TUI India to focus more on tier-II, III cities.

Our BureauAhmedabad, Oct 10:  

Tour operator TUI India sees greater business opportunity in tier-2 and tier-3 cities in the country. The company plans to increase its presence from current six to 15 stores by the end of next year, informed a top company official here.

Speaking at the launch of its Ahmedabad store, Vishal Sinha, Chief Operating Officer, TUI India said, “Gujarat is currently one of the fastest developing states of our country and we have seen a rise in the number of Gujaratis travelling abroad for their holidays. Research has shown that over 30 per cent of Indian tourists are Gujaratis.”

The company, an Indian arm of international leisure travel group, TUI Travel PLC will also focus on local tourism. “About 30 per cent of our business comes from domestic travel. And with states focusing more on developing their local tourism spots, we see this business to grow more,” Sinha told BusinessLine. He mentioned that India’s outbound tourism is expected to witness a jump in summers with tourists’ traffic likely to increase by about 15 to 20 per cent.

Encouraged by Gujarat government’s travel promotion under Khusbu Gujarat ki, several tourist spots are set to emerge as short-trip holiday destinations. “We are developing packages for domestic travel of Rann of Kutch and blackbuck sanctuary for travel packages.” Within India TUI offers tour packages in Kashmir, Rajasthan and Kerala besides Gujarat.

Interestingly, a study conducted by trade body, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) recently revealed that tourist spots in Gujarat and Rajasthan like Ambaji temple, Gir forest, Kutch, Udaipur and Mount Abu besides Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli are being preferred as a getaway destinations. Working couples from cities are increasingly flocking to such destinations for a quick holiday.

TUI, which started Indian operations in 2006 is also eyeing travellers from India rushing for abroad trip. Quoting an industry report, Sinha mentioned that India has emerged as the world's fastest-growing outbound market and in absolute numbers it is second only to China. “The number of Indians travelling overseas is set to rise from around 15 million today to 50 million by 2020. It states that 67 per cent of outbound travellers are from Western India, mainly Gujarat and Maharashtra,” he said.

Correction: The percentage share of TUI India's business from domestic travel has been changed from 70 per cent to 30 per cent

(This article was published on October 10, 2014)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/tui-india-to-focus-more-on-tieriiiii-cities/article6489188.ece

Narendra Modi appealed to send Gir lions to Madhya Pradesh.

P Naveen, TNN | Oct 8, 2014, 09.36PM IST
BHOPAL: Prime Minister Narendra has been appealed to send Gir lions to Madhya Pradesh in compliance of the Supreme Court order.

In a letter faxed to Modi, a day before his scheduled visit at Indore for inaugural session of Global Investors Summit (GIS), wildlife activist Ajay Dubey said that Madhya Pradesh government will take care of lions like they had been taking care of families who migrated from Kutch (Gujarat) and settled around Kuno wildlife sanctuary in Sheopur district.

"Forest department has given land rights to the Kutch migrants. Gir lions will also get the best care here," said Dubey adding that Supreme Court has already dismissed Gujarat government's curative petition against shifting Gir lions to Kuno in Madhya Pradesh and there is no other option other than shifting it.

The Gujarat government under Modi opposed the transfer tooth and nail in an eight-year legal battle.

Recently, three-judge bench headed by CJI R M Lodha rejected the curative petition filed by Gujarat government against apex court's April 15, 2013, verdict allowing shifting of lions from Gir to Kuno.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/Narendra-Modi-appealed-to-send-Gir-lions-to-Madhya-Pradesh/articleshow/44717872.cms

London Zoo Is Building A New Home For Lions.

