Hospitality Biz India reports that  India’s top distance learning university, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is setting up a new school on tourism and hospitality management. And here is what is highly different and interesting about it - it plans to churn out 2.5 million students in ten years to feed manpower requirement tto the expanding hospitality industry.

The ‘School of Tourism and Hospitality Service Sectoral Management,’ will offer Bachelors, Masters, MPhil and PhD degrees. The learners will be taught and trained through a mix of online, face-to-face and open distance learning mode, said the officials.

I think this is a great move - we need all the manpower and more. My only concern is hat they will not be industry ready when they finish unless the university also comes up with a plan for  some kind of mandatory industry training as part of the course.

This time when you make travel plans, why not try something different? How about visiting an authentic and charming village retreat in the Rann of Kachchh?

Here are some insights into a very different way of life.

Mud, or, to be more colloquial, Maati, is the essential material to which every Kachchhi in Banni relates to. Centuries of experience have given the people of Banni mastery over maati and their Bhunga (circular hut) demonstrates a deep understanding of the ecological, social and aesthetic features of architecture.

The thick maati walls, which keep the interior cool during the hot Kachchhi summers and warm in the cold desert winters, terminate in conical roofs made of thatch. The roof protects the walls which are adorned beautifully with colourful geometric and floral patterns also created from hand shaped maati.

Women use earth colours to paint the different motifs and create mud-mirror work designs (Lippan Kaam) to decorate the exterior and interior walls of the Bhunga.

The traditional Bhunga is an engineering wonder. This sturdy structure has been known to withstand severe winds and seismic activity because of its circular design and tough mud plaster.

Now you can visit and experience ethnic life at the Hodka village - The Hodka Endogenous Tourism Project seeks to promote local culture and craft based tourism for sustainable livelihoods and integrated rural development. Its aim is to improve the local people’s quality of life, by creating more livelihood options, while preserving and allowing the community to develop their unique culture and share it with you, the visitor.

Hodka is part of a national project which includes other 36 Indian villages.

Text courtesy: Hodka endogenous tourism project

This is the prediction from the latest research by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published in March. But since then the world financial system has been shaken, but this report should give us hope that the catchphrase of “cautious optimism” to describe the mood in the hotel industry seems fairly justifiable.

It says that World Travel & Tourism is expected to generate close to US$8 trillion in 2008, rising to approximately US$15 trillion over the next ten years.

According to the WTTC President Jean-Claude Baumgarten, it is the continued strong expansion in emerging countries - both as tourism destinations and as an increasing source of international visitors which keep the prospects bright.

The study says that “Regionally Africa, Asia Pacific and the Middle East are experiencing higher growth rates than the world average, at 5.9%, 5.7% and 5.2% respectively, while the mature markets, most notably the Americas and Europe, are falling below the world average with a growth at 2.1% and 2.3 % respectively”

So who will win in this new emerging scenario? According to Alex Christou, Managing Partner of Accenture’s Transportation & Travel Services (Accenture partnered with WTTC in this research) said “High performance companies will differentiate themselves by being highly focused on their individual customers. The winners will be companies that take a balanced view, driving customer intimacy and product innovation while driving non-value added costs out of their operations.”

176 countries were covered in this WTTC research.

From the 1st of November, air travellers in India will pay an additional transaction fee - Indian travel agents and airlines have mutually decided to add a transaction fee for air tickets issued from the 1st of November, according to the Economic Times.

It would be a minimum of INR350 for domestic and maximum of INR10,000 for international tickets according to the report.

What we don’t know is who gets the money? Is this a substitute for the commissions which used to be paid to travel agencies?

Fortunately our search for a Home-like Hotel is over since we discovered the Sea Shell Resort on Havelock Island. All we need is a team excursion out there soon….

This Geobeats video says it all - For me Ladakh is like no other part of the country. And we cant wait to add a Home-like hotel to our portfolio in Leh. The search is on…..

According to the Travelbiz Monitor, this will, however, be a paid lounge unlike other airport lounges in India which are restricted to the business class passengers or frequent fliers. It can accommodate 150 people at a time and will also have slumber rooms, which will be rented out in slots of different time spans. Initially the slots will be of four hours and will be subsequently increased to eight, 12 and 24 hour slots.

Reminds me slightly of the Japanese budget hotel concept - capsule hotels. I am sure this will be different but the concept I must say has some similarities. Will be great to hear from travellers who have had the chance to experience it.

India is to introduce a non-smoking rule that comes into effect from the 2nd of October 08.

And the industry is upset - according to a representative of a leading industry association in India “The FHRAI will file a case against the government’s anti-smoking rule in two or three days time. The body has got the legal opinions from leading lawyers,’

The main complaint is not so much the law itself, but the time given to the hoteliers - they say it is too short to construct a smoking room with prescribed ventilation facilities.

Under the new rule hotels, restaurants, discos, pubs, discos and bars will be classified as public places and smoking is not allowed.

So what do the travellers make of all this? We welcome your thoughts on the subject….