ITA Airways has received a new prestigious international recognition, achieving fourth place in the “Best Inflight Food” category of USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award 2024. In the ranking that honours the top ten airlines for their inflight dining experience, ITA Airways proudly holds the highest position among European carriers. “We are honoured to receive this prestigious recognition from USA Today 10Best readers. It confirms our dedication to offering our passengers a truly memorable and unique Italian experience every time they fly with us. Our goal is to make passengers feel immersed in Italian culture as soon as they board, starting from our inflight dining,” said Andrea Benassi, General Manager, ITA Airways. “With menus designed by Michelin-starred Italian chefs, ITA Airways brings the rich flavours of Italian cuisine to the skies, offering our customers an authentic taste of Italy on all intercontinental flights,” added Benassi. USA Today 10Best is a US news magazine and website. The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards enables readers to vote on a variety of topics, including inflight food. The nominations are editorially curated by a panel of travel experts. Since its inaugural flight on 15 October, 2021, ITA Airways has aimed to be the reference national carrier for Italian mobility, offering quality connectivity at domestic and international level, with a particular focus on the long-haul segment. The Company strives to be an efficient and innovative carrier, representing Italy globally as an ambassador of ‘Made in Italy.’ Passengers flying with ITA Airways feel at home and experience Italy even before landing. 2024 marks a year of significant growth for ITA Airways. During the summer, the Company served 57 destinations, including 16 domestic, 26 international, and …

Pure! Travel Group, a leading DMC for Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina offers tailor-made services, specialising in leisure & incentive travel. Additionally, selected cruise expeditions to Antarctica and top-notch services for the MICE segment. It works exclusively with B2B partners and is delighted to ink an “exclusive marketing partnership and appoints Global India Reps to implement their mandate in India.” Pure! Travel Group was founded by Bram Evers in South America, with shared management, mission, vision, & values focused on social and environmental responsibility, while creating unforgettable experiences with respect for nature, heritage, and local cultures. It has offices at its six destinations with a knowledgeable, highly motivated team looking forward to assisting partners with anything they need in their tours or events. Pure! has become the strategic partner of leading travel agencies from all over the world with efficient communication, transparency, and offering the best tailor-made services. Global India Reps is an expert In-Market representative/marketing platform in India having the collective experience of almost 20 years in representing, launching, promoting, and creating a network for business from the B2B segment in India — with successes in promoting Europe, Asia, Central Asia & Canada in India. Upon signing the agreement, Bram Evers, Managing Director, Pure! Travel Group said: “I am delighted that through our newly appointed, exclusive representative, Global India Reps, we can introduce our programs, and custom services to the Indian market. Outbound travel from India presents a significant opportunity given the huge demand for this region, and we wish to offer and serve the outbound travel market for 2024.” “With their unique experience, strong trade relationships, and proven track record of success launching new international products …

Vaseem Parvez, COO, Fly24hrs, has announced the company’s 4th anniversary sale from 1-31 Oct ’24. It will provide 400 free tickets with up to 100 per cent cashback on flight booking at its B2B website. The company is also planning to open four new branches across India by the end of 2024.

GRNconnect signs MoU with ASITA Indonesia as a technology partner. Through this collaboration, GRNconnect will provide travel technology solutions to over 7,000 members of ASITA and will empower local travel agencies, enhancing the efficiency of travel businesses across Indonesia.

According to a report prepared by FHRAI, KPMG and PHDCCI, India’s sustainable tourism market is projected to grow at CAGR of 19.3 per cent by 2032. Eco-tourism alone is projected to expand by 15.7 per cent from 2019 to 2027, reaching a staggering market size of US$4.55 billion.

Explore Singapore’s latest offerings and destination updates, in the webinar hosted by the Singapore Tourism Board. Gain valuable insights on the best of what Singapore has to offer. For more info, or to register, please contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Sushil Kumar Singh, an Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME) officer of the 1993 batch, has taken on the additional role of Chairperson of the Mumbai Port Authority. He assumed the position on 1 October, 2024, succeeding Rajov Jalota, who retired on 30 September. Singh is also the Chairperson of the Deendayal Port Authority.

Godwin Group of Hotels appointed Sushil Joshi as their Corporate HR & Training Head. With over 35 years of experience and an award-winning career in top hotel chains such as Carlson Sarovar, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels, and Starwood Group, he has held prominent roles and led innovative strategies in business development, revenue generation, and HR practices. His academic credentials include an MBA in Human Resource Management and a Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations, solidifying his knowledge and leadership capabilities. Noteworthy among his many accolades is being recognised as the HR Professional of the Year (2019) and receiving the prestigious Golden Globe Tiger Award for his exceptional contributions to the hotel industry. Joshi has been entrusted with overseeing properties in Goa, Haridwar, Meerut, and Gobindgarh Jaisalmer, ensuring continued excellence in Godwin Group of Hotels’ HR practices and growth.

After receiving the ‘Best MICE Tour Operator-West India’ award at India Travel Awards, Sunil Singh, Director, Axplore Travelplus, said, “Such awards provide platform for individuals to reflect on their ability. They encourage us to think creatively and develop innovative ideas that delight our customers.”

India is set to introduce facial recognition technology (FRT) for international air travel, with a pilot project planned for June 2025, according to Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO, Digi Yatra Foundation. “We do not want to overcommit. However, we are working in this direction,” Khadakbhavi stated.