Air India has admitted to a massive data breach that compromised the personal data of about 4.5 million passengers. The hackers were able to access 10 years’ worth of data including names, passport and credit card details from the Atlanta-based SITA Passenger Service System, Air India said in a statement on May 21.It disclosed the scale of the breach nearly three months after it was first informed by the IT provider.The breach that happened in late February had compromised the data of some major global airlines, too. SITA at that time had said that Singapore Airlines, New Zealand Air and Lufthansa were among those affected.
Air India said almost 4.5 million passengers globally were affected in the “highly sophisticated” attack but did not specify how many of them were its travelers. It said no password data was breached during the attack and that the company was investigating.The breach, confirmation of which comes two months after SITA’s Passenger Service System (PSS) was hacked, affected customers who registered between August 2011 and late February 2021, Air India said in a statement. Compromised data includes customers’ name, data of birth, contact information, passport information, frequent flyer data and credit card data, although CVV/CVC numbers weren’t included.
Password weren’t accessed by the hackers, Air India added, although it’s urging all customers to change their passwords as a precaution.
The airline said it first learned of the incident on February 25, but only learned the identities of affected passengers on March 25 and May 4.The company said it recommended in an email to its customers that they should change their account passwords as a precaution.
Air India started as a mail carrier in 1932 before gaining commercial popularity. It has been incurring losses since its 2007 merger with a state-owned domestic carrier, Indian Airlines. The debt-laden carrier is currently in the process of finding new buyers.
The U.S Embassy in India encourages U.S. citizens who wish to depart India to take advantage of currently available commercial flights. Airlines continue to operate multiple direct flights weekly from India to the United States; additional flight options remain available via transfers in Paris, Frankfurt, and Doha.
President Joe Biden has issued a proclamation restricting entry into the United States of certain nonimmigrant travelers who have been physically present in India. These restrictions will go into effect on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 12:01 AM EDT. The full text of the proclamation is available here.
The U.S Embassy in India encourages U.S. citizens who wish to depart India to take advantage of currently available commercial flights. Airlines continue to operate multiple direct flights weekly from India to the United States; additional flight options remain available via transfers in Paris, Frankfurt, and Doha.
The policy will not apply to American citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPR), or other people with these specific exceptions:
Any immigrant who has an unused or unexpired immigrant visa;
Any non-U.S. citizen spouse of a U.S. citizen or LPR;
Any non-U.S. citizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or LPR, provided that the U.S. citizen or LPR child is unmarried and under the age of 21;
Any non-U.S. citizen who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or LPR, provided that both the non-U.S. citizen and the U.S. citizen or LPR sibling are unmarried and under the age of 21;
Any non-U.S. citizen who is the child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or LPR, or who is a prospective adoptee seeking to enter the United States pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications;
Any holders of nonimmigrant visas in the following categories: C-1, D, C-1/D air and sea crew, A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, E-1, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6; or
Students who already possess a valid student (F or M) visa and who will begin their studies on or after August 1, 2021. (Note that direct travel to the United States from India with a student visa may begin no more than 30 days prior to the start date of a student’s classes.)
Visa holders with definite plans to travel who can demonstrate qualification for a National Interest Exception (NIE) may contact the U.S Embassy or Consulate that issued their visa to request a national interest exception prior to travel. (The contact email for the Embassy in New Delhi is NewDelhiNIE@State.gov.) Your request must include the following information to seek an exception: last name, first name, date of birth, place of birth, country of citizenship, passport number, visa Number and category, travel dates, travel purpose, and national interest category–including a clear justification for receipt of a NIE.
Qualifying family members do not need a NIE or any pre-approval from the embassy or consulates. Travelers should bring proof of relationship when initiating travel to the United States. More details on NIEs are available here.
If you currently have a flight booked, or plans to travel to the United States but do not fall into an exception category, contact the embassy or consulate that issued your visa before departing, as you may not be allowed to travel at this time. General travel information between India and the U.S as well as information about COVID-19 within India, is available via the U.S. Embassy here.
This proclamation will remain in effect until terminated by President Biden. Thirty days after the proclamation, and then at the end of every calendar month, Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra will recommend whether the president should continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation.
Note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice and the Department of State has issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory recommending against all travel to India. Level 4 is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. U.S. citizens who must travel to India are strongly urged to get fully vaccinated before travel and to continue to take personal health safety measures to protect themselves, including practicing social and physical distancing, cleaning hands with soap/hand sanitizer frequently, wearing masks, and avoiding crowded areas with poor ventilation.
The CDC’s broader guidance for fully vaccinated people–including information about when you should still wear masks and maintain social and physical distancing–is here; be sure to review our other vaccine availability and safety resources as well.
The U.S. told its citizens to get out of India as soon as possible as the country’s covid-19 crisis worsens at an astonishing pace.
In a Level 4 travel advisory — the highest of its kind issued by the State Department — U.S. citizens were told “not to travel to India or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so.” There are 14 direct daily flights between India and the U.S. and other services that connect through Europe, the department said.
Indian authorities and hospitals are struggling to cope with unprecedented covid infections and deaths. Official data on Thursday showed new cases rose by a staggering 379,257 over the prior 24 hours, another record, while 3,645 additional lives were lost. More than 204,800 people have died.
“U.S. citizens are reporting being denied admittance to hospitals in some cities due to a lack of space,” the website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India said in a health alert. “U.S. citizens who wish to depart India should take advantage of available commercial transportation options now.” All routine U.S. citizen services and visa services at the U.S. Consulate General Chennai have been canceled.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone returning to the U.S. from overseas must have a viral Covid-19 test between three and five days after travel. Individuals who haven’t been vaccinated should also stay at home and self-quarantine for a week.
The South Asian nation now has the world’s fastest-growing caseload with 18.4 million confirmed instances. The virus has gripped India’s populace with a severity not seen in its first wave. Mass funeral pyres, lines of ambulances outside overcrowded hospitals and desperate pleas on social media for oxygen underscore how unprepared India’s federal and state governments are to tackle the latest outbreak.
The unfolding tragedy is prompting some of the world’s biggest corporations to organize aid. Amazon.com is harnessing its global logistics supply chain to airlift 100 ICU ventilator units from the U.S., and the equipment will reach India in the next two weeks. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said he was “heartbroken” by the situation and the tech behemoth is using its voice, resources and technology to aid relief efforts and help buy oxygen concentrators.
Blackstone Group Chairman Stephen Schwarzman said his private equity firm is committing $5 million to support India’s covid relief and vaccination services to “marginalized communities.” Local companies, too, are wading in, with the philanthropic arm of India’s most valuable company — Reliance Industries Ltd., controlled by Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani — pledging to create, commission and manage 100 ICU beds that will become operational mid next month.
As thousands of doctors, nurses and non-medical professionals work around-the-clock to save what patients they can, countries around the rest of the world are drawing up their bridges.
Within Asia, Hong Kong banned flights from India, as well as Pakistan and the Philippines, for 14 days from April 20. Singapore has barred long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have recently been in India from entering. Indonesia is also denying entry to people traveling from India.
Further afield, the U.K. has added India to its travel ban list, and the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have halted passenger flights from India. Canada last week banned flights from India and Pakistan for 30 days. Australia banned flights from India this week.
According to VacationRenter’s booking data, summertime rental reservations are up 125% this year over last. And as Americans resume travel, its data analysis reveals noteworthy travel trends among our customers as we look forward to summer 2021.
The US Travel Association concurs, that roughly 9 out of 10 Americans are planning to travel within the next six months. As travellers in the United States resume travel, they’re vacationing with safety (and fresh air) in mind. Here are five travel trends noted by VacationRenter:
1. Starting small
Looking at VacatonRenter’s current bookings for summer 2021, reservations for small groups — consisting of two or four people — are leading the charge by a significant margin. Even groups of six are outpacing odd-numbered bookings and larger groups. The upshot of this two-by-two trend: couples who have been isolating together seem to be traveling together.
2. Seeking private space
Overall, we’ve found that more people are seeking out accommodations and destinations with a guaranteed buffer zone from other travelers. Searches on the VacationRenter site for entire homes — as well as villas and cabins — far outpaced accommodations with shared spaces and amenities. In fact, bookings for houses and villas in March 2021 were up 160% and 200%, respectively, over the same time last year.
3. Choosing traditional and ocean-breezy destinations
While some folks may have headed for the hinterlands to isolate (or work remotely) during the height of the pandemic, there appears to be a return to traditional — yet still fresh-air-infused and outdoorsy — destinations from June through August. Destin, Florida tops the list for summertime destinations by 18%.
4. Pools and pet-friendly spaces
Pools and pets have proved to be the top filters for online summertime vacation searches in 2021. This spring, 28.1% of all travellers who booked through VacationRenter used its pool filter as they searched for their ideal summer getaway. A private pool or even a dip in an uncrowded, shared pool (given that most resorts and homeowners associations now limit pool numbers) has obvious appeal.
5. Last-minute bookings
VacationRenter saw many travelers booking within days of arrival, even to airline-accessed destinations, such as Puerto Rico — where a surprising 11% of bookings were made the day before travel.
Once thought to be nearing ‘herd immunity’ with rapidly declining case numbers, India is now the latest hotspot experiencing a rapid surge of COVID-19 cases. This time around, the country is seeing cases linked to a “double mutant” coronavirus variant – which has been shown to be even more contagious than the initial virus. With the benefit of hindsight, countries around the world are taking swift action to cut off international travel to try and stop or at least slow the spread of this new variant. Let’s take a look at the countries now taking action, as well as what specific measures are being taken.
The UK, Singapore, New Zealand, Oman, Kuwait, the UAE, Iran, Hong Kong and Canada have imposed restrictions on passengers arriving from India by allowing only citizens to enter their borders. With Iran and Kuwait also suspending flights from India on account of the Covid-19 surge here, a dozen countries have now imposed some form of fresh restriction on travellers from India to protect their jurisdictions from the virus spread.
Which countries have imposed restrictions?
The UK, Singapore, New Zealand, Oman, Kuwait, the UAE, Iran, Hong Kong and Canada have imposed restrictions on passengers arriving from India by allowing only citizens to enter their borders. Even passengers who have been to India in the previous 14 days or are transiting through an airport in India are not allowed to enter.
Other countries like France have imposed a strict quarantine routine for passengers arriving from India, while the US has issued an advisory asking people not to travel to India, even if fully vaccinated. Australia, on the other hand, has said that it will restrict the number of its citizens that can enter its borders from India.
Why did United Airlines cancel its flights out of Delhi?
US-based United Airlines has canceled its flights out of Delhi to destinations such as Newark, San Francisco and Chicago citing “ongoing Covid-19 travel requirement discussions with local authorities” that were impacting its ability to operate the flights. However, the airline later said that it was resuming its flights from Sunday. Also, its Mumbai flights continued to operate as per schedule.
Has the US restricted travel from India?
No, the US has not yet announced any fresh restrictions on travelers from India. But the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention issued a non-binding advisory asking people to not go to India even if fully vaccinated. The US State Department has echoed this advisory. It must be noted though that the US Embassy in New Delhi has cancelled in-person visa appointments and interview-waiver appointments from April 26 till May 9 in light of “current pandemic conditions”. Emergency services for American citizens will continue and consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata will continue to offer limited visa appointments.
Air India cancels UK flights from April 24 to 30
National carrier Air India has decided to cancel flights between India and the UK from April 24 to 30. The move comes after Britain recently announced travel restrictions on non-UK and non-Irish citizens.
“Passengers who were to travel between India and UK, may kindly note that in view of recent restrictions announced by UK, flts from and to UK stand cancelled from 24th to 30th April ’21. Further updates regarding rescheduling, refunds & waivers will be informed shortly.”
“Between 24th to 30th April ’21 we are in a process to schedule once a week flight to UK from Delhi & Mumbai. Information regarding the same will also be updated on our Website and Social Media Channels.”
Recently, the UK said it will impose travel restrictions on air passengers coming from India due to the fast-spreading coronavirus variant in the South Asian country.
India was added in the ‘Red List’ of countries, or those countries whose citizens cannot freely travel to the UK. Reports had quoted UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock terming the decision as a difficult but a vital one to make.
As per norms, non-UK or Irish citizens will not be allowed to enter the European country post early morning on Friday. Presently, Vistara, Air India, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways operate flights between the two countries.
Last year, India had suspended all flights to and from the UK from December 23 in the wake of the new mutant strain of novel coronavirus found in the European country. (IANS)
Emirates suspends flight services to India from April 24
Dubai-based airline Emirates will suspend flight services to India from 11.59 p.m. of April 24. “Effective 24 April 2021 Saturday, 2359 local time Dubai and for the next 10 days, Emirates flights from India to the UAE will be suspended.”
“Furthermore, passengers who have transited through India in the last 14 days will not be accepted to travel from any other point to the UAE.”
Recently, the gulf country announced travel restriction on non-UAE citizens travelling from India. Non-UAE citizens will not be allowed entry into the country from April 25, for 10 days until May 4. The ban comes at a time when India is facing a massive surge in Covid-19 cases.
ATLANTA, Ga., Apr. 19 – AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, is pleased to welcome Dean Heyl as its new Vice President of Government Affairs. He will lead AAHOA’s Washington, D.C. office and join the association’s Executive Leadership Team.
“As hoteliers navigate the road to recovery, I am confident that Dean’s deep policy background and connections with lawmakers will enhance our advocacy efforts. Hotel owners across the country are struggling. The issues confronting them are complex, and we must continue to educate lawmakers about what they can do to help these small business owners come out on the other side of this pandemic. From labor and taxation issues to franchising and economic relief, Dean’s experience will be critical to supporting AAHOA’s ongoing advocacy efforts. His previous work with several national and international associations is an invaluable asset to our government affairs efforts. Dean is a valuable addition to our team and will help AAHOA further establish itself as the foremost resource and advocate for America’s hotel owners,” said AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton.
Heyl brings decades of experience from many sectors of the U.S. government and in the c-suites of substantial industry associations. Prior to joining AAHOA, he served as the U.S. Department of Labor’s director of the Office of Public Liaison where he reported directly to the U.S. Secretary of Labor. In this role, Dean was responsible for stakeholder outreach with an emphasis on COVID-19 issues, including PPP, as well as OSHA and Wage and Hour guidance. Dean also worked with several national and international associations as chief legal officer, federal lobbyist, executive director, and senior advisor.
Prior to his work for the Department of Labor, Heyl served as the International Franchise Association’s Chief Legal Officer, where he oversaw all federal, state and local advocacy efforts related to the franchise business model. Additionally, he worked for the Direct Selling Association as a state and federal lobbyist and before that was the Executive Director of the Coalition for Affordable Accounting. His earlier public sector experience includes serving as a senior advisor to the Idaho Attorney General and Governor. From 2008 – 2011, he was a member of the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council.
“I have been fighting for entrepreneurs for more than 20 years and look forward to doing the same for AAHOA Members. AAHOA’s bold vision statement to be the foremost resource and advocate for America’s hotel owners resonated with me,” Heyl said. “I look forward to building upon AAHOA’s excellent government affairs foundation and helping the nation’s hoteliers progress on the road to recovery.”
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The nearly 20,000 AAHOA members represent almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it, severely affecting businesses across various industries. While some were able to survive with a shift to online sales and services, not every sector was as fortunate.
One of the most affected industries was tourism, and in the past year, it has struggled to bounce back from a dismal 2020, which saw a massive decline in tourist arrivals in and out of America. However, tourism in the U.S. may be on the rise again sooner than previously thought.
Limitations on travel have severely affected our pandemic-stricken country. The statistics are astounding, surpassing even the impact on the travel industry after 9/11, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). As a result, tourism across the country is affected across different levels and state lines.
Popular destinations like California and New York have polarized projections. While California is expected to recover more quickly than the rest of the country thanks to strong fiscal relief and the waning pandemic, tourism in New York paints a very different picture. Highly anticipated events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, and the New Year’s Eve ball drop saw a significant reduction in spectators, leading to a glum outlook. This leaves many wondering when pre-pandemic levels will be restored.
Las Vegas is another major tourist spot that was not spared from the effects of COVID-19, susceptible to the same sudden drop in visitors between 2019 and 2020. Fortunately, things are starting to look up for the city and its hotels a year after the pandemic gripped the country. As the number of COVID-19 cases drops and more people are vaccinated, fewer restrictions address much of the pent-up demand. Casino floors and restaurants can now operate at 50% capacity as large gatherings capped at half the limit can also take place.
The newfound attraction to Las Vegas is not only due to the confidence in lower COVID-19 cases and its respective recovery. It also helps that there’s a diverse range of tourist attractions here, to begin with, as highlighted by this list of things to do in Sin City by Poker.org. The Strip is home to resorts like the Aria, Bellagio, and the Venetian – all iconic destinations in their own right. You’ll also find well-loved restaurants like Peppermill that are absolutely worth the visit. Exploring Vegas goes beyond the city lights as tourists can also take in the majestic views of Red Rock Canyon. These attractions are just some of the highlights that visitors can enjoy when in Nevada as the COVID-19 outlook continues to look even more promising in the coming months.
As some tourist hotspots like Vegas boast a positive path to recovery, others are still very much clouded in uncertainty. States such as Florida and equally sunny Hawaii fall somewhere in the middle, with more than half of Hawaiians opposing the return of tourists while others seek to encourage more movement in tourism.
What’s Next for Tourism in the U.S.?
The varying states of progress in these tourist hotspots illustrate how the fight against COVID-19 still has a long way to go, especially when it comes to the tourism industry. However, there is one fact present in all these examples: Progress is well underway. The Biden administration’s goal to vaccinate 100 million people in the first quarter provides much needed support for local businesses, especially smaller-sized enterprises. Whether you’re a local hotel hoping for guests or a restaurant that needs diners, there is a silver lining yet to be reached akin to Vegas’ impressive and optimistic trajectory.
Adding yet another feather to its cap, Kerala Tourism’s Responsible Tourism initiative has earned the coveted gold in the ‘Best Future Forward State’ category at the sixth edition of the Indian Responsible Tourism Awards. The event was held in Konark in Odisha. Meanwhile, Odisha received the silver in this segment.
This is the 11th award that Kerala’s Responsible Tourism Mission has earned since its launch in 2017, including six international awards like WTM’s Gold, PATA Gold, World Sustainable Tourism Award and so on.
“This recognition underlines the fact that Kerala has become a successful model for the whole country for sustainable tourism development,” said Ms. Rani George IAS, Principal Secretary Tourism, Government of Kerala.
“This award has come when we are planning to extend the RT initiatives to the local body level across the entire state, and it will be an encouragement to the endeavour,” said Mr. V. R. Krishna Teja IAS, Director Tourism.
Kerala RT Mission State Co-ordinator Mr. K. Rupesh Kumar said that the award is dedicated to the over one lakh members of the RT Mission from across the state.
Houseboat industry leaves behind a substantial amount of carbon footprints in environment, resulting in global warming and loss of biodiversity. On an average, a typical fossil-powered houseboat releases about 8 kg of CO2 / hour from propulsion system and a hotel-load standalone generator releases 5 kg of CO2 / hour, according to a survey.
Switching to alternative energy sources will mitigate the threats to environment. For this, Energy Management Centre (EMC) – Kerala and technology partner C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram, have implemented a solar-powered low-voltage direct current (LVDC) power distribution in houseboats to offset carbon footprints by almost 90 per cent. The annual profit from Rs. 9.38 lakh project is estimated at Rs. 2.5 lakh with repayment in 4 years.
In the system, LVDC architecture is integrated with solar PV system and battery bank. This system can power the houseboat for a whole day without depending on standby grid power. Hotel loads in the houseboats will be fed from a 6kWp mono-crystalline flexible solar PV array (for 2 bedrooms, hall and kitchen). Lighting, fan, AC, geysers and cooking, which accounts for 30-40 per cent of the daily energy cost, will be switched to solar power.
The architecture can be configured to cater to different classes of houseboats based on the connected load. The switching to renewable energy can ring in an annual energy savings of 85 per cent, saving 2,650 litres of petrol for a 2 BHK houseboat. The carbon footprint per guest gets reduced to 0.74 ton CO2/day. Also, the technology change increases the reliability of power supply along with fully eliminating the problem of harmonics, and ensures safety of appliances. It also increases the comfort to tourists due to reduction in noise and vibration.
In the next phase of the project, EMC-CDAC plans to electrify the propulsion (driving) system, which accounts for 60-70 per cent of the energy use.
AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton issued the following statement in response to new guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that greenlight fully vaccinated people to resume travel. Over 100 million Americans have had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and evidence of the vaccine’s efficacy continues to grow:
“The new CDC travel guidelines are welcome news for America’s hoteliers and the millions of Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. For more than a year, lockdowns, curfews, and quarantines in response to the pandemic decimated the travel and tourism industry as people simply stopped traveling.
The Biden administration’s aggressive vaccination goals and recent studies on the different vaccines’ real-world effectiveness are giving people the confidence they need to safely resume pre-pandemic activities like travel. It could not have come at a better time for hoteliers, for the gradual reopening of America now could lead to significant increases in occupancy and revenue during the summer season. The hotel industry’s road to economic recovery is long. A full recovery remains unlikely until at least 2023, but this news is a shot in the arm to the hotel owners and hospitality professionals who are eager to welcome guests back into their hotels and communities.”
HOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The nearly 20,000 AAHOA members represent almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
The 17th century monument of love, the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, is feeling the heat of abruptly rising temperature, sand blasting by seasonal dust storms and human apathy.
“The temperature has gone up steeply in the last few days and there have been a series of sand storms,” said Surendra Sharma, President of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society.
Despite a series of directions by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, successive governments have been dragging their feet to rejuvenate the Yamuna river by containing pollution and maintaining flow of water round the year, complained green activist Shravan Kumar Singh.
After a brief respite during the 180-day lockdown triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the Taj is again looking pale, notwithstanding the mud therapy and other measures to beautify the monument.
Heritage conservationists in Agra say that if the monument looks pale to the visitors, the reason is the dry and heavily polluted Yamuna that once formed an integral part of the Taj Mahal complex.
Standing tall in the scorching summer sun, the monument of love is enveloped in yellowish sand from the neighbouring Rajasthan deserts. Any discernible visitor can tell that the summer heat is taking its toll on the Taj Mahal, blasted by sand from the dry Yamuna bed and the dust-laden winds from the Rajasthan deserts.
The gaps left by illegal mining in the Aravali ranges has raised the SPM (suspended particulate matter) in Agra. Against a standard of 100 microns per cubic metre, it remains as high as 300, touching 500 during the summer months. The problem is that sandy particles rub against the monument and leave pox marks, making the surface rough, as has been pointed out in many studies.
However, conservationists say that the crisis the Taj confronts comes not merely from nature and pollution, but also from the people — with too many tourists and vehicles visiting Agra.
The number of vehicles in the city has shot up from around 40,000 in 1985 when Firozabad too was part of the Agra district, to more than a million now. The opening of the Yamuna Expressway has increased vehicular traffic. The pressure of heavy vehicles on the Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Mumbai and Lucknow-Agra National Highways passing through Agra has increased phenomenally.
Adding to its fatigue is the ever-increasing human load. From a few hundred tourists some decades ago, the Taj is now daily visited by thousands of people. The tourism industry that thrives on milking the Taj Mahal wants more sops for the visitors to attract them to Agra, but the conservationists want restrictions imposed to gradually reduce the human load.
Visitors who see the Taj Mahal for the first time never forget to ask the guides, “Is it turning yellow?”
The explanation given by the guides is that it is the outcome of the natural ageing process and has nothing to do with industrial pollution, as all polluting industries in Agra region have been shut down by the Supreme Court.
To ensure its dazzling whiteness and remove the stains left behind by the pollutants on the Taj Mahal, originally called ‘Bagh e Baahist’, the Archaeological Survey of India carries out periodic ‘multani mitti’ (Fuller’s earth) treatment. The white marble surface is washed with soap and water too on Fridays when the monument breathes freely to enjoy its weekly off.
When thousands of tourists ‘invade’ the serene monument every day, leaving behind hand and foot marks on the white stones, and tonnes of noxious gases through breathing, the cumulative affect on the fragile structure is huge.
Only a few tourists are genuinely aware of the historic significance of the monument and its great heritage value, but there are hordes of others who care nothing for the sanctity of the Taj.
While the problem of human load will be sorted out shortly, as a number of studies are being conducted by the ASI, the sad state of the Yamuna river at the rear is a huge problem that defies solution. According to Ved Goutam, a tour guide, Agra has already become a desert.
“When you see the camels moving around on the dry river bed, you get the impression that Agra is in a desert, a part of the Rajasthan state,” he said.
The Archaeological Survey of India has restored the Mehtab Bagh at the rear of the Taj Mahal and the state forest department has developed a dense green buffer along the river bank on the opposite side.
But the major problem is the Yamuna, which has been reduced to a ‘sewage canal’. Fears are being raised that if there is no fresh supply of water in the river that touches the Taj foundation to provide a shock-absorbing buffer to insulate the building from seismic movements, the monument could tilt, cave in or struggle for stability. (IANS)
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it, severely affecting businesses across various industries. While some were able to survive with a shift to online sales and services, not every sector was as fortunate.
One of the most affected industries was tourism, and in the past year, it has struggled to bounce back from a dismal 2020, which saw a massive decline in tourist arrivals in and out of America. However, tourism in the U.S. may be on the rise again sooner than previously thought.
Tourism in Pandemic-Stricken America
Limitations on travel have severely affected our pandemic-stricken country. The statistics are astounding, surpassing even the impact on the travel industry after 9/11, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). As a result, tourism across the country is affected across different levels and state lines.
Popular destinations like California and New York have polarized projections. While California is expected to recover more quickly than the rest of the country thanks to strong fiscal relief and the waning pandemic, tourism in New York paints a very different picture. Highly anticipated events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, and the New Year’s Eve ball drop saw a significant reduction in spectators, leading to a glum outlook. This leaves many wondering when pre-pandemic levels will be restored.
Las Vegas is another major tourist spot that was not spared from the effects of COVID-19, susceptible to the same sudden drop in visitors between 2019 and 2020. Fortunately, things are starting to look up for the city and its hotels a year after the pandemic gripped the country. As the number of COVID-19 cases drops and more people are vaccinated, fewer restrictions address much of the pent-up demand. Casino floors and restaurants can now operate at 50% capacity as large gatherings capped at half the limit can also take place.
The newfound attraction to Las Vegas is not only due to the confidence in lower COVID-19 cases and its respective recovery. It also helps that there’s a diverse range of tourist attractions here, to begin with, as highlighted by this list of things to do in Sin City by Poker.org. The Strip is home to resorts like the Aria, Bellagio, and the Venetian – all iconic destinations in their own right. You’ll also find well-loved restaurants like Peppermill that are absolutely worth the visit. Exploring Vegas goes beyond the city lights as tourists can also take in the majestic views of Red Rock Canyon. These attractions are just some of the highlights that visitors can enjoy when in Nevada as the COVID-19 outlook continues to look even more promising in the coming months.
As some tourist hotspots like Vegas boast a positive path to recovery, others are still very much clouded in uncertainty. States such as Florida and equally sunny Hawaii fall somewhere in the middle, with more than half of Hawaiians opposing the return of tourists while others seek to encourage more movement in tourism.
What’s Next for Tourism in the U.S.?
The varying states of progress in these tourist hotspots illustrate how the fight against COVID-19 still has a long way to go, especially when it comes to the tourism industry. However, there is one fact present in all these examples: Progress is well underway. The Biden administration’s goal to vaccinate 100 million peoplein the first quarter provides much needed support for local businesses, especially smaller-sized enterprises. Whether you’re a local hotel hoping for guests or a restaurant that needs diners, there is a silver lining yet to be reached akin to Vegas’ impressive and optimistic trajectory.SAG top honours for ‘Chicago 7’ sets up intriguing Oscar raceThe Trial Of The Chicago 7 — Aaron Sorkin’s 1969 courtroom drama for Netflix — was judged the year’s best performance by a motion picture cast at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards for film and television on Sunday. Starring the likes of Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Frank Langella and Mark Rylance, it marked the first time a film from any streaming service won the guild’s ensemble award.
The win now strengthens the film’s case for the Oscars (April 25). This even as modern recession-era movie Nomadlandgrabbed many of the pre-Oscar awards, including the Golden Globes.
The SAG awards though remain a key predictor of Oscar glory, where actors form the largest voting bloc. FYI: Last year, South Korea’s Parasitebegan its historic charge to the Best Picture Oscar by winning SAG’s top prize.
Also:For the first time in SAG awards’ 27-year history, all four of the winning film actors were people of colour. The late Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis picked up the best actor and best actress awards, respectively, for jazz period film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
And while Daniel Kaluuya won best supporting actor for portraying Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, South Korea’s Yuh-jung Youn won best supporting actress for Minari, an immigrant tale set in 1980s Arkansas.
The Golden Chariot luxury train to tourist destinations and heritage sites across south India resumed from Bengaluru after a four year break, an official said on Sunday.
“The 6-coach luxury train chugged off from Yesvantpur station in the city with South Western Railway General Manager A.K. Singh flagging it off,” Bengaluru Divisional Manager A.K. Verma told IANS.
In its first-round trip, christened ‘the Pride of Karnataka’, the train will cover Bandipur national park, Mysuru, Halebidu, Chikkamagaluru as well as Goa in 6 days and 7 nights.
The week-long journey also takes passengers to Unesco world heritage sites of Badami caves, Pattadakal temples and Hampi palace ruins in the state’s northwest region before returning to Bengaluru.
“Though the train has capacity to carry 48 passengers in single and double cabins in 6 coaches, about 30 of them are travelling in this trip, occupying single and double cabins,” said Verma.
In its second-round trip, christened ‘Jewels of South India’ from March 21, the train will chug through Mysuru to Mahabalipuram, Thanjavur and Chettinad in Tamil Nadu and Kochi in Kerala, including its backwaters in 3 nights and 4 days.
The ticket fare for deluxe cabin is Rs 3,20,130 for 2 persons and Rs 2,40,100 for a single passenger.
The package includes onboard meals, transport for sightseeing, entrance fee to all tourist sites covered in the trip and charge of guides.
Launched originally by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in partnership with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) in 2008, the former took over the operations of the train in 2020.
“The train offers travellers an opportunity to experience the historical, architectural and scenic beauty of South India in the comfort of luxurious amenities and international service standards,” said the IRCTC in a statement.
The renovated and refurbished luxury coaches boast of complimentary WiFi and OTT streaming onboard, choice of Indian and international cuisine, and wines.
The service includes cultural shows by artistes onboard.
Each of the 6 coaches are named after dynasties that ruled south India over the centuries.
Each coach has 4 cabins with a mix of 30 twin beds and 13 doubles beds. One cabin has been designed for specially-abled.
Two restaurants — Ruchi and Nalapaka — serve delicious meals while ‘Madira’ bar serves choicest of beers, spirits and wines.
Arogya, the spa-cum-fitness center offers traditional Ayurvedic therapies with modern workout machines. (IANS)
With its crescent-shaped, palm-fringed beaches, golden sands and beautiful vistas, Kovalam is the favourite beach destination of any traveller. Earlier, in the 1970s, Kovalam was known for being part of the hippie trail. The beach has changed over the years but continues to charm travellers with its aura and enrich them with a multitude of experiences.
Kovalam is a small coastal town in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. With its three crescent-shaped beaches, and the cultural, heritage, wellness, zen, and adventure sports experiences they have on offer, Kovalam is a beach lover’s paradise.
The beaches have turned into a destination that has something in store for everyone. Be the traveller or tourist an ardent beach lover, a culture buff, an adventure junkie, or one searching for the inner self, Kovalam has something to bestow.
Every day is a lazy, laid-back day here if you want it to be, that is. You can begin your day with a hot cuppa in hand, walk along languid sandy stretches and laze away to glory. Or, you can start your day on a high note, by hopping onto a catamaran and riding into the sea! That is the beauty of Kovalam. There is never a dearth of activity (or reasons for inactivity) here, and you will be smothered by a range of vibrant options regarding how to spend the day.
Kovalam has three beaches viz. Hawa Beach or Eve’s beach; Grove’s Beach (Samudra Beach) which is also called Kovalam Beach, and the Light House Beach. The lighthouse beach is famed for its mighty lighthouse which offers a breathtaking aerial view of Kovalam.
The experiences it offers include sunbathing, swimming, catamaran cruises, and water sports such as boating, scuba diving, parasailing, surfing, and so on. You can alternately indulge in some holistic or wellness treatment such as yoga and Ayurveda.
And if you need to experience some piety, then head to the Azhimala Siva Temple which is an ancient place of worship that boasts of a uniquely crafted mega sculpture of Lord Siva.
You can also head to the Kerala Arts and Crafts Village to experience the cultural wealth of Kerala. You get to take home that souvenir you have been longing for or interact with artists and artisans at their workplace or craft studios.
If you need the ultimate Kerala experience, Kovalam is where you head off to!
Blackstone Group Inc. and Starwood Capital Group have agreed to acquire hotel owner and operator Extended Stay America Inc. for $6 billion, a bet that a rare bright spot for the lodging industry during Covid-19 can shine brighter as the U.S. emerges from the pandemic.
The companies provided details of the deal, which real-estate executives say is the largest sale in the hotel sector during the Covid-19 period earlier this week.
As bookings plunged across the U.S. hotel industry over the last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Extended Stay, which specializes in economy temporary housing for healthcare professionals, proved stronger than its peers.
Private equity company Blackstone’s and investment firm Starwood’s cash offer of $19.50 per share represents a premium of 15.1% to Extended Stay’s share closing price on Friday.
Shares of Extended Stay, which owns and operates 650 hotels in the United States, rose more than 17% before the opening bell.
“Extended Stay has demonstrated resilience over the past year despite persistent challenges due to government lockdowns and travel restrictions,” said Barry Sternlicht, chief executive officer of Starwood Capital.
“We are excited about the company’s growth opportunity as restrictions ease.”
Extended Stay’s stock has more than doubled in the past 12 months, outperforming its larger peers Marriott and Hilton which gained between 60% and 65%.
Extended Stay is a midprice hotel chain that focuses on lodging for guests interested in staying for weeks or longer, offering kitchen facilities and more space than a typical hotel room. During the pandemic, its rooms and suites attracted essential workers, healthcare professionals and others who needed to travel.
That business helped Extended Stay achieve a 74% occupancy rate last year, Blackstone said. The average occupancy rate across all U.S. hotels was 44%, according to hotel data-tracking firm STR.
