms "compact," "mid-size," and "luxury" sometimes differ among companies.

Get Price Estimates and Look for Specials
Call several rental car companies for price estimates, or check rates through your travel agent. Ask about specials geared to the length of time you need the vehicle. Many companies offer weekly or weekend deals. If your plans are flexible, you may be able to save money by renting a car when price breaks are available. But be sure to ask about restrictions on special offers, including blackout dates when an advertised price may not be available.

Make Sure The Rental Company Will Accept Your Driving Record
Ask if the rental car company checks the driving records of potential customers. Many companies now check driving records when customers arrive at the counter. Some reject customers whose driving records don't meet company standards. Even if you have a confirmed reservation, you may be disqualified from renting a car for:

    * Moving violations within the last few years.
    * Seat belt law violations.
    * Accidents, regardless of fault.
    * Convictions for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Driving Under the Influence (DUI), reckless driving, or leaving the scene of an accident.
    * Driving with an invalid, suspended or revoked license.

Ask your travel agent or the rental car company in advance whether your driving record will be checked.

Ask About Extra Charges
Ask if there may be charges that could increase an advertised base rate, such as:

    * Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) fees (in states that allow them)
    * A deposit or refundable charge.
    * Airport surcharges and drop-off fees.
    * Fuel charges.
    * Mileage fees.
    * Taxes.
    * Additional driver fees.
    * Underage-driver fees.
    * Out-of-state charges.
    * Equipment-rental fees (for items such as ski racks and car seats). These charges are defined below.

Read complete article at About.com

Source: FTC.

10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas off to a vibrant start in Jaipur

Sunday, January08, 2012

By Mohammed Iqbal

The 10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conclave got off to a flying start here on Saturday with a colourful display, depicting the rich and vibrant Rajasthani culture, followed by half-a-dozen parallel brainstorming sessions convened on subjects such as water management, solar energy, health care, tourism and tapping the potential of youth.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will formally inaugurate the prestigious annual event with his address at the main venue, the B.M. Birla Auditorium, on Sunday. The chief guest, Indian-origin Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad Bissessar, arrived here on Saturday.

The theme of this year's three-day convention is “Global Indian: Inclusive Growth.” Over 10 Union Ministers as well as Chief Ministers of six States are scheduled to address the delegates on different aspects of the country's development process.

Among those taking part in this flagship event will be about 1,500 NRIs and persons of Indian origin from 54 countries, leading businessmen, industrial magnates, government functionaries and young entrepreneurs.

Ms. Bissessar met acting Rajasthan Governor Shivraj Patil and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here. Mr. Patil apprised her of the desert State's cultural heritage and the rapid strides being made in the modern scientific and industrial realms.

The Trinidad and Tobago Premier asked Mr. Gehlot to consider teaming up for a proposed oil refinery here, while pointing out that oil and natural gas production comprised 40 per cent of the gross domestic product of her country. Ms. Bissessar said her country had 100 years of experience in this sector.

Mr. Gehlot later told journalists that the State government would not expect huge investments from the event's participants, but would like to enhance interaction with the diaspora and seek their suggestions for giving a suitable direction to development: “This [event] would enable NRIs from all walks of life to come and see what is happening in their country.”

The Prime Minister is scheduled to interact with the State Council of Ministers for an hour at the Raj Bhavan here after inaugurating the conclave. Mr. Gehlot and his Cabinet colleagues are expected to apprise Dr. Singh of the State government's performance and difficulties over the past three years.

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi inaugurated the Protector of Emigrants (POE) office at Sitapura on the outskirts of Jaipur. He said the ninth POE office established in the country would render assistance to the large number of people from the State who went abroad for jobs, particularly to the Middle East. The new office would do away with the need for prospective emigrants to travel to Delhi for emigration clearance, while the registered recruiting agents could file their applications online.

Addressing a seminar ‘Solar energy: Investment and R&D,' Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said the sector could help preserve the global ecological balance. He emphasised the need for increased efficiency and better technology for harnessing the true potential of solar energy. The national diaspora could consider making investments for generating capacity and R&D, Mr. Abdullah said.

Speaking at a seminar ‘Health and wellness: Partnering with the diaspora,' Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said the share of healthcare in the GDP should be enhanced from the present 1 per cent to 2.5 per cent. The Centre was considering allowing medical practitioners having post-graduate degrees from the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to practise in India, Mr. Azad said.

