Lahore gets on board the #KaymuKaravan

[Lahore, 13th June 2015]The #KaymuKaravan, a one of its kind initiative by Kaymu.pk, is currently on its 10 day journey through Pakistan. The Karavan entered Lahore on the 11^th of June, after a successful journey through Karachi, and will head to Islamabad/Rawalpindi for the final phase of the campaign.

Lahore has welcomed the #KaymuKaravan with the usual fervor and zealLahories are famous for. The #KaymuKarvan has attracted people from all walks of life and age brackets, with families and youngsters participating in the fun filled activities the Karavan has brought along. The #KaymuKarvan has been distributing exciting prizes through a number of activities, while also giving participants a chance to bag discount vouchers which they can avail while shopping through Kaymu.pk.

The #KaymuKaravanalso made a special stop at a bloggers meetup arranged by Kaymu.pk in Lahore. During the meetup the online gurus gave their feedback on Kaymu.pk’s performance in Pakistan and shared ideas on how Kaymu can improve its services in the country. The bloggers got on board the #KaymuKaravan as the truck made its stop at the event. The attendees engaged with the KaymuKaravan team where they were briefed on the awareness drive of this initiative.

The #KaymuKaravan began its journey from Karachi on the 5^th of June and will stop in Rawalpindi on the 16^th of June. By the time the Karavan makes its final stop it would have hit20 locations in 3 cities in just 10 days. The exact details of the timings and locations the #KaymuKaravan has gone through and will be hitting in the coming few dayscan be found on the Facebook page by clicking HERE. 

This Karavan is an attempt by Kaymu.pk to spread awareness around the benefits of using eCommerce platforms for buying and selling. This initiative also allowed Kaymu.pk to interact directly with its customers and attain valuable feedback. 

#KaymuKaravan begins its journey from Karachi

[Lahore, 5th June 2015]Kaymu.pk, an online shopping community, is set to take its marketplace to the roads of Pakistan. The #KaymuKaravan will begin its journey from Karachi and will travel for 10 daysto 20 locations in 3 cities. This is a first of its kind initiative by an eCommerce platform in Pakistan and is an attempt to attract more and more people to experience online shopping. 

The #KaymuKaravan will give participants an opportunity to win exciting prizes through a number of activities. Participants will also get a chance to bag discount vouchers which they can use while shopping through Kaymu.pk. This 10 day event will also help spread awareness around the benefits of ecommerce and online shopping.

Kaymu Karavan’s truck will begin its journey from Karachi and after a four days stay at various locations in the city will move to Lahore. Following another four days in Lahore, the truck will then travel upto Islamabad for the final two days of its journey.

The event will remain open to the general public and anyone can participate in the activities. The exact details of the timings and locations where the #KaymuKaravan will be making its stays can be found on the Facebook page by clicking HERE. 

Such initiatives will helpspread awareness and build trust around online platforms as it shows willingness to take ownership of the customersthrough direct interaction.

Kaymu.pk releases Pakistan’s ecommerce trends report

[Lahore, 22nd June 2015]Kaymu.pk, an online shopping community, recently released a report detailing out the eCommerce and online shopping trends in Pakistan. Pakistan’s online industry is still in its early days; hence, a lot of factors have yet to be determined regarding the trends of the country’s online industry.

This ecommerce report released by Kaymu.pk gives a detailed insight into the consumer behavior and their approach to online shopping, as well as discussing some key findings of internet usage in the country.

Through the research conducted by Kaymu and the facts collated, it can be observed that the most actively involved eCommerce users in Pakistan fall under the age bracket of 18-34 years.The report also reveals that over 50% of eCommerce traffic in Pakistan comes from the country’s three major cities;Lahore with 21% of total traffic, closely followed by Karachi at 20%, and Islamabad/Rawalpindi with 15% of total e-commerce activity each year.

