A total of 79 buyers from India have registered till date for the 15th Thailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion to be held for the first time in the northern Thai capital of Chiang Mai between June 8-10, 2016. This is currently the highest number and is projected to grow further before the registration deadline ends on March 15, 2016. Opened for the first time to ASEAN national tourism organisations, the event had registered 321 buyers of whom 142 were first timers, and 305 exhibitors of whom 72 were first timers, as of February 11 surpassing the last edition’s count of 258 sellers and 49 first-timers recorded in March 2015. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Dr. Yuthasak Supasorn commented, “Such a large turnout of both buyers and sellers will help us meet one of the most important criteria cited by both sides in their feedback forms, which is to meet new people.” TAT is expecting 400 buyers from 50 countries.

Etihad Airways has announced a 63 per cent increase in full-year passenger traffic with partner Jet Airways to and from India. Together, the airlines carried a record 3.3 million passengers between Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi hub and India in 2015, which indicates a steep rise on the 2 million flown during the previous 12 months. James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said, “Bilateral relations between the UAE and India continue to grow based on years of friendship and deep commitment to strengthen economic, cultural and trade ties. With Etihad Airways and Jet Airways together offering over 44,000 seats each week between Abu Dhabi and India, we are clearly are a key contributor to India’s dynamic economy. There is further room to grow and we are looking at the many opportunities that exist to develop our operations. Our investment in Jet Airways was aimed at being part of the Indian success story. Before the Jet deal, Etihad Airways carried only two per cent of the international traffic to and from India. We have helped bring Jet Airways back to profitability. Today, Jet Airways is our number one equity partner for revenue and passenger contribution on Etihad Airways, and India is Abu Dhabi’s number one source market for international visitors.” In terms of the overall international market, they fly between them approximately 20 per cent of all worldwide travellers to and from India representing a large share of the country’s booming air travel industry.

A total of 88,162 foreign tourists arrived in the country on e-Tourist Visa (eTV) in January 2016 as compared to 25,023 during the same month in 2015 registering a growth of 252.3 per cent. According to the Ministry of Tourism, this high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for 113 countries as against the earlier coverage of 43 countries. United Kingdom occupied the top slot in the top 10 countries availing the facility with 25.37 per cent. The share of the other top countries availing eTV facility were USA (15.17%); Russian Fed. (9.58%); France (6.00%); Australia (5.25%); Germany (4.23%); Canada (4.10%); China (3.96%); Republic of Korea (3.72%) and Ukraine (2.86%). The New Delhi airport received the highest percentage of foreign tourists with 33.18 per cent. The other top ports in foreign tourist arrivals on eTV during January 2016 were Mumbai Airport (20.81%); Goa Airport (19.10%); Chennai Airport (6.95%); Bengaluru Airport (5.35%); Kochi Airport (4.17%); Kolkata Airport (2.99%); Trivandrum Airport (2.29%); Hyderabad Airport (2.13%) and Ahmedabad Airport (1.75%).

The total turnover of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) in quarter ending December 2015 stood at Rs.123.85 crore. The public sector undertaking under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), registered operating profit at Rs 17.26 crore and Net Profit Before Tax (PBT) at Rs 2.54 crore in last quarter Oct-Dec, 2015-16. In first three quarters of 2015-16, the company has registered a turnover of Rs 329.72 crore, while the operating profit was registered at Rs 25.76 crore and net profit at Rs 6.83 crore. These details were announced in the Board of Directors’ meeting of the company on February 12, 2016, at the Group’s flagship hotel, The Ashok, New Delhi.

Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it will start twice daily flights to Delhi from March 26. The price for the flight from Delhi-Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is Rs 32,018, while that from Addis Ababa- Delhi will cost Rs 33,051. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines, said, “We are pleased to offer our customers a double daily service to Delhi. India being one of the strongest economic muscles zooming into the global economic picture, availing more frequencies would catalyse the channelling of investors from both countries and facilitating business. Moreover the addition of the flight would have a paramount significance in strengthening the growing economic, political, and social relationship of the two countries in particular and the two continents in general. Our customers will be able to make an immediate connection to cities like Hargeisa, Khartoum, Nairobi and some Southern African flights.” Tadesse Tilahun, Regional Director India Sub Continent, said, “We are really excited about the expansion plans of Ethiopian Airlines all over the world and in particular about the double daily operations not only from Mumbai but another Indian city- Delhi added to the list. We are striving to give our esteemed clients more convenient connections out of India.” The airline will  ply the latest B737-800 New Generation Sky Interior aircraft on this route.

Viset Sontichai, Director, Indian Sub-Continent (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & Nepal), Thai Airways, has revealed that Thai Smile will start operations from Ahmedabad and Chandigarh to Bangkok very soon. However, Sontichai, who has recently taken over operations for the Indian Sub-continent, did not reveal any dates for this route as yet. But, he said that they are planning to launch the new route to cater to the growing Tier-II and Tier-III markets. He also said that among the new connections from India, they are planning to connect UK from Bangkok via India. However, instead of London they are planning to connect Manchester and Birmingham. He also revealed that they are planning to also start a flight from Islamabad to Manchester by the end of this year.

The Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has been allocating 15-20 per cent of their budget every year to the North East region, crossing the earmarked 10 per cent by the government, said Suman Billa, Joint Secretary – Tourism, Govt. of India at the ‘Destination North East 2016’ meet. He said, MOT is also planning to organise a major Investment Summit around June-July. How to drive private investment into the Northeastern states to further the participation of private sector and help encourage growth will be one of the main components of the summit, he said. The event was organised by the Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) and the Ministry of Culture.

The biennial election of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) is slated for April 23, shared Pronob Sarkar, Hony Secretary, IATO, at the inaugural day of the ‘Destination North East 2016’ mega event. Sarkar added that the IATO Convention would take place sometime in September this year. Elections will be held as per Article 11 of the Memorandum of Association for the offices of President, Senior Vice President, Vice President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Committee Members (Active) and Executive Members (Allied) to be elected by the active members of the association. Speaking at the event, he highlighted the need to spread awareness about the Northeastern region’s tourism products and that public private partnership (PPP) mode would be instrumental in promoting growth in the region.

For celebrating its first ‘State Tourism Day’ on February 14, Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department will organise a travel meet in Bareilly. More than 200 Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) travel agents, hoteliers and resort-owners will be in attendance at the meet. According to reports, the participants will be educated on how they can use the opportunity for developing tourism in Bareilly and Moradabad, which serve as the gateway of Uttaranchal. The travel-meet will also be open for general public who can avail lucrative discounts. The event will be held on Sunday at Hotel Rohila and will open for public post lunch.

National carrier Air India will charge Rs 500 more on its domestic flight ticket cancellation. After the proposed revised charges come into effect, the Government-run carrier would deduct as much as Rs 2,000 in case of “no-show” by a passenger at the time of a domestic flight departure, according to a PTI report. The move comes days after budget airline SpiceJet hiking its ticket cancellation charges to Rs 1,899 from Rs 1,800 earlier. The airline has already issued the circular with revised charges to travel agents early last week, the report read.