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Business Travel Travel & Tourism

‘Business travel budget set to rise in 2023’

According to the reports, Mumbai was the most visited city for domestic business trips (50 per cent of respondents), while internationally, the United States (44 per cent of respondents) emerged as the most popular destination…reports Asian Lite News

With business travel across domestic and international markets showing a rebound post pandemic, majority of Indian businesses (67 per cent) expect a rise in business travel in 2023 and 77 per cent of businesses are expecting to increase their travel budget in 2023 as compared to 2022.

These findings were revealed in the business travel and entertainment (T&E) survey report titled ‘Revival of business travel: An India perspective’ commissioned by American Express, India with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).

The report further indicates that 79 per cent of Indian businesses surveyed use business travel data analytics to assist with travel booking and expenditure, showing how important technology has become for the travel sector. As with the broader technology sector, the travel technology sector is constantly innovating. In the post-pandemic period, 43 per cent of financial decision makers surveyed said that the use of better software to manage expenses and travel is a key innovation.

Manish Kapoor, Vice President and Head, Global Commercial Services (GCS), American Express Banking Corp, India said: “The sentiment is upbeat for corporate travel in India. While the past two years resulted in a temporary decline in business travel, domestic travel has resumed, and almost surpassed pre-pandemic level. International travel is also picking up and we can expect a sustained recovery. With increased average ticket prices expected to remain high in the medium term, Indian companies will be exploring technologies, and should adopt smarter solutions for better cost efficiencies.”

In terms of the practical methods used to pay for travel expenses, the most common way, used by two thirds of companies (66 per cent), is that the business has company accounts with third party booking systems. However, most businesses reported using multiple methods, with 61 per cent saying they let employees pay and expense, and 57 per cent saying they provide employees with access to a company credit card.

If business travel doesn’t resume, 40% concerned about earnings.(photo:IANSLIFE)

KEY FINDINGS:

Business travel trends: Current and Future

53 per cent of businesses said that just over half of their employees had taken an international or domestic work trip in H2 2022.

Government/public sector employees followed by marketing, sales, real estate, professional services, and pharmaceuticals lead trips. 64 per cent of government or public sector employees took international or domestic trips for work.

One of the reasons preventing a full bounce-back of business travel is that more meetings and events are now being conducted virtually.

Reasons for travel and key locations to visit in the second half of 2022

The top reason for business travel, selected by 41 per cent of businesses, was attending, hosting or presenting at conferences, presentations or events.

Mumbai was the most visited city for domestic business trips (50 per cent of respondents), while internationally, the United States (44 per cent of respondents) emerged as the most popular destination.

Budgets and payment

77 per cent of businesses expected to increase their travel budget in 2023.

Agriculture, manufacturing, construction, utilities and engineering topped the list with largest travel budgets on average, at Rs 70 lakh per year for each business.

Technology

79 per cent of Indian business surveyed said they use business travel data analytics to assist with travel booking and expenditure, showing how important technology has become for the travel sector. Three quarters also said they use travel management software.

As with the broader technology sector, the travel technology sector is constantly innovating. In the post-pandemic period, 43 per cent of financial decision makers surveyed said that that use of better software to manage expenses and travel is a key innovation.

Travel policy

92 per cent businesses have a travel policy with a further 6 per cent in process of making a travel policy. 46 per cent businesses selected cost limits for bookings, including hotels, airfares and ground transportation as the topmost component when asked about what is included in their travel policy.

43 per cent of financial decision makers also selected that they consider special exceptions or rules for more expensive cities in their policy document, while 43 per cent also selected that routes and approval processes for trips that exceed typical limitations are included.

Environmental sustainability considerations were also selected by over a third (36 per cent) of respondents, highlighting that this is an increasingly important topic.

The survey report was conducted amongst 500+ Indian businesses across cities in India. It focusses on larger businesses, with half of the respondents seeing annual revenues greater than Rs 600 crore. 82 per cent of businesses in the survey report have 250 employees or more.