In a move welcomed by many of Europe’s traumatized travel destinations, the European Union’s leadership is considering a digital health pass that would allow E.U. citizens who have received a COVID-19 vaccine to travel for work or tourism.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, tweeted that the goal of such a “Digital Green Pass” is to provide “proof that a person has been vaccinated; results of tests for those who couldn’t get a vaccine yet; [and] info on COVID-19 recovery” enabling residents to move safely within the E.U. and abroad.
Israel, which has successfully vaccinated 39% of its population, has already implemented a similar program, called a “green pass” that allows the vaccinated access to gyms, concerts and restaurants, while Denmark has already announced its own plans to introduce a digital health passport.
There are also several private-sector and non-government digital health passports already being rolled out, including the IATA Travel Pass, which was developed by the International Air Transport Association for travellers. Another getting significant traction is CommonPass, developed by The Commons Project Foundation, a non-profit that builds digital data platforms for public good, which will be used by Jet Blue, Lufthansa and United in coming weeks. The organization is also in talks with hotels, concert venues and sports leagues in the United States.
The idea is not without controversy, particularly among human rights activists, data protection advocates and countries with limited access to vaccines. Nonetheless, vaccine passports, if implemented well, offer one of the fastest routes to controlling the coronavirus while shoring up economies devasted by COVID-induced restrictions. Should the rest of the world catch up?
Where would vaccine passports be used?
The tourism industry is the most eager to put them into practice. Airlines such as Qantas are already demanding proof of vaccination or recovery for international flights; so too are certain cruise lines. Spain and Greece, whose tourism-dependent economies desperately need a robust summer travel season, are considering opening up travel corridors with the U.K. and Israel, respectively, to citizens who can prove their vaccination status.
There are applications beyond travel as well: Universities could open up with confidence knowing that their students are vaccinated, employers could start hiring again, movie theaters and concert venues could once again open their doors.
How would vaccine passports work?
Typically, they will entail an app that users can show officials to prove their status. The CommonPass app notifies users of entry rules, such as a vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test, then helps verify that they have met the requirements, either by connecting with the relevant clinic, health authority or pharmacy that provided the service, or by having the consumer download test results or vaccination information to their phone. The data itself is not stored on the user’s phone; instead the app generates a QR code that can be scanned just like a digital boarding pass, confirming that the customer has met the requirements. Customers without smart phones can print out the confirmation codes instead.
Unlike country- or industry-specific digital health apps, CommonPass does not set the rules. It allows gatekeepers to set their own parameters, whether they are specific test providers, authorized vaccination clinics or recovery criteria, and provides the platform to ensure they are met. “Ultimately, what we’re really building is a common trust network,” says CEO Paul Meyer — an internationally recognized registry of verified health organizations, so that a country or venue can be confident that their specific needs are met.
I have a paper that says I am vaccinated. Shouldn’t that be enough proof?
It’s true that countries in Africa and Asia have long demanded proof of vaccination against yellow fever and other diseases from visitors. But the “yellow card’ used for verification is easy to forge and hard to replace (getting an additional vaccine is often easier than getting a new card, even if it’s not medically advised).
Having these kinds of vaccine “cards” for COVID-19 would be even more complicated. With great demand and limited supplies of vaccines, the potential for fraud is high. So too is the possibility of confusion: there are multiple vaccines currently in use globally, with more in the pipeline. And people who have already had the virus may, in the future, need different vaccine requirements.
Juggling those multiple criteria would present a major challenge for immigration officials, airline check-in counters and other doorkeepers. Governments may want travel and commerce to resume as quickly as possible, says Meyer. But their first obligation is to the health and safety of their populations. “If everyone’s wandering around with pieces of paper in random languages about some test they allegedly got on the other side of the planet, it’s hard to make the decision to open up,” he says. “What a universally recognized health pass achieves is confidence that the person who wants to come into my country is the same person who actually got that vaccine. I know what kind of vaccine it was, and how long ago. I know what kind of test was given, and that was it from a reputable lab instead of some fly by night clinic that happened to have a printer.”
How long will it take before vaccine passports are widespread?
A couple of months at least. European nations like Spain and Greece are hoping to have systems set up in time for the summer travel season, but it will take time to get all the regulations in place.
The bigger problem in the E.U. is access to vaccines. The United States says it will have enough vaccines for its entire population by end of May, and the United Kingdom anticipates that all over-50s will be vaccinated by that time. But, due to the slow rollout of vaccines on the continent, it won’t be until September that E.U. citizens will be in a similar position, long after the peak holiday season. This summer could resemble something out of an E. M. Forster novel, with vaccine-rich Americans and Brits taking over southern Europe’s holiday hotspots, while locals are forced to stay at home.
That disparity could actually lead to an increase in cases, says Francisco Femenia-Serra, a tourism specialist at Nebrija University’s Social Sciences School in Madrid. While vaccines stave off severe COVID-19 cases in vaccinated individuals, it is not yet clear if they can prevent transmission. “We will have tourists who are protected by the vaccine, and that is important, but what about local communities? If our tourism and hospitality industry workers are not protected it could be another disaster.”
Isn’t it unfair to require vaccine passports when not everyone can get one, or wants to get one?
That’s the argument of countries like France and Germany, and organizations such as the World Health Organization, who say that health passes tied to vaccinations will increase inequality until everyone has an opportunity to get vaccinated. The U.K’s Equality and Human Rights Commission says vaccine requirements for travel or access to venues could lead to “unlawful discrimination.” Belgium’s acting foreign minister, Sophie Wilmès, tweeted that while the idea of a standardized European vaccine verification system was a good one, there should be “no question of linking vaccination to the freedom of movement around Europe. Respect for the principle of non-discrimination is more fundamental than ever since vaccination is not compulsory and access to the vaccine is not yet generalised.”
The proposed health passes will likely increase inequality, says Anthony Dworkin, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, but they will still be vital for economies reeling from lockdowns and travel restrictions: “Some element of unfairness is the price we will have to pay for a kind of partial reopening.”
Ok, I’m fully vaccinated, I downloaded the app, and I’ve booked my tickets. Can I throw away my mask?
Nope. Even with health passports in hand, social distancing measures will still have to stay in place for a long while yet. Not everyone can or will get the vaccine, and the risk of new variants looms large. Until vaccines are universally available, that means even holiday hotspots will have to ensure that venues are well-ventilated, patrons wear masks, and everyone keeps washing their hands.
“A vaccine passport alone won’t bring us back to normal,” says Femenia-Serra. “It’s just one small step towards healing the economic devastation [in the tourism sector]. A passport or a negative test shouldn’t be an excuse to do whatever I want. Once I get to wherever I am going, I still need to behave in the right way. Because if we don’t, there is another disaster waiting for us after the summer is over.”
The Government of India has refreshed its guidelines for international arrival in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, with a specific focus on those arriving from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa.
Which international passengers are these new guidelines applicable to?
These new Standard Operating Procedures are applicable for all incoming international travelers coming in from the UK, Brazil or South Africa transiting through flights originating from the UK, Europe and Middle East. The broader categorization for these locations has been done because there are no direct flights between India, and Brazil and South Africa; and most of the passengers arriving from these countries arrive through transiting flights from Europe or Middle East.
What are the guidelines for international passengers arriving from these places?
In addition to the usual procedures of filing out a self-declaration form and submitting it on the Air Suvidha portal at http://www.newdelhiairport.in, those arriving on flights from the UK, Europe and the Middle East will have to get an RT-PCR test done prior to their flight and will be mandatorily subjected to self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival at the Indian port of entry. If the outcome of these tests at the airport is negative, the passengers have to undergo home quarantine for seven days and then get re-tested. If they again test negative, they must self-monitor their health for another seven days. However, in case they test positive at any stage after arrival, they will be put in isolation and the treatment protocols will be applicable.
What do passengers needs to keep in mind?
For passengers taking onward flights to smaller airports after arriving at one of the international hubs in India like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, etc it will be mandatory to declare their final destination while filling out the self-declaration form prior to taking the flight. Upon arrival at the port of entry, like all other passengers in this category, they will have to go through the mandatory self-paid confirmatory molecular tests, and will be allowed on their connecting flights only if they test negative. Therefore, the government has recommended that for all those taking connecting flights within India, there should be a gap of at least 6-8 hours between the two flights. For example, if someone taking a flight from Johannesburg to Ranchi via Dubai and Delhi, there should be at least 6-8 hours of time between the flight arriving into Delhi from Dubai and the one departing from Delhi to Ranchi.
How will passengers arriving from Brazil, the UK and South Africa be identified?
The government has asked airlines to identify the international travellers arriving from or transiting through United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa (during past 14 days) and segregate them in-flight or while disembarking to facilitate the authorities to follow the due protocol in respect of these travellers. The immigration officers of these airports will also ensure identification of travellers from their passports, who originated or transited from the UK, Brazil and South Africa during past 14 days.
What about other international passengers?
For other passengers not falling in this category, the rules remain the same and they will be subject to the existing exemptions and quarantine norms upon arrival. However, all those who came in contact of travelers arriving from UK, South Africa and Brazil who test positive (either at the airport or subsequently during home quarantine period), shall be subjected to institutional quarantine in separate quarantine centers and would be tested on the seventh day (or earlier if develop symptoms). These will supersede all guidelines issued since August 2, 2020.
“This Standard Operating Procedure shall be valid w.e.f. 22nd February 2021 (23.59 Hrs IST) till further orders,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Wednesday.
The guideines have been divided in three sections based on the origin of travel.
All international travellers except those coming through flights originating from United Kingdom, Europe and Middle East will be required to submit a self-declaration form on the online ‘Air Suvidha’ portal before the scheduled travel.
They would also need to upload a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey.
“Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise,” the guidelines said.
According to the guidelines, all international travellers coming or transiting through flights originating from the United Kingdom, Europe and Middle East have to additionally submit a Self-Declaration Form (SDF) for Covid on the online ‘Air Suvidha’ portal before the scheduled travel and will be required to declare their travel history of the past 14 days.
“While filling SDF, apart from providing all other information required in the SDF, passengers need to select: Whether they plan to disembark at the arrival airport or take further flights to reach their final destination in India.”
“Based on this selection, the receipt of SDF will display ‘T’ (Transit) in easily readable and bigger font than other text. The passengers will need to display this receipt to the state authority or government officials at the airport for segregation.”
As per the guidelines, travelers from the UK, Brazil and South Africa taking connecting flights from the international airport they land at will have to give a sample at designated area and exit the airport only after confirmation of negative test report which may take 6-8 hours.
“Those transit travelers from UK, Brazil and South Africa who are found negative on testing at the airport shall be allowed to take their connecting flights and would be advised quarantine at home for 7 days and regularly followed up by the concerned state or district IDSP. These travelers shall be tested after 7 days and if negative, released from quarantine, and continue to monitor their health for a further 7 days.” (IANS)
The Arbor Day Foundation and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation have recognised Hyderabad as 2020 Tree City of the World.
The southern city is the only from India to get the recognition for its commitment to growing and maintaining the urban forest. Through this recognition, Hyderabad will join a network of like-minded cities who recognise the importance of trees in building healthy, resilient and happy cities, officials said on Thursday.
Hyderabad earned recognition in the Foundation’s second year of the programme along with 51 other cities across the world during 2020 and cumulatively 120 cities from 63 countries. Most of the cities were from countries like the US, the UK, Canada, Australia etc.
Congratulating Hyderabad on earning 2020 Tree Cities of the world recognition alongside 120 cities from 63 countries, Dan Lambe, President, Arbor Day Foundation said that it is now part of an important global network leading the way in urban and community forestry.
He remarked that now more than ever, trees and forests are a vital component of healthy livable, and sustainable cities and towns around the globe. Hyderabad’s commitment to effective urban forest management is helping to ensure better future for its residents.
Telangana’s Municipal Administration & Urban Development Department had applied for this recognition on January 31. The department has been in the forefront and executing ‘Haritha Haram’ programme since inception. Apart from that, urban forest blocks are also being developed in identified pockets.
Hyderabad pledged its commitment by meeting five programme standards that show its dedication and determination towards planting and conserving trees for a greener future. It is demonstrating leadership in management of its urban trees and is serving as part of the solution to many of the global issues today.
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao expressed his happiness over the recognition received by Hyderabad. “This is an acknowledgment of our efforts to improve green cover as part of Haritha Haram programme,” he tweeted.
Haritha Haram is a flagship programme of the state government for large scale plantation across the state to increase the green cover. (IANS)
The tourism, travel and hospitality industries have been hit the hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, a report by Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) said.
Accordingly, the survey report results reflect an across-the-board decline in revenue, with very large companies most likely to have experienced a considerable decline in revenue.
“Despite the general decline in revenues among firms of all sizes, one-third of our survey respondents felt they were doing better than their competition, and fewer than 10 per cent felt they were lagging behind their competitors,” IMA said in a statement.
“Companies’ beliefs in how they were faring compared to their competitors was influenced by firm size: larger firms (greater than 1,000 employees) were more likely (39 per cent) to believe they were ahead of their competition than smaller (less than 100 employees) ones (29 per cent).”
Besides, financial professionals’ employed with tourism, travel and hospitality industry have also been the hardest hit by the pandemic. According to the report, 13 per cent of financial professionals’ employed with tourism, travel and hospitality industry were furloughed and 58 per cent received pay cuts.
“Also, relatively hard hit were professionals in the government, not-for-profit, and education sectors, 5 per cent of whom were furloughed and 52 per cent receiving a salary decrease.”
“By contrast, the sectors that showed the highest resilience were accounting and finance followed by IT, telecom, and tech, followed by financial services, banking, and real estate.”
The report is based on a survey of 1,481 accounting and finance professionals located in five countries: China, India, Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States (U.S.).
Furthermore, the report highlighted a board revenue decline – with large companies suffering more than their smaller counterparts.
Interestingly, the report cited that many companies reported that despite the pandemic, they are faring better than the competition.
“Only a marginal few confided that they were worse off than their peers. From a staffing perspective, only half the companies surveyed revealed that they retrenched employees during this period.”
“The pandemic has affected employment and the compensation of those still employed. Most survey respondents revealed that they have had a reduction in their compensation, either in salary, bonus, or both.” (IANS)
As Tampa prepares to host the Super Bowl this weekend, Florida hoteliers remain committed to keeping human trafficking out of their hotels and their communities. Every year, thousands of football fans converge on the event’s host city in the runup to the game. Unfortunately, sex traffickers who exploit the most vulnerable in our society are all too eager to bring their illicit enterprise to the party. That is why hotel owners are going on offense to protect their guests, their employees, and trafficking victims by completing AAHOA’s Human Trafficking Awareness Trainings (HTAT). These trainings play a crucial role in empowering hoteliers and their employees to identify and respond to trafficking situations. Owners are keeping their guard up against traffickers even though the number of fans and attendees at this year’s Super Bowl will be significantly lower than in years past due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The sheer number of people at high-profile events like the Super Bowl are an attractive draw to human traffickers. These criminals prize anonymity and seek out low-profile locations to exploit their victims. That is why it is so important for hoteliers and their teams to understand what trafficking looks like and know how to respond if they see something amiss,” said AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton. “To date, thousands of hotel employees and owners across the country have completed AAHOA HTAT, and our recent training blitz across Florida could not have come at a better time.”
In December, AAHOA held the HTAT Florida Compliance Series to ensure its members in the sunshine state satisfied Florida’s human trafficking awareness training requirement that went into effect on Jan. 1. The Series, held in ten cities throughout the state, offered AAHOA members and their employees a free developed in partnership with Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST). Successful completion of the training, BEST Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training sponsored by AAHOA, brings hotels into compliance with the mandate.
“Unfortunately, instances of trafficking are on the rise as criminals exploit people struggling with the multitude of hardships the pandemic imposes on our communities,” said Staton. “Hoteliers must remain vigilant, and AAHOA is proud to give them the tools they need to protect their guests and employees and, potentially, save lives.”
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The nearly 20,000 AAHOA members represent almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
Once one of the world’s most powerful travel documents, the might of the US passport has been diminished during the pandemic. With US Covid-19 cases now beyond the 26 million mark, some nations continue to view American vacationers warily.
The current global pandemic has many Americans rethinking the way they travel. Road trips and camping vacations have grown in popularity, as many Americans have discovered the country has more than its fair share of stunning natural landscapes, from the Grand Canyon to Acadia National Park. Some people have even created memorable vacations in their backyards.
However, if you’re itching to leave the U.S., there are several countries around the world that will accept you (and your negative coronavirus test results), though some specific restrictions will apply. If you decide to travel, be sure to evaluate the risks and understand the safest ways to travel. You should also look out for yourself and others by taking necessary safety precautions and investing in one of the best face masks for travel.
Note that due to the pandemic, travel guidelines are constantly changing; you’ll want to check your destination’s official tourism website periodically before your trip. And, consider purchasing travel insurance, so you don’t lose money if your U.S. passport is no longer accepted at the last minute.
Below are the countries that currently accept travelers from the United States. If you decide to travel, you’ll also want to check with the State Department for information on returning from your visit as there are some restrictions in place, including specific airports you must transit through and quarantine rules in some cases. As of Jan. 26, the CDC requires all passengers traveling to the U.S. from a foreign country (including American citizens) to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before their flight. (Note: All mentions of coronavirus tests refer to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test unless otherwise stated. This information was accurate at the time of publication and will be updated as additional information becomes available.)
In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether travel to international destinations is a good idea. There are obvious health risks. Nations might change rules at any time. You may have to follow stricter curfews and mask mandates than Americans are used to. Violations could involve hefty fines and even jail time. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US State Department provide Covid-19 risk assessments by country.
Also, keep this in mind: All air passengers age 2 and older must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test that’s no more than 72 hours old to enter the United States. That includes US citizens returning from trips to other countries. Be sure to get information on testing sites in your destination for your return trip before you go. US embassies report some places are having trouble returning test results within the 72-hour window.
ATLANTA, Ga., Feb. 1 – AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, is pleased to welcome Robert Stuckey as its new Vice President of Business Development. Stuckey will lead the department and join AAHOA’s executive leadership team.
“We are excited to welcome Robert to AAHOA. He brings substantial experience to his position and a sound strategic vision for the association’s important business development work. He has an exceptional understanding of our members and the hospitality industry, and I look forward to working with Robert in this new role,” said AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton.
Stuckey joins AAHOA from Davidson Hotels where he served as Director, Transitions and Brand Compliance. Previously he worked for ShawContract and IHG. Stuckey brings his unique perspective of hotel operations, brand leadership, and vendor relations to AAHOA. He is familiar with the association having worked with AAHOA Members in his previous positions, guided ShawContract’s Industry Partnership with AAHOA, and frequently attended AAHOA’s Conventions & Trade Shows.
“I could not be more excited about joining AAHOA at this incredibly important time in our industry’s history,” said Stuckey. “AAHOA, its Members, and Industry Partners have always been an important part of my hospitality career including working and consulting directly with Members. Feedback, partnership, growth, and innovation will be my mantra as we look to grow our value and connection with AAHOA Members and Industry Partners, carrying out AAHOA’s 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, and continuing down the road to recovery for the entire AAHOA community.” AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The nearly 20,000 AAHOA members represent almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
One of the most comprehensive COVID-19 travel regulations is now in effect, nearly a year into the pandemic. All travelers—including citizens—entering the U.S. need a negative COVID test in order to board a flight from an international destination. The screening must be a viral test taken within three days of departure, according to the protocols put in place by the CDC.
Airlines are responsible for verifying the medical documentation, and in some cases denying boarding to those without proper test results. As a result, carriers have adapted a slew of new technologies to streamline the new process.
United Airlines, for instance, launched a “Travel-Ready Center” on Monday. Available through United’s app and website, the new online hub is a “one-stop shop where customers can review their specific COVID-19 travel requirements for upcoming travel, find local testing options in select markets, and upload any testing or vaccination records,” the airline says.
When a passenger uploads their test records to the Travel-Ready Center, United employees verify them electronically. After a passenger is deemed “travel-ready,” they are allowed to check in for their flight. Passengers who upload test results can be cleared for check-in and receive a mobile boarding pass all before arriving at the airport.
Later in February, United plans to launch a test-booking feature that would allow its passengers to make an appointment at one of more than 15,000 testing sites around the world. If the passenger tests negative and is able to travel based on the new protocols, the test provider will directly alert United.
Delta has similarly launched an online tool to help its passengers find acceptable testing centers around the world. Additionally, Delta is waiving change fees on international flights booked on or before January 12 (the day the new requirements were announced) if the ticket was originally scheduled for travel through February 16.
The fee waiver is presumably so customers have more time to schedule a test before departure, but getting a test might be less time consuming than travelers think, thanks to some flexibility in the CDC requirements. “A new feature is the inclusion of rapid testing into the mix, so it doesn’t necessarily mean it only has to be a PCR test,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said on the airline’s recent earnings call. “And with the growth of antigen testing, the quality of antigen testing that’s out there, and the supplies in place, you literally could get some of these tests done within a 10-minute interval shortly before you return.”
American Airlines has also expanded a partnership with health passport app VeriFly: Passengers on all of American’s international flights can now download the app, choose their destination, and see their travel requirements. After uploading their COVID-19 test documents to the app, VeriFly will confirm the date and type of test, and send a QR code once approved for gate agents to scan.
Other airlines in the U.S. and around the world have been taking similar steps, even before the new CDC testing guidelines were announced. In December, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss, United, and Virgin Atlantic began to roll out the CommonPass app—which makes test results easy to read, similar to VeriFly—on certain routes from New York, Boston, London, and Hong Kong. Other international carriers, including heavy hitters like Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad, have signed on for customers to use a similar app: IATA Travel Pass.
The majority of airlines’ new online tools have capabilities for passengers to upload their vaccination status as well, which some experts have predicted could become the next travel requirement in order to board international flights.
Now passengers traveling on Air India can fly direct to Hyderabad from Chicago’s O’hare Airport. The first-ever nonstop flight service between Chicago and Hyderabad launched on Jan 13. The new route is welcomed by passengers traveling from across the US to destinations in Southern and Central India.
“It’s very fortunate that the Indian Government arranged a direct flight from the US to Hyderabad. I came especially to Chicago to take this flight,” said Vijaya Mandeila who traveled from Houston to Chicago O’hare airport to take the maiden flight with his wife and two children.
Mandeila was among the first 238 passengers to board a full flight operated by the state-of-the-art Boeing 777-200LR aircraft offering eight first-class and 35 business class seats on Jan 13. Mandeila says that while he flies to India only once in two years, the new direct flight is very convenient. “The first port of entry will be Hyderabad, and all customs checks and luggage will directly go through Hyderabad instead of Delhi. It saves us time, especially when traveling with family and young children,” Mandeila said.
Air India’s direct flights from Chicago to Hyderabad will operate every Wednesday leaving Chicago at 2130 hrs. (local time) to arrive in Hyderabad at 0040 hrs with domestic connections to Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Kolkata, Bangalore. The return flight from Hyderabad to Chicago will operate weekly every Friday, departing from Hyderabad at 1250 hrs. and arrive in Chicago at 1805 hrs. (local time) on the same day.
Consul General Amit Kumar Commences Launch Ceremonies
The official launch of the first direct Air India flight from Chicago to Hyderabad commenced with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Consul General Amit Kumar at Chicago O’hare Airport on Jan 13. Amber Achilles Ritter, deputy commissioner Chicago Dept of Aviation; Benjamin Sipiora, O’Hare terminal manager for the City of Chicago; Chris Diaferio, executive director of The Chicago Airlines Terminal Consortium (CATCO), also participated in the ceremonies.
Hyderabad is the capital of southern India’s Telangana state, a significant center for India’s tech industry and a cultural melting pot with more than four dominant languages, including Urdu, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi.
Consul General Kumar stated that the new route builds connectivity between the US and India, facilitating commerce, trade, tourism and promoting people to people exchanges. Consul General Kumar took the opportunity to commend Air India for its support during the Vande Bharat Mission’s initial phases. “More than 45,000 people have traveled from Chicago as part of Vande Bharat Mission flights in over 160 flights last year. The Government has reached out to our citizens stranded across the world to facilitate a repatriation and outbound international travel of more than 47.2 lakh people under Vande Bharat Mission so far,” Kumar said in remarks after the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan 13.
Chicago to Hyderabad Direct Flight Receives Tremendous Community Response
Chris Diaferio, executive director of The Chicago Airlines Terminal Consortium (CATCO), which maintains and services the city-owned equipment that Air India uses, said he was delighted with the expansion and the ongoing commitment and partnership with Air India. “We are thrilled. We love Air India. We love that they continue to support their community with better options for travel. Air India has been here from the very start and is now adding more service, especially when there are continued challenges for the airline industry. We could not be more delighted,” Diaferio said.
Consul General Kumar also congratulated Air India and the team in Chicago headed by Vikash Shahal, airport manager and Sampath Jayasekar, senior sales assistant, on the expansion of Air India’s services in the USA. “We have received a tremendous response for this flight. It is very encouraging to see the amount of enthusiasm. We thank our passengers,” said Shahal. Sampath Jayasekar, senior sales assistant who is originally from Hyderabad, said that he felt proud that his native state of Hyderabad now has a direct flight to the US. “Our flight today is completely sold out, including first-class, business class and economy. We are getting an excellent response from the community. People from Andhra are especially excited about the new route. The nonstop flights to Hyderabad are full for the next three weeks,” Jayasekar said.
Passengers were offered a small token and special meals to commemorate the flight. Air India has also resumed offering full hot meals on board. A small group of community members participated in the launch’s diya lighting ceremony, followed by Ganesh aarti sung by Shreya Addanki. Mythri Addanki, Miss Telugu Universe 2020, was among the prominent youth who joined the launch event. “This is a momentous occasion and a big first step in how we are connecting Indians in the US and back home. I am Hyderabadi. I know we have a huge community here in Chicago and across the US. It’s a great way to make sure we are connected to our home, especially during Covid-19, when family is more important than ever,” said Addanki.
Sunil Shah, a prominent community leader and president of the Federation of India Associations (FIA) who attended the event, stated, “It’s an exciting moment for Chicago and Air India. I think so many people from Hyderabad will benefit from this flight. One more nonstop flight from Chicago will assist business travelers and people traveling back home.”
Neil Khot, Chicago area community leader said that while a nonstop flight from Chicago to Hyderabad is a big feather in the cap and will facilitate India’s economic and technological expansion between India and the US, he looks forward to Air India’s first direct flight to Mumbai.
WHASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 20 – AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton issued the following statement today following the inauguration of President Joseph Biden as the 46th President of the United States:
“America’s hoteliers congratulate President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on this historic day for our nation. We look forward to the vision and leadership offered by the Biden administration as our nation works to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and get our economy back on track. The ambitious plan to vaccinate 100 million people in the next 100 days, if achieved, would give a much-needed boost to consumer confidence that could lead to a resumption of travel, tourism, and in-person events. Such a significant increase in vaccinations and testing will go a long way towards alleviating the uncertainty that surrounds the viability and safety of resuming these pre-pandemic activities. Small business owners are struggling with the pandemic’s economic fallout, and the plan outlined by President Biden looks to target those industries, such as hospitality, that are experiencing a disproportionate amount of hardship. We are optimistic that the new administration’s focus on the public good will speed along our recovery, and we look forward to working with President Biden and his team to do right by America’s small businesses.”
About AAHOA: AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The over 19,500 AAHOA members represent almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. AAHOA’s 20,000 members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday it will require a negative Covid-19 test from all air passengers entering the United States — a move it says may help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Air passengers will be required to get a viral test within three days before their flight to the United States departs, and to provide written documentation of their lab results, or documentation of having recovered from Covid-19, the agency said in a statement to CNN.
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield is expected to sign the order on Tuesday and it will go into effect on January 26. “Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continue to emerge in countries around the world, and there is evidence of increased transmissibility of some of these variants,” the CDC said in a statement. “With the US already in surge status, the testing requirement for air passengers will help slow the spread of the virus as we work to vaccinate the American public.”
If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must not allow the passenger to board, the CDC said.“Testing does not eliminate all risk, but when combined with a period of staying at home and everyday precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer, healthier, and more responsible by reducing spread on planes, in airports, and at destinations,” Redfield said in the statement.
The new variant of coronavirus, which appears to be more transmissible, has already been found in at least 10 states in samples dating back to mid-December. An airline industry group has expressed support for the new measure.
“[We are] writing to express our support for a [CDC] proposal to control the spread of COVID-19, including variants of the virus, by implementing a global program to require testing for travelers to the United States,” the industry group Airlines for America wrote to Vice President Mike Pence on January 4.
The new rule is similar to one put in place last month for passengers from the UK to the US, which requires that passengers have a negative test within three days of boarding their flight. For the UK requirement that went through last month, airlines can be subject to criminal penalties if they fail to comply, and passengers can be subject to criminal penalties if they willfully give false or misleading information.
The earlier requirement for UK travelers was a response to a new coronavirus variant that was identified in the UK. While the variant appears to spread more easily, there’s no evidence that it’s any more deadly or causes more severe disease, according to CDC.
At least 72 cases of a variant first identified in the UK have been found in 10 US states, according to data posted Monday by the CDC. That includes at least 32 cases in California, 22 cases in Florida, five cases in Minnesota, four cases in New York, three cases in Colorado, two cases in Connecticut, and one case each in Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Georgia.
The variant has been identified in dozens of countries worldwide.
As the air travel industry attempts to find its footing after the holiday travel rush, Dubai-based airline Emirates has announced a welcome bit of good news: Its much-anticipated premium economy cabin has officially launched.
“While others cut back, Emirates is working hard to restore the products and services that we’ve had to suspend or adjust due to pandemic precautions, and introduce new offerings and enhancements,” Emirates CEO Tim Clark said in a statement.
The new premium economy cabin is located at the front of the double-decker plane’s main deck—or first level—and has 56 seats in a 2-4-2 layout. Each seat has 40 inches of pitch and is 19.5 inches wide. (Seats in its regular economy class have 32 to 34 inches of pitch and are 18 inches wide).
According to the carrier, Emirates premium economy seats emulate design elements found on its beloved business-class product. The new seats feature “cream-colored anti-stain leather with stitching details and a wood panel finishing,” an airline release said. Each seat also has a six-way adjustable headrest, calf rests, footrests, and an in-flight entertainment screen measuring 13.3 inches wide.
“Our First, Business and Economy experiences reset industry standards when they were introduced, and we are confident that our Premium Economy will also make its mark as a distinct premium offering,” Clark said.
The airline received its first Airbus A380 fitted with the new cabin class at the end of December. Five additional A380s with premium economy seats will be delivered throughout 2021 and 2022, in addition to being installed on a handful of the airline’s forthcoming Boeing 777X jets that will join Emirates’ all wide-body fleet in 2023. The carrier is also considering retrofitting its current A380 planes with the new premium cabin.
For now, Emirates premium economy seats on the single A380 will only be offered as a complimentary upgrade to certain customers “until we have a viable number of seats in our inventory,” Clark said. The airline has yet to announce which routes the new plane will fly, but Clark noted that the aircraft will be scheduled “on various routes so that our customers can experience our latest offering in all classes.” No additional service elements were announced, so the new cabin will likely have the same service standards as regular economy.
Other additions on board the new A380 include upgrades and refreshes to Emirates’ three other cabin classes, including wider and taller doors on the first-class suites; revamped flexible leather headrests in economy; refreshed design trims and modern fittings in the jet’s famous first-class shower spa; and a new color scheme for its business- and first-class bar lounge.
Both the shower spa and bar area have reopened to passengers as of October—with some COVID-19 safety tweaks, like drinks to-go from the bar to avoid congregation—after going on pause earlier in the pandemic.
To celebrate the premium economy cabin’s launch and entice bookings in the new year, Emirates is also having a fare sale, bookable through January 18 for travel through the end of May. Round-trip fares in economy between the U.S. and Africa start at $699, $909 to East and South East Asia, and $798 to Dubai; business-class fares start at $3,119 to the Middle East and $3,499 to Africa.
The carrier is allowing fee-free changes for up to two years after the original booking date on all trips for travel on or before June 30, 2021, as long as changes are to the same destination or within the same region in the same travel class. To find fares that are part of the sale, visit .
Four of Air India’s most experienced women pilots took off from San Francisco (SFO) on January 11th, (India time) for Bengaluru to operate the first-ever scheduled service between south India and the US. It is also the first time that an all-women cockpit crew of an Indian carrier flew over the North Pole.
“This will be the longest commercial flight in the world to be operated by Air India or any other airline in India…The total flight time on this route will be of more than 17 hours depending on the wind speed on that particular day,” Air India said in a statement. The direct distance between the two cities at opposite ends of the world is 13,993 km, with a time zone change of around 13.5 hours, an Air India official said.
The four record-setting pilots operating the almost 18-hour AI 176 that was scheduled to reach Bengaluru (BLR) early morning today are captains Zoya Aggarwal, Papagari Thanmai, Akansha Sonaware and Shivani Manhas. They are flying a Boeing 777 200 (long range or LR) VT-ALG that is named ‘Kerala’. The SFO airport wore the Indian flag colours to celebrate this occasion.
Bengaluru-SFO shortest flight distance is over 14,000 km, about 1,000 km more than Delhi-SFO. Very often airlines take longer routes to get tail winds and avoid headwinds. Kerala, for instance, took the longer Pacific route from Delhi to SFO on Wednesday with the same set of four pilots. The inaugural to Bengaluru came back via over the North Pole — getting tail winds on both sectors.
“Air India’s woman power flies high around the world,” Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri said on Twitter. “All women cockpit crew consisting of Capt Zoya Aggarwal, Capt Papagari Thanmai, Capt Akansha Sonaware & Capt Shivani Manhas will operate the historic inaugural flight between Bengaluru & San Francisco,” Mr. Puri said.
Flight AI176 will depart from San Francisco in the U.S. at 8.30 p.m. (local time) on Saturday, and land at the Kempegowda International Airport at 3.45 a.m. (local time) on Monday. “Captain Zoya Aggarwal is an accomplished pilot with a flying experience of more than 8000 hrs and command experience in a B-777 aircraft of more than 10 years and more than 2500 flying hours,” the national carrier said.
The flight will operate with a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft VT ALG with a seating capacity of 238 seats, including eight First Class, 35 Business Class, 195 Economy class configuration, besides four cockpit and 12 cabin crew, Air India said.
Almost fully booked
The first ever direct flight between the two tech hubs is almost fully booked — 225 out of 238 seats — despite the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over air travel.
The flight, which has long been in the pipeline, will be the first direct non-stop flight between the west coast of the United States and southern India. Given the significant population of south Indians in San Francisco, home to the Silicon Valley, a direct flight has been a long-pending demand.
The biweekly flight will take off to San Francisco from Bengaluru on Mondays and Thursdays, and leave San Francisco for Bengaluru on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
In the past, research into outbreaks on airplanes focused on flights that took place last spring, when planes were full, passengers mostly didn’t wear masks and preventive measures weren’t broadly understood. A new study, however, examined a more recent outbreak on a flight that put numerous containment measures in place — and the results were not great for travellers.
