Maharashtra is set to become the first Indian state to buy land in union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to construct a tourist facility for the state’s people. Maharashtra Bhawan will be constructed in central Kashmir’s Budgam–first-ever state Bhavan in the valley on 2.5 acres of land at Ichgam, near Srinagar airport. The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved the transfer of land to the Maharashtra government for ₹8.16 crore.

Leading with their new ‘Only one Washington, DC’ campaign, Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, conducted a sales mission in India from February 25 to 29. The delegation, including the CEO and President of Destination DC, Elliott L. Ferguson, II visited Mumbai and Delhi, the leading markets for inbound tourism in Washington, DC from India. Destination DC engaged with the Indian travel trade and media by organizing one-on-one meetings and VIP events to promote what’s new and upcoming, as well as what is historic and iconic in the famed capital city of the USA. India ranks at number four among the overseas markets for Washington, DC. Elliott L. Ferguson, II was thrilled to be back in the market and said, “We have received a remarkable response from the travel trade and media which clearly proves that India is a key market for us. Our dedicated visits to various markets help us showcase our latest products and the variety that DC has to offer visitors. Currently, some travelers still tend to equate Washington, DC solely with politics, which is why we implemented our #Only1DC campaign, to share our diverse and cultured experiences beyond the U.S. government.” Ferguson II also conveyed that DC was leading the way in sustainable tourism initiatives and will continue to do so. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Washington, DC is the 1st LEED Platinum City in the World. In 2023 and 2022, Washington, DC was ranked #1 for its parks system in the country by the Trust for Public Land. Delhi DDC recently launched their new ‘Only one Washington, DC’ campaign which showcases Washington, DC as the only city …

India has a vibrant economy, a large young population and a rich cultural heritage which make it attractive for investors and visitors, according to the CEO of the world’s largest visa outsourcing company. Zubin Karkaria, founder and CEO of VFS Global, said India is undergoing a rapid economic and social transformation. “This creates new opportunities for business, trade, tourism, and culture. I truly believe this is India’s decade,” he said. “In VFS global, we are very optimistic about the prospects of India as a global destination, as a source, both for inbound tourism and outbound travellers. India has a vibrant and diverse economy, a large young population, and a rich cultural heritage. These factors make India attractive, both for investors and visitors,” he told PTI in a recent interview. Known for creating a new industry of visa and passport outsourcing, VFS Global in just 22 years of its inception operates in 149 countries through 3,353 application centers. So far it has processed 278 million applications and 130 million biometrics enrolments. Today VFS Global is the trusted partner of 67 governments, including the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance (the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand), and 24 of the 27 Schengen countries. “VFS Global is a truly Indian success story that has gone global. I mean truly global. I conceptualised and launched VFS Global in India, one of the first made-in-India unicorns to become a global leader in its field,” Karkaria said. “We remain committed to supporting India’s growth story by providing seamless and tech-driven visa services to events, to secure cross-border mobility for people and trade. This is to and from India, thereby contributing to India’s economic …

Europamundo, a JTB Group company, introduces full board river cruises in Europe with a duration of 5-10 days. Find more than 100 departures, in 32 routes, distributed among more than 10 ships, to sail across rivers carrying history in their waters such as Rhine, Danube, and Moselle – the same rivers that will take us to 18 countries and 82 cities to discover. These cruises have the best price quality ratio in the market.   Grand Cruise Croatia This 8-day starts in Dubrovnik, the heart of the Dalmatian coast, with a guided tour of Dubrovnik. This is followed by an excursion to Mljet Island, one of the most beautiful islands in the Adriatic. The sailing also includes a visit to the Krka Falls National Park, and a guided tour of the Trogir city. Built on an island, Trogir is a gem of labyrinthine streets interspersed with staircases and vaulted passages. This is followed by a visit to Split, Hvar, and Vis, and then finally Kotor and back to Dubrovnik.   Landscapes of the Rhine Embarkation for this cruise starts in Frankfurt with a group transfer from Frankfurt airport to Mainz and an Overnight in Rüdesheim onboard the ship. In the morning we will enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Moselle on a scenic navigation that will take us to the charming town of Cochem. One of the most picturesque and popular towns on the Moselle River, it stands out for its spectacular “Reichsburg” castle. The city is known for its tourist interest, its beauty and for its wines, as some of the best wines in Germany are produced in this area. The cruise then sails through Bernkastel, TRIER, ZELL, KOBLENZ …