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Business Travel & Tourism

Telehealth all set to revolutionise India’s Medical Tourism

Today, telemedicine helps doctors and Healthcare professionals provide consultations and diagnostic services across geographies, broadening their reach globally….reports Asian Lite News

India is leading in Health care with its world-class hospital infrastructure, highly advanced Medical technology, Expert skills, Compliance with international quality standards, and reduced cost compared to many countries. With USD 5-6 billion size of Medical value travel (MVT) and 500000 International patients annually, India is among the global leader destinations for international patients seeking advanced treatment.

To boost Indian Health care globally and to make MVT size 13 Billion by 2026, Union Govt has launched Heal In India campaign, which aims to promote India’s medical facilities and infrastructure Globally with plans to standardize processes and treatment packages for foreign nationals. To promote Medical Value Travel in India, Telehealth can make a paradigm shift in India’s healthcare industry. Telehealth has changed the traditional way of patient consulting Doctors. Patients with no geographic boundaries can engage with healthcare professionals making it an efficient way to access healthcare.

During the pandemic, in April 2020, telehealth consultations grew from less than 1 per cent of primary care visits to a remarkable 43.5 per cent. The current trajectory of virtual care has created a new model of medical care after the crisis. It has helped reduce the number of incidents of hospital-acquired infections by up to 80 per cent, making it the safest mode of patient care.

Dr Harinder Singh Sidhu, Sr.VP of Corporate Development, Apollo Group, mentioned, “Being one of the global pioneers of telemedicine, Apollo serves both National and International patients by enhancing the accessibility of quality healthcare. Many international patients benefited from Telehealth in managing disease when international flights were restricted during Covid times. Further, Apollo TeleHealth specializes in integrated healthcare delivery to provide services such as TeleConsultations, TeleRadiology, Tele Cardiology, Tele Condition Management, and Tele-ICU services, among others.”

Telehealth Is the remote delivery of healthcare and health-related information services through electronic methods such as video calls, email, chat, or other electronic means. The Patient and Doctor Team can communicate face-to-face in real-time through Video calls with prior bookings.

Patients sitting in their Homes and miles away from doctors and Hospitals can benefit from this Digital Healthcare model. It can ensure the swift delivery of quality healthcare while reducing unnecessary health risks and eliminating traditional barriers to care.

With the help of advancements in medical technology, the length of hospital stays for patients is becoming increasingly shorter to reduce healthcare costs. For example, hospital stays for coronary artery bypass grafts averaged nine days 13-14 years ago, whereas the average stay in 2023 is five days. During prolonged postoperative periods, Telemonitoring could be significant in monitoring patients. Doctor team can manage the Vital signs of a patient’s condition with the help of Telemonitoring, which can monitor the patient’s condition post-discharge from the hospital, altering the medicine as per the patient’s vitals in aftercare, which further makes it possible an efficient system in healthcare model.

TeleHealth reduces the burden on Healthcare Resources and Workforce. Doctors, nursing staff, and other healthcare professionals benefit significantly from telehealth services. Today, telemedicine helps doctors and Healthcare professionals provide consultations and diagnostic services across geographies, broadening their reach globally.

According to Dr Rahul Bhargava , Director of Bone marrow transplant FMRI,” There is a significant gap in the world which exists for optimal health care delivery leading to disparity in the outcome and robbing many from the basic tenet of a right of living. This gap ideally will not exist if health education and resources are uniform. Still, life is less than ideal, so bridging the gap is possible through telemedicine and telepathology.”

The telemedicine division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare tied up with CDAC (the Center for the Development of Advanced Computing) to launch the eSanjeevani OPD portal. The national telemedicine service was an instant hit in India, serving over 100 million patients. With over 200,000 providers, 15,000 hubs, and 115,000 operational spokes, this is the world’s most comprehensive implementation of a public telemedicine system.

