President’s Desk…

MTOA Newsletter4th Edition – October 2015.Only for private circulation among members of MTOAExtracts from various reputed publications in Travel Industry

www.mtoa.co.in

New Tourism App for Maharashtra.

We just celebrated World Tourism Day on 27th September. This year, the theme is

“Millions of Tourists, Millions of Opportunities”. This theme is like the gist of

tourism in totality.

Today, millions of tourists are globetrotting to every nook and corner. Travel has

become an inseparable part of human nature. And, it does make life interesting.

There is an exponential increase in one’s self-confidence and enhancement of

character. Also, right from economics to entertainment to education, travelling

encapsulates everything and paves the way for a person’s progress in life.

Our country is blessed with a rich and varied heritage along with diverse geographical features. In fact, for us

tourism is the master key which can unlock the gates of prosperity and peace. So, this year let us take upon

ourselves to experience a new region, understand its culture and what it has to offer.Let us also make use of

every opportunity to portray the wonders of our country to the outside world.

Wishing you all a ‘Happy World Tourism Day’ from the bottom of my heart.

With Regards,

Sudhir PatilPresident - MTOA

Maharashtra Chief Minister

Devendra Fadnavis, after the

opening ceremony of

Maharashtra International

Travel Mart (MITM), launched

a new mobile Application and a

new website for tourists. Also

present on the occasion was

Dr Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State for Culture

and Tourism (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation,

and Prof Ram Shinde, Minister of State for Tourism,

Maharashtra and actor Amitabh Bachchan. Other

announcements included the hop-on hop-off buses for

tourists, launch of various festivals including a shopping

festival, Mining Tourism, and inviting more investments

through PPP for the hospitality sector. Fadnavis also

announced relaxation of licences for hotels by bringing

down the number from the current 71 to six that can be

applied in a single form online. “We are also encouraging

film shoots in Maharashtra by relaxing the permissions.

Studios can apply for permissions online for shooting and

they will get the okay within seven days. If they do not get

an okay, then it will be understood that they have

received the relevant permissions,” he said. The three

day mart will be held from Sept 28-30, 2015.

MTDC Launches Heli Tourism…

On World Tourism Day yesterday, Maharashtra

Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) along with

Girisons Airways started heli tourism in Mumbai. The

helicopters will operate from Juhu airport every

Sunday for 15 minutes, and the fare is INR 3,939,

excluding taxes. Paraag Jaiin Nainutia, MD, MTDC, at

the launch, said, “Mumbai has the most amazing

skyline, an impressive and breath-taking view. There

are many tourist spots that look outstanding from an

aerial view. The idea is to provide an enthralling

experience to tourists and boost potential tourism in

state. Mumbai attracts many foreign and domestic

tourists, and heli tourism will definitely help in

increasing footfalls.” The tour on the helicopter is

planned for tourists who have less time in hand to

explore the city.

Vada Pav, Cutting and lot more…

MTOA Newsletter4th Edition – October 2015.Only for private circulation among members of MTOAExtracts from various reputed publications in Travel Industry

www.mtoa.co.in

cuisines, affordable street food to avant grade specialty restaurants.

Be it a holiday, a business trip or if you are just thinking where you can eat next, here are few of the must eat options

when you are in Mumbai.To begin on a sweet note, head to Haji Ali Juice centre ( Mahalaxmi) which is famous for fresh

cut fruits served with dry fruits and cream , falooda, juices and sandwiches or head to Bachelorr’s (Girgaum Chowpatty)

for its classic chocolate shakes and do not miss their specialty ‘chili ice cream ‘. For the best gulab jamuns head to

Jhama sweets in Chembur /Sion where they are served hot or opt for a delightful takeaway. Ice cream lovers can

choose best of fresh and natural flavors of ice cream at the local Ice cream brands like Gokul ( Santacruz) and Natural

Ice cream ( all over Mumbai).Also a must try is colourful sweet and tangy ice golla at the street side vendor.

A must try are the native vegetarian Maharashtrian snacks like Misal Pav, Kothimbir Vadi, Thaali Peeth ,Kandha Pohe,

and thalis do visit Aswad ( Dadar ) or Panshikar (Girgaum/Vile Parle)

You can forget your diet regime for a day from the mere sight of this dish begin made on a large flamed tava and slabs

of butter .Feast on this butterly sinful Pav bhaji at Sardar ( Tardeo) ,Cannon Pav Bhaji ( CST station) or the simple

stalls outside Juhu beach and don’t forget to ask for extra pav which is served equally dipped in butter.

Blessed with a beautiful bay and coastline, Mumbai has been a Sea Food lover’s paradise with restaurants offering

best catch for the day. One can head straight to Mahesh lunch home ( Fort/Juhu) for some fresh and spicy

Mangalorean-style seafood dishes like fish gassi ( curry) served with light neer doosa, Gajalee that serves one of the

best crispy bombil ( Bombay duck) fry and lip smacking butter garlic/tandoori crabs or their very own sol kadi

Italian, Thai, Japanese, Mediterranean , pub food, steaks, sizzlers there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and pubs in the

areas of Colaba, Lower Parel and Bandra. For your craving for bheja fry, baida roti, nalli nihari , sheek kebabs the best

places in Mumbai to fest on these meaty favorites is at Bade Miyan at Colaba ,Noor Mohammadi (Bhendi Bazaar) or

Delhi Durbar And after all that eating, no Indian meal feels complete without eating the triangular sweet delight of ‘Paan’

available easily outside most street corners or restaurants like the very famous Mucchad Pan Wala (Nepean Sea

Road). With so much variety to feast on, do keep some extra space in your stomach and thoda extra time in your

schedule on your next holiday to Mumbai. – (Article by Neshma Pathare – Veena World)

