In order to tap the growing tourism markets of Saudi Arabia and Middle East as a whole, Kerala-based tour operator Spiceland Holidays has introduced customised travel packages targeting the Gulf market. The company has also set up a full-fledged office in Jeddah. The packages, ‘Essence of Kerala’ and ‘Escape to India’, were launched by Sultan Ahmed, Union Minister of State for Tourism, at the 19th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) that was held recently in Dubai. Spiceland Holidays had a separate stall outside the India pavilion at ATM.
‘Essence of Kerala’ is a two-week luxury package covering prominent tourist destinations while ‘Escape to India’ is a 20-day package that also includes major attractions in neighbouring states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, apart from those in Kerala. The company has also tied-up with five-star luxury hotels such as Leela Kempinski to promote the packages, which are valid till the end of September, 2012. The company, which, according to Riyaz UC, Managing Director, Spiceland Holidays, has been receiving great response from its Arab trade partners, hosted an exclusive show during the Riyadh Travel Fair in Saudi Arabia, held last month, and highlighted products such as Ayurveda and the backwaters of Kerala. Speaking about the new packages, Riyaz stated, “Traffic from the Middle East to India and Sri Lanka is increasing at a good rate. We have created customised packages to tap this market and launched the same at ATM as it is one of the best platforms for promoting a product to the Middle East. The packages have been fine-tuned keeping in mind the tastes and interests of travellers from the Middle East, especially regarding food and language. We have an exclusive team of guides and drivers who speak Arabic, which is a mandatory requirement for servicing travellers from Saudi Arabia.” He informed that Spiceland Holidays’ stall at ATM 2012 had a backwaters theme showcasing the natural beauty of Kerala, and also included a houseboat. “The proximity of Kerala, just fours hours by flight, and the excellent air connectivity between destinations in the Middle East and Kerala together make it easier to attract holidayers to the state,” he opined.
Click here to see the original article>‘Essence of Kerala’ is a two-week luxury package covering prominent tourist destinations while ‘Escape to India’ is a 20-day package that also includes major attractions in neighbouring states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, apart from those in Kerala. The company has also tied-up with five-star luxury hotels such as Leela Kempinski to promote the packages, which are valid till the end of September, 2012. The company, which, according to Riyaz UC, Managing Director, Spiceland Holidays, has been receiving great response from its Arab trade partners, hosted an exclusive show during the Riyadh Travel Fair in Saudi Arabia, held last month, and highlighted products such as Ayurveda and the backwaters of Kerala. Speaking about the new packages, Riyaz stated, “Traffic from the Middle East to India and Sri Lanka is increasing at a good rate. We have created customised packages to tap this market and launched the same at ATM as it is one of the best platforms for promoting a product to the Middle East. The packages have been fine-tuned keeping in mind the tastes and interests of travellers from the Middle East, especially regarding food and language. We have an exclusive team of guides and drivers who speak Arabic, which is a mandatory requirement for servicing travellers from Saudi Arabia.” He informed that Spiceland Holidays’ stall at ATM 2012 had a backwaters theme showcasing the natural beauty of Kerala, and also included a houseboat. “The proximity of Kerala, just fours hours by flight, and the excellent air connectivity between destinations in the Middle East and Kerala together make it easier to attract holidayers to the state,” he opined.