Sri Lankan Prez, PM to participate in TAAI convention in Colombo

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, July 3: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minster Dinesh Gunawardena would be participating in the 67th convention of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) to be held in Colombo beginning July 6, according to TAAI president Jyoti Mayal.

While Wickremesinghe will be the chief guest at the inaugural function on July 6 evening, Sri Lankan Prime Minster Dinesh Gunawardena shall take part in an event on July 7, informed Jyoti Mayal.

India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Bagley will also be present and grace the opening ceremony by speaking to the TAAI delegation members.

Established in 1951, the TAAI is one of the oldest travel-related associations of India, and its last convention was held in Singapore in 2022.

“The President of Sri Lanka will be the chief guest at the opening ceremony of our 67th annual convention. He will also deliver an address to delegates,” Jyoti Mayal said.

On the second day of the Indian Travel Congress 2023, the Sri Lankan Prime Minster will grace an event to be held as part of the convention in Colombo, she said.

The TAAI also issued a statement on Monday, saying the two dignitaries will attend two separate events related to the convention. The convention has received “overwhelming response” and the delegation size has 500 stakeholder member partners from India, besides other delegates, the TAAI said.

Jyoti Mayal said “Sri Lanka playing host to this grand event after the turmoil it went through last year following the economic crisis, shows the island nation is ready again to welcome visitors. And, we are delighted to hold the convention in Sri Lanka with which India shares a deep historical and cultural connect.”

The TAAI chief said it is one of the major large-scale events in the tourism sector that is happening after the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka.

She said “The focus of the convention this year is completely futuristic. The pandemic was tragic and truly devastating. But, after the recovery made in the sector on the growing confidence of travellers who seek to put the pandemic memories behind, the time is now right for us to move forward.”

The theme of the convention this year is ‘Transcending Borders, Transforming Lives’, and the event taking place in Sri Lanka will offer a great opportunity to understand the nuances of the travel industry and discover the beautiful country, the TAAI said in the statement.

The convention is being held with the support of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and Sri Lankan Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), it said.

The TAAI is India’s premier, nodal, largest and oldest travel and tourism association. With a membership base of over 2,700 leading Indian companies involved actively with tourism, the association works closely with the Indian Ministry of Tourism and state tourism boards of the country, the statement said.

The business sessions lined up for the convention will focus on topics such as — ‘India Tourism Vision 2047: A Transformed Landscape of Experiences and Connections’; The Boundless Potential of the Skies’; ‘Experiential Travel – A Paradigm Shift in Tourism’; ‘NEXTAAI – The TAAI Members’ Technology initiative’; ‘Differentiating Travel – Perspectives from Industry Experts’; ‘Transcending Borders – Strengthening International Relations for a Transformed World’; and ‘TAAI – The Road Ahead’.

On the final day of the convention, there will be special address by Harin Fernando, Minister of Tourism and Lands, Sri Lanka, the TAAI said.

“Our convention will serve as a conduit for fostering stronger bilateral relationship between India and Sri Lanka. With around 200 Sri Lankan tourism stakeholders participating in B2B sessions, we expect this event to be a fruitful venue for networking and establishing strong business relations. Such interaction is vital in harnessing the growth of inbound and outbound travel from India and channelling it towards destinations that offer new, exciting experiences,” said Jay Bhatia, vice-president, TAAI.

Jyoti Mayal said that the Indian market will undoubtedly become one of the most sought-after markets globally, given the immense potential for outbound travel. “As we all prepare to gather in Colombo, let us seize this opportunity to explore these trends, share our insights, and work together to shape a future where travel transcends borders and truly transforms lives,” she added.

Some of the speakers who would be speaking during the convention include Arvind Singh, former Secretary Tourism, Government of India; Madhavan Menon, Managing Director, Thomas Cook India Limited; Nipun Agarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer, Air India; KB Kachru, Chairman Emeritus & Principal Adviser – South Asia, Radisson Hotels Group; Ashish Gupta, Consulting CEO, FAITH; Pieter Elbers, CEO Indigo; Amitabh Khosla – Country Director – India, IATA; Praveen Iyer – Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air; Rajeev Bhatia – Chief Commercial Officer, Amadeus India; Vinay Malhotra – Head of Global Sales, Indigo; Richard Nuttall – CEO, Sri Lankan Airlines; Kapil Kaul, CEO and Director, CAPA India; Ajeet Bajaj; Dev Karvat – Founder and CEO Asego Insurance; GB Srithar – Regional Director, India, Middle East & South Asia, Singapore Tourism Board; Commander Nevil Malao – Senior Vice President, JM Baxi & Co; Noel Swain, COO – Passport, eVisa, Identity & Citizen Services, VFS Global; and Sandeep Dwivedi – CEO – InterGlobe Technology Quotient.

Charter Direct Flights To Boost Tourism From Delhi To Sabah: Malaysian Minister

By Deepak Arora

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysian Government is working towards direct charter flights from New Delhi and other cities to Sabah to reduce travel time and attract more Indian golfers and tourists to this amazing paradise. Sabah is a Malaysian state occupying the northern part of Borneo Island. Currently, there are no airlines that fly direct from New Delhi and other Indian cities to Kota Kinabalu, the Capital of Sabah....more

'World's Deepest Hotel' That Lets Guests Sleep In Underground Mine Opens In UK

LONDON, June 7: A new hotel that lets people sleep at the bottom of a Victorian mine, 400m underground has opened in the UK, Metro reported. Dubbed the 'world's deepest hotel', The Deep Sleep Hotel is located beneath the mountains of Snowdonia, also known as Eryri National Park, in North Wales.

The Deep Sleep hotel comprises four private twin-bed cabins and a romantic grotto with a double bed, which can be hired out one day a week, on a Saturday night through to Sunday morning. Its rooms are built a staggering 1,375 vertical feet (419m) below the park's towering mountains.

To reach the accommodation, guests first need to trek through an abandoned Victorian slate mine along with a trip leader. The trip down the mine consists of ancient miners stairwells, old bridges, and scrambles. During the hour-long trek, an instructor will provide plenty of historical information about the environment. Guests will also be provided with a helmet, light, harness, and boots before making the journey.

A large steel door marks the end of the trip and the entrance to the Deep Sleep room.

"A warm drink and some information will be provided - then it's time to relax for the rest of the evening. We'll provide you with a complimentary expedition-style meal (Meat, Vegan, and Vegetarian options available) to enjoy at our large covered picnic table. Then you are welcome to retire to your bed for a very deep sleep," the information on the website reads.

A single-night stay for two in a private cabin costs 350 pounds (Rs 36,003) while the price for two in the Grotto is 550 pounds (Rs 56,577), as per the company website.

"Then we all wake at 8am, to a warm drink and some simple breakfast snacks before starting the long ascent up to the surface and daylight again. Your party can expect to be back down to the cars around 10 am - 10:30 am, roughly," the information further reads.

Operations manager Mike Morris told Daily Star, "Guests who have stayed there absolutely loved it. They like its uniqueness, the evening camaraderie, and the sense of being away from civilisation.

"However the main observation has been the ability to get an amazing night's sleep! Guests said they had a better night's sleep than they ever manage at home – the best night's sleep in their lives."

Notably, Company Go Below which runs the hotel started its operations in April 2023.