Page 18 - Express Travel World

IN THE NEWS

Maharashtra govt and IMC to join hands

for releasing health tourism policy

ETW Staff Health and Family Welfare,
Mumbai Government of Maharashtra,
invited stakeholders to come
With the objective to provide a together and facilitate the
major boost to health tourism in healthcare tourists coming into
India, IMC organised the second Maharashtra. He mentioned
Health Tourism Conclave in that there should be uniformity
Mumbai. The chief guest Jayku- in the pricing of surgeries and
mar Rawal, Maharashtra the government is forming a
Tourism Minister, said, “Two re- committee with experts from
cuperating centres of wellness the healthcare fraternity to
spread across hundred acres of provide the best services to the
land to come up in Igatpuri for patients and their families.
post surgeries”, while urging in- Earlier welcoming the guests
stitutions to join hands in this ini- and dignitaries Dr Lalit Kanodia,
tiative by opening their centres IMC president, said, “IMC task-
at Igatpuri. He also invited IMC force is sincerely working since
to be a partner organisation for last one year towards making
the Mumbai Shopping festival. Maharashtra the hub of medical
Guest of honour, Dr Deepak tourism in India and is happy to tourism for Maharashtra.” tended by over 150 leading doc- travel, trade and hospitality
Sawant, Minister of Public see the progress on health The conference was at- tors, hospital administrators, professionals.

FCM Travel Solutions,KPMG release insights on 'The

digi-smart Indian business traveller’

ETW Staff tion of smartphones, Near Field economy services, travel analyt-
Mumbai Communication (NFC), inflight ics, virtual assistance, payments
Wi-Fi, faster networks and many and compliance. India is also wit-
FCM Travel Solutions, the In- such advances are only accelerat- nessing a gradual rise in the
dian subsidiary of Flight Centre ing the penetration of technology adoption of these technological
Travel Group (FCTG), Australia into every aspect of travel. Self- advancements, which have led to
and KPMG, have released in- booking tools, travel analytics, ar- the birth of what we call the ‘digi-
sights on disrupting technologies tificial intelligence and sharing smart Indian business traveller’.
in the travel industry via an ana- economy services are not only With this whitepaper, we have set
lytical whitepaper titled ‘The here to stay but hold myriad and out to explore the concept of such
Digi-Smart Indian Business exciting possibilities for the future. travellers, technology trends in
Traveller’. According to Global The whitepaper launched in col- business travel, their enabling
Business Travel Association laboration with KPMG intelli- ecosystem, as well as some poten-
(GBTA), India is the world’s gence aims to assist organisations tially disrupting developments
fastest growing business travel The report also detailed how eller, that implies a technology-em- that wish to serve today’s digi- that could transform business
market. With business travel rap- growing smartphone, internet and powered traveller, who leverages smart travellers, understand their travel landscape.”
idly evolving and technology fore- digital networking penetration, technological touch points and needs and make strategic deci- The Indian business travel
fronting the business spend for combined with plethora of online tools to minimise encumbrances sions, based on these insights.” market is on the cusp of techno-
corporates, the whitepaper fo- travel choices accessible, have in his travel journey, improves Jaideep Ghosh, partner and logical innovation led by its fast
cuses on how technology is rap- made technology a part of a busi- travel experience while also ensur- head – transport, leisure and growing millennial workforce,
idly revolutionising travel by ness traveller’s DNA. Business ing a safe, compliant and cost -ef- sports, KPMG in India, com- smartphone usage, internet con-
maximising efficiencies, improv- travellers are increasingly veering fective business travel. mented, “Globally, technology has nectivity and Indian organisa-
ing experience and increasing towards technology for virtually all Rakshit Desai, managing di- penetrated deep into business tions’ growing investments in IT
choice and options for the aver- answers for their travel needs. rector, FCM Travel Solutions, travel practices – it finds a host of infrastructure and compliance
age traveller worldwide and Thus, leading to the emergence of a said, “Digital technology today is applications in travel, including levels given the heightened phys-
increasingly in the India market. new age digi-smart business trav- rapidly growing. Rapid penetra- online booking tools, sharing ical and cyber security risks.

18 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD
February 2018