100,000 Leagues Under the Sea

MICE Tourism In Lakshadweep Islands

MICE is a niche area of the hospitality market designed to take tourism to the next level. MICE tourism market which stands for Meeting, Incentive Travel, Conferences, and Exhibitions (Events).

Lakshadweep Islands have the potential to be a promising MICE tourism model destination for small-scale MICE business meetings by creating value with innovation.

MICE business travelers can contribute significantly higher to the economy of a tourism destination than leisure travelers with profitable customers coming from the world of Information Technology, Corporate banking, networking, pharmaceuticals, retail, and hospitality sectors.

Courtesy of 'Lakshadweep Wedding.Com'

MICE TRAVEL & PRIVATE ISLAND GETAWAYS IN LAKSHADWEEP GROUP OF ISLANDS

• Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE) in Lakshadweep [Bangaram & Kadmat ] Islands

MICE Facilities can be arranged at Bangaram & Kadmat Beach Resorts 

PRIVATE ISLAND Experiences in Lakshadweep [ Suheli & Cheriyam ] Islands

How To Reach
• Transportation From Kochi (By Air) Kochi / Agatti / Kochi By Air - Indian Airlines

The Agatti Island is the gateway to Bangaram.

At Agatti airport, you would be received by the resort staff and escorted to the boat for a magical 2 hours  (40 minutes by speedboat) ride to Bangaram. {During the monsoon (May to October) transfers from Agatti to Bangaram are by helicopter}.

Lakshadweep Islands (Laccadive Islands) is a string of little-known islands, lying 250 miles off the Malabar coast of India. There are 36 main islands in all, forming an archipelago of surpassing beauty. Nature and culture have both remained preserved over the centuries, miles from the mainland and the trade routes. This is a world of silver sands and clear warm waters, of submerged banks and virgin reefs, enclosing a fascinating underwater world.

The reefs remain pristine. The people continue to fish, grow coconuts and smile a lot. And that's in the handful of islands that have any population at all. The vast majority remain much as they were the day nature conjured them up.


The uninhabited islands consist of Bangaram, Tinnakara, Tilakkam, and Suheli. Kalpiti, Parali 1 & 2, which are nearby Agatti island. The 10 inhabited islands are Minicoy, Andrott, Kavaratti, Kadmat, Agatti, Amini, Kalpeni, Kiltan, Chetlat, and Bitra. Four of the islands Bangaram, Agatti, Kadmat, and Minicoy are now open to both domestic and foreign tourists.

Charter Packages & Excursions
(!) Special Flight / Speed Ferry Charter Service (150 pax): The Ferry between Kochi and Kalpeni, Lakshadweep takes just 6 hrs., can be arranged for groups. (!!) Speed Ferry Charter Service (Group): The Ferry between Agatti/Bangaram and Suheli, Lakshadweep Islands can also be arranged for groups.

Suheli Excursions
Suheli is one of the uninhabited islands in the Lakshadweep Archipelago (India), Arabian Sea. It consists of two islands namely Valiyakara and Cheriyakara. The lagoon of these islands is very big (more than 18 km2) with an abundance of various fish, a dazzling array of corals, free-swimming moray’s, sharks, tuna fish, turtles etc. Suheli island is an important site for tuna fishery. Turtle nesting takes place in the sand bar between the two islands. 'Suheli Island is proposed for a 'Marine National Park Project' in Lakshadweep'. ...Read More

Entry Permits

The union territory of Lakshadweep is a restricted area for outsiders. All visitors, even mainlanders and Foreign nationals need a permit to enter Lakshadweep. However, for bonafide tourists, the permit and other formalities will be arranged by 'MintValley Tourism & Travel Division'. The following details have to be submitted to process the same.

For Foreigners:
A copy of passport & visa has to be submitted for foreigners for the same. ['Bonafide foreign tourist' shall mean foreign nationals having a valid visa and passport and visiting the country as a tourist. Full Text]

Indian Nationals:
For to apply for entry permits, name, age, address, and accommodation voucher/s are required. [Accommodation Vouchers will be issued based on full prepayment]

Download Application Form For Booking [Word Format 55 kb]
[Place your Query Here]

For lakshadweep Entry Permit Support, Please Visit: Lakshadweep Entry Permit - Frequently Asked Questions

• 'Bangaram Island Resort Official News Headlines'

"EXPERIENCE WHAT OTHERS DEREAM ABOUT LAKSHADWEEP - ROBINSON RELOADED" - A travel report from the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The Leading German Travel Magazine REISE & PREISE: 'Download Brochure' (Size:2.35MB.