Issues of privacy and protection of client health information may lessen the growth of Telehealth. Not only must personal records be protected, but they should also be safe from abuse or misuse of the electronic transmission of personal health information through effective privacy legislation and meticulous monitoring.

In Medical value travel, Patients travel great distances for efficient, high-quality medical care. Thus, the application of Telehealth in the medical tourism industry promises to bridge distances to deliver a more personalized service and represents a powerful platform for the medical value travel industry by making it an efficient Health care System.

Today’s primary concern for implementing and integrating home telehealth in the current health system is the ease of online payment, including international payment mode for International patients. Like National Telemedicine, an efficient telemedicine portal for international patients can make remarkable changes and boost the MVT.

doctor.

Co-founder of International Healthcare consulting Company- Vaidam.com ( Vaidam Health ) Pankaj Chandna says, “Vaidam Health connects with many domestic and International patients over telecall daily basis. Patients tele-consult the desired Doctor with the assistance of the Vaidam health team, giving patients a better choice regarding their healthcare needs. With more than 100000+ patients from 125+ countries in the last eight years, Vaidam Health has provided the best healthcare access to the world.

About the author, Jenifer Choudhary heads marketing and branding at Vaidam.com, India’s leading medical travel assistance company. She has 15+ years of experience in the medical travel industry, having worked with some of India’s leading hospital brands.

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Business Travel Travel & Tourism

Rajasthan sets eyes on European tourists

On behalf of the state tourism delegation, the Indian Ambassador and the Union Tourism Secretary were welcomed in traditional Rajasthani style…reports Asian Lite News

Rajasthan Tourism is participating in the ongoing International Travel Bourse, the world’s largest tourism trade fair, in Berlin with focus on the European market.

Among the European tourists visiting the international tourism circuit, about 65 per cent come to Rajasthan, said Principal Secretary (Tourism), Gayatri Rathod.

“Rajasthan tourism has a unique identity on the international tourism map. It is the endeavor of the tourism department that the tourists coming here return with an indelible impression and memories of Rajasthan. In such a situation, the tourism department is constantly motivating tourists to come to Rajasthan in maximum numbers through innovations,” she said.

On March 7, the pavilion of the Rajasthan Tourism was inaugurated in Berlin by Indian Ambassador to Germany, P. Harish, and Union Tourism Secretary, Arvind Singh, in the presence of the state tourism delegation.

On behalf of the state tourism delegation, the Indian Ambassador and the Union Tourism Secretary were welcomed in traditional Rajasthani style.

Joint Secretary Rajesh Sharma and officials of the tourism department are participating in the International Travel Bourse (ITB) under the leadership of Gayatri Rathore, Chief Secretary, tourism department.

The main objective of the tourism department is to attract more and more European tourists to Rajasthan.

International tour and travel operators have shown a lot of interest in the Palace on Wheels, a luxury tourist train that was launched by the Indian Railways in association with the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism in the desert state.

An exhibition on Rajasthan tourism has also been set up in the state’s pavilion at ITB. Officials of the tourism department are participating in more than 30 B2B meetings in Berlin.

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-Top News Travel & Tourism UK News

UK-India bilateral tourism set to take off this year

The British High Commission revealed recently that it granted 127,000 student visas to Indians in the year ending September 2022, an increase of 273 per cent over the same period in 2019…writes Yummi Talwar

UK-India tourism is pegged to take off this year. Already, the UK is one of the top five source countries for foreign tourist arrivals in India (as per 2018 data) and the UK continues to be a popular destination for Indians. According to leading outsourcing and technology services company VFS Global, post-pandemic travel is on the rise. In Europe alone, VFS Global has recorded a 30% per cent increase in application numbers since 2019.

Furthermore, Indian nationals accounted for the highest proportion (28%) of visitor visas granted to the UK. More than 258,000 Indian nationals received visit visas in the year ending June 2022 – a 630% increase compared to the previous year.

