INDIA
Nikhil Chhibber, India Product Manager, Western & Oriental
Where in India would you suggest for fi rst-timers? The Golden Triangle is a
Meet the Operator
“Escorted itineraries provide a great opportunity for people to maximise their time away and to sell India as a new destination”
CRAIG LIDDLE, KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER, TITAN TRAVEL
showers, and gives access to newspapers and magazines. Entry costs under £4. Tour Operators:The Red Dot
(
thereddot.in), a new company specialising in high-end leisure and independent travel, has opened for business and is seeking partner tour operators in the UK. Red Dot manages bespoke tours and aims to meet growing demand for cultural, educational and corporate tourism.
Exact details about the number
of British tourists who travelled to India during 2012 are not yet available but 798,000 Britons arrived in 2011, up 5.1 per cent on 2010. The successful long-term Incredible India! marketing campaign continues to generate interest in the country and its culture and heritage. The
incredibleindia.org website holds useful information relating to the nation’s history, cuisine, fairs and festivals. A number of e-brochures are available on the website, providing good information about a number of cities and regions, including Jammu and Kashmir. UK citizens need to apply for
Opposite, clockwise from top left: Celebrating the Dasara Festival; temple, Tamil Nadu; sunset fi shing in Kochi, Kerala; the Leela Palace Hotel, Chennai. Above, clockwise from left: painted elephant; father and child in traditional dress; mausoleum, Gujarat.
a tourist visa, valid for up to six months, before travelling to India.
Where to book it TITAN TRAVEL – 0800 988 5800
India’s Land of the Kings, a 19-day
managed tour of Rajasthan and Gujarat, includes 16 nights in hotels and is priced from £2,175pp. Private transfers, local guides and meals are included. Delhi, Agra and two safaris in Sasan Gir National Park feature on the itinerary.
titantravel.co.uk ON THE GO TOURS– 020 7371 1113
Tours are available that take in several of the festivals held around India throughout the year. One of the most colourful will be the eight-day Holi and Jaipur festival tour, beginning on March 13 2014. Prices start from £599pp, excluding international fl ights.
onthegotours.com TRAVELSPHERE - 0844 5675227 The 18 day escorted Grand Tour of India introduces India’s highlights, beginning in the Golden Triangle, including two nights and two safaris in Ranthambore, then moving to the south, to Mysore and into Kerala. Included are a backwater cruise and cookery demonstration. Prices start from £2,899pp.
travelsphere.co.uk FRED. OLSEN CRUISE LINES
– 0800 0355 150 The 20-night ‘Far East, India & Arabia’ sector of the ‘Around the World’ cruise, aboard the Black Watch calls into Chennai and Mumbai in April 2014. Prices start from £2,239pp, based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded inside cabin.
fredolsencruises.com
wonderful introduction to India’s spectacular sights including Imperial Delhi, the Taj Mahal and the pink city of Jaipur. For a relaxed experience, choose Kerala for romantic backwaters, spice plantations and golden beaches. Recommend an
extension to the national parks to search for the Bengal Tiger.
And for the ‘been there, done that’ already visitor?
Our private tour staying in rural Rajasthan’s boutique hotels suits the discerning traveller. Accommodation from a heritage Haveli to a fl oating lake palace, luxury tent, opulent train or traditional rice barge will meet their appetite for a bespoke experience. Off-the-beaten track destinations include Nepal and Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdoms.
What key tips can you offer agents to help them sell India? The key to selling India is
storytelling. To help your client structure their story, fi nd out what their passions are, whether that is architecture, cuisine or wildlife. We can then personalise their itinerary, from private
dinners in the turret of a heritage mansion to a private shopper guide around the markets.
Sample Package The 14-day Taj Mahal, Palaces
and Backwaters tour is from £1,955pp, based on two people sharing, with accommodation, fl ights and transfers, private
guides and meals as per itinerary.
wandotravel.com
July/August 2013 47
SXC & PATCH259
SXC & MARK MOCK
INDUS TOURS
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