The Globus family of brands introduced a unique concept to appreciate and get inspired by the heroes of the tourism industry through its industry-first ‘The SuperHeroes Campaign’. It was a fun way to interact and hear the stories, anecdotes, as well as personal motivations of all those who finally link their respective brands with the end customer. Entries were open to all and were submitted over an exclusive social media portal in audio and video formats. The choice of the winners was completely neutral and based on open voting from the industry’s workforce. In an event held virtually, the winners were felicitated with an appreciation certificate and prize vouchers. They were also invited live to give an acceptance speech where they were encouraged to share their personal pursuits and winning experiences. The categories were: SuperHero of the Campaign, Industry Favourite SuperHero and Jury’s Special Mention SuperHero. Varesh Chopra, Regional Director, Globus family of brands – India, Middle East & South Asia, says, “Our aim was to generate and spread cheer and positivity amongst our travel trade partners during the current times. I am confident that we at the Globus family have achieved this. We have got so much appreciation from participants that we may make this an annual event.” The winners are: Prajakta Kaul (Crossworld Holidays, Mumbai, India) – The Superhero Of The Campaign Mithuna Nair (Thomas Cook, Pune, India) – The Industry’s Favorite Superhero Shamara Vandersay (Acorn Travels, Colombo, Srilanka) – The Jury’s Special Mention  Superhero  

The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) is seeking a sector-specific loan restructuring plan from the government. It says that in order to save the industry from imminent collapse, loan extensions should be given to the sector on similar lines as those given under the Prime Minister’s scheme for loans below Rs 25 crore for SMEs and MSMEs.

Confirming the news about the air bubble arrangement between India and Nepal, Narayan Podayal, Delhi Station Master, Nepal Airlines, says, “The air bubble is in place and we are in planning stage regarding the flight frequency and health document requirements. The date for resumption of flight will be announced soon.” Duration of quarantine for passengers is also under discussion.

After conducting a series of webinars for the trade recently, Huzan Fraser Motivala, India Representatives, Tourism Ireland, says, “We look forward to welcoming Indian customers to Ireland when borders re-open. They will discover heart-warming moments and spectacular sights in Ireland. Indians can visit Ireland and UK on a single visa under the British Irish visa scheme.”

Discover Qatar, the destination management subsidiary of Qatar Airways, has announced the launch of its first expedition cruise series around Qatar’s coastline. They are designed for seasoned and adventurous travellers, provide an opportunity to observe the largest gathering of the world’s largest living fish – the whale shark – in the Al Shaheen marine zone.

A few top travel agents were invited by Vistara Airlines on premium Economy to visit Udaipur and hosted by the Leela Palace Udaipur over two days. They were put up in lake-facing rooms and each one of the agents had a designated attendant.

On the third day of Russian Expo Days today, participants will get a chance to see live broadcasts about the Amur Region and industrial tourism. At 11am IST, one can watch the session ‘Get to know Amur: the region of contrasts and wonderful discoveries’ to learn about tours to cosmodrome, extreme sports or relaxation. At 1:30pm IST, the session will be on ‘Industrial tourism in Russia: from diamond mines to folk crafts.’ One gets to learn about options for individual tourists or corporate groups. Agents can win a trip to Krasnaya Polyana Resort in Sochi on attending all sessions live. Register for free on: russiadays.travel.

Sharing an update on the popular North East festival, Arijit Purkayastha, Festival Organiser and Chapter Chairman for North East, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), says, “With the inputs from our stakeholders, we propose to organise the 8th edition of North East Festival on December 19-20 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Guwahati. It will also be streamed via the North East Festival Facebook and YouTube channels.”

Air New Zealand’s new Christmas video, ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas, comes with an exciting chance for Indian agents to win exclusive Air New Zealand hampers. To celebrate the release of this video and spread some cheer this festive season here in India, Air New Zealand is giving India based agents the chance to win exclusive Air New Zealand hampers, by simply filling in a form with their contact details on the airline’s website before 4 December, 2020. Released on 20 November and shot on location at the 14th Ave Dairy in Tauranga, ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas sees Santa Claus and Air New Zealand teaming up to surprise some lucky families in New Zealand with a plane ride and the gift of free flights to visit loved ones anywhere in Aotearoa this Christmas. Air New Zealand’s Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says, “You have to get quite creative to deliver a campaign like this with less, and we’ve pulled out all the stops to achieve this – including bringing the ‘Sleigh320’ toy plane featured in the video out of storage to be upcycled and repurposed as a magical prop to surprise unsuspecting locals. Though this year’s video was made on a significantly smaller budget than our previous festive campaigns, the focus remains squarely on spreading Christmas cheer and magic.”

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has appointed Intrepid Marketing & Communications a Mumbai-based company, to establish Kenya as an aspirational long-haul destination in the Indian market through varied and sustained initiatives. The Intrepid team will be responsible for executing all trade, marketing and communication activities undertaken by KTB, starting from December 2020. Currently, Kenya is identified in the Indian market as a destination suitable for experiences and safari. The engagement will allow KTB to broaden the narrative of Kenya’s offering and introduce Indians to the country’s culture and heritage, adventure activities and its vibrant cityscapes. Neeti Bhatia, Director, Intrepid Marketing & Communications expressed, “We are working towards aligning our activities with ‘Kenya Vision 2030’ strategy and charting out an extensive calendar to penetrate the brand’s presence in target markets. Once travel restrictions are uplifted, we hope to achieve the set benchmark for Indian arrivals through aggressive trade, marketing and communication approach while putting tourist’s health on priority.” Kenya has laid out ‘Kenya Vision 2030’ which is a long-term development blueprint for the country and is motivated by a collective aspiration for a better society by year 2030. KTB’s objective is to position Kenya as an all-season destination for unique vacations. The tourism board shall liaise with the Indian trade fraternity to chart future itineraries to ensure seamless travel experiences in Kenya.