The Lakshadweep islands, 36 secluded palm islands off the coast of Kerala in India, a well-sheltered haven are: resorts for foreigners there are only four of the small islands. Insiders and celebrities such as Richard Gere know the quiet beach beads appreciate. 'Full Text'

A Brief History Of Lakshadweep Tourism: Lakshadweep is a cluster of islands situated at a distance ranging from two hundred to four hundred and forty km., from the mainland. Its silvery sand beaches, luscious coconut groves, blue lagoons, coral reefs, and marine wealth are a great attraction for tourists both domestic and international.

At the time there was no ship nor any mechanized vessels were operating between the Islands and mainland to carry even the local passengers. It was only in the year 1962 that the first boat 'M.V. Sea Fox' was introduced. It could carry just 12 persons. In the year 1974 a full-fledged all-weather ship, named M.V.Amindivi, joined the fleet changed the very face of the journey in the Islands.

The coming of Amindivi and two all-weather ships M.V. Bharat Seema and M.V. Tipu Sultan during 1988 created a favourable condition for the movement of tourists. Two small ships M.V. Minicoy & M.V. Amindivi joined the fleet recently has helped the movement of tourists further.
'View the Laccadive Photos at deutschen Reisemagazine.'

Recognizing vast tourism potential, the UT Administration took over the lands at Bangaram island in 1973. The land was taken on lease from the inhabitants by offering pay-backs apart from the lease amount. This beautiful Island lies at a distance of around 8 km from the north side of Agatti Island.

Bangaram is one of the uninhabited islands in the Lakshadweep islands group. A resort was built up therein. The resort was opened by the ‘Hotel Corporation of India Ltd’ in 1974 for international tourism.

The Hotel Corporation of India was looking after the affairs of Bangaram island resort up to 1982. The tourists on those days were coming by ship Amindivi. During 1978 tourists came by chartered ship 'M.S. Europa'.


In the absence of a permanent transport set-up, the flow of tourists was not encouraging. The Hotel Corporation of India wound up its business in 1982. The need for good accommodation became inevitable. It was then, the ITDC, which developed more facilities on the Island.

Thereafter, the tourism promotion and developments in the islands including the Bangaram resort were handled by an organization called SPORTS (Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports), which was set up in 1982. Finally, SPORTS became the custodians of the leased-out lands.

On 22nd October 1988, the Casino Group of hotels signed a lease deed with the SPORTS to operate the Bangaram Island Resort for five years. The Lakshadweep administration has gone ahead with Tourism promotion in the Islands of Kavaratti, Kadmat, Kalpeni, and Minicoy were opened for domestic tourists in 1983.


The revenue derived by M/s. Casino Hotels from the Bangaram Resort ran to crores. Only a fraction of the total income was reached to the landowners, who belong to the most impoverished and marginalized Scheduled Tribe, Lakshadweep. Allegations were made by the Islanders who claimed that “by periodic inducements to the corrupt officials of the 'SPORTS' management, the Casino could go on extending the lease for nearly 22 years.

International tourists to Bangaram are brought by flight from the mainland to Agatti, the nearest Island to Bangaram which was inaugurated on 16 April 1988 for Dornier 228 type aircraft. Services for ATR-42 aircraft were started on 24 September 2010 connecting Agatti from Kochi. The Alliance Air now operates ATR-72-600 aircraft in the Bangalore-Cochin-Agatti sector.

'20-YEAR PERSPECTIVE PLAN:' On the request of the Department of Tourism, Government of India, the experts of The Tata Economic Consultancy Services, Chennai have studied the situations prevailing in the Lakshadweep Tourism front in every detail and have submitted their report in January 2003, with a 20-year perspective plan for Tourism Development in Lakshadweep Islands, to the Department. The report is too exhaustive, and comprises chapters and volumes. The full text of the studies is available on request. Although many years have elapsed thereafter, the points emphasized by them are still relevant. 'The Tata Consultancy Report'


The Airports Authority of India has received environmental clearance to extend the runway by constructing 336mtr towards Kalpatti island without connecting the two Islands.

REFERENCES:

The Legal Battle for Bangaram Resort, U.T. of Lakshadweep:

Allegations were made by the Islanders who claimed that “by periodic inducements to the corrupt officials of 'SPORTS', M/s. Casino could go on extending the lease for nearly 22 years. Full Text http://lakshadweepforum.com/blog/the-legal-battle-for-bangaram-resort-u-t-of-lakshadweep/

Judgment Full Text: Kerala High Court Society For The Promotion Of vs M/S.Hotel &Amp; Allied Trades … on 22 October, 2010 http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1909695/

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Any complaint against Lakshadweep Tourism/SPORTS management?