When talking about the gender divide the report observe that out of the total e-commerce activities carried out, 70% comprised of male users, with females involved in only 30% of the total activity. 

The Kaymu report also revealed that new users are also being attracted to online shopping. New online shopping visitors stand at 44% of the total traffic, while returning visitors are 56%. The two most purchased products of online shoppers in Pakistan are clothing items and electronic devices.

The report also looks into the devices and operating systems being used by online buyers. Around 80% online purchasers use either a desktop computer or laptop; while the remaining 20% is divided between smartphones and tablets. Hence, it comes as no surprise that almost 77% of the users access online shopping websites via Windows operating system. It is then followed by android and the rest like iOS, BlackBerry follow the cue.

The Kaymu report carefully follows a number of trends in Pakistan’s ecommerce industry. You can visit www.kaymu.pk/research to study the complete report.

Top 5 Must Places to Visit in Lahore

In addition to the beauty of Pakistan, there is a lot more to explore on the land. Pakistan will leave you stunned with its aesthetic and historical monuments. Lahore, our cultural capital, has a list of places which have lots of historical significance, and below are the top 5 places you must visit when you go to Lahore:

       Bab-e-Pakistan:

Bab-e-Pakistan (Gateway of Pakistan) is a national monument located in Lahore. The gateway is built on the site of one of the biggest refugee camps.  The idea of the memorial was proposed by late Ghulam Jalil Khan in 1985 and designed by a Lahore-based architect Amjad Mukhtar.

                        

       Khyber Pass:

Khyber Pass is a very important pass which connects Afghanistan to Pakistan. The mountainous region and curvy roads have been made by cutting through the Spin Ghar Mountains. It is one of oldest passes of the world and is a part of primitive Silk Road. Historically, Khyber Pass was an important trade route between Central Asia and South Asia, as well as a strategic military location.

        Minar-e-Pakistan:

The beautiful Minar-e-Pakistan is one of Pakistan’s most historic monuments! It is open to the public, and was constructed as a tower during the 1960s. The base of Minar-e-Pakistan was where the All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution, on 23^rd March 1940, regarding the decision to create Pakistan. It was designed and supervised by Nasreddin Murat-Khan, an architect and engineer from Daghistan. The Minar is constructed in white to depict the success of the Pakistan Movement.

  

       Lahore fort:

Lahore fort is a grant fortress, frequently called Shahi Qila. It was built during the Mughal emperor Akbar’s regime, during 1556–1605, and was regularly upgraded by following Mughal, Sikh and British rulers. The fort manifests the Mughal architecture through its famous sites such as Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha Pavilion, and Moti Masjid.

       Badshahi Mosque:

The Badshahi Mosque was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore. It is a historical landmark, and a major tourist attraction. Badshahi mosque is the second largest of Pakistan and has been designed with the beauty and art of the Mughal era. The mosque is capable of accommodating over 55,000 worshipers at a time.

Explore all these attractions and much more in Lahore; plan your trip to with Jovago Pakistan in one of the best hotels and guesthouses and let us do the rest for you. 

Huawei Sells 50 Million Handsets in First Half of 2015

Amongst all the doom and gloom with poor performance from many manufacturers, Huawei seems to be defying market trends. The company has reportedly shipped over 50 million smartphones in the first 6 months of 2015.

At the same point in 2014, Huawei shipped 34.27 million smartphones but it seems that the company’s flagships like the Huawei P8, Mate 7, Honor 6 and 6 Plus amongst a few others have led the increase in shipments.

Revenue generated during the same six-month period is expected to come at about 6.9 billion US Dollars. What is amazing is that all these figures focus on the Asian and European market and exclude the manufacturer’s sales in the US.

Huawei’s next step is to enter the premium smartphone market

With the company’s dedicated push into the premium smartphone market, it seems to be a very exciting time for Huawei.

