As an IT and telecommunication service provider to the air transport industry globally, SITA Aero in a recently held round table in New Delhi shed light on its ongoing collaborations with airlines and airports across India, detailing SITA’s projects and service offerings to their partner. The company also opened a new command centre in Gurugram to expand its portfolio in India. Keen to play a pivotal role in the growth journey of India’s aviation industry, SITA to drive state-of-the-art Airport Operational Database (AODB) and Flight Information Display System (FIDS) solutions, along with SITA Operations Manager services to Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) through advanced solutions. Together, these solutions revolutionise airport management by introducing new functionalities and providing superior operational control, promising significant benefits for CIAL. Responding to the question on Digi Yatra, David Lavorel, CEO, SITA Aero, said, “With the debut of Digi Yatra in June 2017 by the Civil Aviation Ministry of India, it has become a model for the world when it comes to using technology to facilitate hassle-free travel. It uses facial recognition technology to confirm passengers’ identities at various checkpoints, including security, boarding gates, and check-in, giving passengers a paperless and seamless experience.” Marking a significant milestone, SITA in a groundbreaking collaboration implemented the SITA Smart Path solution at Bangalore International Airport this month, which is aligned fully with the Digi Yatra program. The partnership sets a new standard for seamless, biometric-enabled travel experience in India. In this pioneering collaboration, BIAL is utilising SITA’s cutting-edge products and solutions, including SITA Smart Path, Passenger Flow Management (PFM) solution, and Face Pods. These technologies will enable biometric-enabled passenger processing at all touchpoints across the airport, ensuring a seamless …

Mayur Patel, Head of Asia, OAG Aviation, said, “India has made remarkable progress in its aviation industry, positioning itself as the third largest domestic aviation market in the world. India has witnessed substantial growth in its domestic aviation sector, showcasing the country’s expanding middle class and their rising disposable income.”

Anoop Kanuga, MC Member, TAAI, said, “The potential to host weddings in J&K is immense, primarily due to its scenic locations and cultural richness. To tap it, the govt can help support the MICE community by improving infrastructure, strengthening security and offering subsidies to attract event organisers and agents to host weddings and MICE tourism events in the region.”

Sharing the travel data of India-registered users that give a peek into the global travel trends of Indians, Uber’s data reflects a sharp increase in the number of Indians using the ride-sharing app abroad during 2023. Indians are expected to surpass records set in previous years as they have travelled close to 1,000 cities across 68 countries overseas.

Booking.com’s Travel Trends for 2024 revealed that to make the most of monsoon, Indians are looking at exploring the mountains, the beaches and soaking in some natural beauty. Besides metros, leisure destinations such as Lonavala, Udaipur, Jaipur, Ooty and Mussoorie are among the most searched destinations this rainy season.

Opening the International Kayaking Facilitation Centre at Pulikkayam in Kodenchery, PA Mohamed Riyas, Public Works Department & Tourism Minister, Kerala, said it will be ideal to have off-road championships regularly within Kerala, and Kodenchery that will boost the tourism sector. ‘We will attract not just locals but participants from all over the globe,” he said.

Ahead of the Union Budget, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, said, “To make India a preferred travel destination, the Union Budget 2024-2025 must focus on infrastructure, more favourable GST rates and GST credit, industry status including travel operators, development of new airports, and rapid expansion in rail, road and waterways.”

KB Kachru, President, HAI, said, “The forthcoming Union Budget offers an opportunity to unleash the potential of India hospitality in its contribution to India Vision 2047. We request the government to make key policy shifts in the sector by giving infrastructure status to hotels rather than categorising them as luxury, elite or even ‘sin’ goods”.

Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO said, “We requested the Prime Minister for financial support to be provided to tour operators based on their foreign exchange earnings. Additionally, we urged the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, to allocate a Unof rupees ₹1000 crore or more for the revival of incoming tourism.”

Bidisha Mukherjee, Additional Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, shared, “Madhya Pradesh Tourism aims to position itself state as a premier multi-speciality destination. There has been nearly a threefold increase in footfall numbers, from 32.1 million visitors in 2022 to 112 million in 2023. Inbound tourism is also on the rise, with travellers from Poland expressing interest in participating in the Khajuraho Festival. Scandinavian countries, have shown significant interest in Madhya Pradesh, with Finland being one of the largest source markets.”