VFS Global, along with the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea, organised the India-Korea Harmony Cup Golf Tournament at the prestigious Delhi Golf Club to celebrate the 50-year milestone in diplomatic relations between India and South Korea. An impressive lineup of diplomats, prominent Indian and South Korean businesspeople, and key officials attended the event. The chief guest for the occasion was Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa and former CEO of Niti Ayog and he was joined by His Excellency Chang Jae-bok, the Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to India Amitabh Kant actively participated in a round of golf, adding to the excitement of the event. His Excellency Chang Jae-bok presented prizes to the accomplished winners, rounding off the celebration of the enduring diplomatic ties between the two nations. Prabuddha Sen, Chief Operating Officer, South Asia, VFS Global, said, “India and South Korea are strategic partners, and it extends across businesses. VFS Global has been partners with the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea in New Delhi for the past ten years, offering visa services. We have recently opened Visa Application Centres in Chennai and Bengaluru and are committed to cementing it further. As a testament to our enduring partnership, we organised a golf tournament, symbolising the strength and longevity of the diplomatic ties between our two nations.” The India-Korea Harmony Cup Golf tournament was a fitting tribute to the strong and longstanding diplomatic ties between India and South Korea. This event marks an important milestone in the continued partnership and collaboration between the two nations.

Even with the growth Rail Europe is witnessing in India, Florence Pasquier, Chief Commercial Officer, Rail Europe, believes there is still a lot of scope for growth here. “India is a very dynamic market. Indians love to travel, and they love Europe. That is why we are working closely with NTOs to inspire Indians to travel to new places, or travel differently to the same place in Europe, or even combine different countries with Rail Europe,” she says.

Domestic traffic forecast for FY2024 has been revised downwards slightly by CAPA from 160mn to 155mn airline passengers, due to the sudden grounding of GoFirst, scaling down of SpiceJet operations, greater focus by IndiGo on international routes, more aircraft on the ground than expected, due to supply chain issues becoming more, rather than less serious, and unexpected weakness in demand during October and first half November.

Destinations looking to harness the full potential of the growing Indian market could consider tailoring their value propositions in alignment with one or more of the 5 key points that influence where travellers choose to go, as per the latest McKinsey report on India market. They must determine factors such as the attractiveness of the destination, visas, connectivity, affordability, and the overall travel experience.

Speaking at a conference of all State Tourism Secretaries, V Vidyavathi, Tourism Secretary, MOT, has urged the state governments to fast-track the completion of ongoing tourism projects funded by the Ministry, and to focus on identifying tourist destinations for development. She also discussed the implementation of G20 Goa Roadmap and Travel for LiFE program with the states for their effective implementation.

Artoso Hospitality Corp, a new lifestyle hospitality venture, by Sushill S Wadhwa and Platinum World Grroup, introduces three distinctive brands: Stamps Hotels & Resorts, Woodstones Hotels & Resorts, and Artvue Hotels & Resorts, and is looking to attract owners of standalone hotels or properties to convert to one of their unique brands. Underpinning this venture is the commitment to redefine luxury experiences and solve challenges faced by both independent hotel owners and discerning guests. Sushill S Wadhwa, Founder & CMD, Platinum World Grroup, says, “The brands are all very different from each other. They’re all luxury brands with their own unique identities. I have always wondered why there is a Check-in and Check-out time of 3pm and 12 pm respectively, hence we plan to have a 24 hours check-in & Out for our hotels. Many hotels close their breakfast between 10.30-11am, we plan to have Anytime Breakfast in all our hotels, like this there will many areas of high levels of personalisation for the guests, like selecting what VIP Amenities they want instead of a standard bottle of wine/champagne,. and even personalise their mini bars with beverages and brands of their choice. All our hotels and rooms will be AI powered, so that with a simple voice command, they can set the temperature of their AC, watch a particular channel, set the lights as per their mood, and order room service or spa.” Distinctive Brands: Stamps, Woodstones and Artvue are poised to become synonymous with opulence, offering bespoke experiences that transcend conventional hospitality norms. Each brand caters to diverse preferences, from the cool casual vibe of Stamps to the timeless appeal of Woodstones and the avant-garde charm of Artvue. Stamps Hotels and Resorts: is a new brand of trendy hotels catering to young and young …

Speaking at ITM 2023 in Shillong, Conrad K Sangma, CM of Meghalaya, stated, “The kind of economic growth that we’re witnessing in the northeast is unprecedented. There is a strong and special focus to ensure that the northeastern states progress in unison with the rest of the country and to ensure economic development reaches this region. In a small state like ours, with a population of 3.8 million people, roughly about 80,000 youths join the workforce every year. Therefore, the government must strategise to create job opportunities for these youths. These numbers will continue to increase in the future. Hence, all governments in the northeast and across the country face a tremendous challenge in generating job opportunities for our young population. Tourism is one sector that can create these opportunities for our youth. Therefore, as a state government, tourism has been one of the main pillars of our economic policies and programs.”

Joel Katz, MD (Australasia), CLIA, has said that cruise tourism is managed tourism. “Ships don’t just turn up. Visits are planned 2-3 years out and in coordination with local port authorities who manage the port bookings. Cruise tourism contributes to the economic vitality of ports, neighbouring communities and local residents.”

Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur has said that the government is going to announce a new filmmaking policy. “The incentive for foreign film production has been enhanced from 30% to 40%. The incentive for foreign film production in the country stands today at 40 % of the expenses incurred with an increased cap limit of Rs. 30 crore and an additional 5% percent bonus for Significant Indian Content (SIC). This step will give further impetus to India’s efforts to attract medium and big-budget international film projects to the country.”

India has resumed e-visa services for tourists of Canadian nationals after a pause of almost two months. The resumption of services for all categories of visas comes hours ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s participation in the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit. Earlier in September, the Indian Mission in Canada suspended visa services for Canadian nationals until further notice, citing operational reasons.