In September, an outbreak occurred aboard a flight from Dubai to Auckland, New Zealand. The 86 passengers onboard went into a mandatory 14-day quarantine in New Zealand, and seven eventually tested positive. Researchers at the New Zealand Ministry of Health found that at least four were infected on the flight.
The aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER, with a capacity of nearly 400 passengers, was only 25% full and the four people infected in flight were seated within four rows of one another during the 18-hour trip.
The in-flight outbreak occurred when additional precautions were in place and passengers were more cautious. But researchers still identified a number of holes. Two of the four people infected on the plane said they didn’t wear masks on the flight. The airline also did not require passengers to wear masks in the lobby before boarding or be tested preflight.
Previous studies on the risk of infection during air travel are mixed (airplane filtration systems are thought to help, even when a passenger is infected), but the latest research suggests that airlines need to tighten precautions even more to avert in-flight outbreaks.
Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that it is in the final development phase of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health pass that will support the safe reopening of borders. IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic.
Governments are beginning to use testing as a means of limiting the risks of COVID-19 importation when reopening their borders to travelers without quarantine measures. IATA Travel Pass will manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories, and travelers.
IATA is calling for systematic COVID-19 testing of all international travelers, and the information flow infrastructure needed to enable this must support:
Governments with the means to verify the authenticity of tests and the identity of those presenting the test certificates.
Airlines with the ability to provide accurate information to their passengers on test requirements and verify that a passenger meets the requirements for travel.
Laboratories with the means to issue digital certificates to passengers that will be recognized by governments, and;
Travelers with accurate information on test requirements, where they can get tested or vaccinated, and the means to securely convey test information to airlines and border authorities.
“Today, borders are double locked. Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share, and verify test data matched with traveler identities in compliance with border control requirements. That’s the job of the IATA Travel Pass. We are bringing this to market in the coming months also to meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
IATA Travel Pass incorporates four open-sourced and interoperable modules which can be combined for an end-to-end solution:
Global registry of health requirements – enables passengers to find accurate travel information, testing, and eventually, vaccine requirements for their journey.
Global registry of testing/vaccination centers – enables passengers to find testing centers and labs at their departure location, which meet the standards for testing and vaccination requirements of their destination.
Lab App – enables authorized labs and test centers to share test and vaccination certificates with passengers securely.
Contactless Travel App – enables passengers to (1) create a ‘digital passport,’ (2) receive test and vaccination certificates and verify that they are sufficient for their itinerary, and (3) share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities to facilitate travel. Travelers can also use this app to manage travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout their journey, improving the travel experience.
IATA and International Airlines Group (IAG) have been working together in the development of this solution. They will undertake a trial to demonstrate that this platform, combined with COVID-19 testing, can reopen international travel and replace quarantine.
The airline industry demands a cost-effective, global, and modular solution to safely restart travel. IATA Travel Pass is based on industry standards, and IATA’s proven experience in managing information flows around complex travel requirements.
IATA’s Timatic is used by most airlines to manage compliance with passport and visa regulations and will be the base for the global registry and verification of health requirements.
IATA’s One ID initiative was endorsed by a resolution at its 75th Annual General Meeting in 2019 to facilitate travel processes with a single identity token securely. It is the base for the IATA Contactless Travel App for identity verification that will also manage the test and vaccination certificates.
“Our main priority is to get people traveling again safely in the immediate term that means giving governments confidence that systematic COVID-19 testing can work as a replacement for quarantine requirements. And that will eventually develop into a vaccine program. The IATA Travel Pass is a solution for both. And we have built it using a modular approach based on open source standards to facilitate interoperability. It can be used in combination with other providers or as a standalone end-to-end solution. The most important thing is that it is responsive to industry’s needs while enabling a competitive market,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo, and Security.
The first cross-border IATA Travel Pass pilot is scheduled for later this year, and the launch is slated for quarter one 2021.
Now that coronavirus vaccines are starting to roll out in the US and abroad, many people may be dreaming of the day when they can travel, shop and go to the movies again. But in order to do those activities, you may eventually need something in addition to the vaccine: a vaccine passport application.
Several companies and technology groups have begun developing smartphone apps or systems for individuals to upload details of their Covid-19 tests and vaccinations, creating digital credentials that could be shown in order to enter concert venues, stadiums, movie theaters, offices, or even countries.
The Common Trust Network, an initiative by Geneva-based nonprofit The Commons Project and the World Economic Forum, has partnered with several airlines including Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, as well as hundreds of health systems across the United States and the government of Aruba.
The CommonPass app created by the group allows users to upload medical data such as a Covid-19 test result or, eventually, a proof of vaccination by a hospital or medical professional, generating a health certificate or pass in the form of a QR code that can be shown to authorities without revealing sensitive information. For travel, the app lists health pass requirements at the points of departure and arrival based on your itinerary.
“You can be tested every time you cross a border. You cannot be vaccinated every time you cross a border,” Thomas Crampton, chief marketing and communications officer for The Commons Project, told CNN Business. He stressed the need for a simple and easily transferable set of credentials, or a “digital yellow card,” referring to the paper document generally issued as proof of vaccination.
Large tech firms are also getting in on the act. IBM (IBM) developed its own app, called Digital Health Pass, which allows companies and venues to customize indicators they would require for entry including coronavirus tests, temperature checks and vaccination records. Credentials corresponding to those indicators are then stored in a mobile wallet.
IBM’s Digital Health Pass app creates an online vaccine credential that can be stored in a mobile wallet. In an effort to address one challenge around returning to normalcy after vaccines are distributed widely, developers may now have to confront other challenges, ranging from privacy issues to representing the varied effectiveness of different vaccines. But the most pressing challenge may simply be avoiding the disjointed implementation and mixed success of tech’s previous attempt to address the public health crisis: contact tracing apps.
Early on in the pandemic, Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) set aside their smartphone rivalry to jointly develop a Bluetooth-based system to notify users if they’d been exposed to someone with Covid-19. Many countries and state governments around the world also developed and used their own apps.
“I think where exposure notification ran into some challenges was more of the piecemeal implementation choices, lack of federal leadership … where each state had to go it alone and so each state had to figure it out independently,” said Jenny Wanger, who leads the exposure notification initiatives for Linux Foundation Public Health, a tech-focused organization helping public health authorities around the world combat Covid-19.
To encourage better coordination this time, The Linux Foundation has partnered with the Covid-19 Credentials Initiative, a collective of more than 300 people representing dozens of organizations across five continents and is also working with IBM and CommonPass to help develop a set of universal standards for vaccine credential apps.
“If we’re successful, you should be able to say: I’ve got a vaccine certificate on my phone that I got when I was vaccinated in one country, with a whole set of its own kind of health management practices… that I use to get on a plane to an entirely different country and then I presented in that new country a vaccination credential so I could go to that concert that was happening indoors for which attendance was limited to those who have demonstrated that they’ve had the vaccine,” said Brian Behlendorf, executive director of Linux Foundation.
“It should be interoperable in the same way that email is interoperable, the same way that the web is interoperable,” he said. “Right now, we’re in a situation where there’s some moving parts that get us closer to that, but I think there’s a sincere commitment from everybody in the industry.”
Part of ensuring wide usage for vaccine passports is accounting for the large subset of the global population that still doesn’t use or have access to smartphones. A few companies within the Covid-19 Credentials Initiative are also developing a smart card that strikes a middle ground between the traditional paper vaccine certificates and an online version that’s easier to store and reproduce.
“For us it’s [about] how that digital credential can be stored, can be presented, not only through smartphones but also in other ways for those people who don’t have access to stable internet and also who don’t own smartphones,” said Lucy Yang, co-lead of the Covid-19 Credentials Initiative. “We’re looking into it, and there are companies who are doing really promising work.
\CommonPass has partnered with several airlines to start rolling out its health credential app on select international flights. Once they build a vaccine passport, companies will need to make sure people are comfortable using it. That means confronting concerns about the handling of private medical information.
CommonPass, IBM and the Linux Foundation have all stressed privacy as central to their initiatives. IBM says it allows users to control and consent to the use of their health data and allows them to choose the level of detail they want to provide to authorities.
“Trust and transparency remain paramount when developing a platform like a digital health passport, or any solution that handles sensitive personal information,” the company said in a blog post. “Putting privacy first is an important priority for managing and analyzing data in response to these complex times.”
With vaccines manufactured by multiple companies across several countries in varying stages of development, there are a lot of variables that passport makers will need to account for.
“A point of entry — whether that’s a border, whether that’s a venue — is going to want to know, did you get the Pfizer vaccine, did you get the Russian vaccine, did you get the Chinese vaccine, so they can make a decision accordingly,” said Crampton. The variance can be wide: the vaccine developed by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, for example, has an efficacy of 86% against Covid-19, while the vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna each have an efficacy of around 95%.
It’s also unclear how effective the vaccines are in stopping the transmission of the virus, says Dr. Julie Parsonnet, an infectious disease specialist at Stanford University. So while a vaccine passport app will show that you’ve received the shot, it may not be a guarantee that you safely attend an event or get on a flight.
“We still don’t know if vaccinated people can transmit infection or not,” she told CNN Business. “Until that is clarified, we won’t know whether ‘passports’ will be effective.”
Still, Behlendorf anticipates that the rollout and adoption of vaccine passports will happen rather quickly once everything falls into place and expects a variety of apps that can work with each other to be “widely available” within the first half of 2021. “Rest assured, the nerds are on it,” he said.
US-based United Airlines has launched its new daily non-stop service between Delhi and its hometown hub of Chicago. Accordingly, these daily flights will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. “Starting December 2020, we’re excited to launch even more routes from the U.S. to India. Whether you’re embarking on your first adventure there or eager to reconnect with family, we make it easy to visit India’s top destinations. With the introduction of this new route, United will operate four daily non-stop flights from India,” the airline said in a statement.
Beginning spring 2021, we’re adding daily nonstop flights between San Francisco and Bangalore. With this launch, we’ll become the only airline flying between both cities. Traveling between two of the world’s top tech hubs is about to get easier than ever, the airline posted on its website.
The leading airliner additionally operates daily year-round services from Mumbai and New Delhi to New York or Newark, and from New Delhi to San Francisco, “United also expects to introduce a new daily nonstop service between Bengaluru and San Francisco commencing 8 May 2021. United will be the first US carrier to provide nonstop service from Bengaluru to the US and will offer more nonstop services from India than any other US airline,” it added.
In statement on its site, United posted: “We’ve been proud to connect you to India for 15 years running, and we’re excited to be the only U.S. airline with nonstop flights from the U.S. to the country’s biggest and best destinations.”
United Airlines has announced that it is taking its most ambitious step yet in leading the fight against climate change: pledging to become 100% green by reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 100% by 2050. United, which in 2018 became the first U.S. airline to commit to reducing its GHG emissions by 50% by 2050, will advance towards carbon neutrality by committing to a multimillion-dollar investment in revolutionary atmospheric carbon capture technology known as Direct Air Capture – rather than indirect measures like carbon-offsetting – in addition to continuing to invest in the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). With this unprecedented announcement, United becomes the first airline in the world to announce a commitment to invest in Direct Air Capture technology.
United’s shared purpose is “Connecting People. Uniting the World.” For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter and Instagram or connect on Facebook. The common stock of UAL is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UAL”.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, holding a U.S. passport granted visa-free access to 185 countries around the world. The American passport wasn’t the most powerful on earth (that honor belongs to Japan), but it still got most of us where we needed to go. Until now.
With current E.U. restrictions and other pandemic-related travel bans, there are currently much fewer places where Americans can go. Frustrated by this newly hampered mobility, some are seeking dual citizenship, often as an opportunity to reconnect with the country their parents or grandparents came from, or to reevaluate their careers and potential business opportunities overseas. Whatever the reason someone seeks a second passport, the process of obtaining one can be long and complicated. We spoke to travelers exploring their options, from buying real estate overseas to tracing their family tree.
Your grandparents could help with dual citizenship
The list of countries offering ancestral citizenship to foreign nationals who can prove family ties is enticing—with Canada, Ireland, the U.K., New Zealand, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Mexico, Vietnam, Israel, Brazil, Austria, Hungary, and Spain among them.
Tammy O’Hara, owner of Million Miles Travel Agency in Brooklyn, devoted part of her quarantine to gathering the birth certificates, photos, and affidavits she needs to apply for dual citizenship in Jamaica. Her reasons are both business and personal. “It will be more convenient to move around the different islands as a [Caribbean] citizen, with shorter lines and expedited customs,” says O’Hara. She also wants to diversify her income through overseas investment, have the flexibility to work remotely and retire outside the U.S., and get “more in tune” with her Jamaican ancestry. “I was born in the USA but grew up surrounded by Jamaican culture because of my family,” says O’Hara. “But sometimes I still felt different, like I wasn’t a ‘real’ Jamaican.”
Alissa Musto, an American cruise ship entertainer who’s been out of work since March, began researching second passports before the pandemic for career reasons. Cruises in the Mediterranean and Europe are starting to resume, and jobs are cropping up at global theme parks and resorts. Yet with only an American passport, she can’t apply.
Having dual citizenship is not unusual in the cruise industry. “Most countries don’t make seafarers pay income tax, but the U.S. and the Netherlands still do,” says Musto. “It makes sense for American and Dutch ship workers to have their permanent addresses somewhere else: Aruba, England, Sweden.” Musto, who has both Italian and Czech ancestry, is now working with an immigration attorney to apply for ancestral citizenship in the Czech Republic.
L.A.–based immigration attorney Parviz Malakouti, meanwhile, is applying for both simplified Hungarian naturalization as well as a “Slovak Living Abroad” certificate, which bestows a record of nationality on people of Slovak descent who were born abroad. The former required hiring an amateur genealogist in Hungary to hunt down supporting documentation, including baptismal records from a 19th-century church. Malakouti is also teaching himself Hungarian, another requirement of naturalization. “I’m going through this to have ‘citizenship insurance’ and access to live, work, and open a business in the entire European Union,” he says. “It’s about having more options.”
AHOA VICE CHAIR Vinay Patel has been appointed to a two-year term on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The board advises the secretary of commerce on issues facing the travel and tourism industry.
Current Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross appointed Patel to the 32-member board to join representatives from companies and organizations connected to the industry. Patel also is president of Fairbrook Hotels in Chantilly, Virginia, which owns and operates 11 properties, and is on the advisory board for “She Has a Deal,” an organization that promotes hotel ownership for women through education, networking, and mentorship.
“Travel and tourism will play a vital role in jumpstarting our economy as our nation begins its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Patel said. “I am honored to serve on the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board during this critical time for our country and our industry.”
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association is the largest hotel owners organization in the world, and an overwhelming majority of the members are Indian Americans.
The organization’s 20,000 members own almost one in every two hotels in the U.S. with billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, a press release from AAHOA said.
The U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board provides advice and counsel to the Secretary on issues and concerns that impact the nation’s travel and tourism industry.
The Secretary appoints up to thirty-two members to the Board representing companies and organizations in the travel and tourism industry from a broad range of products and services, company sizes and regions.
In addition to his role as AAHOA Vice Chair, Patel is the president of Fairbrook Hotels, which owns and operates eleven properties, including Marriott, IHG, Hilton, Radisson, Choice, and Wyndham brands. Patel serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Hospitality and Tourism Association and is the president of the Herndon Hospitality Association. Previously, he served on the boards of directors of AHLA and the Loudoun (VA) Convention Visitors Bureau.
Earlier this year, the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board addressed restoring consumer confidence in the travel industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its recommendations included supporting more, accelerated testing for the disease, better integration of public health policies in travel industry standards and a series of communication initiatives by the Department of Commerce to reassure travelers.
“The serious threat to public health caused by COVID-19 has severely weakened the public’s confidence in travel. Americans have cancelled nearly all travel plans and will likely delay future travel plans until their confidence is restored,” the board said in its recommendation. “Recent research suggests that proactive measures to ensure cleanliness and hygiene, combined with assurances from reputable medical authorities and the federal government, offer the highest levels of assurance for consumers.”
Patel also serves on the Virginia Hospitality and Tourism Association’s board of directors and is the president of the Herndon Hospitality Association. Previously, he served on the boards of directors of AHLA and the Loudoun, Virginia, Convention Visitors Bureau.
Predictably, the hotel industry felt the impact of COVID-19 from the onset of the pandemic. “The catastrophic declines in occupancy rates and revenues make it increasingly likely that the industry will not recover until 2023,” noted AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton.
The hotel owners organization noted that its members are “core economic contributors in virtually every community.” “AAHOA applauds Vinay’s appointment to the Board. His experience and insight are a valuable addition to discussions about the role travel and tourism will play during the recovery and beyond,” Staton said.
India’s national carrier Air India is set to connect Bengaluru and San Francisco via a non-stop flight from 2021, the Kempegowda International Airport. As of January 11, 2021, Air India will launch 2x weekly flights between Bangalore and San Francisco, as follows: AI175 Bangalore to San Francisco departing 2:30PM arriving 5:00PM
AI176 San Francisco to Bangalore departing 8:30PM arriving 2:30AM (+2 days)
The US-bound flight will operate Mondays and Thursdays and will take 16hr, while the India-bound flight will operate Tuesdays and Saturdays and will take 16hr30min. The Boeing 777-200LR that will be used for this route features three cabins, including first class, business class, and economy.
“This would be the first non-stop flight between Bengaluru and the United States, connecting the world’s two tech hubs — the original Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley of India.
“The first non-stop flight between Bengaluru and San Francisco is a significant milestone for BLR Airport and will transform it as the new gateway to India. This will tremendously help passengers, enabling faster and easier access to cities on the West Coast of the United States.”
As per the statement, the new non-stop service is expected to meet the demand of corporate customers for travel to San Fracisco and adjoining areas in the US.
“Air India plans to operate a 238-seater Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft, to serve the largest unserved international origin/ destination (O/D) market for BLR Airport. Bengaluru and San Francisco are ranked first and second, respectively, among the world’s top 45 digitally advanced cities.”
“The new route sets two records — it would be Air India’s longest route at 14,000+ km (8,698 miles) and longest flight to and from India (over 16 hours). The national carrier has opened ticket booking from November 25.”
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Nov. 17 – In an effort to crack down on human trafficking across Florida, a new law is going into effect mandating that all lodging establishments provide annual human trafficking awareness training for housekeeping and front desk employees. The state will require hotel owners and operators to provide training for new employees within 60 days after they begin employment in a housekeeping or reception area role, or by January 1, 2021, whichever occurs later. Training must be re-administered annually. Businesses that do not comply with this new mandate face a fine of up to $2,000 a day. Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), an industry leader in anti-trafficking education and prevention partnered with AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, to offer a 30-minute, online, video-based training for hotel employees. Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training sponsored by AAHOA helps employees understand and identify the signs of potential trafficking situations in hotels and how they can safely report it. The Florida Division of Hotels & Restaurants recently certified that Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training sponsored by AAHOA meets the requirements set forth in section 509.096 of the Florida State Statute as an approved human trafficking awareness training program that lodging establishments can use to satisfy the new state mandate. The training is available in English or Spanish, and it is proven to increase the reporting of human trafficking incidents. In 2019 researchers from Arizona State University evaluated Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training sponsored by AAHOA and found that 97 percent of hotel employees who took the training said it will help prevent sex trafficking incidents. 96 percent of employees reported taking at least one recommended step to prevent trafficking at their hotel. “This training is a wonderful resource for hotel owners and operators to fulfill Florida’s new training requirement,” explains Mar Brettmann, PhD, Founder and CEO of BEST. “Since our training is provided online, it’s easy to administer to employees annually, and it’s convenient for employees to be able to provide their managers with the required documentation showing they are up-to-date with their training.” Part of Florida’s new regulations require each housekeeping or front desk employee to submit a signed and dated acknowledgment of having received training, which the hotel owner or operator must be able to provide to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation upon request. Inhospitable to Human TraffickingTraining sponsored by AAHOA will make this step easy for hotel managers and employees because after completing the training, employees can print a signed and dated certificate showing they have completed the course. Eight states have passed laws requiring human trafficking awareness training for lodging establishments. Florida joins California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, Iowa, North Dakota and Illinois in mandating employee training. “America’s hoteliers can be the first line of defense against human trafficking,” said AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton. “With proper training, such as BEST’s Inhospitable to Human Trafficking sponsored by AAHOA, hotel owners and their employees can learn to identify the signs of trafficking and how to respond to potential trafficking situations. AAHOA is proud to partner with BEST to help bring this valuable training to the nation’s hotel owners.” Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training sponsored by AAHOA is available at no cost to AAHOA’s 20,000 members and their employees through AAHOA’s website (www.AAHOA.com/HTAT) as part of the Association’s Human Trafficking Awareness Trainings. About AAHOA: AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The 20,000 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.About Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST): Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization with the mission to align and equip leaders to use the power of business to prevent human trafficking. BEST is the first organization in the country dedicated entirely to working with businesses to disrupt human trafficking. BEST has provided consultation and training to thousands of businesses on how to prevent human trafficking. For more information about ordering Inhospitable to Human Trafficking training from BEST, visit bestalliance.org or email info@bestallaince.org.
NATIONAL REPORT—In a panel discussion at the Best Western Hotels & Resorts Virtual Convention, industry leaders expressed their frustration with government’s failure to act on legislation that will help the travel industry. “[Congress] cares more about going back on the campaign trail to protect their own jobs than the millions of jobs of the people they represent,” said Chip Rogers, president/CEO, AHLA. “That is what is really concerning—that we have gotten to this place in America. At the beginning of this, it was real simple, Congress recognized we had a major problem, and what did they do? They responded with the CARES package that included a number of things, including PPP.” But, Rogers said, the problem with creating that package was that it was only going to last eight to 10 weeks, because Congress only expected the problem to last that long. “Here we are, six months into it. Eight-10 weeks was a long time ago. The problem still exists. If you were able to recognize back in March that this was so serious, you ought to be able to recognize that now.” Rogers said that he is less than 50% convinced that the government is going to get a package done. Roger Dow, president/CEO, U.S. Travel Association, spoke of the coalition of travel industry organizations and companies that have come together to communicate their call to action. “Hopefully something gets done because it is critical. We cannot let these businesses go on…so many small businesses and so many lives are bet on these businesses and we have got to be helping them.” Cecil P. Staton, president/CEO, AAHOA, sees the passage of a relief package as a moral imperative. “I do believe that there are some people out there who are simply saying, ‘The capital market will take care of this. We leave it alone. Someone will come along, buy these hotels when they are in foreclosure and within a year or two everything will be back to normal.’ But that doesn’t get to the heart of this issue because our members and hoteliers across this country are in the position they are in through no fault of their own. It wasn’t that they are bad businesspeople. They didn’t make bad business decisions. They are dealing with the fact that the government shut down the economy and shut down travel and they are having to deal with the repercussions of this.” He continued, “There is a moral imperative here that Congress get back to work, put the politics aside. Let’s do something that will help small businesses make it through COVID-19, which is obviously going to be more months until we have a vaccine. To do otherwise risks the possibility of the main streets of our country being littered with carcasses of failed small businesses. I think if we want to see the economy revived, it is much simpler to do it now, to help those small businesses, than to get to the other side when more people are unemployed, there are more business failures, more foreclosures and it is going to take a whole lot longer to get to recovery.”
India-Born Chef Vikas Khanna was among the Six Extraordinary Asians honored by Asia Society, NY for dropping everything to feed millions in India at a time of great need and suffering. Asia Society recognized six extraordinary honorees at the seventh annual 2020 Asia Game Changer Awards, a celebration of individuals and groups who saved lives, changed lives, and lifted spirits during a most challenging year, in an inspiring virtual ceremony on Thursday October 22nd, 2020.
The honorees came from a wide range of professions and locations. They included BTS, global superstar musicians from South Korea; Vikas Khanna, celebrity chef and philanthropist from India; the celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma; South Korean entertainment impresario Miky Lee; philanthropists Joe and Clara Tsai; and tennis champion Naomi Osaka. The evening also featured a special message from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as well as a tribute to the frontline health care workers who proved to be so consequential in treating patients infected with COVID-19.
India-born Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna has been feeding people since he was a child. But not until 2020 did it become a matter of life or death. In April, while quarantining in his Manhattan apartment, Khanna, host of MasterChef India, monitored news out of his homeland and watched, with horror and helplessness, as a virus-fueled humanitarian crisis unfolded.
Millions of Indians needed food. Khanna desperately wanted to help, but how? Khanna turned to Twitter, where he has more than 2.3 million followers, and issued a heartfelt plea for information on communities in need. “I wanted to show that solidarity still exists,” he said. Khanna received a torrent of responses, and #FeedIndia was born.
Khanna partnered with India’s National Disaster Relief Force for logistical and on-the-ground support and his movement soon received aid from grain companies, tech firms, and offers of industrial kitchen space in Mumbai. By late-August #FeedIndia had delivered more than 30 million dry food packets and cooked meals to hundreds of cities throughout India. “I feel like the past 30 years … have prepared me for this moment,” said Khanna, a member of Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders network. “This has been the most gratifying [time] in my culinary career.”
Few individuals epitomize the mission of Asia Society better than Vikas Khanna, who rose from humble origins in India to become a Michelin-starred chef in New York. Khanna was selected as an Asia Game Changer for helping feed millions of people in his native country whose lives were turned upside down by the pandemic.
“Asia Society is one of the most important organizations which unites East and West, and I’ve always been proud of its work,” he said in receiving the award. “Standing here and accepting the Game Changer Award in 2020 has been one of the proudest moments of my life.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed similar sentiment through a special message presented during the ceremony. “I would like to exercise gubernatorial prerogative and nominate another Game Changer from the people of the state of New York: and that is the Asia Society itself,” he said. “The Asia Society performed a vital role for the state when we needed it the most. [They] helped us in the midst of the most crucial period in dealing with the pandemic, when New York State feared our hospital system would be overwhelmed and we were having difficulty staffing our hospitals.”
Asia Society’s 2020 Asia Game Changer Awards honorees were chosen for their responses to the year’s twin traumas of COVID-19 and racially motivated violence. In partnership with Citi, Asia Society annually honors game-changing leaders from a broad geographic range and varied backgrounds; this year’s honorees have saved lives, changed lives, and lifted spirits all across the globe.
“In this time of profound global challenge, our 2020 Game Changers shine a beacon of love and courage across our divided globe,” said Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran. “They have met the moment, and they have inspired the world. We are honored to bring them to our signature global event.”
The virtual event will also feature a special message by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a performance from Yo-Yo Ma, and a special moment to honor frontline health care workers in the U.S. and Asia.
Resuming international flights remains one of the most contentious issues in reopening as several countries across the world are going through a second wave of Covid-19 infections, and opening airports to foreigners is being seen as a major reason.
Most of the countries have resumed international flights in a staggered manner but these central and South American countries have so far not allowed international flights since March.
Panama: Panama will welcome international tourists from October 12. A negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR or antigen test from within 48 hours will be required to get an exemption from quarantine. On March 23, Panama suspended all international passenger flights.
Argentina: Argentina is likely to resume international flights from October 12, or a few days later, but by mid October, the government has said. This South American nations has been observing one of the most stringent lockdowns.
Guyana: This South American country will resume international flights from October 12.
British Airways will start its London-Lahore flights from October 12. At present, British Airways flies between London and Islamabad. British Airways will start its London-Lahore flights from October 12. At present, British Airways flies between London and Islamabad.
Global airlines body International Air Transport Association has recently predicted that the global airline industry will burn through USD 77 billion in cash during the second half of 2020 despite the resumption of flight services. “The cash drain continued during the summer months, with airlines expected to go through an additional USD 77 billion of their cash during the second half of this year and a further USD 60-70 billion in 2021. The industry is not expected to turn cash positive until 2022,” it said.
The aviation sector in India has also been significantly impacted due to the pandemic. In July, the country’s largest airline IndiGo declared a net loss of Rs 2,884.3 crore for the first quarter of 2020-21.
My international travelers, their trip begins the moment they arrive at an airport abroad. And entering a country from any of these top 10 international gateways ensures your journey will get off to a smooth start. Many of them have undergone dramatic transformations in recent years, as various famous architects worked their magic, creating bright and airy spaces, with amenities ranging from spas and yoga rooms to outdoor gardens and swimming pools. These terminals are such an antidote to jet lag, you might even want to extend your layover. Read on to see how the votes stacked up in our 33rd edition of our annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Opened just last year amid great fanfare—and with bold ambitions to become theworld’s biggest airport—the new IST is already garnering praise for its modern design by Grimshaw Architects, which has netted awards for its emphasis on efficiency and sustainability. With high-tech touches like a fleet of robots to direct passengers through the 818-million-square-foot hub and runway capacity to move a total of 90 flights per hour, the airport is poised to take off as a major global player.
Zurich Airport (ZRH)
As Switzerland’s largest international airport, Zurich is also the main hub for Swiss International, which operates no fewer than nine lounges (and those lounges are no joke, with champagne and whiskey bars). Looking for a place to buy some duty-free chocolate? There are more than 80 shops here to browse. Readers also like the variety of restaurants and bars—even grocery stores—and, if weather cooperates, an outdoor observation deck with sweeping views of the action on the runways.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (BOM)
As the second busiest airport hub in India, Chhatrapati Shivaji has been transformed in recent years from an aging, overcrowded facility to a gleaming international hub. The modern Terminal 2, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, has won prizes for its airy, open design; it also features a wealth of dining and shopping options, including its GVK First and Business class lounge that offers spa and shower facilities and a full meal service. There’s also a four-star transit hotel right in the airport for layover travelers
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
Hong Kong’s international airport offers fast connections to the city from its island aerie, via an Airport Express that whisks travelers from terminal to city center in 24 minutes. It’s also one of the region’s top connecting hubs, with service to dozens of destinations in mainland China alone. Passengers on a layover appreciate the wide array of premium class lounges, amenities like nap rooms, and the Regal Airport Hotel attached to the main terminal, which Skytrax consistently ranks as one of the world’s best airport hotels.
Tokyo International Airport/Haneda (HND)
For years, Tokyo’s Haneda was primarily a domestic airport, but it’s gaining long-distance flights—and a strong international following. What accounts for its popularity? Simply put, it’s not Narita, the country’s bustling international hub that’s a 45-mile drive from the capital, notorious for, among other things, the $200 cab fare it takes to get there. Haneda, by contrast, is just ten miles from city center, but it’s not just proximity that wins over fliers. More than just a close-in alternative, Haneda gets high marks for the comfort and cleanliness of its terminals, a wide array of shopping and dining options, and fast and efficient transportation links to downtown Tokyo.
Sangster International Airport (MBJ)
For travelers to Jamaica, a great way to begin a vacation is to avoid the region’s hectic hub airports and fly directly into Montego Bay airport. A quieter alternative to, say, San Juan, it’s developed a following not only for its clean and efficient facilities, but for its “Club Mobay” VIP lounge program for both arrivals and departures, offered in partnership with the area’s leading hotels. Essentially, it’s a concierge-style service that whisks you through formalities, ensuring that you barely touch the airport on your way out the door—and onto that blissful beach retreat you came for.
Dubai International Airport (DXB)
As one of the biggest airports in the world overall, Dubai, unsurprisingly, also has one of the world’s biggest duty-free shopping centers. As the base for flag airline Emirates, a Reader’s Choice favorite, Dubai is also served by scores of international airlines—and it’s long been a popular stopover destination for North American travelers heading to the Far East or South Pacific. Amenities like zen gardens and nap pods help make pass the time on a stay of any length.
Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Seoul’s main international airport opened 20 years ago on reclaimed land in the port city of Incheon, and has been expanding ever since: A second passenger terminal opened in 2018, part of the airport’s aim to double its capacity to 100 million passengers annually. Primarily serving the country’s two main airlines, Korean and Asiana, Incheon International also gains points for its spacious VIP lounges and amenities, including an indoor skating rink, a spa, and a “Cultural Street” with local cuisine and dance performances. While it’s 30 miles from the capital, a high-speed rail link makes the trip from terminal to city center in 43 minutes.
Doha (DOH)
Hamad International Airport is a major connecting hub for Qatar’s eponymous home airline, also a Readers’ Choice pick, and at times, it can seem more like a resort hotel than a bustling transportation hub, with amenities like a fitness center, squash courts and an indoor swimming pool. It’s gotten high marks for its premium amenities, with no fewer than eight premium lounges, plus quiet rooms and child’s entertainment zones for passengers in any airline class. For those on longer layovers, there is an upscale hotel right inside the terminal, with half- or full-day rates available.
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
That Changi again snagged the top spot among world airports is no surprise, given that it’s home to our readers’ favorite carrier, Singapore Airlines, making it an ideal gateway to dozens of locations in the region. The airport is a destination in itself, with an indoor waterfall, butterfly garden, and open-air decks and restaurants. Transit passengers can take a free city tour, lounge by the swimming pool, or binge-watch flicks at the free 24-hour cinema. Traveler readers also like the self-boarding gates and free and fast Wi-Fi, and family travelers appreciate the vast play areas.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a Policy Memorandum adopting the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) decision on Matter of Z‑R‑Z‑C.
The decision holds that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries who travel abroad using a Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-issued travel document under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) section 244(f)(3) generally will retain the same immigration status on their return that they had at the time of departure. Exceptions apply to aliens inadmissible under certain criminal or national security grounds or with immigrant or nonimmigrant visas they present for admission to the United States.
This travel does not satisfy the “inspected and admitted or paroled” eligibility requirement for obtaining adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence. This is consistent with the agency’s previous clarification that a TPS beneficiary’s authorized travel does not execute a final order of removal.
Furthermore, this decision is in line with the Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Naturalization Amendments Act of 1991 (MTINA), which specifies that TPS beneficiaries who travel using a valid DHS-issued travel document retain the same immigration status upon return.
“Temporary Protected Status is by its very nature temporary,” said USCIS Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow. “It should not provide a path to lawful permanent resident status or citizenship. Misinterpretation and inconsistent application of this law has previously allowed those pathways for alien TPS beneficiaries. This was a mistaken distortion of what Congress intended when creating this temporary program.”
Recognizing TPS beneficiaries’ potential reliance on USCIS’ past practice and treatment of their temporary travel abroad, USCIS will limit how it applies Matter of Z-R-Z-C to minimize adverse impacts to this group. This decision does not affect TPS beneficiaries who adjusted status to lawful permanent residence under past practice and/or prior guidance or who have pending applications for adjustment of status.
In addition, USCIS will only apply Matter of Z-R-Z-C prospectively to TPS beneficiaries who departed and returned to the United States under section 244(f)(3) of the INA after Aug. 20, 2020, the date of the AAO’s adopted decision.