Yummi Talwar, COO of Europe & CIS region at VFS Global

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, global tourism arrivals will increase by 30% in 2023, following growth of 60% in 2022, but will remain below pre-pandemic levels. When it comes to the UK-India travel sector, there are several reasons why we are predicting an increase in bilateral travel.

These factors include increased airline services since last year, additional routes added and major events to be hosted in India. All this will spur UK-India travel.  Recently, leading Indian carrier Air India introduced new routes from London Gatwick to Indian cities and also increased services from London Heathrow to New Delhi this year. The new flights are expected to bolster further community links between India and the UK, especially London.

India and the UK have had a long and robust relationship in the field of higher education as well. The connection between education and tourism is very strong. According to reports, India surpassed China to become the largest source of students for the UK with 161,000 students, including 33,240 dependents, coming to the UK last year.

The British High Commission revealed recently that it granted 127,000 student visas to Indians in the year ending September 2022, an increase of 273 per cent over the same period in 2019.

Several others factors including forthcoming mega international events in India such as G-20 Summit, Men’s Hockey World Cup, and 2023 Cricket World Cup also look promising and a major driving factors to tourism to India.

What will also boost UK-India travel is the enhanced travel experience.

To make the travel experience smoother, recently, the Indian government reinstated e-visas for British citizens travelling to India.

Internationally, regions with countries offering e-visa solutions were among the key growth drivers of renewed travel. VFS Global processed more than 200,000 e-visa applications globally between January and November 2022.

The return of the e-visa for British citizens is a step in the right direction.

To cater to the growing travel demands, VFS Global with the Indian High Commission opened a temporary India Visa Application Centres (IVAC) last year in Central London.

For convenience, UK residents can also opt for India eVisa Form Filling services with VFS Global.

With increasing flights from Air India and Vistara, more routes and a far better travel experience, we can strongly predict robust UK-India travel will take off.

For more information: Visit: https://vfsglobal.com/india-evisa-uk

(Yummi Talwaris the COO of Europe & CIS region at VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist, serving 67 sovereign governments worldwide. Yummi has worked for VFS Global for over 17 years and has successfully managed leadership roles in operations across several geographies including the Middle East and South Asia)

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Business Travel & Tourism

SpiceJet net profit jumps to Rs 107 cr

The airline on Friday said that despite a big jump in passenger traffic, business continued to be impacted by high fuel prices and depreciating Rupee….reports Asian Lite News

SpiceJet reported a net profit of Rs 107 crore (Rs 221 crore excluding forex adjustment) for the quarter ending December 31, 2022 as compared to a net profit of Rs 23.28 crore (Rs 20 crore excluding forex adjustment) in the quarter ending December 31, 2021.

The airline on Friday said that despite a big jump in passenger traffic, business continued to be impacted by high fuel prices and depreciating Rupee.

The total revenue for the reported quarter was Rs 2,794 crore as against Rs 2,679 crore in the same quarter of the previous year. For the same comparative period, operating expenses were Rs 2,687 crore as against Rs 2,579 crore.

Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “I am happy that SpiceJet has reported a profit in Q3 FY2023. We exceeded our operational targets and continued with our unmatched performance clocking the highest load factor for every single month in 2022. The profits have been driven by a strong performance in both our passenger and cargo businesses. There are renewed signs of recovery and some very positive developments and restructuring initiatives in the immediate offing that would significantly strengthen and deleverage our balance sheet.”

“Air travel has come roaring back, touching newer heights and giving a glimpse of the huge potential of the Indian aviation market and we look forward to a robust and exciting 2023,” he said.

In terms of operational parameters, SpiceJet had the highest passenger load factor amongst all airlines in the country. The average domestic load factor was 91 per cent for the quarter. The airline launched 15 new routes and operated 254 charter flights in the quarter.