8 October 2014 | General News | By: Laura Reynolds

Aerial view of the enclosure

All images (c) ZSL
London Zoo is building a new, £5.2million lion exhibit, with the aim of breeding extremely endangered Asiatic lions.
Land of the Lions is set to open in Spring 2016, and at 2,500sqm, the lions’ den will be more than five times the size of the current lion space at the zoo.
Although we reckon captivity isn’t exactly comparable to being in the wild, ZSL says zookeepers and conservationists have been heavily involved in planning the exhibit, “to ensure that the welfare and needs of the animals are at the forefront of the design”.
The new design will feature a mock Indian village and enable visitors to get up close to the big cats. The aim is to highlight the often fraught relationship between humans and lions in the wild, as the animals’ natural habitat is moved into by humans.
It’s all part of ZSL’s ongoing Lions400 campaign, a conservation project which aims to protect the Asiatic lion species. Only 400 remain in the wild, in a small section of the Gir Forest in India, with poaching and disease posing a major threat to the survival of the species.
In advance of the building work, Lucifer, the zoo’s male lion, was moved to a new home at Paignton Zoo earlier in the year:

http://londonist.com/2014/10/london-zoo-is-building-a-new-home-for-lions.php

African Lions knocking on the Door of Extinction.

Submitted by Carol Bailey on Tue, 10/28/2014 - 12:47

On Monday, the US Fish and Wildlife service revealed that African lions are facing threat of extinction and may be wiped out soon. The department has recommended listing the African lion under endangered species act to give maximum protection.
A new rule has also been proposed by the state department to save the African lion. If the rule gets approved, selling products related to hunting of lions in United States without prior permit will be a criminal activity. The rule is not applied to zoos.
In the United States, sports hunting is very popular and the hunters import the lions killed in Africa as trophies, according to a report. The report also states that sports personnel from the US hunt maximum lions, elephants and rhinoceros in Africa.


The reason behind the decline in population of African lion is the loss of habitat, human conflict and poaching. In 1980, the population of African lion in Africa was recorded to be more than 76,000 and now it has reduced to 30,000.
Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dan Ashe, said that the population of lion is decreasing. If no urgent action is taken, they will become endangered in the foreseeable future.
"It is up to all of us, not just the people of Africa, to ensure that healthy, wild populations continue to roam the savannah for generations to come", he added.
According to Ashe, African lions are normally violent than Asiatic lions and measure 4.5 to 6.5 feet in length and the length of the tail is measured to be 20 to 40 inches long.
By listing a species as endangered, the service said that it could provide benefits mainly by prohibiting activities including import, export, interstate commerce, commercial activity, and foreign commerce.

http://uncovermichigan.com/content/21656-african-lions-knocking-door-extinction

Experts to be consulted for ailing Asiatic lions.

Oct 28, 2014

Experts from around the globe will now be consulted for the treatment of the ailing Asiatic lions in the Etawah Lion Safari, which is the dream project of UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The lions, named Vishnu and Laxmi, were brought in from other states for the Lion safari project but have been seriously ill since the past one month. The lions have been partially paralysed, are unable to walk and have now almost stopped eating.
The veterinary doctors attending on the lions and the reports of the test samples from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly found that the lions had been infected by rat urine.
In an official statement issued by the state information department, a forest official said that experts from the Veterinary College Mathura, the Junagarh zoo and from Gujarat and Bear rescue Centre in Agra are being consulted on the line of treatment being given to the ailing big cats.
The opinion of experts from the Zoo Society London and Born Free Foundation in the United Kingdom was also being sought.
“A round the clock vigil is being maintained by veterinary doctors in the Lion safari in Etawah on the condition of the lions and the chief minister is also being regularly informed of the developments,” said the official.
Vishnu and Laxmi were brought from Gujarat and kept in the Kanpur zoo from where they were shifted to the Lion safari in September.


http://www.asianage.com/india/experts-be-consulted-ailing-asiatic-lions-026

Beware of lion: Threat that keeps intruders away in Greater Gir.

Himanshu Kaushik, TNN | Oct 28, 2014, 02.04AM IST
AHMEDABAD : In the Greater Gir, lions are not only tolerated by humans, but it appears that humans in the area also assiduously cultivate the company of the magnificent beasts. It turns out that the lions' special place in the human scheme of things owes to their capacity to be security guards who ward off blue bulls and wild boars, animals which can destroy fields if given a free run.

These facts emerged from a study, 'Ecology of Lions in Greater Gir Landscape', carried out by two doctors — Jalpan C Rupapara and Purvesh K Kacha. They have pointed out the burgeoning population of blue bulls in the Greater Gir area is a major threat to the fields. But when lions are around, farmers do not have to bother about either the blue bulls or indeed the wild boars.