Meanwhile, Office for Immigrant Advancement Director Yusufi Vali has said that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is making significant changes to the naturalization application. Starting October 2, it is raising the cost of application from $725 to $1,200 and eliminating the fee waiver for most low-income residents.
USCIS is also increasing the permanent residence (green card) application fee and implementing an asylum application fee, making the United States one of four countries to do so.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), Instagram (/uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and LinkedIn (/uscis).
Bharat Patel, CHO, of Sarasota, Fla., is the new AAHOA Secretary. Patel is the owner of Gulf Coast Hospitality Solutions, LLC. Previously, Patel served as Florida Regional Director on AAHOA’s Board of Directors. A record-setting number of eligible voters voted in this year’s election. The announcement came at the conclusion of AAHOA’s 2020 Virtual Convention & Trade Show.
AAHOA members also elected the following individuals to the Board of Directors:
Arkansas Regional Director: Chintu (Danny) Patel
“Congratulations to Bharat Patel and to all our newly elected board members. It is an honor to work with our officers, our board, and the entire AAHOA team as we help the hospitality industry on the road to recovery,” said AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton. “These individuals are great additions to the Board of Directors of America’s premier hotel owners association. I am grateful for their service to our members and to the hospitality industry,” said AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel. A record-setting number of eligible voters voted in this year’s election, organizers said. AAHOA honored excellence and achievement in hospitality on the final day of the 2020 Virtual Convention & Trade Show. The awards recognize AAHOA members for their achievements and contributions to the hospitality industry in 2019. The winners are: The Outstanding Woman Hotelier of the Year Award recognized Komal Tina Patel, of Eugene, Ore., for her strong leadership, commitment to lodging excellence, and her significant contributions to the industry and to her community.
The Outstanding Young Professional of the Year Award is awarded to a young professional under the age of thirty. This year, both Nauman Panjwani, of Mooresville, NC, and Dhruti Patel, of Eugene, Ore., were recognized for how they exemplify the spirit, dedication, and achievement of a professional hotelier
The Outreach Award for Philanthropy recognized Prakash Saraf, of Ellicott City, Md. for helping humanity through philanthropic and charitable activities, domestically or overseas.
The Political Forum Award for Advocacy recognized Vinay Patel, of Charlotte, NC, for his extensive involvement in helping advance AAHOA’s mission and the interests of its members by participating in the legislative process through political involvement and government affairs.
AAHOA’s women hoteliers recognized Female Director Eastern Division Lina Patel and Female Director Western Division Nimisha Patel with the Award for Excellence in Leadership for their leadership and efforts to pave the path for the next generation of women hoteliers. They also honored 2019-2020 AAHOA Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala with an award for her years of service to the association and for her visionary leadership and commitment to advance women in the hospitality industry.
The association recognized the following Regional Directors for their achievements on behalf of AAHOA members:
Top Overall Performing Regions:
Florida Region, Bharat Patel, CHO Top Overall Membership Growth for 2019:North Central Region, Bhavesh N. PatelMost AAHOA Human Trafficking Awareness Trainings in 2019: Georgia Region, Kapil PatelTop PAC Fundraising Regions for 2019: Florida Region, Bharat Patel, CHO Central Midwest Region, Hitesh Patel
“Excellence is the hospitality industry’s foundation. The hoteliers recognized today made significant contributions to our industry and to their communities and are a prime example of what it means to go above and beyond in service to others,” said AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel.
“Congratulations to all of our award winners. Every year, we honor those in our association who set a high bar for distinction as hoteliers. I am confident that the example they set will serve as an inspiration to our entire industry,” said AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton.
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association which controls some 50 percent of the American hospitality industry, and is made up most of Indian-American hotel/motel owners, announced its new executive leadership Aug. 13, 2020.
The organization which describes itself as the “largest hotel owners association in the world,” just held its 2020 Virtual Convention & Trade Show.
More than 19,500 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees,
“AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream,” the organization said in a press release. AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The over 19,500 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
After several years of heavy financial losses and complaints of poor quality services by passengers, AIR INDIA, the national carrier is likely to return to its original owners, the Tata Group of Companies. Tata Group, who has been in the aviation sector for a long time, has expressed a keen interest in taking over Air India for quite some time now.
As per reports, the deadline for the final submission of the bids for Air India is August 31 and as of now, Tata Group seems to be the only interested party. If Tata’s bid is deemed acceptable after the deadline, the 90 day handover period shall begin and end between November 30 to December 31, 2020. The Tata group has already begun due diligence and is likely to put in a formal bid soon, close to the deadline. Air India Express, a low-cost subsidiary of the airline and the Air India’s real estate assets; a part of the airline will also be on sale.
Tata sons holds a 51% stake in AirAsia India. Tata Group also has a joint venture in the airline business by the name Vistara. Thereafter, if the Tata bid is deemed accepted, the 90 day period for handover shall commence and end by November 30 or at the most, by December 31. So, one possible scenario is for Tata to take control of Air India by January 1, 2021.
While the other bidders are not known yet, globally, airlines are under severe stress due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant disruption on air travel and tourism. Tata is widely believed to emerge as the sole bidder for Air India and the salt to software conglomerate is likely to place a bid before August 31, the last date for bids for Air India, which the government has repeatedly said it will not be extended. According to reports, the Tata group has already begun due diligence and is likely to put in a formal bid soon.
On the ensuing structure for the airline business, there is speculation that Tata is planning to merge its existing stake in AirAsia with Air India into a single entity. Air India has been passing through a critical financial condition from much before the Covid-19 onslaught. The crippling effect of the pandemic, especially in the aviation sector, has further brought its finances to a precarious position. Recently, its pilots and other employees are on the warpath as Air India has laid off employees and started a Leave Without Pay (LWP) scheme.
From Tata Airlines and Air India to Vistara and AirAsia India, the Tata group has been an important part of the growing aviation sector in India. From Tata Air Lines and the long-since nationalised Air India to strategic joint ventures with AirAsia Berhad and Singapore Airlines (SIA) for AirAsia India and Vistara, respectively, Tata has been present in the aviation sector. The two joint venture airlines operate independently with their respective business models – low-cost (AirAsia) and full-service (Vistara). Air-India began operating in 1932 as Tata Airlines, named after J. R. D. Tata, its founder. The line carried mail and passengers between the Indian cities of Ahmadabad, Bombay, Bellary, and Madras, and Karachi, Pakistan. Within a few years Tata Airlines’ routes included the Indian cities of Trivandrum, Delhi, Colombo (in Sri Lanka), Lahore, and other locations in between.
In 1946, at the conclusion of World War II, the airline became a public company and was renamed Air-India Limited. In just two years, with the government having a 49 percent share in the company, the airline was flying further outside of India, with regular flights to Cairo, Geneva, and London. The line’s name changed again to reflect its new scope of operations, becoming Air-India International Limited. Now, after several decades, the ownership is likely to return to the Tata Group, who had started the airline, now known as AIR INDIA.
One of Tokyo’s most popular districts has recently added some unusual new attractions: transparent public toilets. Designed by Shigeru Ban Architects, the two new sets of see-through restrooms have been installed in Shibuya, the bustling city center famous for its busy pedestrian crossing.
Though the restrooms sound risqué, they’re actually part of an innovative project aimed at changing people’s perceptions of public toilets. Designed by Shigeru Ban Architects, a Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm, the two new sets of transparent toilets have been installed in two Shibuya parks — Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park.
There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those located at a park,” says a statement on the project’s official website, Tokyotoilet.jp. “The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside.”
Shigeru Ban Architects’ design tackles these two concerns by offering a toilet with glass walls that — at first — allows the public to see through from the outside. But once a user enters the toilet and locks the door, the walls turn opaque to provide privacy.
“This allows users to check the cleanliness and whether anyone is using the toilet from the outside,” says the statement. “At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern.”
What’s it like to use one?
During a visit to the Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park this week, a steady stream of visitors came to take photos of the new attraction. The toilet facilities were impressively clean, a mix of gleaming white and chrome.
Part of the thrill is that once inside, you can’t tell if the glass is frosted or not. The walls between the compartments have mirrors installed, adding to the weird feeling of being on display.
This means it’s incredibly important remember to secure the door lock, which is located well below the handle. During our visit, one person presumably did indeed forget to lock it, stirring laughter among those outside. Both park facilities include a women’s toilet, a men’s toilet and a multi-use toilet.
More designer toilets coming
These two transparent toilet sets are a part of the newly launched Tokyo Toilet Project, a series of re-invented public toilet facilities.
Founded by the Nippon Foundation, a private, non-profit charity that focuses on social innovation, the Tokyo Toilet Project has partnered with some of the biggest names in the architecture and creative industries including Tadao Ando and Toyo Ito to create 17 new public toilet facilities around Shibuya.
The foundation will work with the Shibuya City government and the Shibuya City Tourism Association to maintain these new toilets.
“The use of public toilets in Japan is limited because of stereotypes that they are dark, dirty, smelly and scary. To dispel these misconceptions regarding public toilets, The Nippon Foundation has decided to renovate 17 public toilets located in Shibuya, Tokyo, in cooperation with the Shibuya City government,” the Nippon Foundation says in a news release.
The Nippon Foundation teams up with 16 architects and designers to create 17 new public toilets around Shibuya, Tokyo.
Satoshi Nagare/The Nippon Foundation
“These public toilets are being designed by 16 leading creators, and will use advanced design to make them accessible for everyone regardless of gender, age, or disability, to demonstrate the possibilities of an inclusive society.”
Five facilities have been opened to the public so far, including the two see-through toilets.
The other three facilities include a “Modern Kawaya (river hut)” by FRAME Award-winning Masamichi Katayama and his interior design studio Wonderwall Inc. The design comprises 15 randomly placed concrete walls, inspired by the traditional design of a river-side toilet hut.
Fumihiko Maki, another Pritzker Prize-winning architect, created a “Squid Toilet” that sits inside a children’s playground known as the “Octopus Park.”
Twelve more new public toilets are coming between August 31 and the summer of 2021. All the facilities will be constructed by Daiwa House Group, the largest home-builder in Japan, with toilet equipment and layout advice provided by famed Japanese toilet manufacturer TOTO Ltd.
A multi-disciplinary team of researchers, entrepreneurs, and policy makers announced an AI-based project, nicknamed “Eva,” that uses data to support decision-making by the Greek government as it reopens the tourist industry vital to its economy amid the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
Vishal Gupta and Kimon Drakopoulos from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California; Hamsa Bastani from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania; Jon Vlachogiannis, founder of AgentRisk; and the Greek government came together earlier this summer to build the machine-learning platforms.
Son of New York-based Dr. Jagdish Gupta, a veteran AAPI leader and a current member of its BOT, Vishal Gupta is an Assistant Professor of Data Sciences and Operations, developing new algorithmic approaches to data-driven decision-making in settings where data and/or resources are scarce, with applications in healthcare, revenue management and business analytics.
Greece is home to approximately 11 million people, but it has welcomed more than 33 million visitors annually in recent years, with tourism accounting for close to 20% of the country’s employment.
Gupta, Bastani, and Drakopoulos collaboratively developed Eva’s underlying algorithms, emphasizing learning from real-time data, and wrote its implementation. Vlachogiannis is the software architect of the machine learning pipeline, which allows seamless and secure access to anonymized data from disparate Greek government databases in near real-time. Recently, Drakopoulos has been embedded with Greek public health and policy leaders, overseeing Eva’s deployment and liaising with the rest of the team as they continue to tailor Eva to Greece’s unique circumstance.
“One of the most exciting elements of Eva is its ability to learn, improve and evolve. Adapting in real-time is crucial in this pandemic, where the situation on the ground can change dramatically in a day or two,” said Gupta.
“The AI system developed by Bastani, Drakopoulos, Gupta, and Vlachogiannis has been an asset both for preparing the opening of the country to visitors from all over the world, as well as for allowing flexibility in decision making regarding our COVID-19 strategy,” said Nikos Hardalias, Greece’s Civil Protection and Deputy Minister for Crisis Management, who heads the COVID-19 Response Taskforce for the country.
“Tourism is vital to the Greek economy and in times of a pandemic controlling the flow of visitors is extremely delicate both operationally and from a public health point of view,” continued Hardalias. “The developed solution has allowed the Greek Government to make crucial decisions with confidence due to the ability to continuously monitor the epidemiological characteristics of all countries that we accept visitors from. It is great to see how science can complement our national response to this challenge in keeping the local population and our visitors safe.”
Eva combines real-time testing data with information from a simple form that visitors complete 24 hours before arrival to build a risk profile for each visitor. Based on that profile, Eva suggests which visitors should be tested for COVID-19 on arrival and which can safely be admitted without testing. Crucially, Eva uses past data and optimization to simultaneously improve its own risk predictions while also identifying sick visitors before they enter the country, all subject to Greece’s current COVID-19 testing capacity.
How it works
The system provides several benefits for travelers and decision makers by leveraging data to enhance public safety:
Efficiency: With as many as 40,000 people per day arriving at points of entry around the country, Greece cannot test everyone who might bring coronavirus into the country. Using data to assess risk factors focuses testing on the riskiest travelers, enhancing public health and safety while responsibly allocating valuable testing resources.
Convenience: A streamlined operations including the pre-arrival form, expedited testing, and seamlessly connected databases minimizes disruptions to travelers. Most travelers are not subject to additional screening, and, those who are, are usually on their way to enjoying Greece within 24 hours without wasting valuable vacation time.
Responsiveness: By leveraging real-time data to allocate resources, Eva’s analytics support rapid decision-making, allowing policy-makers to quickly respond to unexpected super-spreader events or flare-ups.
“For me, this is about not only applying my work in data science to help the people of Greece,” said Drakopoulos, “but also the people of the world who love to travel and worry about the safety of doing so.”
Bastani added, “New testing results are continuously incorporated into the dynamic learning algorithm, giving Eva a distinct advantage over static COVID-19 screening policies. This is an exciting step forward in evidence-based policy-making.”
No screening procedure can possibly find every infected visitor. Eva dovetails with Greece’s existing contact-tracing system to catch anyone who slips through the cracks. Overall, Eva’s risk-profiles, test allocations and other data analytics form a real-time dashboard, visually representing the latest information to the Greek Government to inform decision-making.
“In addition to a day of hope for those who love travel and long for a path out of the pandemic, this is also a huge day for data science, machine learning and algorithmic support for good governance,” said Vlachogiannis.
Kimon Drakopoulos is an assistant professor of data sciences and operations, whose research focuses on epidemics modeling, social networks, and information economics.
Consistently ranked among the nation’s premier schools, USC Marshall is internationally recognized for its emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation, social responsibility and path-breaking research. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, one of the world’s leading business centers and the U.S. gateway to the Pacific Rim, Marshall offers its 6,000-plus undergraduate and graduate students a unique world view and impressive global experiential opportunities. For more information, visit www.marshall.usc.edu.
Before joining USC, Vishal completed his B.A. in Mathematics and Philosophy from Yale University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with honors, and completed Part III of the Mathematics Tripos at the University of Cambridge with distinction. He then spent four years working as a “quant” in finance at Barclays Capital focusing on commodities modeling, derivatives pricing, and risk management. Eventually, realizing how much he missed working towards a larger mission of impact, Vishal left the private sector to complete his Ph.D. in Operations Research at MIT in 2014 under Prof. Dimitris Bertsimas.
Vishal’s research focuses on data-driven decision-making and optimization, particularly in settings where data are scarce. Such settings are common in applications that center on personalization/customization and adapting to changing environments in real-time. Consequently, Vishal’s research spans a wide variety of areas including risk and revenue management, education, healthcare, and business analytics. He has received a number of recognitions for his work including Finalist for the Pierskalla Best Paper competition, Finalist for the Service Science Best Paper competition, and Finalist for the George Nicholson Best Student Paper competition.
Underwater habitats allow scientists to perform continuous night and day diving without requiring hours of decompression between dives. Like astronauts in space, they can stay underwater for days or weeks at a time.
Currently, the only underwater habitat that exists is the 400-square-foot Aquarius, in the Florida Keys, which Costeau stayed in with a team of aquanauts for 31 days in 2014. Designed in 1986 and originally owned by the NOAA, in 2013 Florida International University saved Aquarius from being abandoned after the NOAA lost government funding. Family tradition
Cousteau comes from a family of famous oceanographic explorers. He’s the son of filmmaker Jean-Michel Cousteau and grandson of Aqua-Lung co-creator Jacques-Yves Cousteau. The project is a joint effort between the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center (FCOLC) and Béhar’s design firm Fuseproject, as well as their partners, which include Northeastern University, Rutgers University and the Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Foundation.
Despite his emphasis on ocean research, Cousteau said he’s “a big proponent of space exploration,” noting they are similar in nature. Both types of missions require humans to be in isolation in extreme, untenable conditions. Because of that, Béhar’s design, which can house up to 12 people, focuses on wellness as well as scientific and technological capabilities, including recreation areas and windows designed to let in as much light as possible.
“We’ve worked recently on a lot of small living environments. We’ve worked on robotic furniture for tiny apartments,” Béhar said about Fuseproject. “So I think we had a good sense of how to design for comfort in constrained environments. That said, the underwater environment is completely different.”
“We wanted it to be new and different and inspiring and futuristic,” he continued. “So (we looked) at everything from science fiction to modular housing to Japanese pod (hotels).” The design is also meant to echo ocean life, with its structure inspired by the shape of coral polyps.
Béhar and his team also studied the underwater research habitats that have come before Proteus, including the Aquarius. All other forerunners were temporary structures built for single missions, like NASA’s experimental SEALAB I, II, and III from the 1960s.”Those habitats were purpose built, they were small and they had great limitations,” Cousteau said. “So we’re building off of…(a) foundation by all those amazing pioneers that came before us.”
Diving ahead
While the project currently has some backing from the private sector, it is currently seeking further funding. Beyond backers, the station’s wet and dry labs can be leased to government agencies, corporations and academic institutions.
Part of the plan is to offer regular visibility about what is happening on Proteus, including live streams and VR/AR content. In this way Cousteau hopes to engage a wider audience. “Imagine if you found something amazing — whether it be microcosmic like a pharmaceutical, or macrocosmic like the next greatest animal — if you could show it to classrooms and universities,” he said. “Our mission is to be able to translate complex science into something that the average person not only maybe will understand, but fall in love with.”
The Skypass Foundation, part of the Dallas-based Skypass Group of Companies, chartered a United Airlines plane Wednesday to repatriate more than 150 Indian citizens stranded in the U.S. because of the pandemic. The one-way flight took off in the evening from Newark Airport in New Jersey heading to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
Priority was given to seniors and families with young children who needed to return to India for urgent medical treatment or death emergencies and to those with expired U.S. visas. Other Indian citizens eligible to travel, based on the Embassy of India’s rules and regulations, were also on the flight.”The Skypass Group has served the South Asian community for more than three decades,” said Founder & CEO Victor Abraham. “While we have been deeply impacted during this pandemic, our mission has always been to transport passengers back to their homes so that they can be reunited with their families, especially during these turbulent times.”
On July 4th, another private charter flight (Etihad Airways) transported 300 passengers from Chicago to Mumbai. Employees and their families of some of the top global technology and professional services companies were on that flight, which was the first passenger charter plane approved to repatriate stranded citizens from the U.S. to India.
The Skypass Foundation, as part of its mission & humanitarian activities complementing its efforts to provide resources, education and support to those impacted by major medical challenges, has led both these efforts. The Foundation collaborated with both public and private sector agencies in the U.S. and India to accomplish these undertakings.
The government of India has agreed to allow U.S. air carriers to resume passenger services in the U.S.-India market starting July 23, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Friday. The Indian government, citing the coronavirus, had banned all scheduled services, prompting the U.S. Transportation Department in June to accuse India of engaging in “unfair and discriminatory practices” on charter air carriers serving India. The Transportation Department said it was withdrawing an order it had issued requiring Indian air carriers to apply for authorization prior to conducting charter flights, and said it had approved an Air India application for passenger charter flights between the United States and India. A group representing major U.S. airlines and the Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment on Friday. India‘s Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Twitter it was moving to “further expand our international civil aviation operations” and arrangements from some flights “with US, UAE, France & Germany are being put in place while similar arrangements are also being worked out with several other countries.” “Under this arrangement,” it added, “airlines from the concerned countries will be able to operate flights from & to India along with Indian carriers.” The U.S. Transportation Department order was set to take effect next week. The Trump administration said in June it wanted “to restore a level playing field for U.S. airlines” under the U.S.-India Air Transport Agreement. The Indian government had banned all scheduled services and failed to approve U.S. carriers for charter operations, it added. The U.S. government said in June that Air India had been operating “repatriation” charter flights between India and the United States in both directions since May 7.
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)–the largest hotel association in the world—in a call to arms to its nearly 20,000 members, who own almost one in every two hotels in the U.S. with more than $30 billion in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, has called on its members to prevail on the U.S. Congress to address their challenges in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that has devastated their industry.
In a form letter that urged every member to sign on to and send off to their respective Member of Congress and Senators, AAHOA said that “the Coronavirus pandemic is inflicting significant financial strains upon hoteliers across the country” and that “now more than ever, Congress must protect those affected most by the coronavirus.”
It said that “AAHOA is working around the clock to ensure that our lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and state capitals hear America’s hotel owners’ concerns loud and clear.”
The suggested form letter said, “I am a small business owner and a constituent who lives in your district. I am also a member of AAHOA, which represents nearly 20,000 members nationwide, who own nearly 50 percent of all hotels in the United States, and employ nearly 600,000 workers accounting for over $10 billion in annual payroll.”
“As small business owners, our members consistently contribute to the economy through tourism, real estate development, job creation and community investment,” it said, and continued, “The hotel industry is in severe distress and we need your help now!”
The letter said, “As the coronavirus has spread, it has rightfully led to event cancellations and travel restrictions out of concerns for health and safety. As a result, we have seen a dramatic drop-off in guests in every hotel across the country.”
The letter noted, “While we prepare for downturns and unexpected circumstances each year, no business can ever be prepared for a national economic catastrophe like this. The hardest-hit people during this time are our employees and America’s small businesses.”
“Because we have no guests to serve, rooms to clean, shuttles to drive, or meals to prepare, our staff do not have work and I do not have the capital necessary to pay them. Employees’ hours are limited and jobs have unfortunately already been lost. We literally cannot pay our employees and we cannot meet our mortgages. I am terrified that within weeks, I will be forced to close my hotel.”
Thus, it urged their “support of the ideas below in the next stimulus package to help the hotel industry survive this crisis.”
AAHOA’s asks of Congress to allocate $100 billion for the creation of a Hospitality Workforce Relief Fund – create grants to businesses so hoteliers can retain and rehire employees.
It said, “The outlook for the spring and summer travel season is bleak as cancellations pile up. The fund would help employers make payroll, slow rising unemployment, and help keep employees on employer-provided health insurance, lessening the impact on the Unemployment Insurance program.”
It also asks Congress to allocate $50 billion for flexibility in lending and in this regard, “Facilitate forbearance of principal and interest payments on debt during this health crisis, and make federal funds available to owners to cover debt.”
It said, “Small business hotel owners that are facing severe economic circumstances who are able to have debt canceled should not be required to pay taxes on this Cancellation of Debt (COD) income.”
The letter also called for “Access to small business loans” and this included providing hotel owners with zero interest, unsecured loans and loan guarantees from SBA, capping loan sizes at $10 million and allowing forbearance for the first 12 months.”
The letter also requested Congress to ensure hotel owners have immediate access to capital to make their payroll and mortgage payments. “Congress should establish a voluntary liquidity facility program to provide zero-interest loans or loan guarantees to hotel owners. We need the lending process to work much faster in order to provide meaningful help to our businesses,” it said.
Another ask was for Congress to support regulatory flexibility for lenders, which meant the lawmakers support to Eliminate Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR) status for businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis that pursue workout arrangement with affected business borrowers or to create a separate designation for COVID-19 related loans.”
It pointed out that “a TDR designation remains throughout the life of the loan. A declaration at this point will discourage lenders from finding adequately flexible workout arrangements with lodging industry borrowers.”
The form letter also called for the elimination of administrative burdens for SBA disaster loans, and complained that The Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program is not working.
It said, “The EIDL process requires state governors to request assistance before business owners can apply. Hoteliers need capital now. Although the funds exist, it will take at minimum 4-6 weeks before any hotel owner sees any relief to help make payroll — by then, layoffs will occur and doors may close.”
Meanwhile, in lauding the signing of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act into law by President Donald Trump on Mar. 19, AAHOA said, “The bill will provide many American workers affected by COVID-19 with paid sick leave, boost food assistance, unemployment insurance, and federal Medicaid funding, and provide free testing for coronavirus for those who need it.”
It predicted that “the passage of this bill will provide much-needed relief to working Americans affected by this pandemic. It also includes important tax credits for small businesses to help offset some of the costs. This bill is a good step towards where we need to be as a country and as an industry.”
A proposed Travel Workforce Stabilization Fund emerged from a meeting March 18 between President Trump and hospitality and travel industry CEOs. The proposal calls for $250 billion to be split between a travel and employment grants account and a travel business stabilization account. These would provide hoteliers and other travel-dependent businesses with emergency liquidity in the face of a sharp decline in occupancy rates and overall travel.
AAHOA said that “the Travel Workforce Stabilization Fund is exactly the type of aggressive and direct action needed to stave off the complete economic collapse of not just the hospitality industry, but the broader travel industry and the elimination of millions of jobs. It could help tens of thousands of small businesses keep the lights on and keep their employees on staff.”
The CARES Act Is Signed into Law
Today, President Donald Trump signed the bipartisan CARES Act into law. The CARES Act provides small businesses with immediate liquidity, which will address the need for capital used to make payroll and cover operating expenses. AAHOA applauds Congressional leadership for expediting this critical relief package. The passage of the CARES Act provides AAHOA an opportunity for further conversations with the Trump administration and Congressional leadership regarding the necessary assistance small businesses need to weather this national pandemic.
What this means for you: We are expecting additional relief packages in the coming weeks as our government responds to the economic crisis sparked by COVID-19, and AAHOA is dedicated to advocating on behalf of America’s hoteliers throughout the duration of this legislative process.
New Resource: The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act
The programs and initiatives in the CARES Act that was just passed by Congress are intended to assist business owners with whatever needs they have right now. When implemented, there will be many new resources available for small businesses, as well as certain non- profits and other employers. This guide provides information about the major programs and initiatives that will soon be available from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to address these needs, as well as some additional tax provisions that are outside the scope of SBA. Download the Resource
More than 3,000 Hoteliers Educated with AAHOA’s COVID-19 Webcast Series
AAHOA created a series of COVID-19 webcasts that will keep you informed and help determine next steps for your business. With more than 3,000 hoteliers educated to date, AAHOA is proud to make these webcasts available to the entire industry, so please share them with your employees, business partners, and others in your network. Here’s what some attendees have said:
“This was very helpful. In these difficult times, I cannot express how grateful our company is to the team at AAHOA and the experts they bring in.”
“This was one of the best presentations I have seen. The information was great and presented very well. I am very glad I took the time to be here.”
“Way to be on top of this crisis. AAHOA provides top speakers. Thanks for all you do.”
What this means for you: AAHOA is averaging more than one webcast a day to help hotel owners amid this crisis. And our work isn’t done! Stay tuned for the latest webcasts to be released in the coming days. What’s different about AAHOA’s resources is that they’re created specifically for hotel owners.
The world has indeed taken notice of how well Kerala has handled the Coronavirus threat so far and widely applauded for steps the state has undertaken to mitigate the crisis. However, as the virus fear sweeps through Kerala, some of the stories coming out of my home state are very disconcerting. It doesn’t bring out the best of humanity, especially from those who have lived and prospered on the largesse of the NRI remittances and significant revenue from the tourism boom.
I am referring here about the treatment some of the Keralites meted out to NRIs and foreign nationals who are either returning from foreign countries or trapped in the state due to state-imposed travel restrictions. Most of the NRIs are Indian citizens, and they have the right to return to their home country. Some of the tourists who might have caught off guard and stranded by these fast-moving developments around the Coronavirus or made the trip regardless due to their long-term planning for a dream vacation or fearing potential losses in terms of prepaid bookings.
Kerala’s prosperity in the last five decades can be primarily attributed to the ‘money-order economy’ where the foreign currency remittances fast-tracked the socio-economic development in the state. According to World Bank reports, India retained its position as the world’s top recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending a whopping 79 Billion dollars back home in 2018. Kerala tops in that category, with almost 20% of that remittances directly going to the state. The money the NRIs send home helps not only the families but also the balance of payments of the country.
The flow of that amount of money into the Kerala economy by way of remittances has a very significant impact on the living conditions of its citizens. It is important to note that 80% of emigrants from Kerala went to the Gulf, and they contribute a large chunk of the remittances that flow into Kerala. According to a previous study done by the Middle East Institute, remittances were 1.74 times the revenue receipts of the state. Remittances in Kerala were 5.5 times the finance received from the central government and 36 times the exporting earnings from cashews and 30 times that from marine products.
The study also pointed out the impact of remittances to Kerala and how it has manifested in household consumption, saving and investment, the quality of houses, and the possession of modern consumer durables. Remittances also played a role in enhancing the quality of life and contributing to a high human development index for Kerala in terms of education and health, along with the reduction of poverty and unemployment.
The overall result for the state has been quite impressive. Kerala’s rating for the Human Development Index (HDI) 0.790, is the highest in India, resulting from the vast improvements state has made in the fields of sanitation, health, education, and poverty reduction. In 2016, the state was also declared ‘open defecation free’ with toilets in every household. The female literacy rate in Kerala stands at 94%, and it is the only state in the union where the female population exceeds the male population.
Nevertheless, the stories being aired about some of the experiences of returning NRIs and stranded tourists at these difficult times are heart-wrenching. It is critical that the returning NRIs ought to be truthful to the authorities and mindful of their vulnerability in terms of spreading this virus. They need to behave responsibly as per the rules and be accountable for their actions. However, they shouldn’t be blamed for the failures of the state from properly screening all arrivals. It is the responsibility of the authorities to ascertain origins of travel and routings and to decide whether anyone should be quarantined. The infrastructure should have been already in place at all airports for health screenings, and the medical personnel should have been fitted with protective gear.
Instead, what we are witnessing is an act of demonization of some of those who happened to carry the Coronavirus, probably of no fault of their own. Some of them might have contracted the virus during the travel and possibly even asymptomatic upon their arrival. Therefore, there is very little justification for the harassment and name-calling they were subjected to and the contempt with which they have been treated.
The experiences of some of the foreign tourists at the hands of my fellow Malayalees are even more appalling. An alien couple was found to be traumatized and crying incessantly in the middle of a road as they haven’t had food for three days. According to the reports, they were denied food or lodging by panicky guest houses and hotels across the state and finally had to be rescued by the Police department. There were stories of tourists sleeping in cemeteries because their reservations to the hotels were not being honored.
It is not only a phenomenon in Kerala but also across the country where foreign tourists are being evicted from their apartments, made to feel unwelcome in Taxis, asked to leave restaurants, and have been subjected to hostile looks in public spaces. Social media also bears some responsibility in spreading this panic-driven disinformation that all foreign tourists are carries of the Coronavirus. Even students from Northeast are not spared this time around as many have experienced harassment at the hands of other students, and their interactions were marked by suspicion and rudeness often bordering racism.
Finally, Keralites are one of the largest groups of economic refugees on this planet, constantly exploring opportunities and daring to break barriers to travel to the ends of the earth to better themselves. We do expect those foreign countries and their nationals to treat us fairly, provide us with opportunities, respect our cultures, and honor our religious traditions. Besides, we also request them to transfer part of their wealth to our state so that folks who are left behind may do better with their own lives as well.
Therefore, it is obligatory to keep our end of the bargain in treating foreign tourists as well as returning NRIs fairly in good times as well as bad. We simply cannot have it both ways! I am encouraged to see that the government of Kerala, which saw more than a million tourists set foot in the state in 2018, came out to denounce such attacks on foreign tourists asking locals not to see them as carriers of virus. A national crisis often reveals the character of a people. Kerala is often dubbed as ‘God’s own country’ and not let the world call us ‘Devil’s own people’!
(the writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations and Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA)
Kerala has been adjudged India’s Best Wellness Destination by the leading tourism magazine Outlook Traveller for the year 2020, in a robust validation of the state’s authentic Ayurveda and other traditional systems of holistic healing.
Mr P. K. Sooraj, Tourism Information Officer, received the award on behalf of Kerala Tourism from the former parliamentarian, columnist and author Mr Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda.
Kerala was also in the final round of awards for the best tourism state and the best wedding destination. The other tourist attractions of the state that made it to the final round were Jatayu Earth Centre, the world’s largest bird sculpture, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (both in the category of Best Tourist Attraction), Niramaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady (Best Hill Resort) and Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom (Best Heritage Hotel).
The award winners who were asked about the favourite destination by the host replied Kerala as their favourite destination, which also was welcome recognition for Kerala at the event.
“Ayurveda has always been the USP of Kerala Tourism, bringing in tourists from all parts of the globe. In addition, the state provides a range of other relaxing therapies that rejuvenate people who are tired of monotonous city life,”said Mr Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism. “The Outlook Traveller Award is a huge recognition that will further bolster the state’s reputation as a destination for holistic healing.”
Kochi has bagged the top spot in the list of ‘Trending Destination’ in the world by Tripadvisor, pushing behind cities in countries such as Thailand, Morocco, Russia, Portugal and Austria, and has been ranked first among 25 other destinations in the world. The online travel company Tripadvisor noted: “These incredible spots (that travellers love) saw the biggest spikes in top reviews and ratings last year.”
The list was announced as part of Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award. “Look for spicy dishes flavoured with tamarind and coconut in Kochi, and don’t be surprised if your dinner is served up on a banana leaf. The region is a major banana-growing area, and traditional Kochi cuisine employs the fruit in many dishes, both sweet and savoury,” Tripadvisor noted about Kochi in its website while announcing the winners. It has further listed ‘Kerala Kathakali Centre,’ ‘Chottanikkara Temple’ and ‘Kerala Folklore Museum,’ apart from suggesting 631 other things to do in Kochi. Interestingly, Kochi is the only destination in India to bag a spot on this list.
According to the company, the awards are given on the basis of reviews, ratings and “saves” that travellers share from around the world every year.
ATLANTA, Ga., Jan. 27 – AAHOA President & CEO Cecil Staton issued the following statement on the roundtable discussion with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz this past weekend regarding efforts to combat human trafficking:
“AAHOA appreciates the opportunity to join Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz’s roundtable and to discuss solutions to the scourge of human trafficking with other like-minded organizations.