SpiceJet operates a fleet of Boeing 737s, Q-400s & freighters and is the country’s largest regional player operating multiple daily flights under UDAN or the Regional Connectivity Scheme. The majority of the airline’s fleet offers SpiceMax, the most spacious economy class seating in India.

The airline also operates a dedicated air cargo service under the brand name SpiceXpress offering seamless cargo connectivity across India and on international routes. SpiceXpress has reported Net Profit of Rs 12 crore in Q3 FY2023. SpiceXpress revenues are at Rs 120 crore in the reported quarter.

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Business Travel Travel & Tourism

Thai Airways’ profit surges in Q4

The national flag carrier’s net income for the fourth quarter of 2022 rose to 11.15 billion baht from 4 billion baht registered a year earlier…report Asian Lite News

Thai Airways International (THAI) reported a nearly triple profit in the final quarter of last year as foreign arrivals to the Southeast Asia destination picked up further, data showed on Friday.

According to an annual financial statement, the national flag carrier’s net income for the fourth quarter of 2022 rose to 11.15 billion baht from 4 billion baht registered a year earlier, Xinhua news agency reported.

Operating income for the period grew more than fivefold to 8.9 billion baht from a 2.6 billion baht deficit in the previous year, making the airline’s total revenue soar by 367 per cent to 36.9 billion baht, according to the statement filed with the Thai Stock Exchange (SET).

THAI reported an 84.3 per cent decrease in operating loss excluding one-time items to 4.59 billion baht last year, down from a 29.19 billion baht loss in 2021, while total operating revenue in 2022 increased 342 per cent to 105 billion baht, the statement said.

After filing for bankruptcy protection in 2020, THAI planned to exit its rehabilitation earlier than scheduled in late 2024 and resume trading on SET in two years, its new chief executive officer said earlier in February.

Since early this year, THAI has started to operate flights to China’s major cities to meet the rising demand. It is also expected to boost the number of flights, add new routes, and expand its fleet to achieve its rehabilitation plan.

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-Top News India News Travel & Tourism

G20 meeting preparations in full swing in Kashmir

In the matter of tourism, the government is making such wonderful arrangements that millions of tourists will talk about the whole world as brand ambassadors of Indian tourism on their return….reports Asian Lite News

The government of Jammu and Kashmir is making all the necessary arrangements for the upcoming G20 summit, which will take place in May this year.

In such a situation, the meeting is considered to be very important from the point of view of tourism and the tourism department is taking various measures in this regard. Along with the publicity campaign, various tourist places are being made attractive. According to the Director of Tourism Fazl Al-Huseeb, efforts are being made to promote Kashmir better with such measures, as this meeting is very important for promoting the tourism sector.

He said, “The facilities are being further improved at the important tourist places here and much work has been taken up to make them more attractive. Under this link, 75 new places in Jammu and Kashmir to develop the tourism sector. are being brought on the tourist map and all possible basic facilities are being provided for the tourists to access these new places.”

Tourism Coordinator Fazal Al-Huseeb said that along with branding, the G20 department’s publicity campaign has been focused so that this meeting can be effectively publicized not only at the international level but also at the international level.

He said that this meeting is very important to promote tourism, and it will also increase the number of foreign tourists. Because the number of foreign tourists is still not satisfactory despite the end of travel research.

“Conferences related to G20 are going to be held in 56 cities of India including Srinagar and tourism will be given special attention during it,” said Fazal Al-Huseeb.

Recently, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy also said that according to ASI data, the country has more than 3600 monuments and will be the centre of attraction for visitors and tourists from all over the world.

More than one lakh tourists are likely to come from G20 countries. In the matter of tourism, the government is making such wonderful arrangements that millions of tourists will talk about the whole world as brand ambassadors of Indian tourism on their return.

During the discussion, the director of tourism said that in this way, the G20 meeting is restoring the glory and splendour of the historical places. In this way, funds have been allocated for the renovation and repair of roads for the development authorities to promote tourism. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has decided to adopt a new procedure for the execution of construction works. Any construction project will be provided with back funds and must be completed on time.

