A key highlight of the TAFI Western India AGM was the discussion on one of the most pressing challenges facing the industry: the severe shortage of trained staff. Jay Kantawala, its Chapter Chairman, says, “The need to build a robust pool of new employees has never been more urgent. Members shared suggestions on how we can address this challenge like collaborating with tourism institutions and colleges that specialise in tourism programmes.”

Switzerland Tourism invites the Indian outbound travel trade to attend an exclusive webinar highlighting the unique experiences of BLS Interlaken’s lake cruises, Aletsch Arena, Swissminiatur and Foxtown factory stores. Attend all webinars for a chance to win a trip to Switzerland in 2025! For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

The Ministry of Tourism has formulated guidelines for ‘Challenge Based Destination Development’ as a sub scheme of Swadesh Darshan 2.0 Scheme to enhance tourist experience and to transform tourist destinations as sustainable and responsible destinations. It has selected 42 destinations under four categories: Spiritual Tourism, Culture & Heritage, Vibrant Village Program, Ecotourism and Amrit Dharohar Sites for development under the above scheme.

Addressing hoteliers, Dr. Sagnik Chowdhury, DDG & Regional Director (Western & Central), MOT, said, “Guests from all parts of the world visit India, and the hospitality sector is essentially a melting pot of cultural exchanges. Enhancing guest experiences is our core offering; we are more than just venues to stay. I emphasize on the need for the hospitality industry to focus on sustainability and community ties and implored the industry to dovetail its trade with the tangible heritage and intangible cultural heritage which are India’s core strengths.

Collinson International, in its latest global research report, explored spending habits of sports and music event travellers. Over two-thirds of event travellers from India (69%) participate in customer engagement and loyalty programmes. Many have joined programmes that offer points/miles (39%) or discounts on flights (52%), tickets (45%), and accommodation (39%). Over a third (39%) of event travellers from India have also expressed that they would choose a payment card that offered exclusive travel benefits such as an event package (that includes flights, accommodation, transfers and tickets), travel insurance (40%) and airport lounge access (43%).

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB), the official destination marketing organization for Centre County, Pennsylvania, announced that visitation to the destination has already reached the 5 million visitor mark, an ambitious goal set for 2024. This milestone reflects a significant achievement for the region, showcasing its growing appeal as a prime destination for travelers. Surrounding The Pennsylvania State University, commonly known as Penn State, this picturesque county is just a 3.5-hour drive from New York City and Washington DC. With a focus on being a four-season destination with an array of recreational, cultural and entertainment offerings, Happy Valley hosted 3.2 million day-trippers and 1.8 million overnight visitors. With an average spend of USD $200 per visitor, the total tourism expenditure has exceeded USD $1 billion. Happy Valley is an affordable destination catering to a variety of interests and budgets. Visitors will find diverse lodging options and wide range of dining experiences, including exceptional field-to-fork cuisine for all palates. “I am optimistic about the future of Happy Valley tourism,” said Fritz Smith, CEO of The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, who noted that visitation is a crucial economic driver for Centre County, significantly impacting employment opportunities and job creation. “We have ambitious plans to elevate tourism in Happy Valley to the next level, including the development of new hotels within the region. These efforts are grounded in a county- and organization-wide commitment t tourism, and strengthened by ongoing collaboration with the community and university.” Along with the recent launch of a comprehensive, visitor-focused website – happyvalley.com — another significant milestone in Happy Valle, PA tourism is the allocation of nearly USD $1 million to 77 tourism projects for the 2024-25 fiscal year. These initiatives are expected …

Sharing how Amadeus’ Air Distribution revenue grew 10.7% in the first half of 2024, driven by growth in volumes and unitary revenue, Luis Maroto, President & CEO of Amadeus, says, “Our Air Distribution bookings increased by 2.9% in the first half of the year, on the back of a normalization in global air traffic growth. Our volume performance was complemented by a positive 7.6% revenue per booking evolution. We also continued advancing on our NDC strategy.”

The Ministry of Tourism has said that for the promotion of adventure tourism in India, it is important that the policies for adventure tourism destination should focus on infrastructure that is important to adventure tourists. This includes clear signs, well-trained guides and clean trails. The National Strategy emphasizes strict regulation enforcement to guarantee safety and service standards because of the inherent risks in adventure activities.

Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, announced that Port Blair seaport has been officially designated as an e-visa port. This move comes as a response to IATO’s request made last August during Mehra’s visit to Port Blair, where he met with the Port Blair Governor. “We are thrilled to share that the Government of India has approved our request to introduce e-visa facilities at the Port Blair seaport,” Mehra stated. The implementation of e-visa services at Port Blair is expected to streamline the entry process for visitors and further promote the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a premier travel destination.

According to its Mid-Year Report for its Asia Pacific Visitor Forecast 2024-2026, PATA predicts strong gains in Asia Pacific international visitor arrivals for 2024. This update underpins the prior report’s prediction of strong annual growth in international visitor arrivals (IVAs) into and across Asia Pacific, exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels for the first time in 2024 under the mild scenario, and by 2025 under the medium scenario. However, challenges persist as the severe scenario predicts arrivals in 2024 to remain 31% below 2019 levels, and 13% below the benchmark by 2026.