Homedemo

Indian Destination Marketing Company Looking to Scandinavia

Tor Kjølberg

August 24, 2018

Indian Destination Marketing Company Looking to Scandinavia

YS Hospitality and its sister company Establishing Brands are international destination and marketing consultancies, located in Gurgaon, India. When the group wanted to expand into the Scandinavian market, it was a natural choice for them to contact Daily Scandinavian. The Indfian destination marketing company is looking to Scandinavia for outbound as well as inbound travelers.

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YS Hospitality is a reputed name in the Asian Market for Networking and business development offering creative solutions and implementation support at every stage.

What the company do
YS and its daughter company Establishing Brands do are helping tourism operators to develop better understanding of market trends and agent network. The ambitious strategies and campaigns planned by the company aim to make companies’ brands and identity more visible and bring in added business traffic from the Indian and the neighboring South Asian sub-continent.

In other words, the consultancy help companies all over the world to create a platform for themselves through innovative research and development.

The beginning
Ms. Duggal is a well-seasoned professional in the field of travel and trade for over two decades. She serves as the front figure of YS Hospitality and as such serves internationally recognized travel brands with her vast and diversified experience. Her marketing vision includes innovative ideas for product development aiming to generate more business. With a keen understanding of her clients’ business strategies and challenges combined with her innovation expertise, she gives partners the global perspective necessary in today’s destination marketing.

Interview with founder and director Ms Preeti Duggal
When Daily Scandinavian was approached by YS hospitality and realized the importance of the group’s work, we were of course curious. So curious that we contacted Ms. Duggal to find out more about how her companies can help overseas hospitality customers.

Ms. Duggal, could you please tell us a little more about yourself and the work you do at YS Hospitality?
“We are providing solutions to our travel partners. We work for travel companies based in different parts of the world and help them to develop business from the Indian Market. So, our main idea at present is to develope business for travel companies based in Scandinavia which would like to have business from the Indian Market.

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We have a dedicated team of people working together and each one of them is in charge of specific profiles and as such taking an ownership in the business development of a specific destination. Our IT and PR business development activities keep track of market trends which we share with each destination and advise them what is required to have a closer look on.”

What are your visions for the company?
“YS aims to take up any challenges for any travel company based anywhere in the world. We strive to build and develop business from the Indian, Asian or any other markets that our partners wish to develop.”

We notice that you have customers all over the world, from Australia to Europe. What is the process of working with a brand?
“We approach different DMCs (Destination Marketing Companies) and try to understand their needs if they are interested in the Indian market. We act as their local contact in the Indian or the neighboring markets in which they want more business from. A dedicated team under my guidance then conducts market surveys and filter out the potential clients who wish to promote that specific destination.”

The team at an Sri Lanka destination marketing event

Since you first got involved in the tourism industry, has your view on destination marketing changed?
“As a destination marketing company our focus is more on having a perspective on growing any given destination by identifying the marketing trends which are required for that particular destination.

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We study customer behaviors and find it very interesting and challenging to change strategies whenever a market indicates so.”

Based on your experience, what is the main challenges for destination marketing in today’s market? Although pivotal to the travel and tourism system, the destination is widely acknowledged to be one of the most difficult products to manage and market.

“Over the coming decade, the challenges facing destination marketers are likely to be even greater with a whole host of issues likely to impact the future marketing of destinations.

We need to act as a strong unifying force that brings all component parts of the destination together to develop it further.”

Do you have, and if so, noticed any differences in travelers’ behavior?
Yes, the travel industry has become heavily service intensive. Word-of-mouth is still a strong tool used by visitors to seek information about destinations.

There has been a shift and a comparative range regarding business and leisure travelers. To summarize, the preferences for business travelers are as follows: Location is key and so is the need to be constantly connected. Emphasize the necessity for all-inclusive amenities.

When it comes to leisure travelers, they are generally more price sensitive. Reviews and recommendations are important as well as information on packages and specials which requires extra on-site hotel facilities and other accommodation.”

Can you tell us a little about brand initiatives you have taken this year?
“For us in YS Hospitality it is important to participate in various tradeshows, networking meetings, bulk emailing and launching promotional deals.”

Your mission statement is: “We market you the right way!” How can a customer in for instance Europe or Australia benefit from your services? What exactly do you do?
“We are basically a destination marketing and representation company which represents a few niche categories of international DMC’s: For Australia and Europe for instance, we are the persona of those DMC’s in India and their marketing partners. Our dedicated team works to initiate business from India or neighboring states to that destination – or you can say that DMC.”