On the other hand, a high aerator of its kind is being installed in Dal Lake. It is being installed in Shalimar of Foten Lake, Dal. It will be a tall aerator that will throw water up to 85 meters i.e. 279 feet. Apart from this, aerators are being installed at 6 more places in the lake which are in the evening hours. Apart from making the lake an attractive sight, such measures are also to give a special look on the occasion of the G20 meeting. (ANI)

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Nothing beats a romantic getaway in New Zealand

From Auckland, you can hop on a short ferry ride to Waiheke, the Island of Wine. If you’re visiting Queenstown, make sure to visit one of the many local wineries in Central Otago…reports Asian Lite news

The long, rolling valleys, the majestic mountain top peaks, the glittering coasts, and the brilliant colours that change the horizon from dawn to twilight are just a few of the natural beauties of New Zealand that inspire love. There is no better place to take a loved one and enjoy the beauty in their presence than here, where it’s difficult not to become fascinated by the postcard pictures all around.

Nothing beats a romantic getaway in New Zealand, whether it’s a picnic amidst breathtaking scenery or a flight in a hot air balloon among the sky. Here are the top 5 activities that will make your loved one happy and are recommended by Cupid:

5 romantic experiences in New Zealand that are perfect for your romantic getaway.(photo:IANSLIFE)

A romantic leap of faith

Leap into the unknown from heart-stopping heights as you take a romantic tandem bungy. All over the country you can leap from bridges, rail viaducts, specially made platforms perched on the edge of cliffs, and stadium roofs. Hold your lover’s hands and take a leap of faith from the Auckland Harbour Bridge against the backdrop of the beautiful Waitemata Harbour and the city skyline. In the Central North Island, just upstream from the Huka Falls, lies the Taupo Bungy — 47 metres above the Waikato River. You can also choose to be dunked in the Waikato River below at the end of your jump.

Experience a magical ride with Bubbles and balloons

Clink your Champagne glasses at dawn as your balloon lifts you quietly over an ornate natural tapestry of pastures, vineyards, forests, rivers, lakes and mountains. As you float over a world that is only just waking up, your partner’s smile will be as wide as the horizon as a romantic breakfast marks the end of your flight.

Wander among the vineyards

Toast yourselves with New Zealand’s world-famous wines, from silky Pinot Noir to crisp Sauvignon Blanc as you cycle through the gentle vineyard trails. New Zealand is a paradise for food and wine lovers. Take the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail to experience three of our best wine regions (Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough). From Auckland, you can hop on a short ferry ride to Waiheke, the Island of Wine. If you’re visiting Queenstown, make sure to visit one of the many local wineries in Central Otago.

5 romantic experiences in New Zealand that are perfect for your romantic getaway.(photo:IANSLIFE)

Go stargazing

Gaze into your loved one’s eyes beneath the Southern Cross and be awestruck by New Zealand’s dark night skies. Stargazing in New Zealand is a breathtakingly magical experience when experienced with a loved one, thanks to the dark, clear skies, unique celestial features, and otherworldly landscapes. For the best views, choose from five locations across New Zealand: Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mount Cook, Wairarapa, Dunedin, or Great Barrier Island.

Picnic in private

Swoop in by helicopter to a secluded spot where a gourmet picnic hamper, fine New Zealand wine and an intimate setting just for two awaits your private indulgence. Try the Heli-Picnic — Alpine Luxury Tours in Queenstown. This is a once in a lifetime dining opportunity, an unforgettable picnic under the numerous waterfalls and dramatic glaciers off the beaten track. Fly over sheer cliff faces, pass the blue ice of a hanging glacier before descending 1,000m into a valley below.