President Pratibha Patil will address the closing ceremony of the conclave on Monday and give away awards to NRIs and PIOs in recognition of their achievements in different fields.

The three-day event has been jointly organised by the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry, the Confederation of Indian Industry and the State government.

Keywords: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Jaipur PIO meet, NRI, diaspora

Sourced:The Hindu

Chauffeured Limousine - Rajasthan
A limousine (or limo) is an unusually long luxury car, traditionally black or white in color (other colors,
however, have also been used for limousines, like pink, magenta, or blue). Limousines are most
commonly driven by chauffeurs and are often associated with the wealthy.

While some limousines are owned by individuals, many are owned by governments to transport senior
politicians, by large companies to transport executives, or by broadcasters to transport guests. Most
limousines, however, operate as livery vehicles, providing upmarket competition to taxicabs.

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Business Opportunity in Hospitality, Udaipur's HRH Group of Hotels eyes global brands for management of hotels

PTI Oct 16, 2011

NEW DELHI: HRH Group of Hotels, owned by the royal family of Udaipur, is exploring management tie-ups with international and domestic hospitality brands for its heritage properties in Rajasthan.

The Group that owns and operates 10 properties, including hotels and resorts with around 600 rooms across the state, is also investing up to Rs 150 crore on renovation and expansion of its assets.

"We are currently in negotiations with big international and domestic hotel brands to give our properties for management," HRH Group Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Singh Mewar told PTI.

Tags:HRH Group,Hotels,global brands, business opportunity

Sourced Economic Times

Bhutan Royal Couple's Rajasthan honeymoon trip

Friday, Oct21, 2011

One more Royal couple plan to visit Rajasthan for honeymoon trip.Newly married couple, Bhutan's king and queen. This is first visit to Rajasthan. Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck and King Wangchuck selected to Rajasthan due to Royal hospitality in Rajasthani cultural based hotel industry. In 9 days tour, couple will
be their trip to Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur.

Travel portals enhance offline services to grow customer base

Monday, Mar07, 2011, 6:06 PM

New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) Online travel service providers, such as Yatra, Makemytrip and Travelmasti, are strengthening offline offerings to make people who do not have access to credit cards avail of their services, as they look to expand consumer base.

Yatra today announced launch of a new ''Cash on Delivery'' (COD) service that enables the consumers to make bookings online or through a call centre and make payment in cash.

Similarly, while Travelmasti is looking to double the number of retail outlets in the next two years, Makemytrip has recently launched a new mobile application to give consumers an additional platform.

"We are positive that this initiative (COD) will help us gain popularity with customers who have limited access to credit or debit cards or are reluctant to use them," Yatra.com Chief Customer Experience Officer Sonia Mehta told PTI.

Yatra.com has launched the service in Delhi, NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune and Chennai.

"Three months from now, it will be rolled out in 14 new markets. With the new COD service, we are looking at a 5-7 per cent increase in out total offline business," Mehta added.

She said the offline business (that includes bookings made at the exclusive 34 Yatra retail outlets and through the call centres) currently contributes 20 per cent of the total sales but did not share absolute revenue figures.

The firm is offering COD payment option on international air travel and any holiday booking free of cost to customers.

Similarly, rival Makemytrip has also started COD service in Delhi and Mumbai.

"We have started offering cash on delivery for air ticket. As of today, this service is available in Delhi and Mumbai but will be soon expanded to rest of the country," Makemytrip Co-Founder and COO Keyur Joshi said.

Besides, the company is also using mobile telephony as another touch point. "We recently launched our exclusive application for BlackBerry mobile devices. Users can make instant booking by using this application," Joshi added.

On the other hand, another player Travelmasti that began operations in 2003 is also expanding its retail reach.

"We intend to double the number of lounges in the next two years. We are also considering introduction of COD services for consumers," Travelmasti CEO Saghan Aggarwal said.

The firm currently operates 24 lounges to book tickets offline.

He said the company has also struck partnership with leading private sector banks in the country for customers to make direct payments.

"Offline services account for almost 60 per cent of the total business," Aggarwal said without disclosing revenues. PTI VJR RKL