Thursday, May 29, 2008
Summer sizzle
This summer, give in to the temptations of the laidback backwaters and traditional oil massages. Phoenix Group's 5-star luxury resort, Radisson Plaza Resort & Spa, Kumarakom (Kerala), has some interesting summer packages.A fine blend of natural and man-made marvel, Radisson Plaza Resort & Spa is situated on the shores of the calm waters of the Vembanad Lake, Kerala. Maya Spa 10,000 sq mtrs, the largest spa in South India, offers a variety of therapies, treatments and massages that will ensure that your time away from work is rejuvenating. Maya Spa is recommended by Conde Nast Johansens and has been awarded the best Resort Spa by Asia Spa.One can enjoy this splendid summer package of 3nights and 4 days in four different categories of rooms - Superior, Deluxe, Cottage and Pool villa at Rs 10,500; Rs 11,500; Rs 35,000 per night respectively. All prices are exclusive of taxes and are valid till September '08. The package is inclusive of meals (fixed menu), a 45 minute cruise on Lake Vembanad, and special discounts on F&B, laundry and use of Spa. For bookings, contact: www.radisson.com/kumarakomin
NRIs going on house
The realty sector as of now is lull due to the property prices going overboard. The realty firms are in the doldrums as well as their construction costs are going up. And as if this were not enough, the pulsating middle and upper middle class are also waiting in the wings for the right moment to take the plunge for dreamhouse. In this rather dull period, the large NRIs, especially the Malayali and the Punjabi, are on a rampage. If the recent study of Assocham on the real estate scene in India is any indication, the large Malayali and Punjabi NRI community is on a homepurchase spree. Some of them are also into buying commercial space. This point of the survey looks very convincing as these two communities migrated to others parts of the world in droves, in the past. People from the land of five rivers have been migrating for almost one hundred years, and, the quiet Malayalis have also shown to the world that they are second to none when it comes to going abroad for greener pastures. Of course, that does not mean that NRIs from other states are not purchasing houses in either their home towns or other parts of the country.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Private players
The Pulickattil Tourism group, a houseboat company in Kochi, pioneered backwater tourism under the chairmanship of Thomas Pulickattil with its innovations in the creation of state-of the-art houseboats, many of which are the first-of-its-kind in India. The group has been making significant contributions to the growth and development of the tourism sector in Kerala. Pulickattil owns a fleet of 12 houseboats, including the country's first two floating convention vessels.
At a time when business magnates and heads of departments were seeking to hold their conferences and business discussions in an eco-friendly environment, Pulickattil Tourism Group claims to have found the solution. A convention cruise called 'Palace on Waves' was launched that accommodated 150 delegates onboard in the palatial convention hall on the upper deck for conferencing and has five air-conditioned rooms in the lower deck. Called the 'Jalasamrat', this houseboat is claimed to be the first floating convention vessel in the country.
Ayurveda has always lured foreign tourists to God's Own Country. Five-star hotels and smaller players monopolised the business with their 'stationary' services. To offer something different, Pulickattil decided to dedicate an entire houseboat to the business of ayurveda where tourists can indulge themselves in ayurvedic massages delivered by Ayur masseurs. Says Geepy Nayar, advisor for Pulickattil Tourism Group, "Our houseboats take tourists to the fantastic world of self-oblivion. As with conventions, the idea caught on well because it offered the opportunity for complete seclusion. While spas and resorts also offered similar or even better ayurvedic packages, tourists were attracted to the rustic ambience and the feel of the traditional houseboats."
In a unique initiative to offer foreign tourists a different slice of India, a concept called 'poll' tourism was introduced by the company's managing director Pulickattil. Says Nayar, "A few tourists aboard our houseboats were extremely interested in election-related cultural programmes, bills and wall writings of various parties. In fact, they commented on the electoral process being more like a festival." This concept was initiated to display the festive atmosphere created by political parties by holding rallies, public meetings, campaign trails, and cultural programmes. Pulickattil now ferries travellers around briefing them about the entire electoral process and the package, organised since the general election of 2005 followed by the assembly elections of 2006, has gained in popularity.
The group then decided to tap another segment of tourism - the rising number of women travellers. While hotels these days have special provisions for its women guests, from exclusive rooms to female attending staff, none of the houseboats had any such facilities for women.
After numerous requests and enquiries from women guests as well as travel agents and organisations about all-women packages, Pulickattil launched India's first houseboat exclusively for women. Christened the 'Vanitha' houseboat, Pulickattil calls it 'the first houseboat for women, by women.' It was launched in May and is piloted by three women; one at the steering wheel, the second at the engine and the third as the chef. Pulickattil Tourism Group is now looking to launch a houseboat with a swimming pool and needless to say, this will be India's first such houseboat.
At a time when business magnates and heads of departments were seeking to hold their conferences and business discussions in an eco-friendly environment, Pulickattil Tourism Group claims to have found the solution. A convention cruise called 'Palace on Waves' was launched that accommodated 150 delegates onboard in the palatial convention hall on the upper deck for conferencing and has five air-conditioned rooms in the lower deck. Called the 'Jalasamrat', this houseboat is claimed to be the first floating convention vessel in the country.
