Finnair, the national airline of Finland, is pleased to announce the appointment of Anupam Vig as the new General Manager for India, effective January 1, 2024. Anupam Vig is a dynamic professional with over two decades of experience in the airline industry. His expertise lies in developing and implementing innovative sales strategies that drive growth and expand market presence. Throughout his career, Anupam has demonstrated a deep understanding of industry dynamics and consumer behavior, consistently delivering results by identifying business opportunities. His leadership will help further Finnair’s goal of providing top-notch service and connectivity to customers traveling from India to Finland and Nordic destinations. “I am delighted to have Anupam Vig lead our team in India. India continues to be an important market for Finnair,” says Jenni Suomela, Vice President, Global Sales and Channel Management, Finnair. “I am honored and excited to take on the role of General Manager for Finnair in India. Finnair, as a 100-year-old airline, has a rich legacy of providing exceptional service, and I am committed to contributing to its continued success and strengthening Finnair’s position as a preferred choice for travellers across India”, says Anupam Vig. Finnair India’s outgoing General Manager, Sakari Romu, has been instrumental in Finnair’s success in the region. As he takes on the role of General Manager for Japan, Finnair expresses gratitude for his contributions and welcomes Anupam Vig to lead the airline in India.  

Seema Kadam, Regional Director, India, LA Tourism, says that despite the visa challenges, they have seen immense growth in the number of travellers. Besides leisure segment, they have seen substantial growth in the M!CE segment, LA has an impressive number of large venues and hotel inventory to support demand.

Recently, Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism, Government of Goa, said that to boost the tourist numbers, “we are endeavouring to showcase Goa’s myriad offerings to foster a deeper understanding of the state’s cultural and natural wealth apart from coastline through green investments, and Goa beyond beaches.”

About 75 per cent of travellers make local and authentic experiences a priority for their trips, according to Hilton’s 2024 trends report, quoted by Revinate. Of these, 42 per cent of Gen Z and 44 per cent of millenials are interested in learning more about the local culture when they are travelling globally.

Ahead of festivals, Prakhar Mishra, Director Tourism, Uttar Pradesh, pointed out that the state is expecting a significant surge in pilgrim arrivals to Ram Lalla Temple, Kashi Vishwanath corridor, and Mathura-Vrindavan corridor. Varanasi alone saw a record-breaking influx of 95.63 lakh pilgrims in March.

Air India partners with Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) to develop Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub for Southern India. The MoU will generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for highly skilled individuals in the state. Bengaluru is highly attractive as a destination market as well as a connecting hub.

MakeMyTrip expands its operations to over 150 countries including major travel markets like the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, and France. The travel platform is all set to adhere to multiple international compliances, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

“NIMA Members and other M!CE operators sitting in tier II, III cities are contributing a lot to the M!CE business. Business from these cities has increased by 15 – 20 per cent as compared to 2022 – 2023,” says Gajesh Girdhar, Founder & National Coordinator, NIMA (Network of Indian M!CE Agents).

The Gujarat tourism department has set aside ₹200 crore to develop special tourism zones (STZ) in the state. These projects will include Dholavira, Shivrajpur, Sir Creek and border areas of Banaskantha, which will be developed as greenfield and brownfield projects in collaboration with private sector.

The ‘Hotels & Hospitality Overview,’ a report by HVS Anarock states that the hotel occupancy rate in India is nearing pre-pandemic levels, with key markets like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai reporting occupancy rates of more than 80% in February. The average hotel rates grew by 17-18% in Delhi and Hyderabad, in February 2024.