“America’s hotel owners and the lodging industry have long recognized the moral imperative to proactively champion the cause of trafficking prevention. That’s why AAHOA continues to equip thousands of hotel owners and employees with the tools they need to identify and respond to potential trafficking situations with our free Human Trafficking Awareness Trainings. We are pleased to join with the DHS Blue Campaign, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), Polaris, the Georgia Human Trafficking Task Force, congressional leaders, and state and local officials as allies in this fight against those who prey upon the most vulnerable in our society.”
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The over 19,500 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, who led AAPI’s Expedition to Antarctica
Several years of meticulous planning, discussions, and organization, came to fruition as 190 delegates of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) Families and Friends from across the United States and India embarked on the Ocean Atlantic Ship operated by Albatros Expeditions on November 30th, 2019 from Ushuaia, the southernmost town on Earth in Argentina on a voyage to Antarctica, the seventh Continent, known as the Last Horizon on Earth.
The voyagers were welcomed on board by AAPI’s young and dynamic President, Dr. Suresh Reddy, who has been along with Dr. Vandana Agarwal, Chair of AAPI’ Cruise to Antarctica, working very hard, coordinating the efforts with Vinod Gupta from the Travel Agency, ATG Tours, the crew and leadership of the Cruise and the AAPI leaders and members with varied interests and ages ranging from 10 to 90, who had flown in from around the world for this once in a lifetime memorable and historic voyage to the White Continent.
The Ship carrying the sailors began its journey on November 30th, 2019 from the Ushuaia Sea Port with a prayer song to Lord Ganesh, chanted by Dr. Aarti Pandya from Atlanta, GA. Later in the evening, the voyagers sat down for a sit down dinner at the elegantly laid tables at the Restaurant with delicious Indian Cuisine, prepared by Herbert Baretto, a Chef from Goa, India, specially flown in to meet the diverse needs of the Indians who are now the exclusive Voyagers on Ocean Atlantic.
As the sun was still shining beyond midnight, members of the voyage were seen posing and taking pictures on board the ship with the background of the mighty ocean and the scenic mountains of Argentina at the background.
On December 1st morning, AAPI members were alerted to be mindful of the most turbulent Drake Passage, where the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean merge, through which our ship was now sailing with winds gusting through over 50 kms an hour from the south west. The rough with fast moving sea currents contributing to a turbulent weather, several voyagers took shelter in anti-nausea meds.
Throughout the day, there were special safety classes periodically, helping the voyagers on ways to navigate the zodiacs, the kayaks, the walks on the ice and snow once we reach our final destination. They were lectures on different aspects of wildlife on Antarctica, the species, especially the varieties of penguins, the mammals and the birds that inhabit the Continent. The participants were educated on the Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change and Impact, Whale Hunting, and many more relevant topics with scientific data by the Expedition Crew.
The evening was special for the voyagers as the Captain of the ship welcomed the delegates to the Ship and to the Expedition to Antarctica. He introduced his crew leaders to the loud applause from the delegates, as he toasted champagne for a safe and enjoyable journey to Antarctica.
On December 2nd morning, we woke up to milder weather and calmer ocean with the winds subsiding to about 20 kms an hour and ship sailing smoother with the temperatures below 7 degree Celsius. The crew on the ship described the sail to be the smoothest and the weather and wind conditions to be one of the calmest they have ever witnessed. However, the entire day was cloudy with the sun hiding behind the thick clouds upon the ocean.
After sailing across the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans and through the turbulent Drake Passage, and the South Ocean, finally, the day arrived for the Voyagers. The one they had been eagerly waiting for. On December 3rd, our ship, the Ocean Atlantic anchored on Danco Island, off the coast of the 7th Continent, Antarctica, officially discovered in 1820, although there is some controversy as to who sighted it first
The excitement of the voyagers had no bounds as they dressed up in their waterproof trousers, navy blue jackets, with hats and glosses and mufflers. They set out in groups marching off the Ship into the Zodiacs in tens in each Zodiac.
The wind and the ocean were calmer. The sun continued to hide behind the thick clouds. We headed off in Zodiacs to view icebergs, the glaciers, the land on a beach studded with penguins, as the Expedition Crew from the ship drove the AAPI delegates to the shore on the Danco Island, off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, for the first time.
The glaciers, mighty mountains covered with pristine and shiny snow, the icebergs in multi-shapes and colors, floating on the Bay, made the Zodiac ride to the shore a memorable experience for each one.
As the voyagers walked to the shore on a narrow path on the soft snow surface, leading up to the snowcapped mountains, it was a dream come true for all. The fresh water melting from the glaciers and the ice and snow on the one side and on the other little rocks and mountains filled with snow, the Danco Island was picture perfect.
Penguins in small colonies of their own seemed unaffected by the voyagers landing onto the Penguin land. Hearing their unique and enchanting voices for the first time, as most of them sat steady, while a few walked from one end to the other, it was a scene everyone long dreamt to be part of, as it was another memorable experience in the life of everyone.
Penguin behavior is endlessly fascinating. We learnt that, in the Antarctic spring, hundreds of gentoo penguins as paraded before us, reestablishing their bonds, mating, staking their claims, and thievishly stealing stones from one another for their nests.
In the afternoon, after lunch and a lecture on the history of Antarctica, the Ocean Atlantic ship, travelling about 25 nautical miles, for the first time ever, landed on the Antarctic Continent as she reached the shores of Paradise Bay, a beautiful island, where the famous Brown Center, the Argentinian Research Station was located.
Trekking up the Hill on the snow and ice filled terrains, even as the serene and picturesque glaciers in vivid shapes and texture, it was mesmerizing and the Bay on either side, was breathtaking.
The following morning, the voyagers got onto the Zodiacs and sailed to Port Lockroy, a sheltered harbor with a secure anchorage on the Antarctic Peninsula since its discovery in 1904. The Port also is home to a Museum and a British Post Office, where the early visitors to the Continent lived and explored the wildlife of the last Horizon. The Museum has preserved the antiques used by the early voyagers, who are an important part in the history of Antarctica.
Bright sun light flashing on the Lamoy Point on our way south towards the northern peninsula of the White Continent greeted us all this morning on December 5th. The announcement over the microphone at 6.15 woke us all up, letting us know of the mild weather conditions with 7 degrees Celsius and 27 km s wind speed with bright sunny day was a welcome change from yesterday.
The wind made the waters of the Bay mildly rough as we set out from the ship. For the first time during the voyage, to the much delight of the AAPI delegates, the sun chose to come out from behind the clouds and shone brightly on the voyagers, making the snow shining and glowing with the rays of the sun filling the surface of the earth. It was delightful to see the Penguins close to the AAPI delegates, some of them walking beside them crossing their pathway.
Upon landing on the shore across from the tallest mountain on the Peninsula, Mount Frances with the height of 2,300 meters high, our zodiacs elegantly cruised through the calmer waters to the mountain range called the Princes and the Seven Dwarfs. We were fortunate to find penguins resting on ice floes, and sometimes had the opportunity to approach closely in Zodiacs for excellent photo ops.
The stunning views of the glaciers and the mountains, and the soft and shiny snow spread across the shore, led us all to the snowy hills, as we trekked to the top.
The opportunity of a lifetime for bird lovers, as we watched the blue eyed Antarctic terns, beautiful black-browed albatross, and other pelagic birds, including fulmars and petrels, nesting, resting, flying above us and trying to reach the bright blue skies. The wandering albatross, with the largest wingspan of any bird, is one of the many wildlife spectacles South Georgia affords.
We found ourselves at the top of the spectacular colony of penguins, and black-browed albatross. Brown Skuas flew over the colony while penguins, albatross, and shags took care of their eggs. We spend a good bit of time photographing the birds and generally taking in such wonderful experience and close views of the wildlife.
Colonies of penguins greeted us with their enchanting voices. We watched in awe as some of the tiny penguins walking up, from the bottom of the hill to the top, flapping their feathers occasionally.
Many of us waited patiently to have an opportunity to view the eggs upon which the Penguins were sitting to hatch their eggs. Some were lucky to photograph a few couples mating while we were trying to figure out the male from female.
Leaving the breath taking landscapes was not an easy choice as we were soon called to embark on the zodiac cruises and return to Ocean Atlantic, our ship, as she was patiently waiting to take us to the next destination of our expedition to the Last Horizon.
After a lunch Barbeque on Deck Seven of the Ship, the Ocean Atlantic took us through the beautiful Lemaire Channel on the Continent. Braving the cold and gusty winds, the voyagers got together for a group picture of the entire voyager group on Deck Eight of the ship, as they were awed by the beautiful glaciers, the mighty snow-caped mountains, and the floating ice bergs.
After journeying about five hours, we reached in the evening at the Melchiors Island, as the bright sun continued to shine upon us. During lunch and on way to the Island, the voyagers were thrilled to spot whales showing up their heads periodically.
The journey through the Bay was another memorable experience with the stunning landscape all along the route especially as the sun continued shine brightly on the snow peaked mountains turning the waters closer to the glaciers from blue to green. We had over an hour of Zodiac cruise exploring the sea life on the Antarctic’s South Ocean.
We climbed up to the top deck of the ship to have yet another amazing experience as the Ocean Atlantic Ship sailed through the Bay filled with Ice Sheet Rocks that are nearly a meter thick, slowly and steadily, slicing the Snow Ice, marching forward towards the Plenau Bay.
It was here at Plenau Bay, 39 brave AAPI members had the unique experience of taking “Polar Plunge” in the Atlantic Continent, which was 0.7 degree Celsius, while the rest of the AAPI delegates watched the brave men and women, taking a memorable dip and swim back to the ship, in the freezing cold waters of the White Continent.
We woke up this morning on Friday December 6th to a bright and sunny day, calmer ocean with 9 kms of wind speed. A picture perfect day for expedition. We went on zodiacs, cruising through the blue waters of the Half Moon Island, a cluster of snowy mountains shaped as a half moon.
Searching for wild life in the ocean with the voyagers looking out eagerly for any seals or whales did not seem to result in success as the sea animals and those on the shore seemed to hide in their resting places. Members of a Zodiac cruise reported of spotting a Leopard Seal swimming not too far from the Zodiac.
Finally, the zodiac captains took us to the shore where for the first time we landed on dark stony surface full of rocks, stones and pebbles. Our expedition crew leader reported that the shore was completely covered with ice and snow in the beginning of the season, barely a month ago.
At the backdrop of the glaciers and the imposing mighty mountains around us, we hiked up the hill intruding sometimes into the Penguin Highways, where we saw colonies of penguins resting under the bright sun. It was delightful to watch a few hopping on tiny rocks from one to another, unnerved by the visitors from the Other Continents on earth.
For the first time we were delighted to watch different kinds of Penguins, Gentoo, Adelie, Chinstraps, in the thousands sitting on a single rock glazing at the ocean waters. The photo ops for the voyagers were simply incredible. And while penguins are delightful in films and nature documentaries, watching the penguin life being lived around you is simultaneously uplifting and humbling.
We spotted a few huge Weddell and Crabeater seals, as well as Antarctic fur seals, whose populations have rebounded since the 1959 Antarctic Treaty and the 1972 Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals. They were resting on the rocks unmoved by the voyagers in several zodiacs watching them in awe. The bright sun and the gentle breeze embracing the voyagers, it was a perfect day to cruise and explore the White Continent.
In the afternoon while back on the ship, we were invited to climb up to the Decks 8 and 9 of the ship to view the entrance/passage to the famous Deception Island. And the ship sailed through this narrow path into the Island with majestic dark mountains on our right side, while on the left were the snowcapped mountains overlooking the Bay. As the gusty winds made us shiver, the voyagers standing on the top deck of the South Ocean, posed for pictures. We were lost in the stunning beauty created by the Mother Nature, for all of us to enjoy and cherish forever.
The final landing on the Last Horizon on Friday December 6th afternoon was at the Deception Island for the AAPI Voyagers. An unusually bright shining sky with gentle winds welcomed us to the shore of the black soft sand with little stones spread all along the 36 kms wide island.
The volcanic eruption here over 50 years ago, which reportedly continues to be active event today, has turned the island and the mountains into dark colored. Saw a huge seal on the shore resting with birds and few penguins of the Continent enjoying the mild weather, the voyagers trekked up the hill on the dark sand while the panoramic and breathtaking views on the snowy mountains beyond the Bay hovering over the blue waters of the Last Horizon.
On the Ship, immediately after settling down in each one’s cabin, the voyagers were invited to learn about safety on the ship and participated in a safety drill. Shelli Ogilvy, the Veteran Expedition Leader introduced the 22 Expedition Members with extensive maritime experiences from around the world, and over 60 other crew members to the voyagers.
Nine hours of Continuing Medical Educations (CMEs) were a major highlight of the Cruise to Antarctica. Led and organized by Dr. Krishan Kumar the informative and interactive sessions by experts was much appreciated by the voyagers. AAPI provided a hands on CPR Training on board to the crew of the ship, Ocean Atlantic, educating them on ways to help passengers in case of emergencies.
Each evening at cocktail hour the entire expedition community gathers in the lounge for a ritual, we call Recap. As you enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, various naturalists gave talks, showed videos, and our expedition leader would outline the following day’s schedule.
The evenings were fun filled with members spending time together with their select friends and families, singing, playing cards games, discussing politics to medicine to healthcare and sharing jokes and snippets with one another in smaller groups. The cultural events included live music sung by Dr. Radhika from Chicago, Dr. Aarti Pandya, Dr. Dharmija, and Dr. Madnani, in addition to several local talents of AAPI’s own, leading and vying to win the Anthakshri contest.
On December 7th evening, the voyagers had Black Tie Nite with many of them learning and playing Pokers until the early hours of the morning. As the ship began its return journey back to the shores, Dr. Aarti Pandya led the voyagers in a prayer song dedicated to Lord Hanuman, God of the Winds for a safe and smooth sailing.
After toasting Champagne with the Captain of the ship, the finale on December 8th was a colorful Indian Dress Segment, where the adorable AAPI women and men walked the aisle in elegantly dressed in Indian ethnic wear depicting different states of India.
Earlier, the AAPI delegates had toured the beautiful and serene National Park in Ushuaia, on the world famous Route 3 that runs from Alaska to the southern tip of the world in Argentina. At the Park, Dr. Reddy led the AAPI delegates carrying the AAPI banner, spreading the message of Obesity Awareness, which is a major objective of Dr. Reddy’s Presidency, taking the message of Obesity Awareness Around the World.
Dr. Suresh Reddy thanked Dr. Vandana Agarwal Chair of the AAPI Cruise Committee, Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPI, Dr. Ranga Redy and Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, both past President of AAPI, Dr. Krishan Kumar, and several Regional Chapter Presidents for their hard work and dedication for making the Expedition memorable for all.
Memories of relaxing and rejuvenating morning walk across the island with breath taking views in abundance of Mother Nature, will last a life time for everyone who has been part of the historic expedition to the Seventh Continent. For more details on AAPI and its next voyage to Antarctica in January 2020, please visit; www.aapiusa.org
Ajay Ghosh, who was part of the AAPI Family and Friends Expedition 2019 to Antarctica
Fmr. Educator, Statesman, & Entrepreneur Helms Nation’s Largest Hotel Owners Assoc.
Following a vote by the AAHOA Board of Directors, Cecil Staton will be the new president and CEO of AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, effective November 18, 2019. Staton will succeed Rachel Humphrey who served in the role in an interim capacity for most of 2019. Humphrey will resume her duties as the association’s chief operating officer. Staton, most recently the Chancellor Emeritus at East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, N.C., brings decades of experience in the fields of government, academia, and business to AAHOA.
Staton served as the eleventh Chancellor at ECU from 2016 to 2019 where he launched several initiatives to elevate the university’s national and international profile, increase enrollment in the Brody School of Medicine, and create a $500 million capital campaign. Previously, he served as Interim President of Valdosta State University, and as Vice Chancellor for Extended Education with the University System of Georgia. In addition to his work in academia, Staton served five terms in the Georgia State Senate where he rose to the position of Majority Whip. His entrepreneurial ventures include founding two publishing companies and Georgia Eagle Media, Inc., a holding company with interests in multiple broadcast and print mediums. Staton sits on the boards for NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the University of Georgia Board of Visitors.
“I am excited at this opportunity to work with nearly 19,000 small business owners. The achievements that AAHOA’s members continue to realize in the hospitality industry make them a living testament to the American Dream. Their hard work, unwavering entrepreneurial spirit, and determination to create their own success are truly inspiring,” said Staton. “The great energy and excitement from AAHOA’s 30th anniversary celebrations earlier this year still resonate to this day. Rachel and her team did a brilliant job maintaining that momentum and capitalizing on it with increased member and industry engagement. I am looking forward to working with the AAHOA Board of Directors, our industry partners, and the great teams in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. as we continue the exceptional work AAHOA does on behalf of America’s hoteliers.”
AAHOA Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala said, “AAHOA is at its strongest point in our thirty-year history. Membership is at an all-time high, our educational and advocacy initiatives are thriving, and our members are more engaged than ever before. Throughout the comprehensive search process, we looked for someone who would excel in building upon the foundation of AAHOA’s success, welcome opportunities to develop relationships with our key stakeholders, and bring a vision to the association that will enhance AAHOA’s profile in the industry. We are confident that we found such an exemplary leader in Cecil Staton.”
“We are excited that Cecil is joining AAHOA,” said Interim President and CEO Rachel Humphrey. “He brings a wealth of experience from fields that mirror the association’s priorities, specifically, advocacy and education. As an accomplished legislator in the Georgia Senate, as a leader and administrator at East Carolina University and Valdosta State University, and as a small business owner, Cecil understands what drives the association and its members and will position AAHOA for continued success.”
Staton’s hiring concludes a comprehensive nationwide search that began earlier this year. An AAHOA Executive Search Committee, comprised of AAHOA executives, officers, and executives from key industry partners, worked with consulting firm Korn Ferry to identify candidates and conduct extensive in-depth interviews with each. The Committee unanimously recommended Staton to the AAHOA Board of Directors.
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The over 18,500 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
AAHOA, the world’s largest hotel owners association, and Hospitality Success, a New York based company that works with hoteliers to maximize revenue management, announced a new partnership that will facilitate relationships between the company and AAHOA’s over 18,500 members.
“We are excited to partner with Hospitality Success. Anthony Melchiorri, Jeremy Pinkerton, and Marty Fort are some of the most recognizable names in the industry when it comes to helping hotels maximize their revenue management and realize their profitability potential. This partnership is a great fit because Hospitality Success provides services that complement AAHOA’s educational offerings and hotelier resources. All our members will discover exceptional value in the personalized coaching and guidance that Anthony and his team provide. We look forward to the partnership and working with them over the next year to help our members drive their ROI,” said AAHOA Interim President and CEO Rachel Humphrey.
“I have worked thirty years to help owners run their hotels. Now I have created a first to market learning company that helps owners take CONTROL. I have worked with AAHOA for most of those 30 years, and I can’t think of a better organization to partner with,” said Anthony Melchiorri of Hospitality Success.
Hospitality Success provides personalized coaching and guidance from Anthony Melchiorri, revenue management authority Jeremy Pinkerton, and business and marketing expert Marty Fort. The company works with hoteliers to address operational challenges, to execute strategies for acquiring and planning hotel projects, and to help owners take control of their business.
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The over 18,500 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
About Hospitality Success:
The Hospitality Success Program by Anthony Melchiorri is a learning company that allows you to take control of your hotel operation, maximize revenues, and ensure that you reach your profitability potential. Hospitality Success members receive personalized coaching and resources from Anthony and his team on revenue generating strategies, operational effectiveness, building your strongest team, and dominating your market. For more information, visit www.hospitalitysuccess.com.
The popular Restaurant, Coromandel Cuisine of India in Orange, has been awarded “Best Martini Pairing with Food Award” and “Food Critics Choice Award – Fine Dining” during the 3rd Annual Communitini on October 10, 2019 at Center Stage Theater in Shelton, CT.
“I am excited that our Ginger Martini Pairing with Chicken Malabar have been awarded the coveted prize, beating several dozens of Restaurants who had participated at this annual event,” declared Mathew C Jacob, Orange, CT, who owns and runs the Restaurant on Post Road in Orange, CT.
Organized by the Valley United Way, a leading philanthropic organization serving the towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton, the event featured live music, a silent auction, and other prizes that made the night unforgettable!
This year’s theme for the annual event was New York, New York, which had featured live music from Lionfish, the sights, and tastes, including the wonderful Cheesecake Drawing sponsored by Edible Dreams Cake for a Trademark Tours getaway for four to Boston.
Although United Way is an internationally recognized brand, each United Way office is completely local. All of the money raised by Valley United Way stays right in the local community, carrying out several noble initiatives benefiting the community.
Coromandel, group/chain of Restaurants was started with the ambitious vision of capturing the flavors, tastes, colors, and hospitality of the rich tradition and diverse humanity that makes India. Located in New Rochelle in the states of New York and Orange, Darien and Stamford, in the state Connecticut, each restaurant is owned and operated by an independent owner responding to the needs of the local community/clients.
Just like the others, Coromandel of Orange serves authentic South Indian as well as North Indian meals, catering to a wide variety of clients both the ethnic South Asians and mainstream Americans who regularly patronize this Restaurant from several towns across the state of Connecticut.
The Coromandel of Orange, which was awarded Best Indian Restaurant by CT NOW
Best of New Haven by Readers Poll in 2018 and 2019, is a place where you find all versions of North Indian as well as South Indian cuisine – from spicy Andhra meals to exquisite Kerala seafood dishes crispy masala dosas served by Udupi restaurants and, of course, the best of Tamil cuisinefrom the length and breadth of the state.
The New York Times has rated Coromandel of Orange to be VERY GOOD. “Coromandel is a pretty, contemporary place with white tablecloths, a reasonably priced wine list and a comfortable ambience that is due in no small measure to the classy, generous service,” The NY Times wrote in a Review.
The Orange Town News stated that “If you are unsure of what you may like to try, ask the staff as they are very passionate and knowledgeable about the cuisine they serve and honestly want all the customers to leave having a great dining experience.”
New Haven Register wrote that “Coromandel is a cut above and offers intoxicating cuisine from a land where colors dance on the palate.” New Haven Advocate says, “A restaurant like Coromandel is the much needed corrective to pink-dyed, faux- Tandoori Chicken and what a corrective it is.”
“As partners, chefs, and staff, we take immense pride and pleasure in creating and serving every meal and an experience to go with it,” Mathew C Jacob, Orange, CT, the winner of the awards says. “We love to know our patrons, their tastes, preferences, stories and how they feel about our food and restaurants. We have been humbled with awards and recognitions in the tri state area and are ever more committed to our customers’ culinary delight.”
To taste the award winning items and other exquisite South Asian Cuisine, please visit: COROMANDEL CUISINE OF INDIA,185 Boston Post Road,Orange, CT 06477, USA. Phone: (203) 795 9055. Or visit the website to www.coromandelcuisine.com/Orange
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney addressed America’s hoteliers on Saturday, April 27, during the closing night of the 2019 AAHOA Convention and Trade Show. In his remarks, Mulvaney touted his longtime relationship with the association and its members, the effectiveness of AAHOA’s advocacy efforts, and the strength of the American economy. Mulvaney’s relationship with AAHOA dates to his time in the South Carolina state legislature and as a restaurant franchisee. Mulvaney is a 2017 recipient of AAHOA’s “Friend of the Hotelier Award,” the association’s top advocacy honor.
“America’s hoteliers were honored to welcome our good friend Mr. Mulvaney to highlight the celebration of AAHOA’s thirtieth anniversary at our 2019 Convention,” said AAHOA Interim President and CEO Rachel Humphrey.
The celebration of achievement and excellence was a common theme as AAHOA reflected on its thirtieth anniversary during the 2019 AAHOA Convention and Trade Show in San Diego, Calif. On Friday, April 26, the association honored hoteliers for their contributions to the hospitality industry, and representatives from RLH Corporation announced the 2019 winner of the Bright Innovations Award. Winners received their awards on the main stage during the general session. The winners are:
AAHOA Award of Excellence: Jan Gautam
Outstanding Woman Hotelier of the Year: Deepa Patel
Outstanding Young Professional Hotelier of the Year: Ankit Panchal
IAHA Independent Hotel of the Year: Lexen Hotel North Hollywood
Outreach Award for Philanthropy: Bhupen Amin
Political Forum Award for Advocacy: Arti Patel
RLH Corporation 2019 Bright Innovations Award: Roshan Patel
“Every year, we honor hoteliers who go above and beyond in their contributions to the hospitality industry,” said Immediate Past Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel. “It is incumbent upon us to recognize the excellence in our midst, and I cannot think of a better stage on which to do so than in front of thousands of AAHOA members at Convention.”
Earlier in the session, Outreach Award for Philanthropy winner Bhupen Amin addressed the general session about giving back to one’s community and the multitude of ways, big and small, that a hotelier can make a difference through charitable efforts.
“We have an amazing membership that is constantly raising the bar for what success and distinction as a hotelier means. I congratulate all our award winners and look forward to seeing how they influence our industry and shape expectations for innovation and achievement,” said Interim President and CEO Rachel Humphrey.
“As a franchisee and tireless advocate of small businesses, Mr. Mulvaney understands firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing America’s hoteliers. We are fortunate to have such a strong champion for regulatory relief and tax reform in the White House,” said AAHOA Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala.
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners’ association in the world. The nearly 18,500 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
Indian Nurses Association of New York (INA-NY) which represents and serves as a professional body of nurses and nursing students of Indian origin and heritage in New York state, calls upon all nurses of Indian origin to submit essays for its annual essay contest on the theme, “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health for All”.
Essay must be limited to two pages, typed in double space using font size 12 and must not contain any personal identifiers. The contestant must attach a cover page with full name, credentials, address, phone number and email address. The essay with the cover page is to be emailed to Dr. Solymole Kuruvilla, chair of the awards and scholarships committee at kuruvil3@aol.com by May 12, 2019. The first and second prize winners will be awarded at the INA-NY Nurses’ Day celebrations at the Cotillion Restaurant in Jericho, NY on May 18, 2019.
The artificial island — the city’s most expensive infrastructure project to date — would be four times the cost of building Hong Kong International Airport, which opened on Lantau in 1998, and far outstrip Dubai’s famous palm-tree shaped Palm Jumeirah, which reportedly cost $12 billion to build.
Hong Kong plans to build one of the world’s largest artificial islands with an eye-watering $79 billion price tag, city officials announced Tuesday.
The government’s HK$624 billion proposal to reclaim 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) of land around the territory’s largest island, Lantau, has been touted as a solution to the pressing housing shortage in the city, which is notorious as one of the least affordable markets on the planet.
Authorities said they hope to start work on reclaiming land in 2025, with an eye on allowing residents to move to the island in 2032.
The artificial island — the city’s most expensive infrastructure project to date — would be four times the cost of building Hong Kong International Airport, which opened on Lantau in 1998, and far outstrip Dubai’s famous palm-tree shaped Palm Jumeirah, which reportedly cost $12 billion to build.
The man-made island would be nearly three times the size of New York’s Central Park and provide up to 260,000 flats, more than 70 percent of which would be used for public housing, the government has said.
But critics say the vast reclamation project is too costly and could damage the environment, especially marine life, with many also expressing frustration over the lack of a public say in the plans.
“When all aspects of Hong Kong’s public services and facilities are on the brink of collapse, will the (Lantau project) — as the government’s panacea — solve problems or create a bigger crisis?” pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chu said on his Facebook page.
He estimated the cost of the project could balloon to more than $112 billion by 2025, when reclamation work is expected to start.
Authorities are also planning to build another 700-hectare artificial island around Lantau, but have not released any further details about that project or its cost.
Lantau island is also home to a new mega bridge launched last year — billed as the world’s longest sea bridge — connecting Hong Kong to neighbouring Macau and mainland China at a time when Beijing is seeking to tighten its grip on its semi-autonomous territories.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the plans for the artificial island. Campaigners have also warned that the dwindling number of much-loved pink dolphins in waters surrounding Lantau may disappear altogether due to large-scale infrastructure projects.
Kerala Tourism has come up with a new slogan ‘Human by Nature’ to gain global attention. The campaign was launched on February 18 by Mr Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, in the presence of Ms Rani George, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, and Mr P.Bala Kiran, Director, Kerala Tourism, at a function at Lalit hotel. The screening of a 3-minute short film developed as part of the campaign was inaugurated by the celebrated classical dancer and actor Ms Shobana.
The minister said that the campaign will put Kerala Tourism on a higher pedestal in the competitive global marketplace.
Ms Rani George said that the film was both classy and touching. It showed Kerala in a wider spectrum as vibrant and welcoming, underlined by a powerful human touch. According to the director, it was a visual depiction of life in Kerala. The campaign will be conducted in Kerala Tourism’s key markets, such as the USA, the UK, the Gulf countries, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium.
Kerala is the one and only destination in South Asia to find a place in CNN Travel’s top 19 destinations. The destinations are part of the US-based channel’s list of places that have bounced back to normalcy after devastating natural disasters.
The other destinations include Fukuoka in Japan, Hebrides in Holland, Lima in Peru, and Oaxaca in Mexico. The destinations in Kerala that got special mention include Kochi, Kovalam, Varkala, the Alappuzha backwaters, the Vembanad Lake, the Periyar Tiger Reserve and Munnar.
Garima Arora became the first Indian woman to head Michelin-starred restaurant on November 14. “That day we celebrated, but the next, it was business as usual,” she says. The star is a push to innovate more, she adds, and to work on her dream to open a restaurant in India.
“The dream is still a distant one, given the complications, the bureaucratic maze and the corruption. Just getting a liquor licence is such a long and expensive process.” India doesn’t yet have a Michelin-star restaurant. But that’s because Michelin doesn’t yet have a guide to a city here, or the country.
These guides are a series of books first published around 1900 by the French tyre company Michelin. In a world of very few cars, they were initially meant to encourage people to drive, and so they included maps, tips on car care, listed where to stop for fuel.
By 1920, they began to list hotels and restaurants in Paris. As the guide became more popular, Michelin hired gourmands to visit restaurants in secret and rate them for the guide.
The first stars were award in 1926. Over nearly a century, they have come to be considered the final word on restaurant ratings.
And yet, until 2006, there were still only Michelin guides for Europe. Since then, the guide has expanded its scope to include cities in North America, South America, Japan, South Korea, China and parts of south-east Asia.
Indian chefs have headed Michelin-starred restaurants outside India (remember, a star is for an establishment, never a person), the first being Atul Kochhar’s Indian-cuisine restaurant Tamarind, and Vineet Bhatia’s Zaika, both in London, in 2001. After him came Vikas Khanna’s Junoon in New York, Kochhar’s Benares in London, Gaggan Anand’s Gaggan in Bangkok, among others.
But never to a restaurant headed by an Indian woman. Is that because the professional kitchen is not really conducive to women’s growth? “The kitchen in general is a challenging place,” says Arora, 32. “It was a tougher place to work for women some 15-20 years ago. Now, in general, efforts are made to make the atmosphere more cooperative and focus on the strengths of each person.”
Fish Khanom La at GAA. It’s inspired by a Thai pastry called khanom la. Arora says she wants to blend the Indian and Thai food cultures on her menu.
At GAA, Arora says she tries to blend the Indian and Thai food cultures, working with ingredients such as jackfruit and betel leaf, which are common to both.
“It’s been extremely difficult to carve out a niche for GAA,” she admits. “The flavours here are unique, so there is no reference point for diners to compare them with. While this can be a great experience, people are usually averse to trying something so new.”
The Michelin star rating, she believes, will help them accept her experiments more readily. Not all chefs have felt this way about the coveted star. In 2013, a Spanish chef ‘returned’ his Valencia restaurant’s Michelin star because he felt it restricted his freedom to experiment. In 2014, a Belgian chef did the same, saying he wanted to be able to serve fried chicken if he liked, without worrying that he was disappointing customers.
In 2011, an Australian chef heading a restaurant in London reportedly called the star a curse because of how it raised expectations among customers. And this year, for the first time, a three-starred restaurant in the running was left off the list on request, after Sébastien Bras, the French chef of Le Suquet, said he wanted to start a fresh chapter without the pressure of being judged all the time.
The secret judges responsible for Michelin ratings typically check for quality, craft, the personality of the chef reflected on the plate, value for money and consistency. They try not to be snooty — stars have been award to a dim sum chain in Hong Kong; a streetside noodle bar in Tokyo, a street food stall in Singapore.
But for chefs, a lot of the stress comes from fear of losing the star — celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay likened it to losing a girlfriend.
Arora, incidentally, worked with Ramsay, in Dubai. “It was my first experience in a professional kitchen and there was a lot that I learnt from it, the primary thing being that though a restaurant kitchen looks chaotic, its organised chaos fuelled by speed,” she says.
Garima Arora has become the first Indian woman to win a Michelin star for her restaurant Gaa in Bangkok, Thailand. The BBC’s Nikita Mandhani spoke to her about the journey to get there.
“It’s still sinking in,” says Ms Arora, who only began cooking at the age of 21 when she decided to move to Paris from her hometown Mumbai, to study at the world-famous Cordon Bleu culinary school.
“It was nothing like I expected it to be. It was a lot of donkey-work,” Ms Arora, now 30, says. “But I just wanted to be there so much and I learnt to cope up and made my way through.”
Even though her journey as a chef officially started when she was 21 (she was working as a journalist before that), she says her Punjabi family and their insane love for food meant it was always on the cards.
Punjabi cuisine is among the most celebrated in India, and staples like butter chicken and parantha are popular in many other countries. Punjabi people themselves are known for their love of eating and their generosity with food.
She says it is this sentiment that also inspires her cooking. “It’s like that feeling of eating at someone’s home. We’re trying to elevate that experience and make our guests happy.”
Garima says her father was one of her earliest cooking influencers. She grew up watching him cook a variety of cuisines in their home, which she says played a huge role in opening up her palate.
“He used to make risotto and hummus – imagine in the 90s in India when no one knew what these things were!”
Before opening Gaa in April 2017, she worked with several renowned chefs including Gordon Ramsay, René Redzepi and Gaggan Anand.
“I think cooking is creatively really satisfying,” she says. “Just that act of working with your hands is so calming.”
Today, Gaa offers a multitude of dishes inspired by her “Indian upbringing and international perspective”.
“I’m trying to combine the two to create something that’s subtle, beautiful and almost intellectual.”
Gaa offers different course meals for its guests using ingredients like unripe jackfruits, pumpkins, crayfish and guavas.
Michelin stars, bestowed on restaurants to signify their excellence, are probably the best known awards in the industry. Receiving a star isn’t only an accolade – it can also be a boost to the business.