ALSO READ-New Zealand’s subtle and rich Maori Culture

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New Zealand’s subtle and rich Maori Culture

We value our connections to our mountains, our oceans, our lakes, and our rivers, and also where we grew up…Nanaia speaks with N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

New Zealand’s Maori culture is diverse and complex, encompassing both traditional and contemporary arts. Throughout the country, traditional arts such as carving, weaving, kapa haka (group performance), whaikorero (oratory), and moko (tattoo) are practiced.

Have you ever witnessed or seen a patriotic dance routine performed by a group of individuals vigorously stomping their feet? It is known as Haka, a traditional Maori Culture dance performed when two tribes meet during a war or when a visitor is welcomed. However, the song is now performed even on pleasant occasions.

We recently spoke with Nanaia Mahuta, New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Local Government, and Maori Development, who was in India for four days to highlight New Zealand’s subtle and rich Maori Culture. Read Excerpts…

In your words, describe New Zealand’s Maori culture.

New Zealand is a pretty young country but the history of the Maori people in New Zealand extends back around about thousand odd years ago when our ancestors traveled from across the vast Pacific Ocean to Aotearoa New Zealand. So, we have got a navigation history and when we settled there, we brought with us our histories and our traditions and our connection to the broader pacific roots through songs, through Whakapapa (RH1), through talking about our ancestral connections, our mythology, how we brought about the way in which the creation extended and all of that was brought to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Nowadays, we have got a number of tribes that have settled throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. While we share common connections through Whakapapa (RH2) or our ancestry, there are also slight differences as well.

We value our connections to our mountains, our oceans, our lakes, and our rivers, and also where we grew up. We have lots of stories for example about being the first place to see the sun, and how Maori captured and steered the sun to slow it down so that we have got a long time to experience the fullness of our lives in Aotearoa New Zealand. We have also got stories about how we live by the lunar calendar. So that dictates when we fish, when we plant, when we harvest, and when we have downtime to rest, and also when we have high energy time to undertake a number of activities during the various seasons.

So that’s a little bit about who we are as Maori in Aotearoa New Zealand and how we celebrate culture in our lives.

What steps is the government taking to promote and protect New Zealand’s unique heritage?


For a long period of time, we celebrate what Maori culture means to who we are as a country. When I think about our National Day of Significance which is Waitangi Day which was recently celebrated, we recognised Waitangi which is in the far north as a special place and a place that celebrates how we came to be as a nation. Also, recently we have had a national holiday to celebrate Matariki, which is the lunar calendar, and the significance of it to New Zealand’s emerging identity connection to Maori culture.

How are New Zealand’s Maori businesses giving back to society?


When I think about the Maori business generally, I think about the way in which we organize ourselves around family, around hapu (RH3), around our connection to the land and how we produce food, whether it be lamb or forestry or horticulture for Kiwi fruit. You will see Maori very much involved in those businesses. In terms of the tourism experience, we tell a lot of stories in our culture. So, in the far north for example the Waipoua Forest experience talks about TaneMahuta the largest tree in the forest, in our ancestral connection to TaneMahuta but also, we have got real challenges in our ecosystem. So that particular tourism experience gives back to the search around the kauri dieback (RH4) and what we can learn from Maori knowledge about looking after the kauri and adopting modern practices to address that particular disease among the kauri trees.

When I think about tourism experiences through the South that ensures that when you go and visit, for example, Kaitiaki adventures in Rotorua, you also contribute to the way they look after the natural environment. There is a four-wheel drive experience that takes you to explore the land and the forest, and for every tourist that has that experience, they also give a little bit back to the environment. There are examples down south where you have a marine experience and I personally think about Kaikoura whale watch tours every tourist that has that experience also contributes to ensuring that they look after the ecosystem. So, these are ways that you can have a tourism experience but also look after the environment and natural biodiversity that we have in Aotearoa.

From the perspective of tourism, can Indians expect any cultural exchange programs?


We have had some exchanges. At the end of last year, we had TeWehi Haka (RH5) which teaches the Haka experience, our Maori cultural experience. They came to India and participated in the National tribal dance festival and shared some of our cultures through Haka, and Waiata songs, and through those types of interaction. That’s just one type of experience.