In other news, the company has revealed the pricing information regarding the P8 Max. The phablet flagship will be sold in July and cost about 610 US Dollars. The device is powered by an octa-core Kirin 935 processor, 3GB of RAM and 4360 mAh battery. The phone has a 13MP camera and Android 5.0 Lollipop. More details regarding the 6.8-inch 1080p device can be found in one of our previous posts here.

Right now, Lenovo, LG and Xiaomi are competing with Huawei for the third spot in terms of smartphones sales around the world. With the company all set to release the Honor 7 and the next Google Nexus device in the coming months, it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

A Make-over for Karachi:

Once you arrive in Karachi, the walls around you will be painted and chalked with graffiti and quotes in the local language,KalaKari.The street walls of Karachi serve as a sales and promotion channel, where you can advertise whatever your heart desires. Unfortunately, amongst the unique wall art, offensivecomments and political opinions about the Awami invitations to soyems and dharnas taint the image of the city.

There has been a paradigm shift as the students of the Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture (IVS) along with I AM KARACHI, started a movement to repaint and eradicate the derogatory and unethical materialfrom the city walls. . I AM KARACHI is a citywide campaign initiated by Munawar Ali Syed, with 15 artists and designers.They worked diligently under the scorching sun, scraping scaly paint and kalakarioff the walls. IVS students are working under the supervision of Adeela Suleman (Head of the Fine Arts Department). Students have chosento capitalize ontheir creativity and have selected paintbrushes as their weapon.

Apart from the university students, school children have also volunteered to take part in this project. The programtitled “Bachon se tabdili” havebeautified around 25 wallsin Shirin Jinnah Colony and Lyari and helped in painting some walls at MT Khan Road.University students have aimed to target about 1500 walls of the city. Their beautiful art work can be viewed near Hassan Square, Civic Centre, Saddar, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, MT Khan road, the Airport and Kala Pul.This campaign has successfully decorated 1000 walls, with only 500 left!

(The campaign tries to utilize all the possible forms of art, ranging from stencil work to the famous Truck Art of Karachi.)

Another project named the “Individual Artists Project” focuses mainly on revamping the walls on MT Khan Road and the areas surrounding the Airport.  To our surprise, the students did not have to interact with any extremists, and this project was embraced rather than being shunned. Occasionally, people have yelled at the artists while othersgaze silently in awe. However, it has been observed that people do appreciate them,since the walls have remainedin a spotless and immaculate condition.

(The Phool Patti art work near Airport.)

(Determined artists slaving away in the sun, assiduously trying to improve the ambiance of the city)

People often assume that Karachi is a garbage dump, however the youth have compiled their efforts to help change this point of view. The atmosphere of Karachihas been transformed completely, becoming a more colourful place to live in. We salute the youthfor infusing the city with art and culture, proving that we are an educated and civilized nation. With the continuous progression of this movement, we can proudly say,Tabdeeli aa nahi rahi Tabdeeli aa gai hai!

Stephen Elop, the Last CEO of Nokia, Leaves Microsoft

Stephen Elop, the person who’ll always be remembered as the man who placed the last nail in Nokia’s long coffin is set to leave Microsoft, too. He was serving as the Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Devices and Services unit.

The move is a part of management restructuring currently going on at Microsoft. Terry Myerson, the previous Executive Vice President of Operating Systems will succeed him in the new Windows and Devices Group. With this new group, Microsoft says it is “focused on enabling more personal computing experiences powered by the Windows ecosystem.” Two other execs., Kirill Tatarinov and Eric Rudder are due to leave with Elop.

Elop’s decision to choose Windows Phone and ditch Meego is one of the most dubious in modern corporate history

By joining the OS and Devices counterparts, Microsoft will be able to integrate the two of them better together, possibly similar to the way Apple and others have done in recent times.

That leaves Elop’s tenure at Redmond at just around a year. He joined the company after three years as the CEO of Nokia, one of the world’s largest mobile phone companies in the world then. His decisions to choose Windows Phone and completely ditch Meego are widely seen as the most dubious in modern corporate history.