Interestingly, the villagers also consider lions to be wildlife showpieces and call their friends and relatives from adjacent talukas and villages for big cat shows.

In 2009, a lioness and four cubs strayed into Gondal following heavy rains and were marooned. They were rescued and caged in the Sakarbaugh Zoo. The residents were so exercised by the capture that they launched an agitation and forced the forest department to release the lions in the same area. Such is the attachment, altruistic or not, that the villagers feel towards the lions.

The human-beast bonhomie is broken only when the lions are disturbed. In fact, the report states that lion attacks almost always happen when the animals are teased. However, the truth is never revealed by the victims of such attacks because illegal lion shows organized by local residents are the primary cause of irritation for the lions.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Beware-of-lion-Threat-that-keeps-intruders-away-in-Greater-Gir/articleshow/44953941.cms

Gir draws 81% more visitors this season.

TNN | Oct 27, 2014, 05.45AM IST
AHMEDABAD: The extended Diwali vacation saw a record 81% jump in the number of tourists in the Gir Sanctuary, the last abode of the Asiatic Lion. Around 24,000 tourists visited Gir Sanctuary over the four-day Diwali period starting October 23 this year, an increase of 10,800 tourists in comparison to same period last year.

On Sunday, more than 8,800 people came to visit the king of the jungle on a single day, a record in itself. Principal chief conservator, wildlife for Gujarat, C N Pandey, said that this was their busiest festive season as people flocked in the thousands to spot the lions. What's more, almost 100% bookings for the jungle safari were done online. Even for Devaliya safari 50% bookings were done online.

"In the four days surrounding Diwali festivities, 81% more visitors came to Gir. The greater tourist pull is the lions and a large number of cubs, which can be spotted all over the sanctuary. In case of Devaliya safari there is always 100% chance of spotting a lion," added Pandey.

Like last year, this time too, 150 permits were granted each day, relaxing the 90 permit limit observed on the regular days, to manage the heavy tourist rush. "More than 1000 tourists went for Devaliya safari each day on all four days while rest of the tourists went in for jungle safari," said Pandey who is also chief wildlife warden of Gujarat.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Gir-draws-81-more-visitors-this-season/articleshow/44944016.cms

High air fares force Amdavadis to hit road this Diwali.

Piyush Mishra, TNN | Oct 23, 2014, 11.47AM IST
AHMEDABAD: As the Diwali weekend approaches, air fares are touching new highs. With plane seats getting fewer or almost booked, Amdavadis are planning to take road trips to nearby locations to beat the out of reach air travel. The fares for regular as well as holiday destinations are almost 10-12 times higher over the Diwali weekend than what they are otherwise. This has forced people to take short road trips with their families to destinations such as Mount Abu, Gir-Somnath, Diu and Udaipur among others.

"Like in the US where families go for short trips over the weekend, people here too are taking that route to make the most of the holidays. It is not only cheaper, but one also gets to explore different areas and families spend more time together," said Manish Sharma, city-based tour operator.

Destinations like Gir-Somnath-Diu and Mount Abu-Udaipur are being preferred the most by Amdavadis for 5-day weekend starting Thursday. "Every year, I along with my family go for holidays once we are done with Lakshmi Puja on Diwali. This year I am going to Pavagadh and Saputara. Some of my friends have opted for nearby destinations in Rajasthan," said Deven Patel, businessman.

"All the hotels in the city, especially 3-star and above are almost booked. More than 60% of the crowd that will be coming here is from Gujarat only," said Sanjay Singhal, a hotelier in Mount Abu.

With Gir forest also opening up, many people are taking wildlife tours coupled with trip to Somnath temple and Diu.

Some people who were unable to get bookings in hotels have rented out farm houses for 5-6 days. "I am going with my extended family to Mount Abu and also taking my cook along with me. We have booked a farm house so that the whole family can stay together and have some great time," said Harshil Patel, a businessman.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Ahmedabad/High-air-fares-force-Amdavadis-to-hit-road-this-Diwali/articleshow/44915467.cms