How important is content marketing for your customers?
“Travel industry marketing isn’t just about posting images, snapshots and telling stories about having fun in the sun.

There are some significant challenges when it comes to successful storytelling in this field, not to mention plenty of competition.

With the content has started to grab customer’s attention the destination is in the process of being marketed, the content must be very refined.”

What are some key learnings that you have had since you launched YS Hospitality?
“As we go into different destinations to market them, we learn that everyone has a different type of client base. We have expertise to understand this and to initiate different tailor-made strategic marketing. For example, understanding the dynamics between agents working in Kenya and agents working in Europe is essential.

So, it is a continuous search to find and identify different agent networks in different destination markets.

Not only this, as we get into international assignments we are developing networks not only in India but in different countries as well. So, it is always a new leaning at every step as we develop and penetrate markets for them. We continuously understand that every given destination has a different type of client tiers.“

Thank you so much, Ms. Dugal

What customers say
Steve Galpin, Managing Director of CHR Travel in London says, “Preeti started to work for us in 2012 with the directive to expand our market awareness in India through sales and agent marketing. She has proved to be a great success for us and has worked hard to increase our business not only from India but also from other markets in Sri Lanka and Nepal. She has bought in many new clients and has proved tenacious in following up on quotations and closing business for us. We would not have achieved our current position within the South Asian market without her efforts. For anyone looking to expand their marketing efforts in India we would thoroughly recommend YS Hospitality as the best vehicle for greater success”

YS Hospitality & Establishing Brands
The consultancies prioritize the requirements of their clients and serve them by giving them the best each and every time. The trust of their clients is their most valuable asset. The clients are provided with trend forecasting, strategic planning, tourism policy and destination branding to help them realize the full potential of their destinations.

Dried Fish in Scandinavia

Tor Kjølberg

August 20, 2018

Dry, salty air that contains almost no bacteria comes naturally in northern Scandinavia, and makes drying fish, even huge whole, split fish, fairly easy. As with many of our ancient necessities, the product has been refined over time and dried fish in Scandinavia is now a delicacy sold at high price.

Norway has been trading dried fish, caught as far away as Newfoundland, with the Catholic countries of southern Europe since before Reformation. In the Catholic fasting tradition, you are allowed to eat only fish for a large part of the spring. And although Portuguese and Spanish fishermen were catching and drying fish in the same waters, the huge demand exceeded the supply.

Dried fish in Scandinavia
Stockfish and salt fish, made from a variety of fish in the cod family, are very good travelers and keep for years. Even if preservation is no longer a necessity, the taste of these foods is more than enough reason for people all over southern Europe to demand an ongoing supply, even now and whatever the price.

Most salt cod sold in Spain and the rest of Europe is still sourced in Norway and Iceland, though nowadays most of the fish is salted and dried industrially. Confusingly, while stockfish and salt fish are two rather different products, Scandinavian recipes are not usually specific, which means you can use either; as long as you know what you are dealing with, it is not a problem.

The term klipfisk (klippe means cliff, after the cliffs originally used for drying the fish) is used loosely for both types, as well as for the dishes made from them.

Stockfish (tørfisk)
This is the oldest and most basic form of dried fish. It is not salted, and as it is extremely dry takes several days to reconstitute in fresh water. Stockfish is made by dipping the whole, hutted, split and flattened fish in seawater and then hanging it up to dry in icy wind – being practically free from bacteria, the cold, dry air allows the fish to dry without it going bad.

The famous wooden racks often features in pictures of northern Norway, are not much used any more. Once dried hard, stockfish keeps for years. During drying, the fish ferments slightly, giving it a delicious taste not present in salt fish. While stockfish us still produces, it is rare and very expensive.

The flesh of a dried stockfish keeps magically fresh and, once soaked, can be restored to a salty, lightly fermented glory. Some people say it’s an acquired taste, but we don’t agree: If you love fresh fish, you will love this. If you are lucky enough to come across stockfish, the flesh us dry and cream-colored rather than white.

Salt fish (klipfisk)
Made from several species of fish in the cod family, which are caught way out at sea, gutted and salted straight away, then dried after landing either in the open or in huge during sheds, salt cod is much more common than stockfish. It has also been made for thousands of years, beginning with the Phoenicians, but it only gradually became common in the north.

Nowadays, salt cod is made all over Scandinavia, but mostly in Norway. Salt cod fish is extremely salty, but not very dry, and reconstituting it is only a matter of drawing out the salt in several changes of cold water. The flesh should be white – yellow fish indicates old age or poor quality and, while edible, is not as delicious.