Arora says she’s proud of her team and her restaurant and wants to continue to focus on Gaa and “keep doing what we’re doing”. As a chef, all she wants her customers to walk away with every day is that “feeling of never having eaten something like this before”.
Set to paint the hills and valleys of Munnar a stunning purple-blue, the Neelakurinji, the flower that blankets the hills once in 12 years, has started to bloom over the pristine hills of Rajamala, and the hills and valleys across the Eravikulam National Park. In a way, the rare flowering marks the blooming of hope for the tourism industry which is the doldrums, following the floods.
Munnar, the spectacular hill station in God’s Own Country, Kerala is all geared up to embrace travellers. Getting back on her feet after the flood, Munnar is now ready to receive tourists from across the world for the incredible Neelakurinji experience.
The hills of Munnar have started to adorn hues of romantic blue as Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus), the once in a 12-year wonder, has begun its blooming.
Though the heavy Monsoons, delayed the flowering season, the meandering valleys and mist clad hills of Munnar have started to amaze one and all with its stunning purple.
The last time Neelakurinji adorned these hills was in the year 2006. This year the blooming has started from the first week of September and is expected to extend for a few months.
Besides this serene sea of blue, this dream destination invites you with several exciting and exclusive experiences of nature such as the Eravikulam National Park, Thekkady, Devikulam, Vattavada and a lot more.
According to R Lakshmi, wildlife warden, Eravikulam National Park, the damage from the floods is minimal and neelakurinji have started to bloom in several areas.
“Now in many parts of Kannan Devan hills, Neelakurinji plants have started to bloom after the rain has abated and the sun has come out. If the favourable weather continues, the valley will be in full bloom within ten days. The plants have started blooming in many parts of Rajamalai, Kanthalloor and Eravikulam national parks,” Lakshmi
On World Tourism Day God’s Own Country received nine National Tourism Awards for the year 2016-17. Kerala Tourism won the Hall of Fame awards for Excellence in Publishing in Foreign Language and the Responsible Tourism Project, Wayanad, for being the Most Responsible Tourism Project/Initiative.
Kerala Tourism also grabbed four awards including the Best Tourism Film (Live Inspired) and second prize in the category of ‘Best State/Union Territory- Comprehensive Development of Tourism in Rest of India.’
Private stakeholders received five more awards that include the Best Domestic Tour Operator promoting tourism products of the Rest of India, Best Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Establishment and Best Stand alone Convention Centre.
Munnar-based Rose Gardens Homestay got the Best Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Establishment, Somatheeram Research Institute and Ayurveda Hospital Pvt. Ltd., Kovalam, was adjudged the Best Wellness Centre, while the Adlux International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Kochi, got the award for Best Stand Alone Convention Centre.
Intersight Tours & Travels Pvt. Ltd got the best domestic tour operator promoting and selling tourism products of Rest of India (category 1) and the Kochi-based Concord Exotic Voyages Pvt. Ltd., won the first prize in Inbound Tour Operator/Travel Agent (category II). Bala Kiran IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism received the awards for the official entries.
Mr. Alphons Kannanthanam, Minister of State for Tourism said: “13 out of 14 districts in Kerala were affected by floods a month ago and today every destination is open for tourists in the State. Kerala is back in action and ready to receive people. Kerala needs your support to get back into its action.”
The United Nations Environmental Program announced on September 26th that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India-based airport Cochin International Airport are among the recipients of the UN’s Champions of the Earth Award.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among the six world leaders who been awarded with the UN’s highest environmental honor, Champions of the Earth Award at the United Nations this week. Modi has been recognized for his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and pledge to eliminate single use plastic in India by 2022. Cochin International Airport in the southern Indian state of Kerala has been awarded for Entrepreneurial Vision.
“This years’ laureates are recognized for a combination of bold, innovative and tireless efforts to tackle some of the most urgent environmental issues of our times,” the UN Environment Program said.
The Champions of the Earth Awards, the UN’s highest environmental honor, honored six outstanding environmental changemakers, recognized for their achievements in categories including Policy Leadership, Entrepreneurial Vision, Science and Innovation, Inspiration and Action, and Lifetime Achievement.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Modi have been jointly recognized in the Policy Leadership category for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and promoting new areas of levels of cooperation on environmental action, including Macron’s work on the Global Pact for the Environment and Modi’s unprecedented pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic in India by 2022.
Cochin International Airport has also been honored this year with the award for Entrepreneurial Vision, for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy. “Cochin is showing the world that our ever-expanding network of global movement doesn’t have to harm the environment. As the pace of society continues to increase, the world’s first fully solar-powered airport is proof positive that green business is good business,” UNEP said.
The other winners of the 2018 Champions of the Earth Awards are Joan Carling, recognized with the lifetime achievement award for her work as one of the world’s most prominent defenders of environmental and indigenous rights. Carling has been at the forefront of the conflict for land and the environment for more than 20 years.
Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are jointly recognized in the Science and Innovation category, for their revolutionary development of a popular, plant-based alternative to beef, and for their efforts to educate consumers about environmentally conscious alternatives.
China’s Zhejiang’s Green Rural Revival Program is awarded for Inspiration and Action for the transformation of a once heavily polluted area of rivers and streams in East China.
“In a world of uncertainty, this is certain: We will not solve the extraordinary challenges our world faces today without extraordinary talent, new thinking and bold ideas,” said Head of UN Environment Erik Solheim. “The Champions of the Earth Award and Young Champions of the Earth Prize recognize those not afraid to chart unknown waters or be the voice of the voiceless. These people are changing our world today for a better tomorrow.”
The awards will be presented during the Champions of the Earth Gala in New York City, on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly. The gala, hosted by actor and environmental activist Alec Baldwin and model, actress, producer and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador Dia Mirza, will bring together a cross section of world leaders and influencers to celebrate momentum for change in defense of our one planet.
The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental recognition celebrating exceptional figures from the public and private sectors and from civil society, whose actions have had a transformative positive impact on the environment. Past laureates include: Afroz Shah, who led the world’s largest beach cleanup (2016), Rwandan President Paul Kagame (2016), former US Vice-President Al Gore (2007), Ocean Cleanup CEO Boyan Slat (2014), scientist-explorer Bertrand Piccard, and developer of Google Earth Brian McClendon (2013).
Cochin International Airport will take home the award for Entrepreneurial Vision, for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy. Cochin is showing the world that our ever-expanding network of global movement doesn’t have to harm the environment. As the pace of society continues to increase, the world’s first fully solar-powered airport is proof positive that green business is good business, the release said.
The biggest and busiest airport of Kerala state in India, and the fourth busiest airport in India in terms of international traffic, Cochin International Airport became the world’s first fully solar powered airport in 2015 – a project pioneered by managing director Vattavayalil Joseph Kurian.
“In a world of uncertainty, this is certain: We will not solve the extraordinary challenges our world faces today without extraordinary talent, new thinking and bold ideas,” said the head of UN Environment, Erik Solheim. “The Champions of the Earth Award and Young Champions of the Earth Prize recognize those not afraid to chart unknown waters or be the voice of the voiceless. These people are changing our world today for a better tomorrow.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sept. 27 expressed his gratitude to the global community for conferring upon him the UN award, and dedicated it to the countrymen and the country’s tradition of coexisting with nature.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the global community for conferring this honor upon me. This honor is not meant for an individual, but rather for the great Indian tradition, through which for centuries, we have been taught values like co-existing with nature,” Modi said in a video message. He said he was delighted that “the human race has begun to accept the importance of nature.”
Atlanta, GA – Preparations are in full swing for the fifth International Media Conference (IMC) by the Indo American Press Club (IAPC) at Atlanta Airport Marriott Hotel from October 5th to 7th, 2018, Dr. Babu Stephen, Chairman of IAPC announced here last week at the kick-off meeting held in Atlanta.
“Several national level leaders of different political parties and eminent media persons from India will be attending the event,” he said. “We are expecting a total of 30 to 40 persons from India, 25 of whom have already confirmed. Further discussions are in progress in this regard,” Dr. Stephen said. He welcomed the whole-hearted support of the members of IAPC’s Atlanta chapter to make the Conference a great success.
The Conference will include several workshops and seminars headed by eminent Indian politicians as well as journalists from the print and audio-visual media. “We expect this year’s event will attract more participants than the previous years,” Dr. Stephen said.
Various Committees have been formed under the leadership of accomplished community leaders and other experts for the seamless conduct of the Conference. The committees are chaired by Babu Stephen (Finance), Mini Nair (Entertainment and Food Committees), Ginsmon Zachariah (Award), Sabu Kurian (Medical), George Kottarathil (Competition), Morley J. Nair (Publicity & Media), Lukose Tharian (Transportation), Jomy George (Reception & Registration and Youth Committess), Vineetha Nair (Program), Roopsi Narula (Women’s), Prasad Philipose (Stage), Thomas Mathew Joys (Souvenir), and Sunil J. Koozhambala (Educational Award),
IAPC, formed in 2013 with the objective of bringing together the U.S. media-persons of Indian origin, has been conducting annual conferences in different U.S. cities for the last four years. The previous events were attended by eminent Indian personalities from the fields of government, media, and literature. IAPC currently has eight local chapters in US and Canada.
It’s the little things that always matter and Kumarakom waits with its little things to bring a million moments of joy, fun and bliss to your life.
Responsible Tourism started in Kumarakom in the year 2007 and currently it is one of the major destinations of RT in all terms. In 2005, the Government of Kerala declared Kumarakom as a Special Tourism Zone.
This green paradise broadened by the Vembanad Lake and the stretches of lush paddy fields allures tourists and locals alike with its haunting beauty. RT Mission took this heaven into a new level of excellence with the implementation of brilliant projects, awareness programmes and trainings.
By focusing on an overall development of Kumarakom, RT Mission joined hands with the locals and tourists in chorus. The Mission supported farmers, artisans, craftsmen and other skilled and unskilled labourers of the place to earn a better livelihood by being a part of tourism activities.
Currently RT Mission offers two Village Life Experience packages – A Day with Farmers and Beyond Backwaters – that explore the traditional professions like screw pine and coconut leaf weaving, fishing, coir making, toddy tapping, handicrafts and broomstick making and so forth.
A series of awareness programmes and trainings were conducted in the destination to spread the ideologies of RT Mission among the native populace and to make them an inseparable part of its implementation.
The awards Kumarakom won as a Responsible Tourism destination prove that the projects and programmes of RT Mission were truly successful.
In 2017, Kumarakom RT received the WTM Highly Commended Award and in 2008-09 and 2015-16 won the National Tourism award in Best Responsible Tourism initiative. It also received the UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance category and the PATA Gold Award for Corporate Social Responsibility category and PATA Grand Award for environment category. Thereby it became a model for Responsible Tourism around the world.
One visiting Kerala should definitely drop by the calm and composed villages of Kumarakom to witness its transformation from a usual tourist spot to one of the foremost RT destinations of Kerala by following the footsteps of sustainable development and green protocol.
Visit Kumarakom. Take your journey to Kerala to new heights!
India’s iconic Taj Mahal has been threatened in recent months by insect poo – environmentalists say that bugs from the polluted Yamuna river nearby are invading the monument, leaving greenish-black patches of waste on its pristine white marble walls. Over the years, the 17th Century monument has been threatened by pollution, unabashed construction, a crematorium and even bombs.
India’s Supreme Court has criticised the government for what it calls a “failure” to protect the Taj Mahal. The court said both the federal and state government had shown “lethargy” in taking steps to tackle the monument’s deteriorating condition.
The court’s comments came in response to a petition citing concerns about the impact of pollution on the 17th Century monument. The Taj Mahal is one of the world’s leading tourist attractions. It draws as many as 70,000 people every day.
In May this year, the court had already instructed the government to seek foreign help to fix the “worrying change in color” of the marble structure. The court had said then, that the famous tomb, built from white marble and other materials, had turned yellow and was now turning brown and green.
An invasion of the insect called Chironomus Calligraphus (Geoldichironomus) is turning the Taj Mahal green, says environmental activist DK Joshi. Joshi has filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal – a special tribunal set up by the government to deal with environmental disputes – saying that the “explosive breeding” of the pests in the polluted Yamuna river is marring the beauty of the monument.
“Fifty-two drains are pouring waste directly into the river and just behind the monument, Yamuna has become so stagnant that fish that earlier kept insect populations in check are dying. This allows pests to proliferate in the river,” Mr Joshi told the BBC by phone from the northern city of Agra where the Taj is located.
The stains the bugs leave on the marble are washable and workers from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have been trying to scrub the walls clean, but Mr Joshi says frequent scrubbing can take the sheen off the marble. He says the problem has a simple solution – just clean up the Yamuna.
To restore the monument’s beauty, the ASI has been applying “mud packs” on its walls to draw out the pollutants.
Pollution, construction and insect dung are said to be among the causes. The government told the court that a special committee had been set up to suggest measures to prevent pollution in and around the monument.
It has already shut down thousands of factories near the monument, but activists say the white marble is still losing lustre. Sewage in the Yamuna River, which runs alongside the monument, also attracts insects which excrete waste on to its walls, staining them.
Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth, Taj Mahal is often described as one of the wonders of the world. It is also India’s biggest tourist attraction, visited by heads of states, celebrities and millions of Indian and foreign tourists every year. But pollution from the industries in Agra and a nearby oil refinery have seen the white marble yellowing over the years.
AAHOA, the largest hotel owners association in the world, proudly announced a strategic partnership with GlobalHotelNetwork.com, a highly-respected global media brand and resource for the hospitality industry. The partnership will focus on content development and sharing for both GlobalHotelNetwork.com and AAHOA’s members and facilitating a discussion on topics such as domestic implications of global hospitality trends and the industry’s issue advocacy at the state and national level.
AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers said, “GlobalHotelNetwork.com is an excellent channel for hotel industry professionals to get timely, relevant, and dependable information on trends and ideas that develop in the hotel industry around the globe. We look forward to working with them and connecting them with AAHOA’s members to facilitate a dialogue about where our industry is headed.”
GlobalHotelNetwork.com CEO and Publisher Robert Harp said, “AAHOA is an industry-leader when it comes to advocacy and organizing its membership to promote policies that support all hoteliers. I am pleased that Chip Rogers will share his insight into advocacy-related issues with GlobalHotelNetwork.com’s readership, and I look forward to providing AAHOA’s members with ideas from some of the influential thought leaders that help shape the global travel and tourism industry.”
Founded in 2000, GlobalHotelNetwork.com (GHN) provides actionable Market Insights and Thought Leadership to CEOs, presidents and decision makers in the global travel and tourism industry. GHN’s Advisory Board consists of 25 hotel company presidents & CEOs. GHN has established a global network of 100+ industry Thought Leaders and is a Sponsor/Supporter of 50+ industry conferences worldwide.
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The nearly 18,000 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
People flying between India and the rest of the world through United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) mega hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi will soon be able to get a free transit visa to spend up to two days there. The UAE government has decided that to grant free transit visas for first 48 hours to transit passengers and this visa can be extended for up to 96 hours by paying 50 Dirham (about Rs 930). The date from which this will be allowed is yet to be announced, say Indian travel industry majors.
UAE is already the single biggest international destination for Indian travellers. Almost a quarter of all international travel to and from India happens on mega UAE carriers like Emirates, flyDubai and Etihad. Jet Airways, in which Etihad has a 24% stake, + also serves as a feeder to Etihad’s long haul flights to Abu Dhabi.
Anywhere up to 75% of people flying on Gulf, including UAE, carriers are only transiting through those hubs between India and rest of the world. So the decision to grant free 48-hour transit visas is expected to further increase the number of visitors to UAE.
Karan Anand of travel major Cox & Kings said: “The move by UAE to exempt transit passengers from all entry fees for the first 48 hours is significant. Travellers who have onward connections can now stay in the UAE and enjoy a range of attractions that the various Emirates have to offer. In fact, this will give a boost to Dubai and Abu Dhabi which are promoting its attractions aggressively in the Indian market. Many new attractions are opening up in these destinations and as Dubai gears up for the 2020 Expo, these measures will boost tourism inflows.”
Indian travel majors are awaiting the date from which this change will be implemented. In terms of flying people in and out of India, Emirates is the biggest international airline. The Jet-Etihad combine is the biggest airline in terms of international travel to and from India.
“According to Dubai Tourism statistics, Dubai attracted over 2.1 million Indian tourists in 2017 +— 15% more than the previous year. India is the number one source market for the emirate,” said a senior official of a travel major. “Similarly, in 2017 Abu Dhabi attracted over 3.60 lakh Indian tourists, 11% more than previous year 2016. Emirates such as Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah have also stepped up promotion in the Indian market. This is aided by more flight connections from India to the UAE,” said the official.
Gulf nations are going all out to woo Indian travelers and are relaxing visa norms. UAE grants visa on arrival to Indian Nationals with a valid US Visa. Oman will also do the same to Indians who reside in or hold an entry visa to US, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan and Schengen States. Last August, Qatar had allowed Indians and nationals of 46 other countries to stay for up to 60 days there without a prior visa.
Indian goverment plans to merge the process with Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems Project (CCTNS), a project first conceptualized by the UPA government in 2009; this will eliminate the need of doing the physical police verification for getting a new passport.
With the implementation of CCTNS, the manual process of police verification could be simplified with just a few clicks. Also, the old process which resulted in bribing the local police officers when they come to verify the address and identity will come at a halt.
As per the Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said the CCTNS, an exhaustive national database of crimes and criminals was expected to be linked with the passport service of the External Affairs Ministry. CCTNS will check the past history and background of the applicants with a single click.
Mehrishi told reporters, “For passport credentials, police is already using CCTNS in some states. Police will be given handheld devices to upload applicant’s details upon reaching their home. This will not only minimize the contact of the applicant with the police officer to curb bribing but also reduce the time for getting the passport.”
After Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched the CCTNS project, which will connect all the 15,398 police stations of the county, Mehrishi said the CCTNS had been expanded for further use by incorporating citizen-centric services like – tenant verification, which could be done with the consent of the person being verified, connecting the network with criminal justice delivery system and quick registration of FIR in any crime.
Adding about the safety of the database, the Home Secretary said “chances of database hacking was always there, but enough provisions have been made to safeguard the same and National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre had been employed for the task.
The Home Minister said the digital police would facilitate citizens to register complaints online and request for background verifications with just a few clicks. “The police portal will give 11 searches and 46 reports from the national database for state police and central investigation agencies. Central investigating and research agencies have also been provided logins to the digital police database to access crime statistics,” Mr. Singh said.
Mr. Singh said the CCTNS has resulted 13,777 police stations out of 15,398 to register 100% data into the software. He said so far, 7 crore data records related to past and current criminal cases is already there in the CCTNS national database. The project will make it possible to link about 15,398 police stations and 5,000 offices of supervisory police officers across the country.
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association, AAHOA, kicked off its two-day Spring National Advocacy Conference as over 250 hoteliers from across the country visited Washington, DC on May 8th to meet with their legislators on Capitol Hill. They highlighted how the hospitality industry is a key economic driver in the United States, a press release said.
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association, whose members are mostly Indian-Americans, and which represents an estimated 50 percent of the U.S. hospitality industry, also launched a new digital training for members and their employees May 2, that focuses on raising awareness of human trafficking in the hospitality industry.
“America’s hoteliers create jobs, welcome guests into our communities, and provide a valuable service to travelers across the nation. AAHOA members are eager to share their knowledge of the hospitality industry with our congressional leaders. Whether its highlighting how they are reinvesting the tax savings generated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as they create new jobs, increase wages, and expand their properties, or discussing the important steps our industry is taking to combat human trafficking, AAHOA members are letting our lawmakers know about the issues that matter most to them,” said AAHOA Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel.
The AAHOA Vice Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala testified before the House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access. Panwala focused on the impact of the travel and tourism industry on the American economy and highlighted the contributions of hotels and discussed the challenges the industry faces.
“It is a privilege to appear before the Congress and share the story of our industry and the important role that travel and tourism play in driving the American economy. This week, hundreds of AAHOA members are meeting with their elected officials and sharing their stories of small business success and helping our lawmakers understand how the policies they create are affecting their constituencies, Panwala said, according to an AAHOA press release.
“The economic indicators in America’s travel and tourism industry point to strong economic performance and a promising future. Unemployment is low, and business and consumer confidences are high. Hoteliers are increasing wages and workers are in demand,” said Panwala.
Earlier, in the May 2 AAHOA announcement of a joint partnership with Polaris, an organization that fights against ‘modern slavery’ the Indian-American hoteliers announced that the AAHOA Human Trafficking Awareness Training (HTAT) is available exclusively to AAHOA’s nearly 18,000 members and the over 600,000 employees at member properties at no cost, the news release said.
“Hoteliers have a moral imperative to prevent human trafficking at their properties,” AAHOA Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel is quoted saying in the press release. “Unfortunately, the privacy and anonymity that are inherent in the hotel industry, as well as the frequent turnover of clientele, make hotels an attractive venue for criminals looking to exploit trafficking victims,” Hitesh Patel noted.
“With a membership that owns about one in every two hotels across the United States, AAHOA is capitalizing on that reach to promote education and awareness of human trafficking,” said AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “This important training not only focuses on sex trafficking, but also on labor trafficking, which can be difficult to spot,” Rogers added.
Being a conscientious employer means understanding how labor brokers and recruiters exploit workers and requesting supply chain transparency to ensure that no one is being forced to work against his or her will, Rogers said. “Hoteliers are uniquely positioned to disrupt the criminal networks and individuals that exploit society’s most vulnerable through human trafficking, and they can save lives in the process,” Rogers emphasized.
“This new training developed with Polaris will go a long way to help hoteliers and their employees identify the signs of sex and labor trafficking, assist victims, and work with law enforcement to keep this criminal activity out of our communities,” Hitesh Patel said speaking at a Houston, Texas roundtable discussion on the issue, hosted by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-TX. The roundtable also included representatives from the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, and Polaris.
“This training is a vital tool in the fight against sex trafficking and forced labor,” said Joe Racalto, director of Government Relations at Polaris said, adding, “Education is one of the keys to ending modern slavery and restoring freedom and dignity to survivors. By making it freely available to so many hoteliers and hotel workers, we can quickly raise awareness of the issue.”
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, its website says. The more than 17,700 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States, with billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees. “AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream,” the website notes.
AAHOA, in partnership with Polaris, a global leader in the fight against modern slavery, launched a new digital training for members and their employees that focuses on raising awareness of human trafficking in the hospitality industry. The AAHOA Human Trafficking Awareness Training (HTAT) is available exclusively to AAHOA’s nearly 18,000 members and the over 600,000 employees at member properties at no cost.
“Hoteliers have a moral imperative to prevent human trafficking at their properties,” said AAHOA Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel. “Unfortunately, the privacy and anonymity that are inherent in the hotel industry, as well as the frequent turnover of clientele, make hotels an attractive venue for criminals looking to exploit trafficking victims. This new training developed with Polaris will go a long way to help hoteliers and their employees identify the signs of sex and labor trafficking, assist victims, and work with law enforcement to keep this criminal activity out of our communities.”
Patel made his remarks today in Houston, Texas, where he participated in a roundtable discussion about raising awareness of and preventing human trafficking. The roundtable, hosted by House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), also included representatives from the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign and Polaris.
“This training is a vital tool in the fight against sex trafficking and forced labor,” said Joe Racalto, Director of Government Relations at Polaris. “Education is one of the keys to ending modern slavery and restoring freedom and dignity to survivors. By making it freely available to so many hoteliers and hotel workers, we can quickly raise awareness of the issue.”
The AAHOA Human Trafficking Awareness Training provides an overview of sex and labor trafficking, discusses red flags, and provides case examples. Participants are also informed about appropriate steps to respond to suspected instances of trafficking. Upon completion of the training, participants earn a certificate which may satisfy state and/or local training requirements.
“With a membership that owns about one in every two hotels across the United States, AAHOA is capitalizing on that reach to promote education and awareness of human trafficking. This important training not only focuses on sex trafficking, but also on labor trafficking, which can be difficult to spot. Being a conscientious employer means understanding how labor brokers and recruiters exploit workers and requesting supply chain transparency to ensure that no one is being forced to work against his or her will. Hoteliers are uniquely positioned to disrupt the criminal networks and individuals that exploit society’s most vulnerable through human trafficking, and they can save lives in the process,” said AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers.
AAHOA Human Trafficking Awareness Training is available through AAHOA’s website (http://www.aahoa.com/htat/). Non-members can register for and complete the training by either renewing their AAHOA membership or joining the association.
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The nearly 18,000 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.
The Israeli government has hailed Air India’s new nonstop service from New Delhi to Tel Aviv as a historic breakthrough — the Indian carrier is the first commercial airline to take a geopolitical shortcut through Saudi Arabian airspace.
But Israel’s national airline, El Al, still has to take the long way and fears that it will suffer serious financial damage from what it views as aerial discrimination.
So in a first of its own, El Al petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court on Wednesday, filing suit against the government; the Civil Aviation Authority; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; the transportation minister, Yisrael Katz; and Air India.
Flying in a straight line cuts more than two hours off the usual flight time, and allows Air India to lower its ticket price. Even though Saudi Arabia granted permission for the route, El Al is asking the Israeli court to prevent Air India from taking the shorter path unless the Israeli carrier
receives a similar permit.
The dispute was touched off by Air India’s inaugural flight last week from New Delhi. As is the case with most of its neighbors in the Middle East, Israel does not have formal diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, and the Saudis have for decades banned jets traveling to or from Israel from crossing their airspace.
India is an incredible place to visit – an explosion of culture and colour and diversity. The food is incredible, the cinema brilliant, and the people generally warm, open and friendly. You’ll get a lot of stares as a foreigner, but you’ll make a lot of friends too. India’s history may be fraught and complex (thanks in no small part to the British Empire), but for travellers it can be an absolute joy to visit.
There’s way more to it than the Taj Mahal – though that’s definitely a highlight – but it would take months if not years to explore all its vast and varied terrain. Here are seven things you should know before you go. It’s probably even bigger than you think As the 7th largest country in the world, you might realize that India is pretty big. But it’s only when you get there and have to navigate the transportation system that you realize its true scale.
Prepare to spend whole days travelling between places. After all, it’s a country housing over 1.3 billion people – that requires a lot of space! It’s incredibly diverse (Picture: Grad Gone Global) India has loads to offer: intricately decorated mosques and busy markets and shiny new shopping malls. You can go from the peaks of the Himalayas to the beaches and liberalism of Goa, exploring temples and forts and palaces. But pro tip: if you’re planning a trip there, be aware that you might be going from scarves and coats in the mountains to bikinis on the beach.
Most locals don’t call them ‘tuk-tuks’ Parking (Picture: Grad Gone Global) Those fun three wheeled vehicles that run off a scooter engine are more often referred to as ‘autos’ (short for auto-rickshaw). People will know what you mean if you say ‘tuk-tuk’, but it’s good to have the insider knowledge. Motorbikes are a family vehicle You might see a whole class of school children stuffed into an auto, but even more mind-boggling is when you spot a family of five all aboard a motorbike.
There are 23 different recognised languages Though Hindi and English are the two official languages used in the central government, there are plenty of others besides. Hindi is by far the most widely spoken, but Bengali, Gujarati, Telegu and Marathi are all used regionally – among many others. Chai is not just a drink, it’s a way of life The delicious concoction known as ‘chai’ – tea leaves brewed for hours on end with cloves, ginger and all manner of other spices – will quickly become an addiction. When you go home you will probably begin to feel that bog-standard English breakfast tea is quite boring. And, fun fact: ‘chai’ is the Hindi word for tea. So ‘chai tea’ should not be a thing. There’s almost more festival days than not One good reason to visit India is that the country is obsessed with festivals. Religious diversity means that there are all manner of different groups celebrating at different times of year – and everyone else tends to join in anyway. If you want to time your visit, I’d highly recommend going for the colourful festivities of Holi around March time, or Diwali, the festival of light, around November.
Teen Vogue has named Samhita Mukhopadhyay as the executive editor of the popular world renowned journal. In this role, Mukhopadhyay will manage and oversee Teen Vogue’s editorial team and work closely on brand strategy, reporting to chief content officer Phillip Picardi.
“I have admired Samhita’s work from afar for quite some time. I deeply respect her ability to tackle complex topics and distill them in a sensible way for a young, engaged, and conscientious audience,” says Picardi.“After getting to know Samhita through this process, I am confident that her experience as an editor and a leader is exactly what we need to further propel Teen Vogue into the future. It’s an honor to welcome her as a leader of this incredible team.”
Prior to joining Teen Vogue, Mukhopadhyay was the senior editorial director of culture and identities at Mic, where she led the teams responsible for the site’s groundbreaking coverage on Standing Rock, The Movement for Black Lives, Islamophobia, trans issues, and sexual assault on college campuses. Earlier in her career, she served as executive editor of Feministing.com. She is the coeditor of Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance and Revolution in Drumpf’s America, and the author of Outdated: Why Dating is Ruining Your Love Life. Her work has appeared in Al Jazeera, The Guardian, New York, Medium, Talking Points Memo, Mic, and Jezebel.
A prominent speaker, Mukhopadhyay has presented at Women in the World, SXSW, California Coalition for Sexual Assault, and at universities including Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, NYU, and Rutgers. Mukhopadhyay graduated from SUNY Albany with a degree in women’s studies and sociology, and holds a master’s degree in women and gender studies from San Francisco State University.
“I am deeply impressed with Teen Vogue’s coverage of the most important issues impacting young women’s lives today, as well as with Phill’s leadership,” says Mukhopadhyay. “I am honored and excited to help lead this vibrant and inspired team to expand and deepen their coverage on everything from body positivity, fashion, pop culture, Black Lives Matter, college sexual assault, and more.”
In addition, Teen Vogue has elevated Ella Cerón to the role of deputy editor, reporting to Mukhopadhyay. Cerón first joined Teen Vogue in 2015, and most recently served as digital West Coast & evenings editor. Earlier in her career, she worked as social media editor at The Cut. Cerón graduated from Fordham University where she studied English language and literature.
Teen Vogue is the young person’s guide to saving the world. We aim to educate, enlighten, and empower our audience to create a more inclusive environment—both on- and offline—by amplifying the voices of the unheard, telling stories that normally go untold, and providing resources for teens looking to make a tangible impact in their communities.
India has a long history of migration. More than a century ago, large numbers of Indian migrants – many of them involuntary ones – moved to Africa, the Caribbean and within the Indian subcontinent itself. Some of the top destinations of Indian migrants in more recent decades include Persian Gulf countries, North America and Europe.
Most recently, Indians have looked towards the West with US as the top-most destination. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, considered a “low immigration” think tank based in Washington, D.C., India has sent the largest number of immigrants to the U.S. over the past six years – more than 654,000. The report released on October 16th stated that the overall immigrant population in the U.S. is currently 43.7 million, and will reach 72 million by the year 2050. The report did not distinguish between documented and undocumented residents.
As per a Pew Research report, as of 2015, 15.6 million people born in India were living in other countries. India has been among the world’s top origin countries of migrants since the United Nations started tracking migrant origins in 1990. The number of international Indian migrants has more than doubled over the past 25 years, growing about twice as fast as the world’s total migrant population.
Nearly half of India’s migrants are in just three countries: the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and the United States. About 3.5 million Indians live in the UAE, the top destination country for Indian migrants. Over the past two decades, millions of Indians have migrated there to find employment as laborers. Pakistan has the second-largest number of migrants, with 2 million.
Almost 2 million more live in the U.S., making up the country’s third-largest immigrant group. Among Indian Americans, nearly nine-in-ten were born in India. As a whole, Indian Americans are among the highest educated and have some of the highest income among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.
Parsing data from the federally-mandated 2016 American Community Survey and the national census, CIS noted that immigration from India has grown by 37 percent from 2010 to 2016. Currently, more than 2.4 million Indian immigrants reside in the U.S., up from approximately 1 million in 2000. The Indian immigrant population is almost equivalent to the Chinese immigrant population, which is estimated at approximately 2.7 million in 2016.
The biggest jumps in immigration percentages were primarily from South Asian countries. Immigration from Nepal jumped a whopping 86 percent; currently, more than 129,000 immigrants from Nepal reside in the U.S., a huge leap from 1990, when only 2,000 Nepalis immigrated to the country.
Bangladesh also had a substantial increase in immigration over the past six years – 56 percent – with a total population of almost 235,000 Bangladeshi immigrants in the U.S. in 2016. The population of Pakistanis in the U.S. increased by 28 percent over the last six years to almost 383,000.
By contrast, immigration from Mexico – traditionally thought of as the greatest contributor of immigrants to the U.S. – has just about stopped, to a negative 1 percent last year. Latin American countries – excluding Mexico – collectively had an immigration growth rate of 13 percent over the past six years.
California is home to the largest number of immigrants – more than 10 million – of any state in the nation, but Texas and Florida had the biggest numbers of immigrants moving to the states.
CIS is headed by Mark Krikorian, described by The Washington Post as “the provocateur standing in the way of immigration reform.” The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled CIS a “hate group.”
In an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Steven Camarota, one of the authors of the report, decried the growth in the immigrant population, and noted that there were no policy discussions to potentially stem the growth of legal immigration.
Both Carlson and Camarota said they had not met an immigrant they didn’t like, but Camarota also noted that the influx of immigrants uses up the nation’s resources, contributes to heavy road traffic, and the housing crisis. “One-third of all children in poverty live in immigrant households,” he said, adding that the U.S. must exercise its capacity to control the influx of new immigrants.
In addition to immigrants, there were slightly more than 16.6 million U.S.-born minor children with an immigrant parent in 2016, for a total of 60.4 million immigrants and their children in the country, noted CIS, adding that immigrants and their minor children now account for nearly one in five U.S. residents.
Olga Noskova, Russian Pastry Chef extraordinaire broke Instagram on May 2016 by gaining 300k followers overnight, a jump from her previous 34,000 followers, after sharing a few pictures of her eclectic cake which would go on to become her trademark “mirror glaze” technique. The internet drooled over every glamorous and blindingly shining masterpiece that she shared. Even as thousands of cake enthusiasts shared her cake designs praising it with words like “flawless”,”trippy and groovy”, “mesmerizing” and it was Britney Spears tweet: “This cake is too perfect to eat” that made the Russian Pastry Chef realize her own multimedia celebrity status.
A year into her phenomenal rise as the most sought after Cake designer and being in the spotlight has in no way dampened her ongoing passion to deliver the most perfect, glamorous and awe inspiring confection and her thriving Instagram account is proof of that
Currently she is gearing up for a Mega event where she will get to rub shoulders with the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Samuel L Jackson, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and many others at “The 9th Shorty Awards” to be held in October this year in New York City. She has bagged a prestigious nomination as a finalist in the “Food” category. The Shorty Awards annually honor the best of social media by recognizing the influencer, brand and organization on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, snapchat and others.
