As a cornerstone of Oman’s tourism, the MICE industry is regarded as one of the Sultanate’s most essential pillars of business tourism. The Sultanate is emerging as a top international MICE destination, with one of the largest conference centres in the region, the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, constructed close to Muscat International Airport. Oman’s famed hospitality, the plethora of exceptional activities available, as well as its distinctive architecture, culture, and tradition, add to its allure, together with a large selection of top-notch hotels and all the necessary infrastructure. On 31 May 2022, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) held its 31st congress at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, which was hosted by the Oman Journalists Association. Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan, inaugurated the triennial congress. Sayyid Asaad welcomed the delegates and commended the Oman Journalists Association for hosting “this great international press and media gathering,” emphasising the Sultanate’s delight in hosting the event. He characterised it as an opportunity for attendees to learn about Oman’s resurgence in all domains, as well as the Sultanate’s tourism, culture, and economic prospects to the worldwide media. The agenda for the four-day conference covered a wide range of topics, including debates about the influence of the media on society and a gathering of the Federation of Asia-Pacific Journalists (FAPAJ). The convention has grown in prominence as the Middle East’s most important journalism and media event on a local, regional, and international level. The triennial congress, organised in collaboration with the Oman Journalists’ Association (OJA), aimed to assist Oman in establishing its position on the …

IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said that the civil aviation ministry should consider increasing the upper limits on domestic airfares as the rising ATF prices have become a real problem. Aviation Turbine Fuel prices in India were hiked by 16% to catapult rates to an all-time high in step with hardening international oil rates. 

Department of Tourism & Culture (DCT)- Abu Dhabi is organising a webinar titled ‘Summer like you mean it’ on 23 June 2022 at 3 pm (IST). The idea is to educate the Indian travel trade about the various offerings in Abu Dhabi for families and leisure travellers. Agents can learn about family-friendly attractions, culture, entertainment & activities options. To register contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or +919650196532.

It is not easy for an airline to turn a profit in India and a lot of issues such as fare caps and high taxes on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) have to be resolved, said an IATA official at the 78th AGM. 

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Tourism, has said that the MOT will be organising a national conference of tourism ministers in July to work on a strategy for promoting India as an important destination to the rest of the world. “The agenda will be how to project India and the states to different parts of the world to attract both domestic and international tourism in the years to come,” he added.  

Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said that the sharp increase in jet fuel prices and the depreciation of the rupee have left domestic airlines to raise fares and a minimum 10-15% increase in fares is required to ensure that cost of operations are better sustained. 

Thailand’s Centre of COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) approved the removal of the Thailand Pass registration scheme and an US$10,000 health insurance requirement for foreign visitors, effective 1 July, 2022.  

The global business travel market is estimated to be USD 706.14 bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 1324.21 bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 13.4%, reveals ResearchAndMarkets.com in a fresh report, which features American Express, BCD Travel, and Expedia among others. 

Ajay Prakash, President, TAFI said that they have written to the major European consulates asking them to resolve the visa issues on priority since it has become a damper in the revival of travel. They have asked them to add any additional staff if required without any delay so that the tourism can get back. 

Gaurav Dogra, Hon. Secretary, TAAI-Northern region, has stepped down from his position to focus on his company Plan Your Holiday. Dogra has been in this position since 2017 and was the Treasurer of the chapter before that. Currently, the TAAI-NR team is headed by Neeraj Malhotra, who revealed that the term for the team will be over in 2 months and elections are due for the new team.