Tourism India Alliance (TIA) successfully concluded its Malaysia Mega Destination Showcase FAM trip, bringing together a strong delegation of 40 leading travel agents and tour operators from across India. The FAM cum study tour was organized in association with Malaysia Tourism, Langkawi Development Board, Malaysia Airlines, Malaysian Indian Tour and Travel Association (MITTA), and Malaysia Airlines, with the objective of showcasing Malaysia’s diverse tourism offerings and strengthening bilateral tourism ties between India and Malaysia. Over the course of the program, delegates explored the unique attractions of Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur and Genting along with some of Malaysia’s emerging destinations. The showcase highlighted the country’s vibrant culture, pristine natural beauty, modern infrastructure, and strong positioning as a preferred destination for both leisure and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) travel. Participants had the opportunity to engage in exclusive property visits, cultural experiences, and B2B networking sessions with Malaysian DMCs, hoteliers, and tourism stakeholders, aimed at creating stronger collaborations and future business opportunities. Speaking on the occasion, Mukesh Jain, EVP – Tourism India Alliance (TIA), said: “This Mega Destination Showcase has been an eye-opener for our delegates, many of whom were visiting Malaysia for the first time. The warmth, hospitality, and excellent support extended by Malaysia Tourism, Langkawi Development Board, MITTA, and Tourland DMC made this program truly memorable. We believe this initiative will significantly contribute to enhancing Malaysia’s visibility and appeal among Indian travellers, particularly in the leisure and MICE segments.”

S. No. Category Winners 1 The Travel Legend Arjun Sharma 2 DDP Trailblazer Aloke Singh 3 DDP Game Changer Anil Parashar 4 Face of the Future Chitra Gurnani Daga 5 Commercial Travel Leader of the Year Vikram Dhawan 6 Outstanding Contribution to the Hotel Industry Tarun Thukral 7 Excellence in Airfare Innovation Ajay Kumar Wadhawan 8 General Manager of the Year – Luxury Property Mansur Ahmed, Somerset Greenways Chennai 9 Excellence in Cruise Leadership Varun Chadha 10 Director of Sales & Marketing of the Year Anup Kumar, Ascott International Management, India 11 Best Corporate Travel Management Company Balmer Lawrie Travel & Vacations 12 Excellence in Full Service Travel Solutions Thomas Cook (India) 13 Best Travel Technology Platform (GDS) aMaDEuS 14 Fastest Growing Metro Airport in India GMR Hyderabad International Airport 15 Outstanding Contribution to International Passenger Distribution Group Concorde 16 Best Travel Ancillary Services Provider of the Year Jagsons Travels 17 Excellence in Cultural Tourism Promotion Japan National Tourism Organization 18 Best Beachfront Wedding Venue NOVOTEL Visakhapatnam Varun Beach 19 Leading DMC for Island Destinations One Above Global DMC 20 Best B2B Travel Platform Fly24hrs Holiday 21 Leading Passenger GSA of the Year Aeroprime Group 22 Luxury Destination of the Year VisitBritain 23 Most Trusted B2B Travel Portal TripShope 24 Best Luxury Resort – Destination Weddings – Northeast Mayfair Spring Valley Resort, Guwahati 25 Best Passenger GSSA – Excellence in Service Global Aviation Services 26 Excellence in Travel Insurance Services Asego Travel Insurance 27 Fastest Growing Visa Services in India Travel Mudra 28 Best in Tourism Customisation Baywatch Travels 29 Upcoming Luxury and Experiential Travel Company Jastans Bespoke Luxury Vacations 30 Best Convention Hotel ExpoInn Suites & Convention 31 Most Trusted Tour …

Voicing concern at the increase of 5 per cent in VAT on liquor, HRAWI has urged the govt. to reconsider the decision in light of the concerns including the impact on tourism and the State’s revenues, loss of business to hospitality establishments and the possibility of bootlegging, among others.

The MTF Cricket League returns for a 2nd season bringing with it some new players from the trade. The player auction will be held on Oct 29 in Mumbai and the matches will be held on January 14, 2024. The organisers believe that this event is not just a cricketing extravaganza but a celebration of sportsmanship, camaraderie and excellence in the travel industry.

Hotel investments in Asia-Pacific will total up to US$ 10.1 billion for 2023 for a variety of external factors, representing a year-on-year decline of 14 per cent. According to JLL’s recent report, a decline in both transactions and investment volumes versus 2022 is largely attributable to the combined headwinds of interest rate increases, cost inflation, and macroeconomic uncertainty.

Mamaka by Ovolo is hosting an exclusive webinar for its Indian travel trade to give highlight their key offerings. The webinar is scheduled for October 31, from 3-4 pm (IST). Additionally, Mamaka is introducing special promotional offers for their trade partners. For more details, contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

VisitBritain launches their new website visitbritain.org for related news, insights, and resources for tourism and business events professionals. The website is a re-branding to help promote Britain’s tourist destinations and various attractions for the travel trade industry.

Air Astana, Kazakhstan national carrier, Kazakhstan Tourism Board & Kazin Dmc, join hands to launch a highly subsidised FAM trip to Almaty. The initiative is targeted towards agents from India who have not visited Kazakhstan in the past, providing them with tools to promote the destination to Indian clients. The fam trip is scheduled from 6-9 December 2023 and is priced at 29999/- per person, encompassing the award winning hospitality of Air Astana and the mesmerizing sights of Almaty.

The 5th OTOAI Convention 2023 is set to take place from 24-27 November in Nairobi, Kenya. Speaking about the significance of this convention, Riaz Munshi, President, OTOAI, emphasised that members will gain experience and valuable opportunities during and after their visit. This will help promote it in an improved way and be able to generate better revenue.

Ministry of Tourism facilitated the efforts of industry stakeholders and conferred the National Tourism Awards 2018-19 to winners in different categories on the occasion of World Tourism Day at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The Chief Guest of the prestigious event was Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President of India, who honoured the excellence of members in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, including State Governments. G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER, along with Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State for Tourism, also graced the ceremony. Ministers, representatives of states, travel trade and tourism organisations were in attendance to receive the awards. MOT also commenced its Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) iconic week to celebrate 75 years of independence with the National Tourism Awards.   List of Award Winners 2018-19 States Best State / Union Territory : Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India) First Prize (Hall of Fame) Uttarakhand Best State / Union Territory: Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India) 2nd Prize Maharashtra Best State / Union Territory: Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India) Third Prize Telangana Best State/ Union Territory: Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India) Hall of Fame Andhra Pradesh Best State / Union Territory: Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India) Hall of Fame Kerala Best State / Union Territory: Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India) Hall of Fame Goa Best District Tourism Promotional Council Kozhikode Best Maintained and Differently Abled Friendly Monument Shiv Temple, Bhojpur, Madhya Pradesh Best Tourist Friendly Airport in Class X Cities Kolkata Best Tourist-friendly Railway Station Secunderabad Best Tourist-friendly Airport in other cities Indore Best Heritage City Ahmedabad Civic Management of a Tourist Destination in India (Category …