Buying and storing
You can buy both kinds of dried fish at good fishmongers, or at West Indian, Spanish or Portuguese shops. Always look for a good color and avoid dark pieces. The best quality is from the thick, meaty middle part of the fillet. This is also the easiest to handle, as it contains fewer bones, fins and skin, which means more flesh to the kilo.

Thinner pieces tend to be dryer and saltier, with more wastage. Needless to say, the best pieces are more expensive. Pieces with a high ratio of bone and mucilage should be cheaper. Dried fish keeps indefinitely if stored in a container in the fridge. Soaked fish keeps maybe a little better than fresh fish, but it should be eaten within a day or two,

Culinary uses
You can’t do a thing with salt cod or stockfish until it has been soaked in clean water to soften the flesh and, in the case of salt cod, to remove most of the salt. Salt cod should be soaked for about 12 hours, with 3-4 changes if water, though you should adapt the soaking time to suit the thickness of the fish and how salty you want it. Be warned, though, that if the fish becomes complete devoid of salt, it’s actually a little bland.

Related: Food and drink in Norway

Stockfish, on the other hand, needs around 48 hours if it’s a thick piece. When it resembles fresh fish it’s ready to use, and the saltness will be gone.

We are not too adventurous when it comes to food up north, and almost all dried fish is eaten in much the same way, maybe it it’s so good. Strong spicing is necessary to stand up to the fish’s flavor, and a thick sauce and floury potatoes to mop up the sauce. Horseradish, mustard, vinegar and capers are all traditional accompaniments, as are pickled beetroots and bacon.

Along Denmark’s wst coast there is a traditional soeciality known as tørrede jyder, meaning ‘dried people from Jutland’. This consists simply of dried fish which are soaked for a day, fried in butter and served with potatoes and raw sugared lingonberries.

Lutefisk
This unique treatment of dried fish often gets put on to lists of ‘the world’s weirdest foods’. Originating in Norway during the Middle Ages, lutefisk is a relatively new invention. Traditionally it was served on Christmas Eve, but now a rising number of Norwegians – and Swedes, too, these days – eat lutefisk not so much on that particular evening, but during winter in general.

This is part of a growing awareness and pride in northern specialties and food culture. Interestingly, more lutefisk is eaten by North Americans of Nordic ancestry than by native Scandinavians themselves.

To make lutefisk, stockfish or salt cod is soaked in water for several days to swell, and then treated with lye (lut); historically, this was generally in the dorm of birch ashes, but nowadays caustic soda (leached from wood ash) is normally used. This breaks down the proteins in the fish and gives it a particular, jelly-like consistency. Then it is soaked for several days to bring down the pH to normal, and finally prepared very simple: baked in its own juices for a very short time, sealed in with a lid or foil.

The odor is strong but the taste is surprisingly mild. The fish is most eaten with a white sauce, buttered peas, bushed neeps (mashed swede) and potatoes.

Feature image (on top): Stockfishj from Lofoten, photo: Michael Ulriksen

Dried Fish in Scandinavia, written by Tor Kjolberg

Exotic Surfing Paradise in Norway

Tor Kjølberg

August 17, 2018

Hidden behind green-clad rocks on Norway’s westernmost and roughest outpost, Stadlandet, you’ll be surprised to find an exotic surfing paradise in Norway. There are white sandy beaches and great waves, but no danger of sharks or tropical heat.

Travelers to Hoddevik meet the windy Norwergian Westlands, majestic mountains, barking sheep and wave-hungry surfers from all over the world in their wet suits. At Stad on the coast of Nordfjord in Norway, you will find ideal conditions for surfing. Great waves coming in from the Norwegian Sea, white sandy beaches and steep cliffs that create perfect surroundings for an unforgettable surfing experience – all year round!

“The most weather”
If you’re not quite sure, Norway is the tall skinny bit on the left-hand side Scandinavia, just up and right a bit from Scotland and left of Sweden. Westerly facing and boasting an impressive coastline of over 1500 miles, it’s wild and rugged, scribble like shore grabs all the swell the North Atlantic offers and folds, wraps, dumps and peels the resulting waves into a selection of isolated playgrounds.

To find the right wakesurf board for different types of waters, head over to Surfango.com

Related: Surfing in Norway

It’s not the first place that comes to mind when the topic is surfing. Maybe it should be. Hoddevik is a small surf town on the Stadlandet peninsula in the Selje Municipality which marks the spot where the Norwegian coast turns eastwards. It is one of the places in Norway, or perhaps in the whole world, where you have “the most weather.” Waves, storms, sun, hurricanes, sleet, breeze, rain, snow, hail, very fresh air and wind.

