Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

With the mission of creating awareness about Utah as a potential tourism destination for Indians, AVIAREPS India along with Utah Office of Tourism organized its first exclusive B2B virtual sales mission in India on 8th March 2022. The virtual event was attended by the representatives of Utah partners like Visit Salt Lake, Kane County Office of Tourism, Bryce Canyon Country, Explore Utah Valley and Utah Office of Tourism among others. Indian trade partners like Thomas Cook, Flamingo, Make my Trip, N. Chirag, Kesari were also a part of it. Zach Fyne, Global Markets Specialist, Utah Office of Tourism, said, “India has been among the Top 10 markets for the state of Utah in international visitation over the last five years, so we’re excited to further increase our efforts and exposure of what our state has to offer to the Indian visitor. We are confident the Indian market will be delighted by the experiences and beauty Utah that has to offer from our Mighty 5® national parks and 44 state parks, to skiing the Greatest Snow on Earth® at our 15 world-class ski resorts, to taking in the night sky at the 24 internationally-recognized dark sky areas and parks, to everything in between that is connected by driving through our 28 scenic byways. We’re excited to welcome more people from India to the beehive state!” Elaine from San Juan County shared, “We are happy to participate in the first of hopefully many, virtual India B2B sales missions. We know we already have travellers from India who are visiting San Juan County, so we are really looking forward to the opportunity to speak directly with travel trade partners in India to not …

Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) today approved the lifting of the pretravel testing requirement for international arrivals beginning 1 April, 2022, as the kingdom prepares a four-phase plan to downgrade the COVID-19 pandemic to an endemic disease. International arrivals under any of the current three entry schemes – TEST & GO, Sandbox, and Alternative Quarantine (AQ) – will be allowed to enter Thailand without the need to show proof of a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travel. Two tests remain in place for the TEST & GO and Sandbox travellers: RT-PCR test upon arrival (Day 0) and an antigen self-test on Day 5. The Sandbox staying period has also been reduced to 5 days from currently 7 days. After completing five days within the Sandbox destinations, travellers will be allowed to travel domestically within Thailand. Quarantine is also reduced to 5 days and an RT-PCR test on Day 4-5.

After a monumental year of exciting development and new experiences, Los Angeles’ Comeback Story is unfolding in Southern California. To educate and engage travel trade partners from across the globe, Los Angeles Tourism has created an on-demand webinar on what’s new in LA, including new hotels, attractions, experiences, and more. In addition to the latest news, travel trade partners will learn what their clients can expect as they start their own comeback story in the City of Angels. Viewers will also experience an exclusive virtual tour of the revamped Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. “The importance of travel trade to Los Angeles can’t be overstated,” said Kathy Smits, Senior Vice President, Global Tourism. “We are so grateful for the continued support of our valued partners and hope these webinars will serve as a useful tool.” The on-demand webinar can be accessed at any time and represents the first in a series of travel trade webinars promoting L.A. Travel sellers can visit the Webinar Library to rewatch the What’s New webinar as needed and keep an eye out for new webinars in the future.

Commencing their India market activation, Ajman Department of Tourism Development has announced Intrepid Marketing and Communications as their representative, who will be implementing all sales, marketing and communications initiatives in key target markets. Ajman Department of Tourism Development is venturing into the evolving Indian outbound market for the first time to capitalize on the upcoming travel season and accelerate footfalls to the smallest city of the United Arab Emirates. Ajman Tourism Development Department, will be penetrating their reach in the wedding, MICE and luxury FIT segments in India through sustained activities assisted by Intrepid Marketing & Communications. On the appointment of its India representative, Khadija Turki, Director of Tourism Development and Marketing, Ajman Department of Tourism Development, said, “We are ecstatic to set foot in the India market as we are aware of the country’s unique travel appetite and look forward to welcoming our guests seeking an exquisite getaway. India is an exciting yet a complex market for several factors and we are thrilled to work with Intrepid Marketing and Communications team and collectively derive the best methods to establish and expand our presence. The team will be endorsing our products and itineraries across key segments and markets and provide their core insights to make Ajman one of the fastest emerging destinations amongst outbound Indian travellers.” Acknowledging the latest addition to Intrepid Marketing & Communication’s growing portfolio, Madhuri Verma, Director, said, “We are stoked to introduce Ajman Department of Tourism Development to India and promote the city’s diverse tourism aspects amongst the travel trade community. Although UAE has been an established destination, Ajman as a destination is relatively new and hence will be exciting for both agents and travellers. We …