Nokia plummeted uncontrollably since he was handed reigns in late 2010. Soon, he announced a new deal with Microsoft to use Windows Phone as the primary OS, an OS with even lesser presence and developer support than Nokia’s own. He wrote the now infamous “burning platform” memo where he metaphorically described Nokia as a man standing on a burning oil platform with treacherous waters around.

Nokia plummeted uncontrollably after Elop was made the CEO in late 2010

Elop was undoubtedly among the most controversial leaders in the corporate world today. This stance was not improved by the fact that his former employee was Microsoft (whose shares he continued to hold as a Nokia CEO) and was naturally seen as a Trojan Horse placed to sale Nokia to his former employees for cheap. This view was the basis of a successful book, “The Decline and Fall of Nokia” by David J. Cord. Elop further got an 18.8 million Euro bonus as a part of a Microsoft deal which was kept a secret at first.

No wonder he is included in most recent worst CEOs lists.

Senate Recommends NA to Exempt GST for Phones Under Rs. 5,000

Senate of Pakistan has recommended the National Assembly to exempt general sales tax for phones that are less than Rs. 5,000 in value. These recommendations are made by Senate to National Assembly on Finance Bill 2015.

Recommendations issued by Senate said that phones with Rs. 5,000 or less in value are usually owned by people with limited resources, or those who live in far-flung areas of the country. Exempting taxes for such handsets will only help these resource-less people.

Government of Pakistan, in the Finance Bill 2015, proposed to double the sales tax on all sorts of phones. According to original proposed finance bill, sales tax on phones is increased from Rs. 150, 250 and 500 to Rs. 300, 500 and 1,000 respectively.

These taxes on phones are based on features of the phones.

Senate, on the other hands, thinks that sales tax on phones above Rs. 5,000 can be doubled — as originally proposed by the bill — however for the phones with lesser than Rs. 5,000 prices should be exempted from the taxes altogether.

National Assembly is currently deliberating the finance bill.

Destination of the week

Azad Kashmir is an administrative territory of Pakistan that lies in the west of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a part of the greater Kashmir region that shares a border with Gilgit–Baltistan. The lower part of the Himalayas is located in the northern part of Azad Kashmir, which is home for several snow-caped mountains such as Jamgarh Peak and Sarwali peak.

The Fertile green lands, mountainous valleys, dazzling rivers, blooming meadows and the picturesque spots make it one of the most heavenly regions of Asian subcontinent.

Jovagos’s top 3

Leepa valley
Leepa Valley is located 45 km from Muzaffarabad, in Azad Kashmir. The villages of the valley form a beautiful woven mosaic pattern, which is a sight to see. Some famous villages here are Reshian, Dao Khan, and Chananian. The forest in the valley is densely populated with pine and maple trees. If you plan to stay in Muzaffarabad before paying a visit to Leepa Valley, Akbar International View Hotel provides you a preferred stop over.

Neelum valley
Neelum Valley is a bow-shaped forest region located in the north-east part of Azad Kashmir, at an elevation of 13,000 ft. above sea level. It runs parallel to Kaghan Valley - Neelum and Kaghan are separated by snowy peaks. Due to the amazing weather, beautiful hills on both sides of the River Neelum, and charming landscapes, tourists from all over Pakistan love to visit Neelum valley.

Tolipir
ToliPir is a highland, located in Tehsil Rawalakot (a place in Azad Kashmir), at an elevation of 8800 ft. above sea level. It is about a of 45-minute drive from Rawalakot town. Tolipir is the center of three different mountain ridges - Abbaspur, Bagh and Poonch River can be seen from here. It is most accessible and most beautiful during April to September.