Exotic surfing paradise in Norway – suitable all year round
These fantastic beaches have long been hidden treasures, but more and more people become aware of the excellent surf spots on the Norwegian west coast. All of it in a little valley between beautiful but steep mountains that you can easily hike to the top of, thanks to the occasionally used path up the hillside. The mountains aren’t only there for decoration or the occasional hike. They provide shelter and make the beach surfable even during extreme weather.

Related: Extreme Surfing in Norway

As a buffer between the land and the furious ocean, there is a beach with the fine and soft white sand you would normally expect to find in Samoa, Marshall Islands or Kiribati. What the hell is it doing here? It either got lost or just wanted a little more excitement than is to be expected in the Pacific Ocean.

Refreshingly consistent
Don’t be fooled by the wind when you step outside. What might feel like a force nine in the village is sometimes nothing more than a light breeze by the time you’ve walked to the beach.

Depending on who you ask, and who’s at the shops, Hoddevik boasts a permanent population of somewhere between 15-25 people. So even with the surf camps at capacity and few visiting surfers, this place is never going to look like Cocoa Beach in Florida. The locals spread a cheerful and friendly vibe in and out of the water. You’re more likely to get a wink than stink eye.

Related: At the Coastline of Mid-Norway

Refreshingly consistent, it’s not often you’ll find a totally flat day here. If nature is not delivering the goods at Hoddevik, there are a few other options close by. Just around the other side of northernmost mountain is Ervik, which offers a higher performance wave than Hoddevik, with a punchier low tide option that fills out as the tide hits high. Ask around at the surf camps and you might even be enlightened to a few of the more secret spots.

What equipment do you need?
Equipment wise, you’ll need more rubber than normal and we’d advise you to take your favorite boards. Although the surf camps and hostels will dish out 5/4/3 suits all year round, if you’re bringing your own kit, you can easily get away with a decent 4/3 up to the end of September. If you’re visiting from October onwards you’re in 5/4 territory, and you’ll need boots, gloves and hat.

Where to stay
Stad Surfing is a surf camp in an old traditional wooden house built in a style often seen on the Norwegian countryside. It has been modernized and is now the place to stay in Hoddevik. There is a modern kitchen and common room in the basement and a well-stocked surf shop and bed rooms on the main floors. The owner, Mr. Torkild Strandvik, has run the place for many years after he moved from Oslo to live his dream, to be a full-time surfer on one of the most unique surf spots in the world.

The La Point surf camp offers standard hostel style housing with bunked rooms, communal kitchens and shared living space. Clean and tidy and run by the friendliest bunch of surfers you could imagine, you’ll feel right at home. Double rooms are available if you want a bit more privacy and there’s a wonderful hot tub in the garden for thawing out post surf.

Both places offer board and wetsuit hire with prices depending on the length of your stay and what you need.

Driving there is a bit like having a handful of picture postcards repeatedly thrown at your face. The thawing of the last ice age left Norway’s landmass peppered with countless deep fjords and huge mountains that make any long-distance travel equally slow and beautiful.

Exotic Surfing Paradise in Norway, written by Tor Kjolberg

Coastal Hygge in Denmark

Tor Kjølberg

August 13, 2018

Most Northern European summer holidays abroad involve the Med, or its surrounding countries, but we reckon the cooler attractions of the north need to be sampled. There are several pristine white sandy beaches as well as self-catering coastal holiday cottages and holiday homes where you can indulge in coastal hygge in Denmark.

No wonder that famous artists like Krøyer and Drachmann often found their way to the coast of North Jutland. Also, Kierkegaard found his way to those old seaside resorts up in the north of Denmark. And life in the charming towns of Sletten, Hornbæk, Lynæs, Liseleje, Gilleleje and Tisvilde. is still as charming today as at the time of the famous painters and philosopher.

Coastal hygge in Denmark – Jutland
Denmark can be characterized by its anthem “Der er et yndigt land” (There is a lovely land). For while the country covers a landmass of only 16,562 square miles — 72,182 less than Great Britain — it is pure pastoral backdrop, a shifting image of sea and sand; flat and arable with few built-up metropolitan areas.

Jutland is a pointy-peninsula which, as its name suggests, “juts” out to the North Sea towards Norway and Sweden, where the land consists of long beaches and high-rise dunes like monstrous sandcastles. It has long been a holiday spot for southern Danes and is associated with fishing and a thriving art scene.

The fishing port of Hirtshals
Let’s start our exploration in the town of Hirtshals. At first sight it appears as a tough little fishing port with few obvious attractions, but it soon proves fascinating. The harbor is full of busy boats and there is a wonderful chandlery, its cafe furnished with tables and chairs made from crates and driftwood. Nearby is a fiskehus (fishing house), an outdoor fish restaurant, a common feature of Danish seaside towns, with a serving hatch, a blackboard menu and picnic tables.

