With the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup – one of the world’s most notable cricket tournaments – around the corner, the excitement amongst fans is palpable as sports tourism soars. Booking.com, the Official Accommodation Partner for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, launched its integrated campaign ‘Howzat for your perfect stay’, integrating the world of travel, cricket and its passionate fans that make it happen. A press event was hosted in Mumbai with former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan, Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan and Santosh Kumar, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia at Booking.com Unlocking the potential of sports tourism Sports and travel go hand in hand. Mega sporting events such as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 attract travellers to the host destination, which can have a positive impact on domestic and international travel. According to the most-recent Booking.com APAC Travel Confidence Index, 56% of Indians are looking forward to attending a live or major event, including sports tournaments, this year. Search data from Booking.com also reveals a surge in inbound travel with fans across the globe heading to India for the tournament between October 5 to November 19, 2023 with travellers from the UK, USA, UAE, Germany and Australia topping the chart for inbound searches. “The impact of major sporting events on travel desire and demand is a phenomenon we are observing globally and in India as well. As the Official Accommodation Partner for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, we help fans make their cricket-inspired travel as seamless as possible by offering them flights, rental cars, taxi, attractions and of course all kinds of unique places to stay. We are delighted to …

Speaking at the PATA Travel Mart in New Delhi, Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA, said, “India is a very important source market for the tourism industry, not only because it has a huge population base, but more importantly, because of the recent announcement by PM Modi of the ‘Travel for Life’ concept of sustainability and caring for the earth which resonates well with entire global industry.

Fausto Zaina, Head of Market Management, Swiss Travel System, was in India recently to meet key travel partners. Sharing some insights, he said, “India is the number two market for us in terms of revenue, only after the US market. But this could change soon dramatically with India coming close to the US in the coming years.”

Minister of Tourism, Govt. of Goa, . Rohan A. Khaunte, held the 11th Empowered Committee Meeting in the presence of Suneel Anchipaka, IAS, Director Tourism Goa, Girish Kulkarni, Founder of Temple Connect and the members of the empowered committee, to announce the state’s plan to establish Goa as a premier spiritual destination by highlighting various efforts made by the Department of Tourism, Goa wherein visitors from all over the world could seek spiritual experiences  across the state. Khaunte stated “Today the 11th Committee Meeting took place with a main focus on Marketing and Public Relations to ensure that people who visit can see the spiritual side of Goa along with wellness activities. Direct flights from Mopa Airport for locations such as Uttarakhand, Dehradun, Nagpur, and Guwahati will bridge the travel divide between Uttarkashi and Dakshin Kashi, to enhance tourism and connectivity and will attract more tourists in Goa.”

The hospitality sector in India has witnessed a noteworthy resurgence in hotel investment activity, according to JLL’s latest report. In 2022, the sector saw a total deal volume of USD 73 million (INR 580 crore), representing a significant upswing compared to the previous two years, which were affected by the pandemic. This positive trend has continued into the first half of 2023, with hotel transaction volumes reaching USD 175 million (INR 1432 crore). Unlike 2021, which saw mainly consolidations in the hotel transactions landscape, the year 2022 displayed a variety of transactions, encompassing single asset deals and lease agreements for land for greenfield airport-terminal hotels. .In the first half of 2023, there has been a notable increase in investment activity resulting from NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) proceedings, especially involving high-value assets burdened with debt in  strong performing markets like Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Switzerland Tourism invites the travel trade to attend an exclusive webinar highlighting the city of Lucerne today at 3pm. Sited on Lake Lucerne and surrounded by a gorgeous alpine landscape, Lucerne is a perfect gateway Into Central Switzerland. Attend all webinars for a chance to win a trip to Switzerland in 2024! For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532. for registrations, click here.

CRISIL has upgraded its rating on the bank facilities of Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL), at ‘CRISIL AA- / Stable / CRISIL A1+’. The upgrade of the long term to ‘AA- / Stable’ from ‘CRISIL A+/ Stable’ and short term rating to ‘CRISIL A1+’ from ‘CRISIL A1’ reflects the Thomas Cook India Group’s strong scale up in revenue across businesses and expectations of sustained momentum driven by brisk revival in demand post pandemic induced disruptions. The ratings are indicative of TCIL’s strong business risk profile with leadership position in travel and foreign exchange segments and healthy presence in hospitality (Sterling Holiday Resorts) and digi-photo imaging (DEI) segments. The Company has also improved its financial risk profile following sharp revival in business activity. The upgraded ratings factor in the strong parental support from Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.

Cordelia Cruises, India’s premium cruise line, has made a triumphant return to Mumbai this month, after a successful four-month posting in Chennai. Cordelia Cruises returned to the esteemed Mumbai port on the 23rd of September and it will homeport here till June 2024. After a series of successful sailings to Sri Lanka in June 2023, Cordelia became the first Indian cruise to set sail internationally. This represents a monumental stride in the Indian cruise operations and marks an achievement for the country. Cordelia Cruises embarked on an incredible journey, introducing a perfect blend of Indian hospitality and world-class amenities to more than 400,000 passengers since its inception. With a vision of transforming India’s vast coastline, which spans over 7,500 square kilometres, into a bustling hub for coastal tourism, Cordelia Cruises aims to propel the nation into the global cruise tourism industry spotlight.

On the occasion of World Tourism Day (WTD), the UNWTO revealed this week its global campaign, ‘Tourism Opens Minds’, in a universal pledge to address the challenges facing the tourism sector.  This global initiative presents an opportunity to rediscover the way people travel and encourages tourists to venture into a wider range of destinations, to open their minds and hearts to places they haven’t previously imagined visiting. A YouGov survey released earlier this week showed that while 66% of travellers prefer familiar destinations over exploring new horizons, 83% report that the experience of traveling to new places, broadened their perspective and enabled them to develop a better understanding of other cultures.

Hilton unveils the much-anticipated upscale full-service hotel brand, DoubleTree by Hilton, in the vibrant city of Varanasi. The city, home to historical structures, temples and forts and is also a member of the UNESCO creative cities given its cultural prominence. DoubleTree by Hilton Varanasi is conveniently located in the city centre, has opened under a franchising agreement between Hilton India and JHV Construction Co Pvt Ltd, a well renowned and prominent business conglomerate in Varanasi. Known for its w hospitality and commitment to guest comfort, DoubleTree by Hilton has rapidly emerged as a fast-growing brand within the Hilton portfolio. This opening further underscores Hilton’s unwavering commitment to expanding its footprint in non-metros and delivering exceptional experiences to travellers throughout the region.