April 23, 2018.

Dear Delegate,

19th FIMMDA-PDAI Annual Conference- April 28-2nd May 2018- Hotel Crowne Plaza, Manhattan, New York.

Have you downloaded the FIMMDA-PDAI Application (APP) on your mobile phone? If not, please do it immediately and get familiarized with it before you board the plane to New York. This APP will be our principal mode of communication for the duration of the conference.
For any assistance required, please call Foxtrot: M/S Unmesh/Dipti/Nassir (Dipti: 91-9892544315Unmesh : 91 9819770437)

The Boards of FIMMDA and PDAI welcome you to the 19th Annual Conference. We list below the advisory to make your stay memorable:

  1. Travel and insurance:It’s long journey. Please ensure to register your meal options. Please make sure that Insurance for travel as well as your period of stay at New York,(including the extended period beyond the conference if so required)fully covers yourselves as well as your spouse/children if they are accompanying you. Please ensure that the name of your nominee is indicated in the policy with his/her contact details.
  2. Immigration: It takes time to clear the immigration. It took us about 1.5-2 hours.You are not supposed to use your mobile while waiting for your turn and please observe the same meticulously to avoid embarrassments/ penalties /harassments. Like in Sydney, they do not allow food products, biological products etc.
  3. Weather:Spring has set in over the continent and the weather is pleasant. The average temperature in New York during late April and early May is expected to range from 7 to 16 degree Celsius. There could be occasional rains also during the period which will be followed by sharp drop in temperature.Hence, it is advised that you carry adequate winter garments and an umbrella.
  1. Medicines: Please carry your requirement of medicines for the duration of the stay. Pls also carry your doctor’s prescription for medicines of regular use.
  2. Dress Code: Formal: During the conference on 30th April, 2018

Casual: On other days

  1. Crockery & Cutlery: We understand that it is the standard practice in New Yorkto provide disposable plastic glasses and tea/coffee cups in hotel rooms. On the cruise boat only plastic plates, glasses and spoons will be available.
  2. Visiting Cards: There will be around 250 delegates attending the conference from various banks and institutions in India & abroad. A special networking day has also been provided in the itinerary. Please carry sufficient number of visiting cards.
  3. Itinerary

For convenience and information of the delegates, we furnish the tour itinerary.

M/S SOTC Travel Ltd is the manager of thistour. The SOTC team will be led by Mr. Naveen Kukreti, General Manager. He will be assisted by 4 Tour Managers.

Day 1: 28/04/2018 (Saturday)

  1. Conveyance from the Airport:

There are 3 international airports in New York - viz. John F. Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LG) and Newark Liberty International (EWR). Depending on the time of your landing, travel time from any of these airports to Manhattan may take 90 + minutes’ drive.

Please make your own arrangements to reach the hotel at or around 1500 hours to minimize the waiting time. We understand that,being the tourist season, hotel is witnessing near full occupancy rate and the possibility of checking-in earlier than the scheduled time appears rather remote.

Shuttle buses of various types and sizes from airports to Manhattan(Mid Town hotels)are available. They are the cheaper and comfortable. The hotel recommended two shuttle companies for travelling to and fro airports. They are Super Shuttle and Go Airlink Shuttle. Both the companies provide on line ticketing options. It costs around USD18-23 per pax.

Boarding the tube train, with luggage may result in embarrassments at times and hence may well be avoided. Taxies are the best mode of transport, though they are expensive.

Uber/OLA are available and may cost about USD 65-75 for about 3 pax per car. We understand they take only card payments.

  1. Checking in:

As advised earlier, check-in at the hotel starts from 3PM. The reference no. quoted by us (like 19C/XXX) along or the name of your institution with your pass port will help you to check in with minimum possible delay.

  1. SOTC has made arrangements for exclusive check-in for our Delegates till 6.00 p.m. On your arrival at the hotel, please follow the signage put up by the hotel. Using the escalator please reach the Reception area, ask for Times square balcony area behind the regular reception desk on the second floor. In the passenger hold area ,SOTC staff will be available to check you in.
  2. At the time of check-in, in addition to the room keys, you will be handed over the following:
  • Your Name Badge
  • 4 breakfast coupons( you will have to exchange them for the B/F) for 29-30/4, 1-2/5/18
  • Dinner coupon for Utsav Restaurant for 28th April ( 7-10 PM)
  • Utility kits from SOTC

You are requested to ensure receipt of all the items mentioned above before leaving the check-in desk.