But also, there are more modern experiences as well. Our literary exchanges because we have a lot of writers who share a little bit about our culture and history as well.

Do you think can people from other cultures learn something different from your culture?

I think it’s not much about something different but what we share in common is people of cultures. We share a love for each other, we share a love for our connection to our special places, we share an understanding of how important it is to hold on to tell our stories and how we can make history and connection, linkages to places through songs, through dance, through an act, through storytelling and also through food. And those are the things that we share in common.

What we are different from is perhaps our place, how we connect to the pacific. And in our differences, we also share our commonalities. That’s the case for many cultures around the world.

What do you hope to gain from Inbound Indian tourists visiting New Zealand ?

I hope that people would see if they make the effort to travel all the way to New Zealand, which is a long way from India, that they spend time in our country and they travel around, they can have experiences that are very much targeted towards family experiences where it doesn’t so much matter what age you are, you can enjoy and experience a number of different experiences. Also, you get to get an insight into who we are as a people. Again, food is a great connector and music. So, sharing that experience for Maori is a really big task of conveying what we value as a people and what we are prepared to look after for the long term. So that our children and our grandchildren can continue to celebrate our culture and also look after the place that we love which is Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Set some ‘Goa goals’

A once-in-a-lifetime experience is floating through the air while your loved ones take in a breathtaking vista of Goa…writes Niharika Nigam

More than just wine glasses and shacks can be found in your Goa diary! India has more than just glittering beaches and a vibrant nightlife when it comes to partying. Have you ever wondered what else the well-known location has to offer? Have you tried looking in the nooks and crannies here? We’ll give you some more “Goa goals” to cross off your list in this article.

Additionally, when you are in the city, make sure to browse the local markets for the greatest trinkets to bring home as gifts. Other than the busiest beaches, there are a lot of unusual things to discover here:

Bungy jumping

Yes, you heard that right. Thanks to the solid efforts put in by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Bungy jumping is now in GOA. By the pioneers of Bungy in Rishikesh no less. The team brings 12 years of expertise and an enviable record of having operated over 1.5 lakh jumps in Rishikesh with safety standards at par with the best globally. The team is owned and run by Ex-Army officers to ensure your safety. Bungy jumping is that bucket list experience that you can now enjoy amidst the paradise that is goa! Set over Mayem Lake in North Goa, this is one ‘Got Guts???’ moment you do not want to miss. It is about a 45 minute drive from the very popular Baga Beach. Bungy jumping will not only spike the adrenaline in you but also leave you with a once-in-a-lifetime memory to take home. Considered as one of the most extreme adventure sports in the world, bungy jumping is an adventure to be had.

Caving

Can you picture this region includes lovely tunnels leading you through flatlands and rocky spots for a completely new experience, even if partying and shacks are commonplace here? There are numerous caves in Goa, including Cupa Sea Cave, Canacona, Kaurati’s Caves, Harvalem Caves, and many more. While some of them may require some walking, others are located closer to the beach. This unkempt area of the green metropolis is undoubtedly something you shouldn’t miss.

Air ballooning

A once-in-a-lifetime experience is floating through the air while your loved ones take in a breathtaking vista of Goa. To see the pouring sea and the lush, green countryside from the summit, travel to Chandor, South Goa. And there is nothing better than kneeling in the air while taking in an incredible vista if you want to pop the question to your significant other.

Underwater sea walk


Getting your little mermaid on? The Biana beach in Goa offers a calming underwater walking experience. Imagine yourself and your loved ones walking on a bed of soft sand beneath the sea while weeds are visible and fish are being fed. How magical is that? Why not incorporate the activity into your upcoming Goa trip? A boat will transport you there, where you’ll find yourself in the midst of a magical landscape filled with delights. To participate in this activity, you must be at least 12 years old, and swimming is a requirement.

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