Category Archives: Agents

Outlining his vision to expand the association’s global footprint by forging partnerships with international tourism boards and organisations, Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), said, “We want IATO to grow into a truly international organisation. Whenever anyone is looking to do business with India, they should consider our members as their first choice.”

In a decisive move reflecting the current geopolitical tensions, leading Indian travel agencies such as EaseMyTrip, Cox & Kings and ixigo have suspended all travel packages, all flight and hotel bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan in solidarity with India following the Pahalgam terror attack. Both countries expressed diplomatic support for Pakistan, as a result of which several Indian travel operators have paused bookings to these destinations, advising caution.

Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) launches its May Sale for travel partners to take advantage of exclusive offerings of at least 25% off at thousands of hotels in top global destinations. They can book until 26 May, for travel through 30 September 2025. This sale offers an opportunity to increase bookings, maximise sales and enhance client satisfaction by providing unbeatable savings on hotel stays worldwide.

With the upcoming India and Spain Dual Year 2026 collaborating in culture, tourism and AI, H.E. Juan Antonio March Pujol, Ambassador of Spain, announced that India will be in the spotlight at FITUR 2026. “It will be the moment to strengthen our links. We are going to devote a special place for India at the show. As the embassy we are putting efforts in 3 things: direct connectivity, streamline tourist visas, and boost film and tourism cooperation.”

Speaking about the hotel sector landscape, Mandeep Singh Lamba, President & CEO (South Asia) HVS Anarock, says, “India is transitioning from a nascent hotel market towards a more mature one and it is going to be an exciting time as this transition takes place over the next decade or so. If the sector is to remain attractive and draw in more capital and more leading players, a pressing need is to reduce the time it takes from inception to completion of a hotel which today stands anywhere between 42 to 60 months.”

We’re showcasing our Starring GREATBritain screen tourism campaign in India at a series of events in Mumbai and Delhi with top travel trade and industry leaders, reveals Shuja Bin Mehdi, Senior Manager Industry Engagement – India, VisitBritain. “We want to inspire visitors from India to choose Britain for their next trip and explore more of our destinations when they come, driving growth. India is an incredibly important visitor market for the UK and we’re forecasting strong growth in visits and spend.”

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed a series of strategic partnerships targeted to drive tourism growth and enhance visitor experiences across key international markets. The new initiatives span collaborations with leading travel operators, hotel groups, and destination management companies, and will focus on attracting visitors from Europe, Saudi Arabia, India, and other key markets, while showcasing Abu Dhabi’s diverse offerings and year-round appeal. DCT Abu Dhabi and Expedia have launched the Sunshine Pass campaign – the latest initiative in their ongoing strategic collaboration. This year-round campaign aims to showcase Abu Dhabi as a destination for all seasons, highlighting its culture, adventure, and wellness offerings to international leisure travellers. Through a multi-channel marketing strategy, the campaign will ensure maximum visibility in key outbound markets, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a vibrant and appealing destination throughout the year. Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International Operations at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said: “The strategic partnerships signed at Arabian Travel Market 2025 represent a significant step forward in our efforts to position Abu Dhabi as a world-class tourism destination. Targeted collaborations across Europe, Saudi Arabia, India, and other key markets, enable us to enhance Abu Dhabi’s international profile and reinforcing its appeal as a dynamic, year-round destination. Globally and locally, these partnerships underline our commitment to sustainable growth, offering unique, tailored experiences that resonate with diverse global audiences, while ensuring the long-term resilience and innovation of the sector.”

The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI in association with the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, have announced Yogotsav, a special Yoga programme as part of the 100-day countdown to International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025. The event will take place on 10th May 2025 at the Radisson Blu Resort in Goa Cavelossim Beach, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The initiative is a part of a nationwide effort to promote the principles of holistic wellness, mental well-being and mindfulness in the hospitality sector and beyond. The session will be guided by experienced yoga practitioners appointed by MDNIY and is open to all hospitality professionals and wellness enthusiasts. “We cordially invite hospitality establishments to nominate participants for this enriching experience and look forward to enthusiastic participation from the fraternity to make the event a grand success,” says Mr Jimmy Shaw, President, HRAWI.

Travstarz Global Group, a Trip.com invested company hosted a networking evening and training for its travel agent partners at Hotel Grand Mercure, Agra on 28th April, 2025. The successful event saw a packed crowd with over 35 agent partners joining in for the evening from Agra and surrounding cities. Pankaj Nagpal, Managing Director, Travstarz Global Group added “Over the last 3 years we have been regularly conducting Training and Networking Workshops for our Agent Partners across various cities. Our core strength has always been Tier 2 & 3 Cities and this time we chose Agra for our event and we are very proud that we are the first DMC in India to have hosted such an event in the city of Taj.  We received an overwhelming response from the agent partners, and I was personally amazed to see the kind of existing and potential outbound business from Agra. We showcased our entire portfolio of products and destinations specially focussing on Abu Dhabi, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Vietnam, Japan and Georgia which have been recently added to our DMC list taking our Total DMC Offices to 21 Destinations now. We already have unmatched offerings for USA and Canada both with over 600 short and long-haul itineraries for these countries alone with our Head Quarters in Los Angeles, USA and we hope to get a strong support from Agra for all our DMC locations” Vani Singh, Vice President, Travstarz Global Group also added “We have been wanting to do such an event in Agra for quite some time now since we have witnessed good volume of outbound business coming from here already. These shows and networking events are our way to reconnect with …

Reacting to the recent Indian air strike on Pakistan following the Palghar attack, IATO President Rajiv Mehra said, “This was expected and tourism is always the first to be hit. However, I don’t think the impact will last long. Today is May 7 and by this weekend, things should normalise.” He added that sightseeing tours continue as usual, barring disruptions near closed airports in a few border states.