  1. There are lifts nearby to go to your room/floor. In USA as there is no system of porters carrying the baggage. We encourage you to help yourselves to the room.
  2. Rooms are for single occupancy only, unless you have registered for an accompanying guest/spouse. Anyone who has not registered so will be denied entry/ charged for such occupancy. If the hotel reports such unauthorized occupancies, they will be asked to pay additional charges.
  3. The hotel does not give dental/shaving kits but you may ask for the same. There is no mini-bar in rooms. They use disposable material for tea cups/water glasses etc. Hotel advises that tap water is safe to drink.
  4. There will be a city orientation tour in the evening from 7PM on wards and after a brief tour, you will be dropped near an Indian restaurant “ Utsav” for a buffet dinner. This is very near to the Board way and on street no 46. After dinner, the route from Utsav to our hotel can be undertaken by walking along the Broadway. Our hotel is between the 48-49thstreet on the main road/Broadway.

Day 2: 29/04/2018 (Sunday)

a.Complete breakfast by 8:30-9:00AM. Coaches will leave in 2 batches for sightseeing - the 1st batch will start at around 9:00 hours while the second batch will start around 9:30 hours. Traffic conditions and restrictions in New York being rigid, coaches take a higher commuting time. If you miss your bus, you will have to travel yourself to the destination.

b. Please wear your conference badges(lanyards) for travel by buses that will take you to orientation tour, city tour, river cruiseand other places where transport is provided by the Tour Managers. In crowded places like the Empire State Building, 9/11 site or Statute of Liberty wearing of the identity badge will ensure your safety. At Statue of Liberty airport type security checks are there, including frisking.

c. Lunch for this day has been arranged at different restaurants, and depending on the route planned by SOTC for your coach, you will have lunch in any of the restaurants.

d. The last item of the day will be a cruise on the river Brooklyn with dinner, starting from 7PM. As state earlier, the hotels/cruise in New York use disposal plastic cutlery.

P.S: Please keep pace with your Bus group. If you miss, you may have to reach the next place/restaurants by yourselves. So, please help the Event Manager to enjoy your trip.

Day 3: 30/04/2018 (Monday): Conference day.

The Conference will take place at the Broadway Ball Room on the 4th floor of Hotel Crowne Plaza.

  1. Breakfast will be served in the foyer area of the conference hall between 6.30 to 8.30 am.You are requested to complete your breakfast within the time specified. The conference will start at 9:00 hrs.
  2. Wearing of the lanyard/identity badge is compulsory before you enter the conference hall. Please drop your visiting card at the registration desk. If you are not wearing the lanyard you may be prevented at the gate. The registration desk will assist new registrants with identity and payment.
  3. Please participate in the conference agenda in full spirit. All panels are populated by wise, experienced and expressive panellists and it will be very useful for everyone to take advantage of the same. We are attempting to take “live Polls”, your opinion on the subjects being discussed. Be a part . We shall announce lucky dip for the participants of Polls.
  4. Conference will be followed by a gala dinner at the same venue, commencing at 7.30 pm with light entertainment.

Day 4:01/05/2018 (Tuesday)

  1. This day is designed to let you move/have your own way. It is a day for networking.Post breakfast you will be free to utilise the time for networking amongst the delegates/your peers/colleagues at New York or otherwise. You may return to the hotel room. The Tour operator will provide USD coupons in lieu of food and transport at the time of check-in.

Day 5:02/05/2018 (Wednesday)

  1. Please enjoy your breakfast at the restaurant and check out of the hotel by 11.00 am.
  2. Proceed to the airport well in advance. The travel being on a working day may take about 2 hours. The reporting time is 3 hours before departure, say, 5 hours ahead of the scheduled departure.
  3. Please settle all your personal expenses (outside the SOTC package) directly with the hotel.

local delegates: You have to register first to the conference.You will be provided lanyard which will facilitate your entry to the conference and the gala dinner.

Sponsors: We are thankful to the Sponsors of the Conference:

Gold: M/S CCIL; M/S Thomson Reuters.

Silver: M/S BSE

New York is the financial capital of the World as well as a beautiful City in the spring season. So, ENJOY every bit of it, be it the knowledge, skill/ beauty or the internal/external peace, recharge yourself and leave NY with sweet memories.

Warm regards,

D.V.S.S.V.Prasad

Chief Executive Officer,