In view of the demonetisation drive by the government, and the resulting cash crunch in the country, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to extend the suspension of collection of parking charges at all airports till midnight of 28 November, 2016. The parking charges were earlier waived off till November 24. The extension has been done in order to facilitate the smooth movement of passengers.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has revealed that it will not be pursuing the previously-announced Powai hotel project anymore. Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said, “We are not pursuing the Powai hotel anymore as we are invested more in the upcoming property in Mumbai and other areas around Mumbai greater area. We have signed a new hotel which will be coming up next to the Mumbai International airport. The hotel is currently under construction and the civil structure is almost been built out and we expect the hotel to open in the next two years. Mumbai is a very important market for us and also the places close to Mumbai city. This year we opened a resort in Karjat, we already have an operating hotel in Alibaug. We look forward to adding more destinations in and around Mumbai and in the Maharashtra region.”

The Tourism Authority of Thailand New Delhi has confirmed the temporary waiver of visa fees for Indian tourists travelling to the Kingdom from Dec 1, 2016, to Feb 28, 2017. The Thai cabinet has also decided to halve the visa-on-arrival fees from 2000 baht to 1000 baht. Along with India, the move applies to 18 other countries including Andorra, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Mario, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The three-month tourism promotion measure is aimed at boosting the number of visitors by 350,000 and generating an income of 28 billion baht.

TIRUN announced the longest-ever Singapore cruising home porting season in Asia on Royal Caribbean International cruise line’s Ovation of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, and Voyager of the Seas. This deployment by Royal Caribbean will run for nine months till next June 2017 with 64 sailings and is expected to take 200,000 guests to ports in Southeast Asia. The sailings will increase Royal Caribbean’s capacity in 2017 in the region by 30 per cent over 2016. Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive Officer, TIRUN, said, “After an immensely successful semi-chartered cruise to Singapore by Voyager of the Seas, it is great news for Indian cruise enthusiasts that Singapore is now going to witness the longest-ever home porting by three of Royal Caribbean’s most magnificent ships. This means more options, more itineraries and more choice along with well-curated Indian delicacies and experiences onboard for vacationers. In addition, attractions such as themed cruises will enhance the propensity of Indian travel-lovers to consider cruise holidays as the ideal way to quench their thirst for exotic vacations with unbridled luxury.”

Costa Cruises, together with the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, welcomed guests onboard the Costa Luminosa, for an evening of celebration of Italian hospitality and entertainment.  The Costa Luminosa, which is sailing around the world in 98 days, is currently docked at the Mumbai port as part of its itinerary. The event saw the launch of Festa Italiana 2016 in Mumbai and celebrated the upcoming home porting of the Costa neoClassica in Mumbai from December 2016. Costa neoClassica will be the very first large cruise ship that cruises between Mumbai and the Maldives. Indians can embark on a cruise liner from Mumbai and travel to destinations within India such as Goa and Cochin as well as Maldives and Colombo. Costa neoClassica will perform a series of weekly sailings from Dec 16, 2016 – March 18, 2017. Speaking about the launch, Buhdy Bok, President of Costa Group Asia said, “We are delighted to bring cruising to Indians at their doorstep. For many travellers, the holiday often starts after some sort of a long journey. Now like never before, Indians will have the opportunity to start holidaying — right from their door-step — from India’s largest metropolis, Mumbai.”

Hotel Formule1 has launched two hotels in Nashik and Chennai. With the new openings Hotel Formule1 expands its network across 9 cities in India. “Over the years, Hotel Formule1 has emerged as one the ideal choice for all travellers looking for comfortable, modern yet pocket friendly stay. The opening of Hotel Formule1 Nashik & Chennai OMR, is a step towards growing the brand portfolio keeping in line with the demand in the cities. Our hotels will strive to consistently provide guests a contemporary and refreshing stay experience at a great value,” says Balvinder Sahrawat, Vice-President, Hotel Formule1 India. Located in close proximity to industrial areas and popular tourist spots, the 101-room Hotel Formule1 Nashik has a self-service design concept best suited for business and leisure travellers to the city. Renowned as the holy city for Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, Nashik is one of the most up-and-coming cities in Maharashtra with a vibrant culture and entertainment ethos. Featuring 132 sound proof rooms, Hotel Formule1 Chennai OMR (old Mahabalipuram road), is strategically located amidst the business and IT hub of the city. Despite being an important city for manufacturing, health care, and IT, Chennai has developed as one of the cosmopolitan cities in India that plays an important part in the cultural, intellectual and historical growth of India. Hotel Formule1 rooms are indigenously designed and developed to make the best use of space that is conducive and comfortable.  Each room features a flat screen LED television Wi-Fi internet access and in-room amenities. F and B outlets include a lounge and a restaurant. The brand is the market’s first low-cost brand and it was revolutionized in 1985.  The hotel has a presence across …