The Switzerland Travel Experience (STE) 2022 brought together over 60 leading travel agents and tour operators from across India associated together with 21 partners from the Swiss tourism industry including destinations, hotels, attractions, public transportation, mountain excursions, and other related companies, at its annual event held in Goa between March 14-17, 2022. In the wake of the tourism sector emerging from its most challenging years, Indian tourists are increasingly looking at Switzerland as a preferred travel destination. According to the main tour operators, there has been a 40% increase in enquiries from Indian travellers for Switzerland. This is not only because of the plethora of activities available in the scenic country like adventure, sports, culture, food but also because of the multiple experiences it offers for all types of travellers be it solos, couples, families as well as the adventure seekers. The rise in interest can also be attributed to Switzerland’s longstanding reputation as one of the cleanest countries in the world, and additionally, because the country has been keeping up with the needs of today’s traveller for authenticity, proximity to nature and considerate consumption as part of their Swisstainable sustainability strategy. Multiple safety measures put in place during the pandemic like the ‘Clean and Safe Label’ which promotes strict protection plans laid down by the government and boosts the guests’ confidence in Switzerland as a travel destination have also led to great confidence in the country among Indian travellers. “As the borders opened up, confidence in travel returned with the acceleration in vaccination programs making travellers seek out new experiences to make up for the many months spent under restrictions. This has led to pent-up demand among travellers who have been waiting for …

“In 2022, for trade engagement, we are planning several destination trainings in Tier 2 markets our Annual India Roadshow in Q3 in Delhi & Mumbai”, said Sara Sodhi Juneja, Country Manager – India & UAE, Visit Finland. She further revealed about Finland’s e-training platform. She said, “Finland has launched its brand new destination e-training platform Finland Travel Pro. In the platform, travel industry professionals around the world can learn about Finnish touristic attractions, what to do during all four seasons and get an overview on Finnish tourism companies. The platform is available in English and In addition to desktop version, Finland Travel Pro is also available as mobile application. The platform is targeted for international travel trade companies globally and it aims to increase the desire to promote and sell travel to Finland. Additionally, In 2022, for trade engagement we are planning several destination trainings in Tier 2 markets and our Annual India Roadshow in Q3 in Delhi & Mumbai”.

Food and hospitality in Oman contribute with their presence to its economic development and also serve as a showcase for the hospitality industry in terms of growth, development and latest trends. The business and networking platform for companies and stakeholders is used by the industry to introduce the newest products and services in the areas of food, beverage, agriculture, fishing, cooking, and processing. Hotel chains across Muscat are famous for revving up dishes that are nothing short of gastronomic delights. The quality of food that you will receive on your holiday in Oman and the Gulf region has improved, especially when you are outside Muscat. One such hotel where guests find themselves in the lap of luxury is the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, which is nestled amongst the rugged mountains. The hotel has a plethora of amenities that make for a comfortable stay for its guests. The Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, apt for a family vacation or an adrenaline-pushing romantic adventure, has two wings—Al Waha, “The Oasis,” and Al Bandar, “The Town.” While Al Waha is ideal for families, Al Bandar is the heart of the resort, catering to business and leisure travellers alike. Meetings and conferences take place in the latter. Both hotels boast a gamut of activities ranging from watersports to a kids’ club, a secluded spa, and several dining options. Overlooking 500-metres of coastline, it is difficult to pull oneself away from the AL Bandar. Like its name suggests, it is akin to a town with a mélange of restaurants. After you savour the exquisite Arabian flavours of tender roasted meats at Al Tanoor restaurant, you decide to take home a piece of Oman with the intricately-designed …

Indonesia has extended its ‘Visa on Arrival to Bali’ program on March that was launched on March 7 for holidaymakers flying in from 23 countries, including India in a bid to spur foreign tourist arrivals. It also revoked the obligation to have a sponsor for a tourist e-visa request. Indonesia’s Tourism & Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said, “The tourism ministry proposed to add several countries to the VoA list, including India, and it has been approved.”

To accelerate travel recovery momentum in India, South African Tourism looks at capitalizing on strong consumer demand in the country with their biggest travel trade initiative in India – their annual Roadshow. The tourism board showcased long-term investment and interest in the Indian market and outlined a strategic roadmap to garner 64% YoY increase in Indian visitors in 2022. Travelling to the Indian cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad this year, the 36-member South African trade delegation reiterated the tourism board’s emphasis on expanding the destination and product offering – thus, offering Indian consumers More & More! In addition to experiences, representatives from accommodation establishments, destination management companies, South African Provinces, SMMEs and women-owned companies showcased their product and services, while engaging Indian travel and trade associates. India retains its place amongst the top-3 focus markets for South African Tourism. This is aided by the fact that prior to the pandemic, India served as the 8th largest international source market for South Africa. The country is expected to maintain its position in the top-10 this year as well. Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune continue to be top Indian source markets to South Africa. “We have spent the last two years hoping for and preparing for this exact moment – the return of travel! As South African businesses land on Indian shores, we are excited to be introducing our partners and consumers to a host of value-driven and thoughtfully crafted adventures. Our evolved brand strategy will help us drive South Africa’s value proposition across stakeholders while creating customized engagement models to suit the unique requirements from each of our target regions within India. We are already seeing an uptick …

Looking at the post-Omicron scenario of the continuous improvement in the condition of COVID-19 infection, the Covid-19 Crisis Management Coordination Center (CCMC) by the Government of Nepal on 7th March has decided to waive off the PCR test requirement for passengers who have completed full vaccination against COVID-19 before fourteen days of arrival. Nepal is also moving forward to revive the hard-hit tourism sector with the strategic action plans being formulated by the National Tourism Revival Committee, together in collaboration with the public and private sector stakeholders of tourism industry.