Ancy James got in touch with her to share with our viewers her inspirations and share some light on the creative process of making her gorgeous cakes. We asked her about her journey to the top and how much life has changed since 2016, between then and now and her plans for the coming years.
Ancy James:
You have to give yourself credit for making history in instagram by adding 300k followers in less than 24 hrs last year with your glamorous mirror cakes and being the inspiration for cake afficianados around the world. Even the DIY(Do it yourself) kitchen table entrepreneurs are trying their hand at replicating your mirror glaze technique. In less than a year you have been recognized as a social media influencer with your prestigious nomination in the food category this year at ‘the shorty awards thanks to your every increasing followers. How do you feel about your phenomenal path to the top?
Olga Noskova:
In cooking, as in the fashion industry has its own legislature, trendsetters. Most often, they are world-famous masters of their craft, working with well-known restaurants or influential persons. Perhaps ordinary people have never heard of them, but they are well known in their circles. However, sometimes previously unknown confectioner can surprise the world with any of his incredible technique and conquer it, becoming the progenitor of a new trend. This is what happened to me. Many manufactures made mousse cakes, but my style of mirror glaze helped me stand apart from the general mass, and now, many associate mousse cake with my name. It’s a big responsibility because, now the world, professionals and amateurs alike are watching me and my work, and I always must be at a decent level in representing this trend in the confectionery art.
Ancy James
Pl share a little bit of the journey to becoming a multimedia celebrity. How has life changed after becoming the most popular and followed cake artist on the net?
Olga Noskova:
All started with a dream. I was an economist but I wanted to find something that would bring me pleasure daily. Do you know the English say: “Water dripping day by day wears the hardest rock away”? So, every day I tried to create something so beautiful and lovely. And thanks to my unbelievable mirror and delicious cakes my popularity started to grow. The stars smiled at me. In my case, the first star who rated my talent is Britney Spears 🙂
The British “Independent” wrote my cake is “absolutely impeccably”. The BuzzFeed called my work is “absolutely flawless” and wrote that they are “too good to be eaten”.
One day I woke up famous in the world. My Instagram increased to 613K followers. I could not believe what had happened to me! Their comments, admiration, love – that’s what makes me understand that this is not a hobby and not a job. This is my life!
Ancy James
You have seen phenomenal success in an industry where it is very important to offer something unique and different. How have you kept yourself grounded and what is your strategy to keep the internet drooling over you flawless and incredible creations in the coming years?
Olga Noskova:
I do not follow trends; I try to develop myself in the direction I have chosen. I love to experiment and explore new design options, combinations of textures, fillings and colors. Minimalism in details, incredible play of colors and combinations, memorable taste – all part of my style. Therefore, throughout 2017. I plan to continue to develop in this direction. But that’s not all) To remain trendsetter, it is needed to look ahead of the curve. Therefore, I now firmly engaged in studying extremely difficult, but at the same time, incredibly beautiful and unique technology that will not leave anyone indifferent.
Ancy James:
What inspires you to work so hard to create new designs. How do you draw inspiration from your life?
Olga Noskova:
My cake for me is pure “art”. I’m a pastry chef and an artist. I’m inspired by paintings by Van Gogh, Monet, Gauguin, Korovin. Their style and the transmission, infinite movement, fluidity of moment, a riot of colors – everything is so dynamic and passes you up a glimpse of the artist. The cake is my canvas. I paint my works in the soul and reproduce it. I strive to make every of my cake better than the previous. I guess what my followers want; I feel them and create for them. I draw inspiration from everywhere: from nature and its constant mutability, from the universe and its forces, from the world’s largest events. For example, when I think of infinity and majesty of the universe, I feel her strength and energy. I know that the universe helps, if you really want, and so always speak to her. I have a whole lot of cakes, dedicated to space, each of which is unique, as the universe itself. Every time it’s a new cosmic history, combining the incredible aureole, shine, color versatility, depth and power of outer space. As they say it is better to see once, so check my Instagram @olganoskovaa.
Ancy James:
Every month we see new and innovative tools and technology being introduced to the Cake decorating and Pastry world on some social platform or another. Which ones are your favorite?
Olga Noskova
To be honest, I like to do everything myself, using my hands. I do not have a large, mass production, which requires special equipment to accelerate the process.
I can afford to create. Sometimes ideas for cake decoration come during the actual creation process, and sometimes I ponder them in advance each detail, color. In each cake I put my love, happiness, and a piece of my soul. I think this is one of the secrets of the popularity of my cakes.
Ancy James:
How do you de-stress/let-off steam after a hard day at work?
Olga Noskova:
Orders are enough. Even if I’m not making cakes, I’m always looking for ideas. Now a lot of problems for the development of the brand, especially abroad. The Arab countries are showing great interest in my cakes and spent a lot of time to negotiate and discuss details.
But I always find time for family! It is very important for me to be there, do not miss any important moment. We like to spend weekends out of town, a break from the city bustle, enjoying nature and family gatherings.
And I love hockey! I try not to miss the games of Salavat Yulaev and root for them with all my heart. Now, I began to actively participate in the life of the club, most recently, my cake was put up for charity auction as a lot, and we helped to make this world a better place for special children.
Ancy James:
What advice would you give cake decorators who are flooded with new ideas but haven’t yet managed to develop their own style?
Olga Noskova:
Of course, in the beginning it is important to get the basic knowledge of the confectionery business in any kind of courses or workshops. This will be your foundation. I got my first experience from well-known foreign and Russian chiefs, absorbing like a sponge, their knowledge and advice. But if you want to become a true professional, stand out from the masses, you should not be afraid to take a chance. Begin to experiment, to try, to mix and find your perfect recipe. The true recipe can only be achieved by trial and error. Do not look at others, choose what you like, what you do best and take that route, developing and improving. Always keep learning, do not stop there.
Ancy James, after pursuing a career (16 years) as a television producer, at age 37, changed her life course by getting a Culinary and cake diploma and a few international cakes decorating certifications from international cake artists. Her stint of two years (2014-2016) running a small business in New Delhi, boosted her network with top notch cake aficionados and it got her thinking of writing a column with their views on global cake decorating trends. In 2016, she wrote columns for Indian top two bakery industry magazines, bakery biz and bakery review.
A higher share of foreign students and exchange visitors than international tourists or business travelers overstayed their permission to be in the U.S. last year, according to a new Department of Homeland Security report. Overall, about 629,000 foreign visitors who were expected to leave the country in fiscal 2016 were still in the U.S. when the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, out of about 50 million arrivals by air and sea.
The scope of the government’s report for fiscal 2016 is limited: It covers 96% of foreign visitors who arrived by air and sea, but not lawful arrivals over land borders from Canada and Mexico, which account for about 250 million arrivals a year. (The agency’s first partial estimate of fiscal 2015 overstays, published last year, covered 85% of air and sea visitors and did not include those with visas for students or temporary workers and their family members. The new report includes these groups.)
The number and share of foreign visitors who become unauthorized immigrants by overstaying their permission to be in the U.S. vary widely by visa type and by home country. Among all foreign visitors covered by the report, the overstay rate at the end of the 2016 fiscal year was 1.25%. The overstay rate was 2.74% for student and exchange visitors, meaning that about 42,000 were suspected to be still in the U.S. among the 1.5 million who were expected to leave in that year. Among the 47 million business and pleasure travelers due to leave, the rate was lower (1.18%) but the overstay number was higher (553,000).
The agency also reported data for a category that included mainly temporary workers and their families. Among the 1.9 million people in this category expected to leave in fiscal 2016, about 33,000 were still in the U.S. as of Sept. 30, a 1.76% overstay rate.
The largest number of overstayers came from Canada (about 119,000, a 1.3% overstay rate), followed by Mexico (about 47,000, a 1.5% overstay rate) and Brazil (39,000, a 1.8% overstay rate). As a group, countries with visa-waiver programs (such as the United Kingdom or Spain), where the U.S. does not require a visa for temporary visits, had lower overstay rates than Canada, Mexico and countries without visa-waiver programs.
Countries with the highest overstay rates tended to send smaller numbers of visitors. For example, 47% of students and exchange visitors from Burkina Faso who were supposed to leave in fiscal 2016 were still in the U.S. at the end of the fiscal year, or 327 out of 699 people.
Congress has been pressing the government for well over a decade to improve tracking of foreign visitors who overstay their deadlines to leave, in part because some of the plane hijackers on Sept. 11, 2001, were foreigners on expired visas. Another reason for the growing focus on overstays is that they may be a growing share of the nation’s unauthorized immigrant population: Decreased border apprehensions and other data point to a declining inflow of people crossing the border illegally.
The agency’s snapshot of foreign visitors who overstay their deadlines to leave differs from a portrait of the overall U.S. unauthorized-immigrant population of 11 million in 2015, derived from Pew Research Center estimates. Mexicans accounted for about half of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants that year, but they were just 7% of fiscal 2016 overstayers who had arrived by air and sea. Canadians, who accounted for 19% of fiscal 2016 overstayers who had arrived by air and sea, were about 1% of all unauthorized immigrants in 2014, according to the latest Center estimate.
Looking at changes from 2015 to 2016, the numbers of tourists or business travelers who overstayed their permission to be in the U.S. and were in the country at the end of the fiscal year rose by about 71,000, or 15%. The number of people who overstayed rose for all regions of the world.
In both fiscal years, the number of people who overstayed declined after the fiscal year ended because some left the country. The report said about 545,000 overstayers from fiscal 2016 were still in the U.S. in January 2017. The number of fiscal 2016 overstayers currently is estimated to be about 455,000, compared with 629,000 at the end of the fiscal year last fall, DHS official John Wagner told a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on May 23. The number of fiscal 2015 overstayers was 355,000 in June 2016, down from 429,000 the previous fall.
The government’s data on foreign visitors who leave the U.S. by air or sea comes from commercial airlines and passenger vessel manifests, but is not always accurate, according to a recent audit report by DHS’s inspector general’s office. DHS Inspector General John Roth said in the May 23 hearing that passenger manifests can be up to 95% accurate, but there are errors in both directions: People can falsely be listed as departed or not included on the list of departures. Congress has been pushing DHS to collect biometric data such as fingerprints or iris scans to ensure better exit information, and the agency has been doing so on a trial basis. Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it has updated its website to allow some foreign visitors to check the status of their stay and see how many days they have remaining.
Compared with data about tourists or business travelers, records for foreign students, exchange visitors and temporary workers are more challenging to track, because many seek to extend their permission to stay or switch to a longer-term or permanent visa. Students may be admitted for a certain period, or for the duration of a program without a set timeframe. Data on foreign students relies heavily on schools, which report the information into the Student and Exchange Visitor Information database.
The largest number of fiscal 2016 student and exchange visitor overstayers came from China (about 8,000), followed by India (3,000) and South Korea (2,000). In the category that mainly includes temporary workers, the countries with the largest number of overstayers were India (about 6,000), the Philippines (6,000) and Mexico (2,000).
In addition to potential accuracy issues caused by faulty federal records or third-party data, the government’s overstay methodology and reported results have other potential weaknesses. The 50 million admissions counted in fiscal 2016 include some people who came to the U.S. more than once, for example, but the overstay number counts each person only once. If each visitor were counted only once, the admissions figure likely would be smaller than 50 million and the overstay rate would be larger than the one in the DHS report.
The New York University (NYU) International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference will welcome Asian American Hotel Owners Association President and CEO Chip Rogers to the stage on Monday to deliver an industry association update.
Now in its 39th year, the NYU conference draws the country’s best and brightest industry leaders for three days of workshops, panels, and networking focused on current and projected realities in hospitality. Previous years have featured speakers including U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Down, Best Western Hotels & Resorts CEO David Kong, and Deloitte’s U.S. Leader (Hospitality) Stephen Jennings.
Rogers will speak alongside Katie B. Fallon, Hilton’s global head of corporate affairs, and Katherine Lugar, American Hotel & Lodging Association president and CEO, in a discussion focused on what is happening in Washington, DC that will influence the hospitality industry in the months and years to come. Loews Hotels & Co. Chairman and CEO Jonathan M. Tisch will moderate.
“I welcome the particular emphasis on the importance of advocacy at one of the preeminent conferences in the lodging industry,” Rogers said. “I look forward to hearing my fellow panelists thoughts on working with the new Congress and new administration and how we can work together to ensure American hospitality continues to thrive.”
The conference will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City on June 4-6. For more information, please visit the NYU conference website. AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The more than 16,000 AAHOA members own almost 1 in every 2 hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community in the United States. As an association, AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American Dream.
Ellen Barry of The New York Times has won the 2017 Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia for a series of stories examining the role of women in India’s economy and society, and the barriers to their entry into the workforce despite a prolonged economic expansion. Her stories depict the struggles of women in a traditional Indian village to work outside the home and young women leaving their villages to work in a textile factory in the city of Bangalore.
“Ellen Barry’s subtle, beautifully descriptive narratives of the lives of working Indian women explore the conflict between deep-set traditions and the propulsive changes of a modernizing economy,” said Marcus Brauchli, who chairs the independent jury that made the selection. “Her vivid depictions of the gap between dreams and reality, between the past and the hurtling present, will bring understanding to all who read them.”
The jury also recognized as finalists Anna Fifield of The Washington Post “for her remarkable reporting on the long, dark shadow North Korea casts and the curious ways of its ruling classes” and a Reuters team “for its forthright and courageous coverage of the Philippines’ vigilante-style, state-sanctioned drug war, in which thousands were killed last year in mysterious and often suspicious circumstances.”
Barry will be honored at a luncheon event at Asia Society in New York on May 23, also featuring Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait and a special tribute to Seymour Topping, renowned foreign correspondent at the Associated Press, former managing editor of The New York Times, and former administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, according to the Asia Society.
“Asia Society is thrilled to honor Ellen Barry and The New York Times with the Osborn Elliott Prize,” said Asia Society Executive Vice President Tom Nagorski, in a statement. “With her eye-opening series on women in India, Barry joins an illustrious group of honorees, all of whom represent the kind of journalism that Osborn Elliott spent his career championing and that the prize was established to honor.”
Established in 2003, the “Oz Prize” honors the late Osborn Elliott, legendary journalist, author and former editor-in-chief of Newsweek. Elliott was a leading figure in the field of journalism who became one of the earliest practitioners of “civic journalism”—the deliberate focusing of the journalistic enterprise on urgent issues of public policy. The $10,000 cash award is presented annually to the best example of journalism about Asia during the previous calendar year.
Barry has been the Delhi Bureau Chief for The New York Times since June 2013. Barry served as a correspondent for the Times in Moscow beginning in 2008, and became bureau chief there in March 2011. In April 2011, she won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting for her work with Clifford J. Levy, former Moscow bureau chief, on Russia’s faltering justice system.
Barry joined the Times as a Metro reporter in January 2007. She was previously a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, covering the South as Atlanta bureau chief. From 1999 to 2003, Barry worked for The Boston Globe, first as a New England rover, then on foreign desks in Central Asia and Iraq, and as a mental health beat reporter. From 1996 to 1999, she was a feature writer at the Boston Phoenix, and from 1993 to 1995, she was a copy editor and staff reporter for the Moscow Times.
Barry began her career in journalism as a managing board member of the Yale Daily News in 1993. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2004 for her beat reporting on mental health. She was also a 2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Feature Writing for her “Lost Boys of Sudan” series. That series also earned her the American Society of Newspaper Editors 2002 Distinguished Writing Award for Non-Deadline Writing. In addition, she is the recipient of the American Society of Newspaper Editors 2004 Jesse Laventhol Prize for Deadline News Reporting by a Team for coverage of the Rhode Island nightclub fire. Barry graduated from Yale University in 1993 with a B.A. in English literature and additional coursework in nonfiction writing and Russian language.
The Oz Prize Jury comprises Chair Marcus Brauchli, managing partner of North Base Media and former editor of The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal; Dorinda Elliott, editorial and communications director, Paulson Institute; Mei Fong, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author; Bobby Ghosh, editor-in-chief, Hindustan Times; Alec McCabe, executive producer, Bloomberg Podcasts; and Somini Sengupta, UN bureau chief, The New York Times.
Previous winners of the Oz Prize are: Sudarsan Raghavan, Washington Post for his series on Afghanistan (2016)
ATLANTA, May 4, 2017 – The Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) will launch and co-host a session of the ALIS Summer Update’s Development Series this summer.
The series, developed by ALIS and scheduled for four different U.S. cities, features commentary by relevant thought leaders and is expected to draw hundreds of hospitality-industry professionals from around the country.
The Atlanta session will feature an extended program focused on hotel development. AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers will serve as moderator during the “View From the Boardroom” session from 4 to 5 PM. Session speakers include G6 Hospitality President Jim Amorosia; American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Katherine Lugar; IHG CEO of The Americas Elie Maalouf; Noble Investment Group Senior Managing Principal and CEO Mit Shah; and SABDAP, LLC CEO Bruce Patel.
“ALIS is one of the most respected events in the hotel industry, with a reputation for delivering thorough and very timely information on key issues,” Rogers said. “It’s an honor to moderate a panel during this year’s Summer Update alongside some of hospitality’s biggest names.”
The Atlanta program will be held at the W Atlanta Buckhead from 2 to 8 PM. Attendance is complimentary to anyone who attended ALIS 2017 in January; for all other attendees, the registration fee is $260. For more information or to register, please visit AAHOA.com.
Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 16,500 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States.
New Jersey hotelier Bhavesh Patel was named the new chairman of the world’s largest hotel owners association last week. Patel took the reins as the new leader of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association at the group’s annual convention in San Antonio, Texas, last week. U.S. Rep.
“It’s one of the greatest accomplishments of my life to have the opportunity to lead AAHOA,” said Patel. “We have over 16,000 members who own half of the hotels in the country. They’ve placed their trust in me to be their representative on the national stage. I’m excited to take on the responsibility and work to make AAHOA even greater.” Patel said, he wants his tenure to be marked by even greater member engagement in AAHOA’s educational programs, one of the central pillars of the organization’s mission.
“You have to know the ins and outs of running a hotel to be the best you can be,” said Patel. “AAHOA offers so many opportunities to become a better business owner and better hotel owner, including advocacy and knowing what the state and federal governments are doing that affect our industry. I want to continue to expand on and emphasize the importance of these programs with all the different educational platforms we offer and are going to be offering.”
Patel is a Certified Hotel Owner, or CHO, which is AAHOA’s exclusive, nationally recognized certification program for hotel owners and the only program of its kind in the country. In 2016, AAHOA graduated a record 312 new CHOs. Patel is a principal of ADM Hotels, a family-owned, full-service real estate company specializing in hospitality management, development and investments. His portfolio features several multi-brand and independent hotel properties in the Northeast.
Patel has served on the group’s board of directors since 2009 and was elected by the membership to the position of secretary in 2014. The group’s officers are elected to the position of secretary and automatically ascend to treasurer, vice chair and chair annually.
Tom MacArthur, who represents Patel’s hometown of Cinnaminson in Congress, congratulated him on his new role. “A big congratulations to Bhavesh Patel on becoming chairman of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association,” said MacArthur (R, Burlington). “I’ve spoken with Bhavesh many times over the years about how to help our hotel industry thrive and I’m proud to represent him in Congress. I know he’ll be an excellent leader for AAHOA and I look forward to working with him to help support hotel owners across the country and in New Jersey.”
The group’s officers are elected to the position of secretary and automatically ascend to treasurer, vice chair and chair annually. Patel said he wants his tenure as chairman to be marked by even greater member engagement in AAHOA’s educational programs, one of the central pillars of the organization’s mission. “You have to know the ins and outs of running a hotel to be the best you can be,” Patel said.
AAHOA elected a new executive board during the San Antonio convention. Texas hotelier and current North Texas Regional Director Biran Patel was elected as the group’s new secretary. A second-generation hotelier, Patel began his career in the hotel industry as a teenager while his family lived at the hotel they owned. A member for more than 15 years, Patel has served on five AAHOA committees, was previously an AAHOA regional ambassador and has led North Texas as regional director since 2014, according to a AAHOA press release.
Other successful candidates at this year’s AAHOA elections include Piyush Patel (Director at Large); Lina Patel (Female Director at Large – Eastern Division); Purvi Panwala (Young Professional Director at Large – Eastern Division); Nitin (Nick) Patel (Alabama Panhandle Regional Director); Bharat Patel (Florida Regional Director); Girish (Gary) Patel (Gulf Regional Director); Naresh (Nick) Patel (North Central Regional Director); Sunil (Sunny) Patel (Northeast Regional Director); and Mayur (Mike) Patel (North Texas Regional Director). Georgia Regional Director Kapil (Ken) Patel, South Carolina Regional Director Mahesh (Mike) Patel, and Washington District Regional Director Vinaykumar (Vinay) Patel were re-elected.
AAHOA is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and has a government affairs office in Washington, D.C. The group has more than 16,500 members throughout the country, including more than 470 in New Jersey and 340 in Pennsylvania.
Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 16,500 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States.
SAN ANTONIO – The largest gathering of hotel owners in the country set a new record this week as the four-day annual convention and trade show of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association wrapped up, reaching 6,689 attendees and vendors.
“The 2017 AAHOA National Convention and Trade Show surpassed even our highest expectations,” said Chip Rogers, the group’s president and CEO. “Over the past few years, AAHOA has grown tremendously. And that’s because we’ve focused on what matters to members—advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits and community engagement.”
“This year’s convention theme, Evolving Through Collaboration, points to how we’ll continue to grow,” continued Rogers. “As an industry, every time we’ve made a leap forward it’s through working together—owners, brands and vendor-partners.”
The annual confab at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center featured three days of keynote speakers that included Marcus Lemonis, entrepreneur and star of CNBC’s hit show “The Profit,” David Robinson, former San Antonio Spur and 10-time NBA All-Star, and Scott Kelly, former astronaut and U.S. Navy fighter pilot.
“A big thank you to our keynote speakers for inspiring us with their words of wisdom on leadership and business,” said Rogers. “A special thank you to David Robinson, who is one my personal heroes. He’s an NBA legend, but his legacy is much greater than his accomplishments on the court. As San Antonians know well, he has tirelessly given back to his community—both financially and through his time and efforts.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) also addressed attendees on Friday, welcoming them to Texas and applauding the economic impact that hospitality and tourism has on the Lone Star State. More than 650,000 jobs are supported by more than $68.7 billion in direct travel spending and $6.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, according to 2015 numbers released by the governor’s office.
The presidents and CEOs of 10 major hotel brands were on hand to speak about the future of the industry. Brands represented include Best Western Hotels & Resorts, Choice Hotels
International, G6 Hospitality, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), La Quinta Inns & Suites, Magnuson Worldwide, Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC), Red Roof Inn, Trump Hotels and Wyndham Hotel Group.
The event also featured one of the largest trade shows in the industry. On Wednesday and Thursday afternoon last week, attendees roamed over 62,000 square feet of exhibit space and networked with more than 400 exhibiting companies. Convention-goers could also attend any of the 11 educational sessions held, with topics ranging from “Make Lodging Great Again” to how hotels can fight human trafficking.
Chip Rogers congratulated Biran Patel of Irving, Texas, for being elected by the AAHOA membership to be an officer of the association Friday. The group’s officers are elected to the position of secretary and automatically ascend to treasurer, vice chair and chair annually, meaning Patel will become chair in 2020.
“We’re very proud our organization is so member-driven, and that starts with our officer elections,” said Rogers. “Congratulations to Biran for his successful election. We know he’ll serve AAHOA with all his heart over the next four years.”
Bhavesh Patel of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, took over the reins as chair on Friday, with Hitesh (HP) Patel of Austin, Texas, becoming vice chair. Jagruti Panwala of Ivyland, Pennsylvania, who last year became the organization’s first-ever woman to be elected an officer, became treasurer.
Bruce Patel of Irving, Texas, stepped down from his four-year term as an officer of AAHOA. He’ll continue to serve on the board as immediate past chair. Rogers thanked the San Antonio community for their amazing hospitality this week.
“San Antonio’s riverwalk and the downtown area is stunning,” commented Rogers. “And the restaurants, shops and other businesses in the area welcomed us with open arms, which we greatly appreciate. We can’t wait to come back.”
The group announced the location and dates of its 2018 convention: March 27-30 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, minutes away from the nation’s capital.
AAHOA was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1989 and is now the largest group of hotel owners in the world with over 16,500 members. Its mission is to advance and protect hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, education, member benefits and community engagement.
Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 16,500 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States.
SAN ANTONIO, April 14, 2017 — Members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) elected Texas hotelier and current North Texas Regional Director Biran Patel as the association’s new secretary today at the group’s annual convention and trade show. “This election was an exciting and very rewarding experience, and I am deeply honored to have been chosen to serve as an AAHOA officer for the next four years,” Patel said after the result was announced.
Patel defeated Cabot, Arkansas, hotelier and Director at Large Jayesh (Jay) Lallu in the election. “I would like to congratulate Jayesh Lallu, my extremely worthy opponent, on a well-run race, and to sincerely thank the AAHOA members for their confidence in my ability to one day lead this association as chairman,” said Patel.
Officers are elected to the position of secretary, and ascend through the treasurer and vice chairman roles before becoming chairman. Patel will become chairman at the 2020 AAHOA convention.
AAHOA hosted its largest annual convention to date last week while its leadership chronicled much of the association’s recent progress, which included continued membership growth, additional educational efforts and, most notably, substantial advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.
Biran Patel
A second-generation hotelier, Patel began his career in the hotel industry as a teenager while his family lived at the hotel they owned. A member for more than 15 years, Patel has served on five AAHOA committees, was previously an AAHOA regional ambassador and has led North Texas as regional director since 2014. He lives in Irving, Texas.
“Biran has repeatedly proven his dedication both to AAHOA and to the hotel industry in general,” said AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “I am delighted to welcome him to the officer ranks and look forward to his continued invaluable contributions to our association.”
Other successful candidates at this year’s AAHOA elections include Piyush Patel (Director at Large); Lina Patel (Female Director at Large – Eastern Division); Purvi Panwala (Young Professional Director at Large – Eastern Division); Nitin (Nick) Patel (Alabama Panhandle Regional Director); Bharat Patel (Florida Regional Director); Girish (Gary) Patel (Gulf Regional Director); Naresh (Nick) Patel (North Central Regional Director); Sunil (Sunny) Patel (Northeast Regional Director); and Mayur (Mike) Patel (North Texas Regional Director). Georgia Regional Director Kapil (Ken) Patel, South Carolina Regional Director Mahesh (Mike) Patel, and Washington District Regional Director Vinaykumar (Vinay) Patel were re-elected.
Taking place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, the event drew some 6,500 attendees. AAHOA Chairman Bharat (Bruce) Patel, who is now Immediate Past Chairman, framed the group’s progress. “The position of AAHOA in our industry has never been higher, the relationship with AAHOA partners has never been stronger, and the value to AHHOA members has never been better. The records we achieved and the industry recognition that follows are a powerful reminder that AAHOA now has both strength and responsibility,” he said.
Patel continued, “Because of the incredible determination of your AAHOA Board of Directors; the dedication of more than 200 ambassadors; the hard work of the AAHOA staff; and most importantly, the support of over 16,500 members, we are realizing our dream. We’re accomplishing our mission, which is to be the voice of America’s hotel owners,” he said.
Patel noted one of the highlights of the group’s accomplishments is the fact that it raised $1,087,725 in PAC (Political Action Committee) donations for the two-year period. He further added that in 2016 more than 1,100 members contributed to the AAHOA PAC, more than 50 percent more than the year before.
Chip Rogers, AAHOA President and CEO, put the accomplishment into perspective for the association, which was founded in 1996. “One year ago Bruce Patel challenged the AAHOA Board and the AAHOA team to do something honestly none of us thought was possible at the time. We set that goal to raise $1 million in PAC donations for the two-year cycle. To put this into perspective if you take all the PAC money that has been raised since PAC was created in 1997 that total was about 938,000 dollars. The goal we were seeking to reach was to raise more in two years than the previous 18 years combined,” he said.
Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 16,500 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. For more information on the 2017 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, please visit AAHOA.com.
ATLANTA, April 5, 2017 – “Hotel Management,” in collaboration with the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), will launch a new one-day conference in Houston on April 24, designed to offer immediately actionable, location-specific hotel-industry metrics for area investors and developers.
In a unique new format, hotel owners and investors will come together to review local market intelligence and operational best practices. Coming on the heels of lower demand caused by the oil crisis combined with rapid supply growth, this series launches in Houston to help the hospitality industry take advantage of the momentum generated by the 2017 Super Bowl.
To help kick off the series, AAHOA Treasurer Hitesh (HP) Patel will speak as part of the conference’s “Minimizing Costs” panel at 11:00 AM.
“With the city’s energy markets set to experience explosive growth over the next several years and tourism at an all-time high, Houston is rapidly becoming a magnet for hotel-industry investors and developers,” said AAHOA Vice Chairman Bhavesh Patel. “The city expects to welcome 20 million annual visitors by 2018, making its selection as a Hotel ROI location a no-brainer.”
The 2017 Hotel ROI series will also travel to Los Angeles, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Charlotte. The Houston event will be held at the Doubletree Suites in Greenway Plaza.
For more information on Hotel ROI and a list of 2017 locations, please visit aahoa.com. Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 16,000 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States.
Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, was subjected to a “secondary immigration check” upon his arrival in the U.S. due to which he had to spend two hours at the airport. “Another random secondary immigration check upon landing in the U.S. Thrice in three visits, the randomness is growing tiresome now,” Abdullah tweeted.
In another tweet he said, “I just spent TWO hours in a holding area & this happens EVERY time. Unlike @iamsrk I don’t even catch Pokémon to pass the time,” a reference to actor Shah Rukh Khan, who was “detained” in August at the Los Angeles airport, the third time in seven years that he had been stopped by U.S. immigration officials at the country’s airports.
Khan, too, had tweeted that while he fully understood and respected security protocols, “to be detained at U.S. immigration every damn time really really sucks.”
Abdullah said he is in the U.S. to speak at an event at New York University “but almost wish stayed at home instead. Ah well, that’s two hours well & truly wasted!!” he said.
He is scheduled to speak at the event organized by the students of New York University on Oct. 21, which is expected to be attended by former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy.
In August, the US had apologized to Shah Rukh Khan, 50, who had tweeted after yet another detention at a US airport: “Every damn time”. The actor has been held back at the New York and New Jersey airports before, because a man with the same name is on a US no-fly list of 80,000 people.
India’s Ministry of Culture and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, signed a Memorandum of Agreement to continue the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program after a pilot project proved successful. The pilot project conducted from 2013 to 2016, provided training for Indian personnel in the latest methods of conserving artifacts and planning exhibitions etc.
The agreement was renewed for the next five years until 2021, and under it the MET will work with the Ministry of Culture to impart a broad range of knowledge on modern operations of museums.
For marking this occasion, the Consulate General of India organized a small reception with the Met Museum officials on Sept 27, where India’s Consul General Riva Ganguly Das welcomed the initiative and hoped the learning would enrich both sides, and help Indian conservationists adopt scientific western methods of conservation and management.
Carrie Rebora Barratt, deputy director for Collections and Administration at the MET, spoke about the need to conserve the rich cultural heritage of India and the mutual learning that will result from the initiative. Mariët Westermann, executive vice president for Programs and Research at Mellon Foundation, the chief sponsor of the program, expressed the same thoughts.
Travelers booking Air India’s new direct 787 Dreamliner service from Newark Liberty International Airport to Ahmedabad can take advantage of the airline’s special Introductory Fare of $787, round trip. The special economy class fare includes all government taxes and fees, including the 9/11 security fee, and fuel surcharges. Tickets must be purchased by July 31. Air India Regional Manager Americas Vandana Sharma told the media.
Giving details of the flight schedules, the District Sales Manager of Air India, Mohan Kothekar said that the flights will operate three times a week, Monday, Thursday, and Friday, starting August 15, 2016, and make a stop in London, enroute. The special fare is good for outbound travel from August 15 to September 30, 2016. There is a $25.00 weekend surcharge for return travel on Fridays, a minimum stay through the first Sunday, and maximum stay of three (3) months. All travel must be completed by December 28, 2016 to qualify. No stopovers are permitted in London, and cancellation and ticketing change fees apply.
Air India’s new Boeing 787 Dreamliners feature a best-in-class Economy class service and a state-of-the-art Business Class service with 180-degree reclining flat beds. As on all Air India flights to India, superb Indian cuisine, including a special Gujarati meal (upon request), is served in both cabins.
Air India has received Global Traveler corporate segment magazine “Best airline of Central/South Asia and India” award on December 16th night at Beverly Hills Peninsula Hotel at Los Angeles. This is the second reader selection award received by Air India.
Earlier, on December 4th, 2015, Air India bagged Premier Traveler corporate travel magazine Award for “Best airline to India”. Recently Air India also won the Quality Diamond award at London.
Air India, in a recent report, said, “Our message of nonstop to India from US, UK, Europe and most global markets, the convenient timings, good service and membership into Star Alliance is reaching discerning audiences.”
Air India, India’s national airline, has been in operation since 1932. Today, the airline serves 35 international destinations on four continents, and 66 cities across India. The airline’s fleet of 118 aircraft, including B787 Dreamliners and B777LR’s and ER’s, is one of the world’s youngest. Air India is also a member of the Star Alliance.
Air India occupies a special place in the global and Indian aviation scenario. It pioneered the aviation in India and its history is synonymous with the history of civil aviation in India. Air India is not a mere airline that transports passengers, baggage and cargo. It is a multi-faceted organization. The aviation infrastructure it has created over the years is a testimony of its contribution. Apart from servicing of all its aircraft in-house with its own engineering facilities,
Air India also undertakes ground handling services of many airlines in many cities in India. Air India has grown to become a mega international airline with a network of 34 destinations across the USA, Europe, Australia, Far-East and South-East Asia and the Gulf. The airline’s domestic network covers 52 destinations, including far-flung areas of the North-East, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Air India, today, flies one of the youngest, state-of-the-art, fleet of aircraft comprising a mix of the wide-body Boeing B777s, B747s, its latest acquisition- the B787 Dreamliner and the narrow body Airbus A321s, A320s and A319 aircraft. For additional information visit airindia.in and/or follow us on Facebook/airindia and on Twitter – @airindiain.
Three Indian American kids were invited to the White House: the Kids’ ‘State Dinner’ hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama recognizing winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a nationwide recipe contest for children to promote cooking and healthy eating on Thursday, July 14th.
Shakthi Ramachandran, 8, from Indiana, Abhijith Jenkins, 11, from Missouri and Priya Patel,10, from Texas were the three Indian Americans among 56 kids representing each U.S. state, five territories, and the District of Columbia, who were invited for the annual ‘State Dinner’ hosted by First Lady.
