To stay ahead of emerging trends, travel agents are seeking new tools, technologies, and resources to meet clients’ needs. Robin Lawther, Vice President, Expedia TAAP, says, “They prioritise platforms that offer seamless, all-in-one functionalities. The ability to plan, book, and manage trips within a single portal is crucial, with 18% of agents citing this and ease of use as primary factors.1 These preferences underscore an industry-wide demand for efficiency, where streamlined workflows are critical to a travel agent’s success.”

Jungle Camps has set the stage for IPO, aims to raise ₹29.42 crores fund to be utilised for strategic expansion plans and upcoming four properties across India, namely Sanjay Dubri National Park, Sheopur Fort, Kukru Jungle Camp near Melghat Tiger Reserve, and 4-star hotel in Mathura. They are going to offer special schemes to travel agents bringing around 1000 room nights to the upcoming properties, while their current offerings include US$130-US$200 rates depending on rooms per night to inbound travel agents for their existing properties.

At its 16th annual convention, ATOAI launched the Roadmap & Toolkit for Arunachal Pradesh, positioning it as a model for sustainable adventure tourism. Aimed at enhancing its identity as the “Last Shangri-La,” the initiative integrates ecological, cultural, and technological advancements, promising a balanced approach to promote pristine experiences while preserving local heritage.

In January 2025, VisitBritain will launch a major marketing campaign aimed at showcasing the UK’s cultural richness through the lens of popular films and TV shows. “Our Starring Great Britain campaign is all about bringing the magic of British films and TV to life. Whether you’re walking the streets of Bath like in Bridgerton or visiting locations from Peaky Blinders in Birmingham, we want visitors to feel like they’re part of these cinematic landscapes,” said Patricia Yates, CEO, VisitBritain.

Accepting the India Travel Awards for ‘Best Tour Operator – West India’, Ashish Shah, Founder, Dewberry Holidays, said, “Receiving this award motivates us to work even harder and I am truly grateful to the organisers for this.” Based in Mumbai, the company was established in 2017 with the idea to create a world of affordable tourism and to explore as well as innovate new avenues in the travel industry.

Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in his address at 12th Edition of the International Tourism Mart (ITM), in Kaziranga in Assam, underscored the Northeast’s legacy, cultural diversity, and natural wealth emphasizing its rich cuisine, crafts and biodiversity. This ITM is a remarkable opportunity for Northeast India to showcase its rich culture and diversity to the world and also offers a platform for people from across the globe to witness the extraordinary heritage of this region, he said. He further highlighted the significance of hosting the ITM in Kaziranga, stating that it reflects the increasing importance of the Northeast on the national stage. Mentioning the event in Kaziranga as special, the minister said that over the past decade, development in the region has accelerated.

With an eye to reinforce Taiwan’s post-pandemic tourism profile, Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) has announced the launch of new global brand positioning campaign, and logo, Version 3.0 titled ‘Taiwan – Waves of Wonder.’ It also launched a new series of  animated short films and Taiwan tourism promotional song to accompany the new logo. Inviting visitors to ‘engage now’ to experience Taiwan in all its colours and across four-seasons, the new campaign aims to drive demand, accelerate inbound tourism growth, fully revitalise country’s tourism sector. The campaign also aims to drive 10 million international tourist arrivals this year, eyeing a significant growth over last year’s 6.48 million tourist arrivals. The new version of the brand integrates images of Taiwan’s mountains, oceans, highways and railways, presenting a wave-like design to convey the seasonal highlights of the destination showing that Taiwan is diverse and beautiful, while emphasizing its year-round hospitality towards visitors. The logo adopts the orange tones of sunrise and morning light to not only align with the ‘warmth and vitality of the previous brand’, but also to symbolise the future development of Taiwan’s tourism industry. The campaign showcases Taiwan in all its hues, from modern tourism infrastructure and landmarks, great outdoors and activities, pristine nature, architectural and cultural heritage, to exotic cuisines and immersive culinary experiences, vibrant nightlife, shopping, music, entertainment and its vibrant festivals, among others, to position Taiwan as round-the-year destination.

The Australian national carrier Qantas has today announced a new model for travel agents to access Qantas fares, as the airline continues to invest in its new distribution capabilities to better serve the evolving needs of agents and customers. Launching mid-next year, the new model reflects a global drive towards adoption of NDC technology, which has significant benefits for travel agents and their customers. From 1 July 2025, agents will be able to access Qantas content a number of ways, with surcharge free options as well as varying ticket surcharges, including: • Traditional indirect booking systems (also known as EDIFACT) • Standard NDC • Premium NDC

Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) is pleased to announce the launch of IndiGo’s direct flight from Chennai to Penang, with the inaugural flight scheduled for the 21st of December 2024. This marks a significant step in strengthening the relationship between Penang and India. The new route further cements PCEB’s ongoing efforts to enhance connectivity and foster closer ties between the two regions.

Join an exclusive webinar of Impiana Private Villas, Seminyak, Bali on 28 November at 3 pm and get insights about its authentic Indian restaurant Frangipaani and Impiana Private Pool Villas, presented by a three-member team. For more information, contact Jaspreet Kaur at +91 9650196532 or jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com.