Category Archives: Agents

To enhance tourism between India and Nepal, a Memorandum of Association (MoU) was signed between the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) and Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents (NATTA) in Kathmandu.

To expand its outreach in northern India and revive tourism, Sanjeev Mehra, President, Skål International India, said that they will open a new club in Srinagar named Skål International Jammu & Kashmir on 31 May.

ADTOI is planning to launch a third-party app in India aimed at benefiting its members. “This will serve as a marketplace platform where vendors—big or small—can showcase their tourism-related products and services,” Ved Khanna, President, ADTOI, said. We are also set to launch our Bihar Chapter soon, he added.

Ministry of Heritage & Tourism, Oman, invites travel partners to an exclusive webinar on 28 May at 3 pm (IST) to discover its incredible destinations. From ancient forts to breathtaking wadis, gain insights about their tourism offerings for your clients and win exciting prizes. For more information or to register, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 96501 96532.

CG Hospitality Global, the hospitality arm of CG Corp Global and majority stakeholder in Concept Hospitality Private Limited (CHPL), proudly announced a landmark collaboration with Marriott International for the Global Launch of Series by Marriott™— A new midscale and upscale collection brand. This historic move is anchored by the affiliation of The Fern portfolio, one of India’s most respected eco-sensitive hotel chains. Founded in 1996 CHPL has grown into one of India’s most respected hotel management companies. This partnership marks a major milestone for India’s hospitality sector. The Fern, The Fern Residency, and The Fern Habitat will be integrated into Marriott’s global ecosystem. With over 120 operating hotels under various brands, in 90 cities and 40 additional properties in the pipeline at CHPL, the deal is expected to add up to 84 Fern branded hotels and approximately 6,000 rooms to Marriott’s India portfolio—making it one of the most significant multi-unit transactions in the country’s hospitality landscape. The agreement includes a strategic equity investment by Marriott in CHPL and an exclusive long-term co-branding relationship for The Fern brands in India. Fern hotels will now benefit from Marriott’s global distribution platforms, digital systems, and the Marriott Bonvoy™ loyalty program with 237 Million members, while retaining their independent spirit and regional identity. This collaboration reflects CG Hospitality’s long-standing belief in the strength of regionally rooted brands with global potential. CG Hospitality has nurtured Fern into a leading name in eco-sensitive, high-quality hospitality. The partnership now takes that vision global, amplifying the reach and capabilities of The Fern across global markets. Rahul Chaudhary, Managing Director & CEO, CG Corp Global & CG Hospitality Holdings, said: “This strategic collaboration represents more than just a portfolio …

Speaking about the changing traveller preferences, Dhruv Shringi, Co-Founder & CEO, Yatra Online, says, “We added close to 140mn domestic trips in a 20-year period and the next 140 mn trips will be added in less than 5 yrs. That is the kind of growth that we are seeing as a country right now when it comes to domestic travel. That’s one of the main pivots that we’ve had to look at in the last decade or so to move closer to where the customer behaviour is, and make sure that you as a company are in line with where the consumer trends are moving.”

Sharing her views about the new international cruise terminal opened in Mumbai, Nalini Gupta, Managing Director, ClickMyCruise & Lotus Destinations, says, “It is a major step forward for India’s cruise tourism. But key improvements are still needed like better ground transport access, smoother immigration processes, and more retail and leisure facilities. Strengthening digital systems and sustainability measures, along with robust international marketing, will be essential to fully realise its potential as a global cruise hub.”

ITC Hotels Limited (ITCHL) now brings its fast-growing Brand Welcomhotel to Telangana as it announced the signing of an agreement with M/s KAC Palm Exotica Hotels Private Limited to launch Welcomhotel Shankarpally in the Hyderabad market. ITCHL already operates two iconic hotels in Hyderabad; ITC Kakatiya with 188 keys and ITC Kohenur with 274 keys. Spread across 11 acres, ‘Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels Palm Exotica Shankarpally’ shall feature 155 guest rooms and villas with private gardens offering enriching guest experiences that will draw heavily from the region’s rich heritage.  Among other facilities, the hotel will also showcase an all-day dining, a speciality restaurant, bar, pool, lounge, spa & kids club. The hotel is envisioned as a landmark destination for celebrations, corporate functions and social gatherings. With a curated selection of versatile banquet venues and over 6000 sqm of outdoor space, it will cater to events of all scales, from intimate soirees to large conferences, grand galas and weddings. Anil Chadha, Managing Director, ITC Hotels Limited said, “This signing marks Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels foray into the state of Telangana. We embarked on the asset right strategy with the objective of reaching deeper in tier 2 and tier 3 markets offering travellers local and immersive experiences. Welcomhotel Shankarpally endeavours to establish itself as the city’s definitive destination for bleisure travel & events. Each space will offer refined aesthetics to suit a diverse array of occasions.” Krishna Sandeep Kilaru, Director, KAC Palm Exotica Hotels Private Limited said, “We are excited to have entered into agreement for Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels Palm Exotica Shankarpally with ITC Hotels Limited. It is a matter of pride for us to develop this hotel in Telangana. ITC Hotels’ …

VFS Global announces the launch of its flagship Visa Application Centre in Dubai’s Wafi City, marking the opening of the largest visa application facility in the world. The centre was inaugurated by His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism; His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai; and Mr. Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism said, “This milestone is more than an infrastructure achievement — it reflects the strategic direction Dubai is taking to enhance global mobility, unlock access to opportunity, and accelerate growth across our visitor and business economy. As we advance the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, strengthening seamless access to and from Dubai remains a priority. Visa facilitation is a key enabler of talent attraction, tourism development, and international partnerships — all essential levers of our strategy to position Dubai as the world’s most connected and future-ready city.” His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai said, “Today, we witnessed the inauguration of a new milestone in the journey of excellence pursued by the UAE in general and Dubai in particular, with the opening of the world’s largest Visa Application Centre, located in the heart of Dubai, a city that continuously redefines innovation. This achievement embodies a true reflection of the directives of our wise leadership towards strengthening the nation’s position as a global hub for smart services and establishing a unique model for delivering government services with high efficiency and quality. We believe that continuous …

Sharing details of MOT’s latest initiative, Arun Srivastava, Joint Director General, MOT, says, “MOT launches India’s first MICE digital catalogue carefully populating it with MICE facilities across 60 cities of India. This is very promising news as India witnessed 51% growth in hosting global conferences in 2024 over 2022 and India’s ICCA global rank improved to 28th in 2024 from 37th in 2022. Ministry is working on multiple fronts for developing a facilitating ecosystem for the MICE industry.”