Ayurveda has always lured foreign tourists to God's Own Country. Five-star hotels and smaller players monopolised the business with their 'stationary' services. To offer something different, Pulickattil decided to dedicate an entire houseboat to the business of ayurveda where tourists can indulge themselves in ayurvedic massages delivered by Ayur masseurs. Says Geepy Nayar, advisor for Pulickattil Tourism Group, "Our houseboats take tourists to the fantastic world of self-oblivion. As with conventions, the idea caught on well because it offered the opportunity for complete seclusion. While spas and resorts also offered similar or even better ayurvedic packages, tourists were attracted to the rustic ambience and the feel of the traditional houseboats."
In a unique initiative to offer foreign tourists a different slice of India, a concept called 'poll' tourism was introduced by the company's managing director Pulickattil. Says Nayar, "A few tourists aboard our houseboats were extremely interested in election-related cultural programmes, bills and wall writings of various parties. In fact, they commented on the electoral process being more like a festival." This concept was initiated to display the festive atmosphere created by political parties by holding rallies, public meetings, campaign trails, and cultural programmes. Pulickattil now ferries travellers around briefing them about the entire electoral process and the package, organised since the general election of 2005 followed by the assembly elections of 2006, has gained in popularity.
The group then decided to tap another segment of tourism - the rising number of women travellers. While hotels these days have special provisions for its women guests, from exclusive rooms to female attending staff, none of the houseboats had any such facilities for women.
After numerous requests and enquiries from women guests as well as travel agents and organisations about all-women packages, Pulickattil launched India's first houseboat exclusively for women. Christened the 'Vanitha' houseboat, Pulickattil calls it 'the first houseboat for women, by women.' It was launched in May and is piloted by three women; one at the steering wheel, the second at the engine and the third as the chef. Pulickattil Tourism Group is now looking to launch a houseboat with a swimming pool and needless to say, this will be India's first such houseboat.
Kerala's kettuvalams
Originally called the 'kettuvalams' or the 'boats with knots', these barge-like structures seem to have appeared on the scene at approximately the same time as the gondolas. They were initially used to transport grain and spices, and gradually evolved to become a leisurely mode of transport.
The boats were made from huge planks of Jack wood, also called 'aanjili' and joined together with coir. Interestingly, during the entire process, not a single nail was used. The planks were then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. The advent of road transport and the construction of bridges saw a decline in the significance and use of kettuvalams as an effective means to carry cargo.
By the mid-19th century, the sea receded and trading vessels soon began to call on Alleppey - a town founded in 1762 by Raja Kesavadasan, the King of Travancore. At that time, there was just one canal through the strip of sand between the backwaters and the sea. This soon grew into a bustling waterway with shops, factories and commercial establishments springing up on the banks of the canal, attracting merchants from various parts of the country as well as Europe and America.
Transporting goods, primarily spices, was a three-day affair because it happened between Kuttanad and Cochin. So to accommodate the boatmen for three days, the kettuvalams, with their bamboo roofing became temporary floating shelters. With the transition of kettuvalams to full-fledged houseboats, they became huge contributors to Kerala's tourism industry.
A standard houseboat, which could be about 100 feet long, could hold up to 30 tons, three times the amount a lorry can. The evolutionary process of transforming a kettuvalam into a luxury houseboat took years, but eventually went on to become one of the most coveted means of generating tourism in the state. Soon, houseboat owners began to receive requests from tourists to convert the boats into floating resorts. That was when boat owners began to experiment with recreating the interiors of the houseboats to give them a plush feel.
Today, houseboats have evolved remarkably in terms of design, services and entertainment. Alleppey is the cradle of the houseboat business in Kerala. There are some 50 houseboats being constructed every year, all well-maintained and offering high-end luxury accommodation.
The boats were made from huge planks of Jack wood, also called 'aanjili' and joined together with coir. Interestingly, during the entire process, not a single nail was used. The planks were then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. The advent of road transport and the construction of bridges saw a decline in the significance and use of kettuvalams as an effective means to carry cargo.
By the mid-19th century, the sea receded and trading vessels soon began to call on Alleppey - a town founded in 1762 by Raja Kesavadasan, the King of Travancore. At that time, there was just one canal through the strip of sand between the backwaters and the sea. This soon grew into a bustling waterway with shops, factories and commercial establishments springing up on the banks of the canal, attracting merchants from various parts of the country as well as Europe and America.
Transporting goods, primarily spices, was a three-day affair because it happened between Kuttanad and Cochin. So to accommodate the boatmen for three days, the kettuvalams, with their bamboo roofing became temporary floating shelters. With the transition of kettuvalams to full-fledged houseboats, they became huge contributors to Kerala's tourism industry.
A standard houseboat, which could be about 100 feet long, could hold up to 30 tons, three times the amount a lorry can. The evolutionary process of transforming a kettuvalam into a luxury houseboat took years, but eventually went on to become one of the most coveted means of generating tourism in the state. Soon, houseboat owners began to receive requests from tourists to convert the boats into floating resorts. That was when boat owners began to experiment with recreating the interiors of the houseboats to give them a plush feel.
Today, houseboats have evolved remarkably in terms of design, services and entertainment. Alleppey is the cradle of the houseboat business in Kerala. There are some 50 houseboats being constructed every year, all well-maintained and offering high-end luxury accommodation.
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