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Will helicopter tourism become a reality?

3 days ago

MADURAI: With the 14 {+t} {+h} Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu going to
be formed in less than a month's time, stakeholders in tourism sector in Madurai
and southern districts of Tamil Nadu have expressed hope that the long pending
project of ‘Heli To Full Article at The Hindu
Will helicopter tourism become a reality?

3 days ago

A project mooted by CPI (M) MP P. Mohan in 2007 MADURAI: With the 14


{+t} {+h} Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu going to be formed in less than a
month's time, stakeholders in... Full Article at The Hindu
Heli-tourism project to take off this month

2 weeks ago
Service will be launched from World Heritage Site Hampi Operator yet to fix
tariff for flights MYSORE: The much-awaited launch of heli-tourism in the State
may take off this... Full Article at The Hindu
Heli-tourism in Hampi by month-end

1 month ago

‘Initially, two helicopters will be introduced' A five-acre plot identified near


Kamalapur for helipad, says Minister ‘Preliminary work on Hampi by night is in
final stages of completion' HAMPI: The Tourism Department plans to launch the
much-awaited “H Full Article at The Hindu

1.
Karnataka tourism dept all set to welcome domestic tourists this season

1 month ago

Following a good response from international tourists this year in the wake of
various festivals like Hampi Utsav, the state tourism department is now all geared
up to woo tourists in the domestic season as well. The department is keen to pose
competitio Full Article at DNA India
Heli-tourism in State to take flight in March

2 months ago

Four tourism circuits have been identified Helipads, resting lounges and other
facilities are being developed at identified destinations OSS Air Management to
manage the service, State to act as the facilitator Mysore: Chopper services for the
well-heel Full Article at The Hindu

TOURISM PROJECT IDEAS


Here is an extensive list of potential volunteer projects or initiatives related to improving
tourism activities in Mali, including information on whether these projects have been
attempted, and if so, by whom:
Marketing Tourism to the Region
• Develop a region-specific tourist website. This project was implemented in mid-2006
by a Gao volunteer with all materials published on an independent web site
(www.visitgaomali.com) as well as being submitted to OMATHO for publishing on
their site as well.
• Develop relationships with travel publications (books & magazines, internet message
boards, travel bloggers) – Relationships established between Gao and Ségou
volunteers and guidebook authors, with volunteers providing information and fact-
checking final documents.
• Research and build relationships with NGOs that promote development through
tourism. Ségou volunteer has worked closely with NGO partners to develop tourism
infrastructure.
• Identify, contact and build relationships with new, potential tourist groups, such as
adventure clubs, study abroad programs, climbing clubs, bird watching clubs, etc.
• Market region directly to travel agencies in the U.S. and France
• Promote cross-marketing opportunities between partners – Marketing Brochures
created for computer center were provided to all other tourist businesses for
promotion of center.
• Develop tourist visitor map – Simple color tourist map with all sites, hotels,
restaurants, etc. was created for Gao in Power Point as part of the Tourist Visitor
Center project and are available for free to tourists who visit the center.
• Develop arriving passenger pamphlet for charter flights
• Develop a marketing / information flyer for the region or even each tourist site –
Project currently underway (February 2008 - ) in Gao to help community groups
promote their tourist activities by creating brochures and corresponding pages on
Gao’s tourism website.
• Develop circuits with local tour operators, guides, and communities interested in
tourism – A component of the Gao brochure project (see above).
• Develop a “must-see” checklist for visitors to local site

Tourist Site Development & Management

• Do outreach to local communities to explain tourism and how they can benefit from it
• Consult with local communities to identify their resources: natural, cultural,
development-based, etc.
• Partner with a village to develop a “Malian Village Experience” – Project being
implemented by Sikasso volunteers to help develop village campement near popular
Sikasso waterfalls. Tourism Brochure project in Gao (see above) has strong project
development component.
• Help to organize Tourism Associations to guide the community’s involvement with
tourism – useful at both new and established tourist sites
• Help new projects gain access to funding, materials & equipment
• Connect communities with tourism professionals: tourism companies, travel
agencies, guides, and publicity (websites, guidebooks, etc..
• Build evaluation criteria and evaluate all regional tourist sites and monuments
• Create baseline survey to document natural resources in the area
• Improve tourist site facilities, signage, or information available – PCVs in Gossi are
helping to make a visitor center to inform tourists about the migratory elephant herds
that frequent the town’s lake. The local branch of Mali’s Eaux et Forets service
monitors the elephants but does not advertise this information to tourists. Few tourists
visit because it is difficult to find out when the elephants herd is near town. The
center will make it easier for tourists to find this information and will encourage
many more to visit.
• Work with an existing festival to improve festival management or work with partners
to develop a new festival – Ségou volunteer worked closely with organizers of
Festival Sur le Niger before and during the event.

Official Point of Contact for Tourist Questions and Inquiries


• Create an OMATHO Tourist Visitor Center to Answer All Tourist Inquiries – Project
successfully implemented in Gao in October 2005, Sikasso June 2006 and Ségou in
2007 with NGO partner. Ministry and OMATHO officials are eager for other
implementations of this project.
• Create an OMATHO airport tourist arrival desk staffed with OMATHO personnel to
meet all incoming flights

• Create a tourist survey to track tourist preferences, problems, experiences, etc.


after their trip – Survey created and administered in Ségou, Sikasso and Gao. In
2007-08, volunteers throughout Dogon Country administered a survey by the
Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance to both tourists and local residents.

Partner Business Management Assistance


• Write best practices management guides for partners that describe the best ways of
managing their businesses
• Conduct one-on-one partner business consulting in any areas of need for OMATHO
partners - Done as a part of normal day-to-day business in OMATHO offices.
• Publish partner newsletter to help improve the relationship between OMATHO and
partners – Artisan/tourism newsletter started in Sikasso, created and sustained
through efforts of OMATHO staff.
• Conduct annual regional tourism symposium – Gao conducts this meeting annually
with partners to kick off the tourist season by discussing the upcoming season and
any issues, concerns, problems, etc. that partners may have.
• Conduct capability and skills improvement formations on business management
techniques, language training, computer skills, etc. – Computer training classes and
literacy classes given in Gao, 2008.
• Work with established and new tourism operators to help them market themselves to
tourists and tourism businesses.

Government Oversight
• Collect and analyze all tourist statistics and trends – Done as a part of normal day-to-
day business in OMATHO offices.
• Investigate developing government hotel rates to increase likelihood of government
missions staying in hotels
• Assist with the preparation of OMATHO annual and quarterly reports - Part of
normal day-to-day business in OMATHO offices.

Contributed by Sarah Peters, Gao Region, 2006-2008

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