Europamundo Vacations, the 30 years old B2B tour operator headquartered in Madrid and part of JTB Group, is the only coach tour operator company in the world affiliated to the UNWTO and WTTC. It offers tours to Japan and Mexico, as well exciting Iran itineraries and river cruises in Europe!   Guaranteed departures All departures for Europamundo tours are guaranteed; it never cancels! It also offers year-round departures. They have reliable prices with no exploitative supplements such as taxes, fuel, gratuities, etc. In fact, all trips include basic insurance which covers medical expenses in the event of illness or accidents, assistance, and early return. Safety, trust and reliability are essential cornerstones. It has been developing the market over the years to offer an even more complete and personalised experience to customers.   Great flexibility Flexibility is one of its biggest USPs which allows passengers to buy only sectors. This feature gives the clients a possibility of joining any tour, at any time and for any duration. As Europamundo has weekly departures, passengers can break their tour in any city and return later to continue the journey with its next departure. Complimentary arrival transfers, return evening transfers and additional discounts for honeymooner and senior citizens are some of its added advantages. Its versatile online system allows travel agents to quote and book its tours by following simple steps in few minutes.   Exciting routes Europamundo is majorly known as a European coach tour operator, but it also has popular coach tours to Turkey, Japan, Mexico, USA, Canada, all Egypt with Hurghada, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. It introduced Iran, the jewel of the Silk Road in 2024 along with many new routes …

As per the India State Ranking Survey by Hotelivate in collaboration with World Travel & Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTCII), Gujarat experienced the most significant upward shift in rankings, moving up by 7 positions. Telangana demonstrated a remarkable shift, advancing from the 27th to 6th position, more than doubling its tourism spending. On the other hand, Punjab experienced a contrasting trend, dropping from the 9th to the last position.

To delve deeper into the dynamics of sustainable tourism, KPMG in India, in collaboration with HAI and FHRAI, has released a report titled ‘Sustainability in Tourism: Reimagining India’s Sustainable Tourism Evolution’. It stated that eco-tourism, one of the key segments of sustainability, in India is expected to grow at 15.7% between 2019 and 2027.

Deep Kalra, Chairman, WTTCII and Founder, MakeMyTrip, has said that there is a big pick up in religious tourism spurred on by Ayodhya. “A lot of people are looking at this, and not just seniors, we see a lot of younger people also looking at spiritual tourism in different parts of the country,” he added.

Sunny Sodhi, Managing Director of FCM Travel India suggestion to the corporate travel managers out there is to focus on content and user experience. “We are heavily investing in these two areas to ensure we have quality data and can use these insights to craft relevant business travel policies and programmes,” he says, adding, “With regards to corporate travel, we see a lot of inclination around consolidating the travel spends through use of technology where everything is available on a single platform.”

Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board and Universal Studios Hollywood interacted with key trade agents in Mumbai to share product updates. Andrea Blackman, International Sales Manager at Universal Studios Hollywood and Ms. Seema Kadam, Regional Director, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board interacted with key trade partners and travel trade media in Mumbai. The event was designed to share key updates of Los Angeles as a destination and the crucial partnership with Universal Studios. The event highlighted new and upcoming developments in Los Angeles.  The biggest event of 2024 is IPW – The travel industry’s premier market place which will be taking place in LA. Universal Studios Hollywood has a major role and will be hosting the closing night.  2024 also marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Studio Tour Los Angeles is the epicentre of entertainment, sports and art. LA is proud to be hosting the opening Men’s National team FIFA match in LA. Alongside, the city is gearing up for the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2028. Major art events like PST art, opening of Destination Crenshaw make it an exciting time to visit Los Angeles. “This year is truly special for LA as we gear up to welcome guests for IPW 2024. The city has so much to showcase with new museums, the opening of Destination Crenshaw – a $100mn outdoor art and culture experience and various sporting events in the pipeline including FIFA in 2026 and the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2028. Our partnership with Universal Studios is timeless as it offers an array of adventure, nostalgia and the true essence of cinema with one of  the oldest working studios!” says, Seema Kadam, Regional Director, …