A portfolio of seven Premier Inn hotels located in two of Thailand’s top destinations, Bangkok and Pattaya, as well as India’s most visited cities, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune and Goa, are being offered for sale through an international tender process with JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group. The tender for bids is scheduled from December 19 to 23, 2016. Owned by UK company Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants International, the portfolio offers two hotels in Thailand with a collective key count of 388: one property is located in the heart of Bangkok’s retail and entertainment precinct, Sukhumvit Soi 11, and is set to be completed in the first half of 2017; the other hotel is minutes away from Pattaya’s popular Second Road and enjoys close proximity to the town’s beaches, retail malls and famous Walking Street. Premier Inn’s India portfolio, comprising five hotels in prime locations in the nation’s best performing cities, will be among the largest hotel portfolios offered in India in recent times, with a total of 583 room keys. “Hotel portfolios with vacant possession, occupying prime central locations and of this scale are rare and hard to come by in the current market,” says Mr Mike Batchelor, Managing Director of Investments Sales, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group, Asia. “There is an expected high level of interest from global, regional and domestic investors attracted to this opportunity as they are able to immediately rebrand the hotels to the operator of their choice upon purchase.” India continues to be ranked as one of the fastest growing economies in the world with a 2016 forecast GDP growth of 7.6 percent. On India’s growing hospitality investment sector, Paul Chakkrit, Senior Vice President, …

Kerala Tourism has rolled out ‘The Great Backwater Experience’ zone at a special interactive stall in the departure terminal at Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi. The initiative uses virtual reality to allow passengers to experience a Kerala experience while waiting to catch their flight. Similar zones are also being set up at airports in Mumbai and Bengaluru. U.V. Jose, Director, Kerala Tourism, said, “The zone is up and functional at Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi and visitors can get an immersive experience of sitting inside a ‘kettuvellam’, a traditional Kerala houseboat, floating on tranquil backwaters in a place situated over 2,000 km away. This has been made possible through the innovative use of virtual reality.”

Thomas Cook India has opened a new Gold Circle Partner outlet in Bikaner. The Thomas Cook Gold Circle Partner programme is an exclusive partner programme for tour operators and travel agents in India that helps in increasing the brand’s presence and reach across the country. With this programme, the Gold Circle Partner reaps benefits of a brand association with Thomas Cook, along with knowledge sharing, training and expertise to manage a travel business. In addition, a Gold Circle Partner is empowered to provide customers with a wide range of travel and financial products & services, including sales & marketing support for customer retention and further new business development, thereby enabling them to reach out to a larger customer base. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head Leisure Travel & MICE at Thomas Cook India Limited said, “We have observed that India’s Tier II and III markets exhibit immense potential for growth and we want to be a catalyst in this key opportunity. Bikaner is a ]new market for our travel and travel related businesses and we believe that the city offers tremendous potential to cater to a diversity of retail consumers such as business families, government employees, and business and leisure travelers. Our newly opened outlet in Bikaner is located in a well-known commercial hub- right in the heart of the market.” With this new Bikaner outlet, Thomas Cook India’s network in Rajasthan extends to 10 locations across the state, offering its customers easy access via 2 owned branches in Jaipur and Udaipur and 8 Gold Circle Partner outlets (3 in Jaipur, and one each a Kota, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Alwar and now in Bikaner).

All guides with licences issued by ASI and Additional Director General, Tourism, are valid and can enter all the Centrally Protected Monuments including Fatehpur Sikri, till fresh licences are issued under the new Policy, informs Pronab Sarkar, President, IATO quoting Supreme Courts’ order on IATO’s writ petition. IATO had sought clarification on the restricted entry of Regional Level Guides and State Level Guides at Fatehpur Sikri, where only local guides were being allowed to work. This was causing financial burden on IATO members as they had to pay guide fee to their Regional/State Level Guide and the local guide.