The Hirtshals specialty is stjerneskud (shooting star). The dish was apparently invented to mark the visit of Yuri Gagarin to Copenhagen in 1962, a year after he became the first man in space. It’s an example of smørrebrød, or open sandwich, but this one is a spectacular assemblage of cod, smoked salmon, roe, shrimps, asparagus, dill, poached egg and rye bread.

Visit the Hirtshals museum to get the flavor of the town. The museum appears to double as a distillery and off-licence, making and selling various types of a “heritage” drink called bjesk, a kind of schnapps.

Picturesque Skagen
The town of Skagen is a maze of picturesque lanes and offshoot alleys, with seaside houses painted monochrome yellow, some apricot. The paint is a symbol of wealth, having started in the 19th century with the use of ochre transported from France. It doesn’t take long to walk around Skagen.

Coastal Hygge un Denmark — Imagine waking up to a cloudless sky and the sound of soft waves

Today, nearly every house, hotel and boutique is daubed in a shade of yellow. In his foreword to the book Skagens Huse, poet Klaus Rifbjerg writes: “You could call the town a mishmash, but actually because the houses in Vesterby and Østerby are — despite certain common characteristics —different, there’s a harmony that lies a long way from the suffocating and conformist.”

We’re getting the sense that Denmark, under a composed and tranquil exterior, has hidden depths of eccentricity. They just don’t market it.

Aalborg is the capital of North Jutland and Denmark’s fourth largest city. It dates back to the Middle Ages (circa AD 700) and with its natural harbor and thriving herring fishing industry, contributed to the town’s growth.

Danish hygge
2016 was the year that Danish hygge became a global lifestyle phenomenon adopted by hoards of disgruntled westerners after an excess of international books, magazine and newspaper articles and television programs showed the world how hygge contributes to continuously keep Denmark at the top of worldwide happiness and quality of life surveys.

Hygge also became a canonized defining Danish Value by the Danish Ministry of Culture together with gender equality and freedom and seven other values.

The Danish holiday cottages are the epitome of hygge to the Danes and over a quarter of a million Danes own their own holiday home. They all have an intimacy with their natural surroundings. A Danish seaside dwelling is ultimately an open door to nature. Imagine waking up to a cloudless sky and the sound of soft waves. See the sun heat up the horizon while you put on your bathing clothes and take a swim in the clear blue sea. You can enjoy bread directly from the oven, freshly squeezed juice and coffee on the wooden terrace of the resort waiting for the day to start.

North Zealand – the Danish Pacific Coast
Just an hour’s drive north of Copenhagen, the area is often referred to as the Danish Riviera or the “Hamptons of Denmark”. For a night or two away from it all, try the Helenekilde Badehotel, a remote seaside getaway. At Helenekilde Badehotel you can enjoy a 3-course dinner with a fantastic view of Kattegat, while the sun sets at sea and peace reigns.

Visit the new Kulturhavn Kronborg in Elsinore that consists of Kulturværftet, M/S Museet for Søfart, Kronborg Slot and Helsingør Havn. The new M/S Museum for Søfart was recommended by New York Times as ‘a must see in 2014’.

Sankt Helene Feriecenter, Tisvildeleje is the perfect place for the entire family. There are farm animals, summer activities and playgrounds. And it is not very far from the beaches on the riviera which are some of the best in the country. Take a trip to the town and do not miss the flea market that offers bargains every Saturday.

There is a very special atmosphere and evening light in Tisvilde with the sunset over the beautiful Kattegat Sea and the informal luxury of the small streets in town. Tisvilde Cafeen is located in the middle of Tisvildeleje in fantastic surroundings close to the forest, the beach and the sea. Have a look, feel the atmosphere and enjoy a good dinner.

It is time for a porpoise safari with Øresundsakvariet in Elsinore. A unique experience on Øresund – getting closer to the big fish. Nature guides and diving instructors will show you a North Zealand that is quite different from what you have explored on your own.

Hygge for all
Time itself seems to go slower here and the hygge life becomes a series of breaks. You can escape the superficial hustle and bustle of city-life and pull out the plug and let the quiet embrace you. The spa lover, the culture freak or the gourmet will not be disappointed, and the hyperactive family can easily spend weeks enjoying nature under and above water.

Feature image (on top) Bathing houses in Tisvildeleje. Photo: Visit Denmark

Coastal Hygge in Denmark, written by Tor Kjolberg

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