Ahmad Johanif Mohd Ali, Director, Tourism Malaysia New Delhi Office stated, “Tourism Malaysia remains committed to attracting a growing number of Indian visitors, catering to their diverse preferences. The Indian market has been a significant source of visitors to Malaysia for over two decades. With the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026) campaign, we are focused on significantly increasing arrivals from the Indian market. With the visa-free initiative, improved connectivity, and a strong focus on sustainable tourism, we aim to welcome more Indian visitors and provide them with unforgettable experiences.” Tourism Malaysia intends to focus on niche products such as shopping, golfing, luxury tourism, soft tourism, theme parks and honeymoon packages to inspire the global campaign of Visit Malaysia 2026. Malaysia has witnessed an exceptional surge in Indian tourist arrivals, recording 1,133,331 Indian visitors between January and December 2024. This marks a 47 per cent increase compared to 2019 and a 71.7 per cent rise from 2023, highlighting the growing preference for Malaysia as a top destination among Indian travellers. India continues to be Malaysia’s second-largest inbound market after China for the medium-haul segment, and Tourism Malaysia remains committed to further strengthening this relationship. To further boost Indian arrivals, Malaysia has extended the 30-day visa-free entry for Indian nationals, making travel more convenient. This initiative has significantly shortened the travel decision-making period – from the previous 60-80 days to just two weeks – resulting in a rise in last-minute bookings.

Uttar Pradesh government has earmarked over ₹400 crore to boost religious tourism in the state budget for FY2025-26. To promote tourism, ₹150 crore of this budget has been set for Ayodhya while ₹125 crore has been allocated for Mathura, ₹100 crore for Naimisharanya, and ₹50 crore for Chitrakoot.

Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is organising an exclusive webinar for the travel trade tomorrow at 3pm, showcasing tourism offerings. Attend the webinar to gain valuable insights and curate enriching itineraries for your clients. For more information, or to register, please contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Air India and Lufthansa Group have expanded their codeshare partnership, between Air India, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). The 60 codeshare routes under the agreement will be operated by the four airlines across 12 Indian and 26 European cities. After agreement, the total number of codeshare routes between Air India, Lufthansa and SWISS has increased from 55 to 100. Additionally, the new agreement between Air India and Austrian Airlines adds 26 codeshare routes.

While presenting State Budget FY2025-26, Diya Kumari, Minister of Finance, Rajasthan, announced that tourism infrastructure projects worth ₹975 crore will be taken into consideration. 10 sites to be developed as iconic tourist destinations for promoting heritage tourism. A tribal tourist circuit will be built for ₹100 crore. Further, an Aero City will be set up near the Kota airport.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, GoI, “India’s tourism story is evolving, we are no longer just a destination but a growing tourism market. With domestic trade and investment on rise, tourism will create a ripple effect. With projections to grow at 24% CAGR, India’s tourism is set for a transformative journey.”

Highlighting how GRNconnect has revamped its platform with the new logo, Deepak Narula, MD, GRNconnect, said, “It is just not the launch of a logo or a new colour, we have changed the whole technology from end-to-end. Now we have a single platform, which will make the booking search seamless and faster and will save agent’s time while looking for properties.

As millions of devotees gather at Mahakumbh 2025, India Assist, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Government, has reached a major milestone of successfully providing over 50,000 assistances to pilgrims and travelers. This achievement reinforces India Assist’s role as a trusted travel assistance partner, offering navigation support, real-time guidance, and emergency aid at one of the world’s most significant religious congregations. The spiritual and cultural phenomenon of Mahakumbh draws millions from across India and beyond. Amidst the vastness and energy of the Kumbh, navigating the grounds, finding assistance, or dealing with unexpected situations can be overwhelming. Recognizing these challenges, India Assist has been managing Tourist Information Centres (TICs) at key locations, including railway stations, the airport, and within the Kumbh Mela grounds. These TICs provide 24/7 tech-enabled assistance, helping visitors with navigation, medical emergencies, lost belongings, language barriers, and real-time updates on crowd movement and accessibility. Beyond logistical help, India Assist has played a crucial role in reuniting families and resolving travel concerns. Over 17 families who lost their way in the crowd have been successfully reunited, and numerous travelers have received immediate help in distressing situations. One such instance involved a pilgrim struggling to locate his pre-booked cab and tent accommodation. India Assist’s team of on-ground staff stepped in, navigated him to the right location, and arranged alternative transport when needed. In another case, a visitor who fell victim to fraud was guided to the nearest police station, ensuring a swift resolution to his concerns. Speaking on this milestone, Aakalp Johari, Co-founder and CEO, India Assist, shared his thoughts on the heartfelt impact of the initiative, “Mahakumbh 2025 has reaffirmed our belief that a combination of human empathy and …

Kerala welcomed 2,22,46,989 tourists in 2024, which marked a substantial increase of 21 percent from the pre-pandemic period, informed P A Mohamed Riyas, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala. The first half of 2024 (January-June) alone saw a total of 1,08,57,181 tourist arrivals from within the country.

Thailand is set to host 3.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in February 2025, reflecting a 5 per cent year-on-year increase, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Among its major source markets, the country is expecting 1.7 lakh Indian travellers in February 2025.