These young chefs were winners of a nationwide recipe challenge for U.S. students that promoted cooking and healthy eating. The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, part of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative, selected the winners for their original recipes that included fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy.
Ramachandran made ‘Chicken Tikka Pita’ with cucumber raita, Jenkins prepared ‘Tropical Vacation with Catfish and Quinoa’ and Patel cooked ‘Tex-Mex Veg-Head Lasagna.’ The kids, who got a tour of the White House kitchen garden, were also entertained with a performance by the cast of Walt Disney World Resort’s “The Jungle Book.”
Over 1,200 entries were submitted to this year’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. The winning recipes were selected based on their healthfulness, taste, originality, affordability, and following USDA’s MyPlate nutrition guidance. In addition, the challenge encouraged entries to include local ingredients grown in the entrant’s state, territory, or community.
PTI adds: “Since 2012, as part of Let’s Move!, we’ve hosted five of these Kids’ State Dinners here at the White House. And altogether, we’ve reviewed over 6,000 recipe submissions. We’ve welcomed more than 270 young people and their families. And, of course, we ate a whole lot of good food,” the First Lady said in her address to the kids.
The event is not just about eating well today, she said. “It’s setting kids like all of you up for a lifetime of healthy choices. Because here’s what we know: Eating healthy foods can affect how well you do in school. That’s right,” she said.
According to Ramachandran, one day she asked her father how she could make her favorite food, chicken tikka masala, into a sandwich. “I love chicken and I also like to eat a lot of vegetables,” she said. “This recipe combines all these things and is very tasty and delicious. In the summer most of the vegetables we eat are from our garden. The cucumber raita dressing makes it delicious.”
Patel said she was inspired by her mom to make this recipe. “She always tells us to add vegetables to everything we make and to experiment,” she said. “I love Tex-Mex food and also lasagna, so we thought this was a good way to combine both. My mom also tells us to be flexible so we use canned or frozen vegetables if we’re out of fresh,” she said. “You can substitute any veggies and fruits you like. The possibilities are endless. My mom says not having or liking one ingredient is not an excuse to not try a recipe or to buy fast food!”
Since 2012, under this initiative, the First Lady has hosted five Kids’ State Dinners and welcomed more than 270 young people and their families to the White House, and over 6,000 recipe submissions have been reviewed. “And, of course, we ate a whole lot of good food”, she said, to cheers from the 2016 gathering. “That’s a good thing”.
A dream can change one’s life. But with Camellia Panjabi, her dream was to prove to the world that Indian cuisine is as sophisticated and as advanced as French, Japanese, Thai or any other. “We should be proud,” she says, “to be Indian and to be inheritors of such a rich legacy.”
Camellia Panjabi is one of India’s leading culinary personalities, known for her innovative contribution to popularizing Indian regional cuisines within India and London, through trendsetting Indian restaurants. She is also known for having brought the street foods of India from the pavements into plush restaurants both in India and abroad.
It was her passion for learning and popularizing the authentic Indian food that made her dedicate her entire life, sharing of the broad spectrum of Indian cuisine to the rest of the world. In researching the project Camellia was aware of- and succeeded against- certain practical challenges: India was a country with around 1.2 billion people, 14 different languages, 29 States, 7 Union Territories, not to mention various cultures – thereby demonstrating contrasts at least as stark as those found between countries across a varied continent like Europe.
Camellia Panjabi
Little surprise then, to find that a national identity of cuisine was not something originally found in India. Camellia found that recipes were the closely guarded secrets of families across the country. To expand her knowledge of regional Indian cuisine, she embarked upon a project that sought to seek information from those families, private chefs and home cooks, a corollary of which was her publication ‘The 50 Great Curries of India’, which has sold 1.5 million copies, and is probably the best selling cookbook on Indian cuisine outside of India.
In the 1960s when Camellia came down from Cambridge, UK and applied for and was able to join the Tata Administrative Service, which was, in those days was an entirely male bastion. After a stint with Tata Oil Mills, Camellia ended up at Indian Hotels, then no more than a company that managed Bombay’s Taj, which was in a state of decline. Camellia has been credited with innovative ideas that changed the Taj and its success story has come to be admired. From just one Hotel, the Taj group in a span of few years, opened several top notch hotels in major cities across India. The marketing campaigns she launched positioned them as the country’s leading luxury chain.
Until Camellia came along, Indian hotels were not known for their food. It was the Taj that changed all that. Shamiana, the coffee shop at the Bombay hotel, was the first to put things like pao bhaji on the menu and the first 5 star posh hotel in India to offer idlis and dosas on the breakfast menu. When Machan opened in Delhi in 1978, the prices were kept low so that younger people could sample the hotel’s unusual fare – one reason why the old Machan still evokes so much affection in people of my generation.
Camellia was also instrumental in introducing the newly discovered Sichuan Chinese cuisine into India, with The Golden Dragon and The House of Ming which opened in Delhi in 1978. Both changed the way in which Indians looked at Chinese food, and swept India leading to the creation of Chindian food or Sichuan / Ludhianvi cuisine, as India’s leading food critic calls it. Her love of Far Eastern food which led to the opening of Paradise Island restaurant in the Eighties at Taj West End hotel and introduced Indians to the cuisines of Thailand.
Namita & Camellia receiving award for best restaurant London for Amaya
Another contribution that Camellia has been credited with is the Taj’s success in persuading north Indians that there was more to south Indian food than idlis and sambar. It was Camellia who pushed the Taj to explore the cooking of India’s west coast: Goa, Mangalore and Kerala and set up the Karavalli restaurant at Taj Gateway Hotel in Bangalore. It was her love for the peppery hotness of Chettinad food that popularized the cuisine first within Chennai and then it spread all over India and the world. Taj chefs were dispatched to private homes in Karai Kudi district of Tamil Nadu to learn how to cook the best dishes and to learn ancient family recipes. Then she launched ‘the Raintree’, the first Chettinad restaurant in India at the Taj Connemara hotel in Chennai. But till the Taj took the plunge in the 1980s, the food of the south remained restricted to the south.
In 1983 Camellia opened the Bombay Brasserie restaurant in London, which introduced regional Indian cooking to the UK for the first time and changed the way Indian cuisine was perceived in London.
Panjabi’s real passion though is a variation on Indian street food. “Street sellers depend on word of mouth. So they have to make it taste the best,” she says. “My mother who was a doctor, did everything in her power to stop us eating it with reasons of hygiene, but with children there is always a way. That love of the taste of street food stays with us through to adulthood.”
After leaving The Taj, in 2001 Camellia Panjabi joined her family’s restaurant company Masala World in London, which owns Chutney Mary in Chelsea, Veeraswamy, the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant and Masala Zone throughout London. Amaya, their latest venture, winning several awards. In 1989, Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani formed Chelsea Plaza Restaurants which was later renamed Masala World. The company was formed to create top end restaurant Chutney Mary as an outlet for fine Indian food. The restaurant immediately won accolades and audiences in London. They then bought the ailing Veeraswamy, and turned it around to have a new life as London’s best Indian restaurant, given the award by London’s Time Out magazine.
Camellia Panjabi joined the group as a director in 2001 and together the team of 3 set about the project of Amaya restaurant, which after opening in October 2004 gained a nomination by 7 top food writers of UK as ‘London’s Best Restaurant’ across all cuisines. This was the first city in the world outside India where an Indian restaurant was judged the Best Restaurant. Amaya was also awarded a Michelin star in 2006.
In 2001 they created a new Masala Zone concept and launched it in the colorful Soho district, providing a fresh new approach with Indian street food and the Thali way of eating, including non-vegetarian thalis. The décor of the restaurants is full of spirit using tribal and popular folk art. Now there is a collection of seven restaurants across London.
In 2012, the company as a whole was renamed MW Eat. Most recently, MW Eat moved the iconic restaurant Chutney Mary to beautiful upscale premises on St James’ Street, London and opening Masala Grill on its former site.
Veeraswamy, UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, has been the rendezvous of rich, famous, fashionable lovers of Indian food since its inception in 1926. It celebrates 90 years in 2016 and is credited with being the oldest Indian restaurant in the world. The luxurious, chic, and exotic décor evokes Maharaja’s palaces of the 1920s. A menu of top flight classical dishes from throughout India is combined with more contemporary creations. National Geographic, the highly respected travel magazine, has ranked it as one of the 10 Best Destination Restaurants in the World. No other UK restaurant is in the top 10. Voted “Indian Restaurant of the Year” by them.
Veeraswamy is one of the leading fine dining restaurants serving Indian food in the world today.
We are proud to join in the grand celebration to mark the milestone event in the life of Britain’s longest – serving monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as the world celebrates her 90th birthday,” declared Camellia Panjabi, co-owner Camellia Panjabi, a world-renowned expert on Indian food. “It’s another milestone for us as the prestigious Veeraswamy restaurant in London, the oldest IndianRestaurant in the world, turned 90-years-old this year.”
Situated in a prime location overlooking London’s Regent Street, Veeraswamy has been offering the finest classical Indian cuisine since 1926. As the first of its kind, it is celebrated as a great historical restaurant of London and certainly as the grand dame of Indian restaurants and is known for its refined cuisine and opulent Raj-inspired style. It has always exuded a great deal of glamour.
Veeraswamy Old Photo – 1920s
Opened by Edward Palmer, the great-grandson of an English military strategist and an Indian exotic Mughal princess, Veeraswamy, in its early years, served cuisine of the entire Indian sub-continent. Palmer himself was a retired British Indian Army officer and in 1924 – 5 had run the Indian section at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, where his company, E.P. Veeraswamy & Co., Indian Food Specialists, sold spices, chutneys and curry pastes and ran an Indian café.
A few years later the restaurant was taken over by Sir William Seaward in 1930, an English Member of Parliament. Throughout the 1930s during the Great Depression trade was very difficult, but the owners used great resourcefulness and came through the challenging times. In the 1940s and 1950s the restaurant became a great success.
From then on, the Veerasawmy was wildly successful and continued to attract a celebrity clientele until the 1960s when it started to decline.
Raj Kachori
The first ever curry in a can was introduced under Veeraswamy Food Products brand in the early 1950s. The restaurant was sold by Sir William in 1967. The food products business under the Veeraswamy name continued to be owned by the couple into the 1990s.
In 1996, the restaurant was bought by Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani, then owners of a successful Indian restaurant called Chutney Mary in Kings road Chelsea. The next 18 months were to see more changes than during the previous 70 years. The restaurant décor was completely updated and adopted an ultramodern theme in the late 1990s; however for its 80th anniversary in 2006, it was redecorated in the opulent 1920s motif.
Veeraswamy is currently owned by the Chutney Mary group whose owners’ profile now includes Chutney Mary, Amaya and Masala Zone chain. The Company bought back the brand Veeraswamy of pickles, curry pastes and chutneys which is now marketed in the UK and worldwide by BARTS U.K.
Veeraswamy Present
In recent decades, based on the popularity of authentic Indian food in the UK, Veeraswamy serves a menu of regional Indian cuisines, including dishes from Punjab, Lucknow, Kashmir, Kerala and Goa. “You can taste all varieties of freshly made food under one roof, elegantly served,” says Panjabi.
Camellia Panjabi, who is the author of “50 Great Curries of India,” which has sold over 1.5 million copies, which describes the secrets to creating authentic Indian curries at home, oversees the menu at Veeraswamy.
The menu is different from other Indian restaurants and really interesting. This is the place to experience classic Indian dishes that you may not even find easily even on restaurant menus in India; there are also some amazing modern creations as you relax in opulent Raj-inspired surroundings.
Veeraswamy Prawn Tandoori
To celebrate its 90th year, the menu has incorporated a few dishes from the Royal Palace Kitchens of India – from the Nizams of Hyderabad’s Palace kitchen and the Royal Palace at Patiala.
National Geographic claims that Veeraswamy is among the 10 best “destination and special restaurants” in the world. It’s high-class, high value fine dining right in London’s West End. Described as one of the least expensive restaurant on National Geographic’s list of the Top Ten Destination Restaurants on Earth, and as one of the most mind-blowing meals one has ever experienced in life. For more information and to visit the oldest and the finest Indian Restaurant in the world, please visit: http://www.veeraswamy.com
Nashville, TN: April 12, 2016: Jagruti Panwala was elected as the first ever female Secretary of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) during the four-day annual convention held March 29-April 1 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Bruce Patel has been elected as the new chairman of AAHOA, while Chip Rogers will continue to serve as the President of & CEO of the three decades long organization.
The election of the association’s first female officer, record turnout and the heightened fervor to play an active role in the nation’s political process with the aim to raise $1 million, were the highlights of the just concluded convention in Tennessee. The event drew a record turnout – 5,000 hoteliers, vendors and franchise CEOs and their cohorts.
“I am extremely honored and very humbled to be AAHOA’s new secretary,” said Panwala, soon after being elected as the first ever woman to raise to the ranks. All of AAHOA can benefit by electing its first female officer. The win is important, she said, for “women hoteliers, young hoteliers, independent hoteliers and small mom-and-pop owners.” Officers hold each post for one year after being elected secretary.
Jagruti Panwala will succeed to chair of AAHOA in 2019, a first for the 27-year-old organization founded by hoteliers to fight ethnic and racial discrimination in the U.S. hospitality industry. Begun by fewer than 100 hoteliers in 1989, AAHOA has more than 15,000 members and ended 2015 with $11.4 million in revenue.
AAHOA officially kicked off its 2016 convention and trade show in Nashville with a packed-house at the opening general session on March 29th. This year’s sold-out conference theme was “Success by Design.” The general session began with an all-star panel of industry CEOs, which included Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels, Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group, David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western, Elie Maalouf, CEO, the Americas, IHG, and Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International.
The panel discussed the current state of lodging and hospitality, new technology, the importance of making hospitality visible on Capitol Hill, and disruption in the industry.
Following the panel, Tennessee governor Bill Haslam took to the stage to talk about the growth of travel and tourism in the state, and the opportunities that the hospitality industry presents for business-minded individuals in both Tennessee and all over the country. In closing, Haslam expressed his gratitude to AAHOA for choosing Nashville for its 2016 conference.
A hot topic of the morning general session was the importance of the hospitality industry to the overall U.S. economy. Chip Rogers spoke passionately about AAHOA’s role in lodging. “As the largest hotel owners’ association in the world, we, all of us, are in a unique position of leadership and responsibility. You see we made an industry that is thriving. And it is thriving in no small part because of the incredible efforts made every day by the very people in this room,” Rogers said. “However, we also share a responsibility. An obligation to serve millions of Americans every day in their home away from home. By every measure, we are meeting and exceeding our obligations.”
Citing the latest industry data—like the fact that the travel and tourism industry is responsible for over 8 million jobs in the United States—Rogers detailed how the lodging industry helps to prop up the country as a whole. “While these numbers are impressive, think about what it means in the lives of those who actually make our industry what it is,” he said. “You see the millions of jobs it helps create, and the billions of dollars of economic effect. It ultimately means that kids get to go to college, families get to take vacations, and the American Dream is realized in all corners of our country.”
Rogers also took an opportunity to introduce the inaugural issue of Today’s Hotelier magazine, AAHOA’s new official publication, as well as an upgrade to the AAHOA website. The magazine was completely redesigned from its last iteration. The morning general session closed with a keynote speech from recently retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
Jimmy Patel ended his year as chairman, sharing with the audience what AAHOA had accomplished during the past 12 months. Membership increased by 1,000 to 15,175; Revenue grew by 20 percent, surpassing the $10 million budget by $1.4 million; The political action committee (PAC) fund grew to $450,000; and, Established a franchise department where members can directly take their concerns to attorney Rachel Humphrey.
Bruce Patel, chairman of AAHOA, in his address, informed the delegates that AAHOA will continue to charge full steam ahead on its mission as not only the largest hotel owner organization in the world, but the most powerful. Influencing elected officials in federal, state and local governments and educating them about the U.S. hospitality industry is crucial in warding off bad government laws and policies that will harm and eventually dismantle their businesses.
The 42-year-old hotelier from Dallas, Texas, joined the AAHOA officer ranks in 2013, when the membership (then around 11,000) elected him secretary. Over the next three years, the association expanded its office in Washington, D.C., and repositioned its strategy to become more than an Indian American social club – it intentionally morphed into a business organization intent on influencing change on behalf of its members, who own almost half of all the hotels in the U.S.; comprise more than $1.30 billion in real estate assets; and employ more than 600,000. Along the way, it found its voice as that of the hotel owner in America.
Patel told the Gala audience: “While it’s not always clear what this industry has in store for us, especially over the next few years with an uncertain global economy, bad laws and regulations, and even unconventional competitors in an ever-changing landscape; what is clear is that our voice in this industry and in this country has to be louder; our presence has to be stronger; and our influence has to be greater.”
Bruce Patel told the hoteliers that AAHOA must transform its financial power into political power. The goal for 2016 is to increase the PAC fund to more than $1 million. The push is significant for the fall political season, which will see nearly 90 percent of congressional seats open for election. Two years ago, almost every candidate that AAHOA backed through PAC funds and public endorsement won the General Election. “You can see that voters across the country are upset with the political gridlock in D.C., and something has to change. We absolutely have to shake things up,” he said.
Panwala is a businesswoman in Ivyland, Pennsylvania, where she is part of a family hotel company and president and CEO of Wealth Protection Strategies, an investment management business she founded in 1999. She has been active in AAHOA for more than a decade, holding leadership positions since 2011 when first elected female director at large, eastern division. Re-elected in 2014, she has also co-chaired the Women’s Hotelier Committee for five years and served on the strategic planning committee for two years. She testified to Congress against proposed harmful labor laws. Her focus repeatedly has been getting more women, independent and young hoteliers involved. In 2011, she received the prestigious AAHOA Chairman’s Award of Excellence.
She is a second-generation hotelier who migrated from Surat, India, with her parents when she was a teenager. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. Panwala said the message she wants to AAHOA members to hear is that getting involved in the association can make a difference in their lives and in their businesses. “I want all of our members to value their membership and to get meaningful benefits from AAHOA. But to get more out of AAHOA, you must put more into AAHOA – not just by attending meetings, but by taking courses, by serving on committees, and by being an ambassador, for example. I learned that first-hand.
“It’s why I want more members to participate; it’s why I will continue to champion those things that make it worth both your time and your money to be an active member of AAHOA. My new position represents trust by the members that is special and sacred, so I intend to serve in a way that justifies this faith in me – serve in a way that makes all of us proud to be part of the hospitality industry and to be members of AAHOA.”
Chip Rogers, former Georgia State Senate majority leader, has been serving as the President of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) for over one year. Rogers was named interim president of AAHOA last year and has been with the organization nearly five years after having previously served as the association’s VP, government affairs and public relations. Rogers took over from Fred Schwartz, who stepped aside as president in December 2014 after 18 years with AAHOA. Rogers previously served in the Georgia General Assembly, and was elected to six terms, serving two as Senate majority leader.
AAHOA in recent years has leveraged its power and influence on Capitol Hill and is expanding its legislative advocacy to state and local levels. Rogers is well versed in government affairs, having served as a lawmaker in the Georgia State Legislature from 2003 to 2012. He was first elected to the House of Representatives, and in 2004 was elected to the Senate. A Republican, Rogers also elected as the Senate Majority Leader in 2008 and 2010. He resigned from the Senate in 2012.
Rogers, began working with AAHOA in 2009 and previously served as the association’s Vice President of government affairs and public relations. As a lawmaker Rogers earned more than two dozen Legislator of the Year awards, including twice from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and was a three-time winner of the Golden Peach award given to the lawmaker most dedicated to digital learning in Georgia.
In the private sector Rogers has been a long-time small business owner with interests in broadcasting, marketing and real estate. He founded and led Rogers Communications for two decades. He earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Georgia State. He and his wife Amy have four children and live in metro Atlanta.
Rogers said, his vision is, when it comes to Congressional influence in the case of laws and policies that impact the lodging industry, that AAHOA be the most powerful lobbying group on Capitol Hill, in state capitols and on the municipal level.
Washington, DC: March 28, 2016: Peyton Manning, the NFL’s only five-time Most Valuable Player and a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, who has earned his place among the greatest quarterbacks in league history, and Kevin O’Leary, Entrepreneur, Investor, Journalist, Commentator and TV Personality, currently serving as the chairman of O’Leary Funds and the Manager of the publically traded family of O’Leary Global Equity and Income Funds, are the keynote speakers at the 2016 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show being held in Nashville, TN from March 29th to April 1st.
Expected to have over 4,000 in attendance, the 2016 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show offers something for everyone. From the trade show floor that offers one-stop shopping for every hotelier to the educational programs and esteemed guest speakers, this is sure to be an experience you’ll never forget. As always, the entire event also will feature authentic Indian cuisine, world-class entertainment, thrilling Bollywood performances, and much more.
Sunidhi Chauhan, Kumar Sanu, Karan Patel, M0uni Roy, Rithvik Dhanjani, Sanjeeda Shaik, Gunjan Singh, Rishikeash Ranade, and Torsha Sarkar are among from the Bollywood world, who will be performing on stage to entertain the packed audience from around the world.
The Convention is one of AAHOA’s most exciting events of the year. With more than 4,000 attendees per year, the AAHOA Annual Convention is the largest convention and trade show in the industry. At the convention, the Government Affairs team will host a number of seminars to discuss key issues facing the hospitality industry in state capitals and on capitol hill. Additionally, the Government Affairs team will have a booth where attendees can stop by, and find out what our team is doing for you.
In 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act created the opportunity for more than 300,000 Asian Indians to come to the United States over the course of the succeeding two decades. Many of these new immigrants arrived in America with backgrounds as entrepreneurs and business owners. During the 1970s, Indian Americans saw tremendous opportunities for prosperity in the hospitality industry, and many began to save their money in order to purchase hotels. Word quickly spread throughout the community about the potential of the hotel industry as a niche market, and the Indian American influence in hospitality began.
These new hoteliers faced discrimination within the industry, particularly from banks and insurance companies. To overcome these obstacles, hoteliers collaborated to form various groups, culminating in the creation of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) in 1989.
In 2014, AAHOA celebrated its 25th anniversary and is currently one of hospitality industry’s most respected and influential organizations. AAHOA represents more than 14,000 members nationwide, who own more than 20,000 properties, amounting to more than 40% of all hotels in the United States. AAHOA members employ nearly 600,000 American workers, and account for nearly $10 billion in payroll annually. AAHOA truly represents America’s hotel owners.
AAHOA promotes and protects the interests of its members by inspiring excellence through programs and initiatives in advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, membership benefits and community involvement. The Convention is the premier event of the year by AAHOA that one can’t afford to miss. For more details on AAHOA and the 2016 convention, please visit: www.aahoa.com
Medical tourism to India has grown many folds in the past few years. The surge in foreign patients seeking Indian health facilities for specialized and cost-effective medical care has resulted in the mushrooming of online start-ups that help foreign nationals find the best treatment in the country. One such medical tourism start-up, PlanMyMedicalTrip.com, which was started nine years back, is now serving as a one-stop solution provider for foreign medical tourists.
“We have patients coming in from all over the world. However, Africa, GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) regions contribute towards the sector by as much as 30 percent of the total inflow,” said Anurav Rane, CEO, PlanMyMedicalTrip.com.
“There are a lot of different medical and surgical options for medical tourists coming to India. Primarily, medical tourists get elective procedures done such as cosmetic surgery, hip and knee replacements, dental procedures and infertility treatments,” he told IANS.
According to a white paper by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Grant Thornton, the Indian medical tourism market is set to touch $8 billion by 2020, up from the current $3 billion.
Saed Saber from Egypt recently came to India for knee replacement. “I wanted to get my knee replacement done but was confused as to how I should go about it. Since options in my country are limited with a high price tag for treatment, I started exploring for options, that is when I came to know about PlanMyMedicalTrip.com,” he said.
Saber visited PlanMyMedicalTrip.com to get his queries answered. “I got to know several options for hospitals across India and also got all the necessary procedures sorted for me in no time,” he told media.
IndiaHealthCareTourism.com, inaugurated recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is an initiative by the government to boost healthcare tourism. It is a web portal that helps and guides the patients who are looking for treatment options in India. It lists 93 topmost medical centers, 30 ayurveda and wellness centers and one special category center.
Another online venture, Medi Connect India, deals with the latest technologies like IVF (infertility), robotics surgeries, stem cell therapies, etc.
“The main reason behind India becoming a hub for medical tourism for foreigners is cost-effectiveness. Here in metro cities you would get world-class treatment under the best doctors in a much cheaper way than what they would end up paying in their respective countries,” Shalini, assistant team lead, Medi Connect India, told IANS.
“In countries like Africa, a lot of modern treatments and good doctors are not available and hence they find India a good destination for medical reasons. Here, the best treatments are available with no waiting time in the company of highly-qualified doctors,” she added.
Medi Connect India has won the “National Tourism Award” for two consecutive years for excellence in medical tourism. To serve foreign nationals better, most of the top-rated hospitals in India have also hired language translators to make patients, especially from Balkan and African countries, feel comfortable and help facilitate their treatment.
According to the CII-Grant Thornton white paper, Chennai, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi-NCR are the most favored medical tourism destinations for foreigners who avail treatments in India. Cost is a major driver for nearly 80 percent of medical tourists across the globe, it added.
The cost factor and availability of accredited facilities have led to the emergence of several global medical tourism corridors like Singapore, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mexico and Costa Rica — and India appears to have taken a lead.
One of the ten heavens of the world by National Geographic Traveler, the state Kerala is arranged on the tropical Malabar Shoreline of southwestern India. Considered as standout amongst the most popular tourist destinations in the nation, Kerala is celebrated particularly for its ecotourism activities.
Regularly alluded to as “God’s Own country”, the seaside state Kerala is rich in unique conventions and society and lavish unspoiled tropical excellence. Above all, Kerala is known for its elephants, elaborate sanctuary celebrations, and the peaceful backwaters. Kerala is not just some backwaters and hill stations as it is generally publicized however it has so much more to offer. Kerala is a standout amongst the most targeted tourist destinations in India. Kerala is often termed as paradise set in green.
Fort Kochi: Known as the “Gateway to Kerala”, Kochi is a charming city which encased reminiscent of Arabs, British, Dutch, Chinese, and Portuguese building design. The chronicled destinations in Fort Kochi draw greater number of guests to the range where Fort Kochi is a territory in the city of Kochi. A hand sized scoop of water-bound locales at the south-west of the territory Kochi and by and large known as Old Kochi or West Kochi is a standout amongst the most tourist targeted place in Kerala.
Explore the universe of its own, discover the Fort Kochi glimpse of Fort Immanuel, Dutch cemetery, the ancient Thakur House, colonial structure; David Hall, Parade Ground, Church Road, the Bastion Bungalow, Vasco-da Gama square, the Pierce Leslie Bungalow, the Princess Street, the Loafer’s corner, the large wooden gate facing the Parade ground; the VOC gate, the Bishop’s house that was built in the year of 1506 and many more.
Kerala Backwaters: A standout amongst the most quiet and unwinding things one can do in Kerala is taking a trek in a houseboat at backwaters. The Kerala backwaters are a chain of salty tidal ponds, lakes, waterways where the framework incorporates five huge lakes joined by trenches, both artificial and characteristic and augments basically a large portion of the length of Kerala state.
As we all realize that; the backwaters were framed by the activity of waves and shore ebbs and flows making low boundary islands. Enjoy the experience of freshly cooked Indian food and chilled beer on board where one can spend the night out on the middle of a lake too. Kerala backwaters are one of the most amazing sightseeing place as well as tourist most attracted place in Kerala.
Munnar: Lies 1,500 m to 2,695 m over the ocean level, Munnar is one of the most amazing place that surrounded by sprawling tea plantations. Represented with the common magnificence of slowing down, cloudy Hills and woods laden with colorful plants and untamed life, the spot likewise encased an acclaimed tea museum.
Munnar is a delightful Hill station and was the midyear resort of the British. The most astounding top in south India, Anamudi is a standout amongst the most popular spots for Adventure enthusiasts. Explore Eravikulam National park or go rock climbing and Para coasting. The mainstream place for Indian honeymooners and vacationers focused spot is the immeasurable tea estates territory arranged on the Kannan Devan Hills town in Devikulam Taluka and is the biggest panchayat in the Idukki locale in Kerala.
Varkala: The stunning shoreline with a long slowing down of precipice and perspectives that reach out over the Arabian Sea, Varkala shoreline is flanked by coconut palms, quaint shops, shoreline shacks, hotels and guest houses. Spotted 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city in Thiruvananthapuram locale and 37 km south of Kollam, south Kerala, the beach Varkala is a smooth and calm village, the Papanasam Beach which is likewise called as Varkala Beach is one of India’s best shorelines.
Investigate 2000 year old sanctuary; the Janardhanaswamy Sanctuary that stands on the bluffs neglecting the shoreline, the Sivagiri Mutt, established by the incredible Hindu reformer and logician Sree Narayana Master is simply close by. The Samadhi which is the last resting spot of the Guru is one of the tourist most targeted place in Kerala.
Wayanad: Secured with thick backwoods, stands 700 to 2100m above ocean level, the land of tribal’s with the highest concentration of tribal population in Kerala Wayanad is a bright green mountainous region that stretches along the Western Ghats. Inexhaustible coconut palms, thick woods, paddy fields, and grandiose tops structure the scene, Wayanad has a lot of beautiful advance because of its identity.
Enclosed countless number of ancient temples, rock caves relating to the stone-age era, churches, mosques and antique monuments , the place is an ideal terra firma for adventure enthusiasts, explore the popular attractions for trekking precisely; Chembra Peak and Meenmutty Falls, explore old Jain temples, climbing to Edakkal Caves and wildlife spotting at Muthanga and Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuaries. Another highlight of Wayanad is the many delightful homes stays in the area.
With several high profile endorsements already rendered, Raja is further bolstered with Chicago community leader Iftekhar Shareef and AAHOA [Asian American Hotel Owners Association] coming together to bring about greater national awareness of the candidacy of Raja Krishnamoorthi, a democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress from the eighth congressional district in Illinois at an event held on Friday, November 13, 2015 at India House in Hoffman Estate, IL.
Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked community leaders and AAHOA leadership for invigorating new enthusiasm and new excitement in the community in rallying behind his candidacy and added that this gives him a new momentum to his campaign. Raja said “I am running for congress for you and for your families and emphasized that he acutely understands the challenges the families are facing and will fight for their economic security. He pledged that when he goes to congress, he emphasized “you will go with me to congress to represent the dreams and hopes of each one of us.
Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked the leaders gathered at the event for extending a substantive and meaningful help and said he is deeply committed to working families’ agenda and he will employ his valuable experience both in the public and private sector to strengthen the working families.
Iftekhar Shareef, Principal Host, in his introductory address said Raja Krishnamoorthi bears tremendous promise as the next United States Congressman primarily because he is uniquely and exceptionally qualified as he deeply understands the issues and the challenges the nation and the local communities face. Iftekhar Shareef added that he will continue to strive to evoke collective community enthusiasm to deliver for Raja the victory he so tremendously deserves. Iftekhar Shareef pledged that our team will remain a driving force in helping put together many more events in order to bring energy and momentum to Raja’s candidacy.
Balvinder Singh another champion of Indian-American community offered his full support to Raja Krishnamoorthi, he endorsed Raja’s candidacy and said that he will work with Washington leadership in mobilizing support for Raja.
Kalpesh M. Joshi, Regional Director [Upper Midwest] of AAHOA and the event Co-Chair earlier welcomed the gathering of community leaders and outlined the commitment of AAHOA in throwing its far reaching robust support behind Raja Krishnamoorthi and added that AAHOA is deeply committed to backing Raja Krishnamoorthi with its resources and networking capabilities to help in reaching out nationwide to bring to bear the tools necessary for Raja to win the elections.
Earlier, Chirag Patel, AAHOA’s Vice President for Governmental Affairs outlined the strategy of AAHOA and its political action committee in channeling the support for Raja Krishnamoorthi because he understands the growing challenges and impediments the hospitality industry faces and the burdensome regulatory provisions which seriously impedes the business. Chirag Patel said AAHOA recognizes the potential in the candidacy of Raja Krishnamoorthi who can defend the goals AAHOA is committed to.
Keerthi Kumar Ravoori in his brief statement said Raja Krishnamoorthi is gaining momentum among the voters as he represents a new fresh invigorating voice for the Asians to help represent their dreams and hopes. Babu Patel appraised Raja Krishnamoorthi about the challenges business community is facing in the nation particularly the mounting untenable tax burden placed on them.
In conclusion, Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked and acknowledged the event hosts: Iftekhar Shareef, Kalpesh Joshi, Chirag Patel, Balwinder Singh, Ajeet Singh, Harish Kolasani, Keerthi Ravoori, Dinesh Gandhi, Babu Patel, Jagmohan Jayara & Mujeeb Ahmed.
In a Level 4 travel advisory — the highest of its kind issued by the State Department — U.S. citizens were told “not to travel to India or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so.” There are 14 direct daily flights between India and the U.S. and other services that connect through Europe, the department said.
In the system, LVDC architecture is integrated with solar PV system and battery bank. This system can power the houseboat for a whole day without depending on standby grid power. Hotel loads in the houseboats will be fed from a 6kWp mono-crystalline flexible solar PV array (for 2 bedrooms, hall and kitchen). Lighting, fan, AC, geysers and cooking, which accounts for 30-40 per cent of the daily energy cost, will be switched to solar power.
Penguin behavior
This year’s theme for the annual event was New York, New York, which had featured live music from 
Best of New Haven by Readers Poll in 2018 and 2019, 
New Haven Register wrote that “Coromandel is a cut above and offers intoxicating cuisine from a land where colors dance on the palate.” New Haven Advocate says, “A restaurant like Coromandel is the much needed corrective to pink-dyed, faux- Tandoori Chicken and what a corrective it is.”
You have to give yourself credit for making history in instagram by adding 300k followers in less than 24 hrs last year with your glamorous mirror cakes and being the inspiration for cake afficianados around the world. Even the DIY(Do it yourself) kitchen table entrepreneurs are trying their hand at replicating your mirror glaze technique. In less than a year you have been recognized as a social media influencer with your prestigious nomination in the food category this year at ‘the shorty awards thanks to your every increasing followers. How do you feel about your phenomenal path to the top?
You have seen phenomenal success in an industry where it is very important to offer something unique and different. How have you kept yourself grounded and what is your strategy to keep the internet drooling over you flawless and incredible creations in the coming years?
To be honest, I like to do everything myself, using my hands. I do not have a large, mass production, which requires special equipment to accelerate the process.
