IATO says that for members who have paid their annual subscription for FY2020-21, membership will be automatically renewed for FY2021-22 and they will not be charged the annual subscription fee. The Association also says that members who have not yet paid their annual subscription for FY2020-21 can pay till March 31 this year or even the next.

Ethiopia recently organised a seminar on tourism opportunities in the country, which was graced by HE Dr Tizita Mulugeta, Ambassador, Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, who shared, “India has a large number of travellers throughout the world. Hence, we hope that some of these travellers pass by Ethiopia and see Ethiopian sights, which includes nine UNESCO World Heritage sites.” The event, held at Ethiopian Cultural Centre, saw in presence tour operators and officials from Ethiopian Airlines.

To coincide with England’s ongoing cricket tour of India, Nijhawan Group, Travel Boutique Online (TBO) Group, Vistara, VFS Global and the UK government organised a cricket tournament at the Warriors Cricket Club in Gurugram. The tournament celebrated the unique living bridge of people who connect the UK and India, including through a shared love for sports and travel. The day saw 10-over matched played between four teams: The British High Commission Lions, and teams representing VFS Global, Vistara and the travel trade. A keen cricketer himself, British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, attended and played in the tournament. At the close of play, the Travel Trade Warriors team was declared winner.

Bird Travels, the airline management service arm of Bird Group, has been appointed as the General Sales Agent in Mumbai for Maldivian – the national carrier of Republic of Maldives. The appointment is part of Maldivian’s expansion in India, which aims to strengthen the airline’s sales team and provide support to the Indian travel trade.

Sharing details of the recent group tour that her company conducted successfully, Benazir Nazar, CEO, Akbar Holidays, says, “Our commitment to the client to operate a group of such size was a tough decision during these times. Our operational team in India made sure that visas and COVID tests were done on time, and we even managed permissions to operate charters.”

Nigerian airline Air Peace plans to start operations in India in 2021 and has appointed Minar Group as its General Sales Agent in India. Air Peace will be the first Nigerian carrier to connect India with Lagos and other West African countries. “We’re gearing up to take a strategic positioning and close partnership with Air Peace,” says HS Duggal, MD, Minar Group of Companies.

Travel Consul’s global survey with travel advisors shows that the length of stay for international trips has more than doubled between October 2020 and February 2021. While in October last year, the length of stay was anywhere between 1 to 7 days, this year in February, the same ranged between 8 to 14 days.

Sarovar Hotels and Resorts has signed a new hotel in Birgunj, Nepal. Upon completion in 2022, the 50-room property – Sarovar Portico, Birgunj – will offer an elegant ambience and amenities to guests. The signing helps Sarovar, which already manages a diverse portfolio in India and Africa, further expand its footprint in Nepal.

Ankush Nijhawan, MD, Nijhawan Group, an avid cricketer himself, reveals that he had a great experience when in 2019 he got to witness India play Australia at the Oval and India play Pakistan at Old Trafford. “I think it’s a must for everybody to watch cricket in the UK. The VisitBritain Cricket Carnival is exciting, especially because people can play it on an App, and technology is something everybody is used to today.” To play, register on http://bit.ly/VisitBritainCricketCarnival or contact vartik.sethi@ddppl.com or +91 83684 28139.

Pan-India domestic tourism revival initiative has been introduced in the form of India City Walks Festival™ (ICWF™). It is supported by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India). This initiative is in line with the ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ missions of Hon’ble Prime Minister. The focus of India City Walks Festival™ is on heritage, monuments, history, tradition and city sightseeing destinations for walks, storytelling sessions, events, and experiences both on-ground and virtual. The Festival is the initiative of India City Walks (ICW®), three-time National Award recipient and Hall of Fame award recipient operating under parent company City Explorers Private Limited. The India City Walks Festival™ is being organised, and on-boarding of locals is ongoing to register as Hosts. It begins with the curtain raiser walks (virtual and on-ground) in Delhi, Jaipur, Indore, Gwalior, Chandigarh, Agra and Varanasi. In February 2021, successful training and events took place in the state of Uttarakhand with Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board. More events in India City Walks Festival™ are lined up for March and April, 2021. India City Walks Festival™ (ICWF™) aims to take people on a journey of exploration around cities of India to reveal iconic locations and little-known facts and best-kept secrets. Join the biggest heritage and cultural festival of all times to celebrate your city and your neighbourhood. To register, fill the Google form: https://cutt.ly/submit-entry For more information, check https://www.indiacitywalks.com/festival/ or get in touch at +91 9899692790 | indiacitywalksfestival@gmail.com