According to global data provider OAG, most of the large domestic markets have stabilised at between 25-30% of last year’s levels. As per its Jan 2021 data, India’s domestic capacity is increasing from -30% down last month to -23% this month in terms of domestic market seats, making it the third-largest market after China and the US.

Blade India has resumed its by-the-seat service to Shirdi from Mumbai. Mumbai-Shirdi takes 6-7 hours on the road but with Blade, pilgrims can fly to Shirdi in an hour, and be back on the same day. It also offers customers in need of special assistance or a VIP darshan service. It flies from Mahalaxmi vertiport every Monday and from Juhu vertiport on Thursday and Saturday at 11am.

Seychelles Tourism Board has announced the appointment of BRANDit as its official representative in India. BRANDit will handle marketing, sales and public relations for the island nation in the Indian subcontinent. Commenting on the appointment, Sherin Francis, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board said, “We have commissioned BRANDit to plan our marketing and communication strategy in India. Various ideas have been chalked out to bring Seychelles tourism to a new dawn moving ahead with a fresh perspective. India is a promising market and its ever-evolving dynamic nature has always made it an exciting playing field for our outbound marketing efforts. Seychelles will serve as a safe haven and an exotic getaway for the pent-up travel demand among Indians. Despite a challenging 2020, we are positive to emerge through this phase stronger and better.”

TOFTigers, the Travel Operators for Tigers India Wildlife Association, will conduct a 10-part series of virtual destination knowledge and sustainability sessions, starting from January 13, 2021 at 2pm to educate the trade about nature destinations and sustainable travel. Ritu Makhija, Sustainability Manager says, “The idea is to share knowledge and expertise to the entire travel community.”

Around 80 travel agents from Mumbai got together for a casual sun downer at the open-air restaurant Canto in Lower Parel while observing all safety protocols. The event held on Sunday January 10, 2021 evening was co-hosted by Guideline Travels, Dream Cruises and One Above. With beach wear as the dress code, the party gave the fraternity a chance to let their hair down, play some fun games and indulge in team-building activities.

Continuing with its chapter elections, the Travel Agents Federation Of India (TAFI) Gujarat Chapter has announced its new team for the term 2021 – 2023. Manish Sharma has been elected as the Chairman, Ankit Bajaj as the Secretary and Sohel Kadri as the Treasurer. The new team came onboard unopposed and was announced at an event in Gandhinagar on January 12, 2021. Jigar Dudakiya was the immediate past Chairman for the chapter.

The Kerala Government is set to begin a Rs 100-crore Travancore Heritage Tourism Project that envisages conservation of the region’s palaces, mansions and temples. “The project is an attempt to boost tourism, creating a new circuit for visitors to explore Kerala”, said State Tourism Minister Kadakampally  Surendran. Phase one of THTP will give a facelift to the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and adjoining East Fort, besides 19 majestic building complexes on either side of arterial MG Road up till Vellayambalam, spanning five kilometres. These structures will be illuminated by employing state-of-the-art techniques. As part of the project, the state secretariat will be made more attractive with laser project.  Simultaneously, a 14-km stretch from East Fort, to Enjakkal will have 21 heritage-value structures lit up aesthetically.

Acknowledging that in 2021, approach towards policy-making and implementing them will be vastly different, Union Minister for Tourism & Culture Prahlad Patel said that India’s wellness centres, Ayush hospitals offering alternative care will draw tourists post the pandemic and the ministry is in talks to tie up such centres with insurance firms so that tourists can avail insurance before arriving in India for treatment.

The new tourism policy aims to attract large scale investments in the tourism and encourage organisations in the sector, Minister for Tourism Avanthi Srinivasa Rao. Releasing the ‘Andhra Pradesh Tourism Policy 2020-2025’ he said that four circuits (Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra, North Andhra and Godavari) will be developed for which investor meets will be organised in the next couple of months. A restart package of Rs 200 crore for tourism is also being sanctioned.

After establishing air bubbles with USA, UK, France, Germany, UAE, Qatar and Maldives, the government is in the process of establishing arrangements with 13 more countries. Union Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said negotiations are underway with Australia, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Bahrain, Israel, Kenya, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand to allow bilateral flight operations.