Tips
Restaurants
Kashmir is famous for its traditional cuisines and there are many eateries located here. Some of the main Kashmiri cuisines are Kashmiri Raan, BaltiGosht, Kashmiri Dal Chanwal, Rogan Josh and Dam Aloo which are prepared with fresh Kashmiri spices. Also, there is a lot of emphasis placed upon the tradition of sipping Kashmiri Tea after a meal.

Shopping
Shopping in Kashmir really makes one feel the culture. The famous spot of Kashmir is Muzaffarabad Bazzar, where you can find traditional souvenirs and clothing like Pahari styled ShalwarKameez and beautifully woven embroidered Kashmiri shawls.

Hotels
Jovago Pakistan has many hotels and guest houses in Azad Kashmir with different price ranges. Book now on the No.1 online hotel booking site of Pakistan and get the best prices.

Money
Pakistan Rupees, All International Credit Card (Visa/MasterCard) are accepted in the ATM.

Exchange Rate
http://www.xe.com/currency/pkr-pakistani-rupee

Country code
+9258

Airport
Benazir International Airport, which is approximately at 2 hour 47 min drive to Azad Kashmir.

10 Awesome hotels of the world for your dream stay

There are 2 types of vacations one can take – low budget ones as well as going all out. It is important to sometimes spoil yourself, and take a nice relaxing vacation while staying at a luxurious, exotic hotel. In addition to a comfortable and memorable stay, the top hotels also give you amazing vacation packages, which include using the spa, golf resorts, safari getaways amongst many other things. Here are a list of top 10 hotels you must visit once in your life:

      Montana Magica Lodge, Chile:

Montana Magicais perfect for nature lovers. It is a volcano structured lodge that spews water, and is situated in the center of a native forest in Chile. The lodge gives you the most picturesque treat of nature, and is heaven for nature lovers.

       Oberoi Udaivilas in India:

Located in the beautiful Rajasthan, the OberoiUdaivilasis just stunning. The hotel is situated on the banks of the Lake Pichola, adjoining by the grand palaces of Rajasthan. The rippling fountains chilling water pools and lush green fields will give you a royal treat.

     Vila Escudero Philippines:

Vila Escudero is an outstanding waterfall amusement. you will Get fascinate with the delicious and aromatic lunch served on bamboo dining tables setat few inches of running water cascades.Vila is your perfect way to enjoy the Philippine legacy.

      Ice Hot Jukkasjarvi, Sweden:

Ice hot can be the coolest experience of your life! The hotel is remodeled every year as it is built with snow and ice. It is popular amongst honeymooners despite the fact that is -5C!

      Hotel Kakslauttanen, Finland:

A view of northern lights from a glassed igloo is definitely something worth staying at. The hotel Kakslauttanen of Finland boosts up yoursenses with its scenic view of 20 thermal glass igloos that gives you the famous aurora sights at night. 

       Rayavadee Krabi, Thailand:

Rayavadee is situated at theheart of stunning Phranang Peninsular on the edge of Krabi Marine National Park.It is an enchanting holiday spot that mesmerizes you with scenic sheer cliffs, lush green forestry and the crystal clear water of Amanda Sea.

       Attrap Reves Hotel, France:

Are you up for a bubble sleep? Attrap is the most amazing and uniquely designed bubble hotels situated in a rural french setting. It embraces numerous large bubbles inside a thick forest that will let you to stay at the heart of nature!

      Katikies Hotel-Oia, Greece:

Katikies is the natural wonder on planet!That emerges out of the most alluring sea locations in Greece.The hotel sites at the charming Santorini Island at the bank of Sea Atlantis.It gives you a unique nature flavor with its forestry, deep pool diving and breathtaking views of incredible Santorini caldera.

       Hotel-Restaurant Öschinensee, Switzerland:

A romantic stay-in spot of Switzerland is lovingly run by the generations of Wandfluh Family. The architecture of Öschinensee represents the legacy of 1892 and the beautiful lake mountainous view will certainly spellbind you.