Whenever anyone is running short of time in the busy city

of Amchi Mumbai, the easiest way is to grab a bite to buy

one of the most economic yet quick meal of Vada Pav

and a cup of cutting chai which one can find easily at

most of street stalls throughout the city. But Mumbai

being a multicultural metropolis has lot more to offer to all

its visitors and its residents from regional to international

If you love the rush of travelling in trains but aren't sure what kind of food you will get

while travelling, do not worry! TravelKhana - an award winning company is here to

serve you. If you are interested in going on a long or short trip but worried about the

food you will get, we have a surprise for you. Our delicious food has been relished by

both kids and adults alike. And that is why we have been honoured with two coveted

awards: IAMAI Travel Website 2014 and CNBC TV 18 Startup of the Year 2013. We

make food delivery convenient for you and we cannot do it without our food partners

in various cities around India. Enjoy cuisines from different cities and with being a

travel enthusiast, become a food aficionado too.

We pay immense attention to three important things - Availability, Hygiene and

Flavour. We always ensure the customers get their food on time and it is exactly what

they ask for. While you are on a train, you can call us in the middle of the night or at

dawn, if you have placed your order with us, we will get you the food you wanted. We

cover thousands of train routes every day in more than 500 cities. And this has made

our customer count over 9 lakhs and is increasing day by day. So just call us or book

your order online, you can get our great services while travelling by train.

We have numerous cuisines to pick from like North Indian, South Indian, Chinese,

Mughlai, Hyderabadi, Continental, Italian, Non-Vegetarian, Vegetarian, and, of

course, soft drinks. These are just few we listed down, go through our menu to be

stunned! Besides all this, we ensure you that the local food suppliers, we have

partnered with, cook hygienic food so that you do not have to rely on unhealthy

snacks.

Delicious

meal in

train

journey

Never tried riding on a Segway before? Join us for a quick introductory

Fun ride or an Eco Adventure beach exploration, where-by you will see

what Sentosa has to offer along the beaches! The Segway, is great fun

and suitable for all.

Segway Fun RideThe ever popular Segway Fun Ride is an introductory experience that is suitable

for everyone. Our friendly trainer will assist you in mastering how to manoeuvre

the Segway Personal Transporter (PT) within minutes. Over half a million rider

have tried the Segway Fun Ride. What are you waiting for?

Segway Eco AdventureEnjoy a scenic ride along Singapore’s most popular beaches on

our Signature Segway Eco Adventure. A thrilled-packed 30

minutes* experience along the hip and fun-loving Siloso beach or

the family-oriented Palawan beach. For the ultimate Segway

experience, join us for the 60 minutes* Segway Eco Adventure+

where we will cruise along the entire 3.2km of white sandy

beaches, covering Siloso, Palawan to Tanjong and also pass by

the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia, which is Must-See in

Singapore.

Segway Sentosa in Singapore !!!

MTOA Newsletter4th Edition – October 2015.Only for private circulation among members of MTOAExtracts from various reputed publications in Travel Industry

www.mtoa.co.in

Le Meridien ‘Resort & Spa’ debuts in Mahabaleshwar.

Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels &

Resorts Worldwide, has announced the opening of Le Meridien

Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa in Western India. Marking the

first Le Meridien resort in India, Le Meridien Mahabaleshwar

Resort & Spa is the brand’s ninth property in the country, further

strengthening the brand’s presence throughout India. Nestled in

the scenic Western Ghats, the resort is a few hours’ drive from

the cosmopolitan centers of Mumbai and Pune, and offers

guests an ideal getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.

“Le Meridien and India share a passion for culture, the arts and

cuisine,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le Meridien

and Westin. “As our first Le Méridien resort in India, we look

forward to inviting our creative and curious minded travelers to

unlock the destination through our locally-inspired

programming, culinary creations and of course, relaxation.” Le

Méridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa features 122 stylishly

appointed guestrooms and suites, all complemented with

private balconies that offer expansive views of the surrounding

natural scenery. Each room features the brand’s signature

amenities and destination-inspired moments of discovery. . The

pool-side restaurant, Plunge Bar, allows guests to savour

canapés and sublime blends and spirits, while Longitude 73

transforms from a casual coffee house by day to a vibrant social

scene in the evening.

Air India moves domestic operations in Mumbai.

National carrier Air India, will relocate its domestic

operations in Mumbai from Terminal 1A to Terminal

2 (T2), Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport,

Sahar, with effect from October 1, 2015. The

shifting is a part of the phase-wise transition that

was planned for T2. Air India’s domestic operations

at T2 will commence with the departure of flight AI

627 from Mumbai to Nagpur at 5.55 am and the

arrival of AI 695 from Hyderabad to Mumbai at 7.45

am. On an average, Air India has around 45

departures and an equal number of arrivals, ex-

Mumbai.

MTOA Newsletter has been published by MTOA at its Office Veena World, Mahalaxmi Estate, L. J. Cross Road No. 1, Mahim (W) Mumbai – 400016.

President – Shri. Sudhir PatilGen. Secretary – Shri. Atul MohileChief Editor – Shri. Amol A. Hendre

The 47th Annual General Meeting was held at

Hotel Parle International, Mumbai on Saturday 5th September 2015.

MTOA Newsletter4th Edition – October 2015.Only for private circulation among members of MTOAExtracts from various reputed publications in Travel Industry

www.mtoa.co.in

MTOA Participation in World Tourism Day Rally organised by India Tourism and Indian Associaton of Tour

Operators.

MTOA member Shri Kesari Patil receives National

Tourism Award from Hon’ble President of India

Shri Pranab Mukherjee.

MTOA Member Shri Dhiraj Nishar honoured by MSC

Cruise Company.