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.

Sharing an update on where the India market stands in terms of arrivals, VisitBritain CEO, Sally Balcombe says, “At the moment India is 16th in volume and the eleventh-biggest market in terms of spend for us. But the really important thing is that you are growing fast. We know we are the second-most popular destination in Europe for the India market. Indians spend a lot of money here and stay a longer time – 56% more time than others on an average. Your growth trajectory will take you into our top 10 international markets very soon!”

The Red Sea in Saudi Arabia is the world’s most ambitious luxury tourism development, offering an exclusive experience of unparalleled diversity for discerning global travellers. The Red Sea will welcome its first guests by the end of 2022 and will attract 1 million overnight visits per year by 2030. It will be an exquisite sanctuary offering luxury experiences, customised to the needs of each visitor. Smart technology will deliver innovative, tailored services from the moment visitors begin to research their trips to the time they return home.

Speaking at The Art of Travel roadshow in Delhi, Jatin Khanna, Market VP – North India, Bhutan & Nepal, Marriott International, said that recovery has already begun. “Recovery has already started happening for the industry, and I personally feel by the time we hit Q3 and should international travel resume by then, it would support a good V-shaped recovery for us,” he shared.

Switzerland Tourism has launched a special ‘100% Women’ campaign is aimed at attracting women travellers to holiday in Switzerland, especially for outdoor activities and mountain sports. Along with a six-month 100% Women Peak Challenge, the NTO will present around 230 offers and events that are geared towards women where all experiences are led by women and include mountaineering tours, different city and cultural tours, majority of which have been newly conceived, especially for this campaign.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will resume its T1 for domestic flight operations with effect from midnight, March 10. Catering to 5 domestic carriers, the terminal will witness 102 flight movements across 27 destinations on day one of its opening. The terminal was closed in March 2020. The terminal will cater to all domestic flight operations of Go Air, Star Air, Air Asia and Trujet, plus select flights of IndiGo. The airport will have 38 check-in counters operational across the 5 domestic carriers to avoid crowding.

Sanjay Arya, CEO, KFT Holidays, started watching cricket in England in 1983, the year India won the World Cup. “However, I came back before the final since we weren’t too hopeful about the Indian team. But whenever I visit England and India is playing, I go watch a few matches. The last match I saw there was India v/s Pakistan in Manchester in 2019 World Cup, courtesy VisitBritain. It was electrifying! I even made my team in the VisitBritain Cricket Carnival and played the last game. Although I didn’t win, I will change my strategy for the next game.” Register on http://bit.ly/VisitBritainCricketCarnival or contact Vartik Sethi on vartik.sethi@ddppl.com or +91 83684 28139.