      The Ritz Calton at Hong Kong:

Take pride of a vacation stay at Ritz Calton Hong Kong- the world's highest hotel with a 118^th floored gigantic structure. Ritz-Carlton entices you with unrivalled views of Victoria Harbour, six dining venues, a health club, spa, swimming pool, and grand banquet rooms.

Top 5 Ramadan Deals in Karachi

Ramadan is the best time for food deals! Restaurants usually offer all you can eat packages to maximize their customer’s experience. Below is a list of top 5 Iftar deals we think you should check out in Karachi in case you are in no mood to spend 1000’s of Rupees on feast by 5 star hotels in Karachi, Pakistan!

       Student Biryani is a national Biryani restaurant, founded in 1969 by Haji Mohammad Ali. This Ramadan, it will be serving its customers with the finest Biryani available in Pakistan, and is offering an amazing deal. For only Rs. 180/-you will receive a box of Biryani, two Khajoors, two pakorays, one samosa, one jalebi, one seasonal fruit and a free juice or water!

      The world’s renowned architects and designers, worked diligently to construct Port Grand. Together, they built a modern facility, consisting of amazing cafes, stores for shopping and various forms of entertainment. This Ramadan, Port Grand has introduced a number of deals ranging between Rs. 499 and Rs. 2000/-

      Nando’sis an international company that arrived in Pakistan in 2001. The flavors of PERI~PERI have been celebrated throughout the country, leaving the customers craving more. This Ramadan, Nando’s have launched four deals, one for sehri and three for iftaar. The combinations consist of quarter chickens, hummus, garlic bread, peri bites, fries, rice, and soft drinks! 

      Chatkharay Express was founded in 1995, and began their food journey by selling chaats and Pakistani food items. They are nationally famous for their dahi baray and chaat! This Ramadan, they have presented their guests with an iftari buffet, consisting of 18 items for only Rs. 690/- for adults, and Rs. 490/- for children.

       THYME & TARRAGON have had years of experience in catering special events, with a skilled   staff that serves you with mouth-watering food. This Ramadan, for only Rs. 715/-, they are offering

      their customers a traditional iftari with fruit chaat, roof afza, and Khajoors, as well as a protein packed dinner providing you with a healthy and fulfilling meal.

 

The Hidden Jewels of Pakistan

Pakistan is bursting with natural beauty in not only one, but in all four of its provinces. When deciding where to travel, there are a plethora of options, thanks to our natural beauty. A lot of the beauty is hidden, therefore below is a list of places which are not mainstream, but are definitely worth a visit.

       Hingol River :
Hingol River is situated in the Makran region, in the Gwadar District of Southeastern Baluchistan. The river is a part of the Hingol valley, and together with the view of the mountains, the experience is very enjoyable. 

      Passu:
Passu is a majestic village located on the Karakorum Highway, only 150 km away from Gilgit city. The scenic views of the Passu Glacier and the Batura Glacier are known to bedazzle their visitors. Another notable point of Passu is thelifestyle of the villagers – the work they do, the exteriors and interiors of their homes, their daily routines – these are all unique characteristics to people living in Passu.  

        PirGhaib:

       Pir Ghaib is located on the Sibi road, approximately 70km away from Quetta. There is a beautiful   waterfall here which is enclosed by palm trees. It flows down a rugged mountainside and makes its way through many streams – a sight worth seeing! 

      Banjosa lake:

     Banjosa Lake is located 20 km from the city of Rawalakot in the District Poonch of Azad Kashmir.  It is an artificial lake mounted at an altitude of 1,981 meters. The lake view is surrounded by a dense pine forest and mountains, creating a very endearing and romantic atmosphere.

        Shigar:

      Once called little Tibet, Shigar valley is located at an altitude of 2800 meters in Gilgit- Baltistan. It is a beautiful valley where nature lovers feel right at home.  Here, you will find snow peaks, sand dunes, rivers and other picturesque views and perfect accommodations like PTDC  Skardu Motel.