The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) will offer 15% commission to Andhra Pradesh-based travel agents and agencies for promoting the ‘Statue of Unity’ at Kevadia in Gujarat. TCGL Tourism Officer (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) Ajit Kumar Sharma, said, “Our state government is welcoming travel agents from Andhra Pradesh to be registered with the TCGL to give a fillip to the tourism at the Statue of Unity. Post COVID-19, we will offer a maximum of 15% commission to the agents from Andhra Pradesh.”

As per the February 2021 assessment made by Safe Travel Barometer – a travel technology company – three Indian airports figured in the Safe Travel Score for Asia Pacific airports. Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport came in at fourth with a score of 4.3, while Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport came sixth with 4.2 score. Kempegowda International Airport was in the seventh position with 4.1 score. Number one was taken by China’s Beijing Capital International Airport with 4.4 out of 5.

The association’s national elections that had been in limbo since January 2021 will now be held soon, said Pradip Lulla, Acting President and Vice President, TAFI. “The court case that had been filed in Indore has now been officially withdrawn and we are awaiting documents from court. We can now start planning our national elections, which will be announced soon,” he revealed.

The sixth edition of the Bengal Travel Mart (BTM) will be held from 10th April, 2021 to 12th April 2021 at Mayfair Tea Resort, Siliguri – the gateway to the North Eastern part of India. Bengal Travel Mart is an initiative of the Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators Association (EHTTOA), West Bengal Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to showcase tourism in Siliguri, West Bengal.

Kamala Vardhan Rao, IAS, CMD of ITDC, has stressed on the need to encourage responsible tourism and how the state of Kerala can referred as a case study for the same. He said this while addressing government officials and tourism experts at an event recently. Rao also spoke about the success that can be achieved via expansion of hotels, better connectivity and availability of skilled human resources while keeping sustainability as a focus. He also shared insights on the strategy and work required to develop India as a tourism destination.

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism has said that MOT will further strengthen and revamp its schemes for providing support to the Indian MICE industry. “We have amended the two components of the Champion Sector Service Scheme to give impetus to MICE industry during the pandemic. The number of minimum participants required for conference has been reduced to 250 from 500 for availing incentive and also increased the GST refund benefits on rooms to 2 nights,” he said.

Sundance Mountain Resort has announced that construction will begin in the coming months for changes that will be in place for the 2021-2022 ski season. The new additions are: two new ski lifts and the retirement of the Rays lift, upgrades to snowmaking, more parking, renovations to the Creekside building. Resort leaders said one of the new lifts will be a seven-minute, high-speed quad to Mandan Summit at the resort. The lift will provide access to slopes for experienced and intermediate skiers, as well as mid-station unloading for routes easier for beginners. An additional fixed-grip lift will also be constructed to provide better access to the backside of the summit. The resort stated this lift will be used to provide more access to that area in the summertime. The resort is open during the non-snow season months with multiple outdoor activities available, including ziplining, mountain biking and hiking. The resort announced it will also build a ‘snowmaking reservoir’ which will help collect water for snow guns. The tools are used to create snow so a resort can open sooner if needed. The resort will also add 125 to 150 new parking spots to help address busier ski days. “We are excited for what these improvements mean for the future of Sundance Mountain Resort,” said Chad Linebaugh, the resort’s president and general manager. Of course, the biggest change in Sundance’s 52-year-old history is new ownership. Robert Redford had owned the facility since founding the resort in 1969 but sold it to Broadreach Capital Partners and Cedar Capital Partners late last year. The legendary actor said that he selected the new owners because they shared his values and promised to maintain the resort’s …

The Globus family of brands has launched a new touring style called ‘Choice Touring by Globus’ which offers travellers 13 new itineraries in Europe and North America. Sharing more details on this is Varesh Chopra, Regional Director – India, Middle East & South Asia for the Globus family of brands, who says, “Our streak of innovation continues. We just introduced 6 domestic vacations for travel within India under the brand of Monograms India Discoveries. And now we are gearing anew with yet another innovation. With the introduction of Choice Touring by Globus, we’re giving travelers a whole new way to cure their curiosities. On these new, special itineraries, they can choose from a menu of memories while still enjoying everything they love about a perfectly planned tour.” In addition to providing guided sightseeing at the must-see sights, Choice Touring by Globus presents YourChoice Excursions: A selection of curated experiences in key and off-the-beaten-path destinations – included in the package price – so travellers can tailor their tours.

Mumbai-based KKR World has been appointed as the India representative for BLS Interlaken Cruises. KKR World is a business venture of Kunal Kothari, former Head of Rail Europe India, and represents products like Rhaetian Railways (Glacier Express, Bernina Express) and Railtour Suisse, since 2019. Sharing this news is Niklaus Hotz, Sales Manager for BLS Interlaken Cruises who says, “We were looking for an experienced new partner to consolidate our market presence in India despite the challenging circumstances. KKR World represents already a supplier portfolio that fits perfectly with our product. Like this we can bundle knowledge and improve the quality in the consultation process for our customers. BLS Interlaken Lake Cruises wants to be ready to welcoming international guests as soon as borders reopen again. Therefore, we think it is very essential to keep in touch with relevant accounts in our key markets even in difficult times. Our ] objective is to increase the number of Indian visitors enjoying a cruise with BLS on Lakes Thun and Brienz during their visit to Interlaken.” BLS Interlaken Lake Cruises, operational since 1913, on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz in the Bernese Oberland, operating hourly scheduled cruises from spring to autumn. During the winter season, BLS operate individual cruises on Lake Thun, such as the popular winter steamboat excursion on the paddle steamer Blümlisalp, welcoming around 1 million boat passengers and are therefore one of the biggest tourism operators in the Bernese Oberland. It not only operates scheduled cruises but also organises special culinary cruises, such as the Fondue Chinoise Cruise and the Lake Thun Brunch Cruise.

Underlining the need for developing, promoting and harnessing the potential of coastal and beach tourism, Valsa Nair Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary (Tourism), Govt. of Maharashtra, emphasised on growing the Blue Economy in a sustainable and inclusive manner in Konkan. “The first tourist district in the country lies in Konkan i.e. Sindhudurg district. We have provided special incentives to the Special Tourism District under the Maharashtra Tourism Policy. We have also formed PPP for MTDC resorts and open lands there,” she says. Operations at the new Chipi airport in Sindhudurg district can start from March 1 if the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gives a go-ahead.