Inaugurating the new terminal in Port Blair, Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia revealed, “Apart from this airport, three additional airports in Shibpur, Car Nicobar, and Campbell, as well as four water aerodromes in Shaheed Dweep, Swaraj Dweep, and Port Blair, will be established by the government with an investment of Rs. 150 crores.”

ICRA estimates pan-India premium hotel occupancy at ~70-72% in FY2024, after recovering to 68-70% in FY2023. Pan-India premium hotel average room rates (ARRs) are expected to be at ~Rs. 6,000-6,200 in FY2024. While the occupancy is expected to be at decadal highs, the RevPAR is expected to remain at a 20-25% discount to the FY2008 peak. Consistent improvement in consumer sentiments despite the inflationary environment, stable corporate performance, and domestic air passenger traffic inching above pre-Covid levels augur well for travel and hotel demand. The demand recovery has been strong in the last one year, and ICRA anticipates it to continue in FY2024 as well. Sustenance of domestic leisure travel, higher bookings from meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE), and business travel, along with an increase in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs), would support demand. The industry is also likely to benefit from specific events like the G20 summit and the ICC World Cup 2023. Vinutaa S, Vice President and Sector Head – Corporate Ratings, ICRA , said: “Gateway cities like Delhi and Mumbai are likely to top the occupancy chart at 75%+ in FY2024. Demand is expected to remain healthy across markets, although Bengaluru and Pune are likely to be laggards compared to other key cities. While the G20 summit would support occupancy across cities in FY2024, improved economic activity and business associations stemming from these meetings are likely to translate into incremental demand for hotels over the medium term. ICRA expects an improving trend in ARRs as well across markets in FY2024, driven by healthy occupancy. Further, mid-scale hotels have also witnessed traction across cities and are likely to continue reporting healthy ARRs and occupancy in FY2024.” ICRA estimates …

The Tour Operators Association of Assam has launched a quarterly in-house newsletter titled ‘Tea Break: Sip, Savor and Soak in Assam’s Travel Delights. The newsletter was unveiled by the Secretary to the Govt of Assam, Tourism Department,  Kumar Padmapani Bora in Kolkata in the presence of Ranuj Kumar Borkotoky, Director, Tourism and Samprity Goswami, Deputy Secretary, Tourism. The newsletter will contain activities, industry news and other curated contents related to the industry in Assam. TOAA Advisor and Editor of the newsletter, Ranjeet Das mentioned, “Our endevour will be to make this newsletter a highly informative, upbeat series, containing inspirational articles for our readers.” Arijit Purkayastha, one of the editorial board members further informed, ” The newsletter is also embedded in TOAA website www.toaa.in for our online readers. We wish to reach out to the worldwide platform to promote Assam’s tourism avenues.”  

Rajiv Jalota, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, has announced that the second edition of the Incredible India International Cruise Conference will be held in November 2023 in Mumbai. The first edition was held in May 2022. The two-day conference showcased business opportunities in the country’s cruise sector. A dedicated task force was also formulated on cruise tourism jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Shipping.

The Malaysian government has now outsourced visa processing to some companies in Malaysia in a bit to privatise visa processing. Sharing details is Sanjeev Gosain, CEO, Yorker Holidays, said, “Borneo Brothers is one them and they have appointed us as their partner in India to process visas. Yorker Holidays will be starting with tourist visas and other categories will be added later.”

The TAFI Western India Chapter has announced its new team that has been elected unopposed. Jay Kantawala is the new Chairman, Arun Iyer is the new Secretary, Dharmesh Shah is the new Treasurer and Satbir Singh Narula is the Committee Member. The new team’s term will start post the association AGM to be held this evening.

Roostels India, in collaboration with Viacom18 Consumer Products, opens one of its kind experiential holiday staycation in India. Roadies Rostel in Ahmedabad in collaboration with Leisure ARC is the first franchisee under the ‘Roadies Rostel brand’. The company plans to expand its footprint in at least 15 more locations across the country. Guests can participate in various sports and leisure activities. The Ahmedabad resort also has 17 Roadies-themed rooms. The launch event in Ahmedabad was attended by Sonu Sood, who is a popular Indian actor, film producer, humanitarian, and philanthropist, along with Roadies – Karm ya Kaand Insiders Abhimanyu Raghav and Shreya Kalra, Ex-Roadies – Nandini and Colors Gujarati artists – Arman Kotak aka Akash Pandya from Rashi Rikshawwali and Swara Soni aka Vaishaki Shah from Moti Baa Ni Nani Vahu. Commenting on the launch, Amit Shah, Managing Director Leisure ARC, said, “We are delighted to be a franchise partner of Roadies Rostel. Our property has been specially designed to cater to the needs of adventure enthusiasts, and guests can expect comfortable accommodations with modern amenities, delicious local cuisine, and a vibrant community of like-minded travellers and explorers. Roadies Rostel Leisure ARC offers a unique experience and will be a popular weekend destination for people of Ahmedabad and attract backpackers from across the country.” Sachin Puntambekar, Business Head, Consumer Products, Viacom18, said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Roadies Rostel, in Ahmedabad. This is a significant first step in the journey of Roadies Rostel and we look forward to redefining the boundaries of hospitality and bringing the spirit of Roadies to the realm of travel and backpacking.” Roadies Rostel is one of its kind experiential holiday brand in the …

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) announced the signing of its first hotel in Kolhapur, Maharashtra under the Ginger brand. The hotel is a Greenfield project. Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President – Real Estate & Development, IHCL, stated, ” IHCL with its diverse portfolio of brands has witnessed a rapid expansion in Tier 1 and 2 cities. Well known for its tourism potential and an established commercial hub, Kolhapur is one of the leading cities in the state of Maharashtra. We are delighted to partner with Jeswani Group for this Ginger hotel.” The 100-key hotel is strategically located in the city centre at a short driving distance from both the Kolhapur airport as well as important commercial districts.  The hotel will feature Qmin, the signature all -day-diner offering a wide range of delectable culinary options. Additionally, there will be a well-equipped fitness center and meeting rooms. “We are excited to be associated with IHCL, India’s leading hospitality company. This will be the first Ginger hotel in the city of Kolhapur.” said, Ramchand Jeswani, Managing Director, Jeswani Group. of Companies. With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have 31 hotels in Maharashtra, including 11 under development.

Data from a Skyscanner report highlights that Indians are savvy travellers (47%) who are flexible to switch their itineraries, when presented with better travel deals. When it comes to international holidays, Indians are also willing to pick a destination that is less expensive to travel to (35%) or travel at a different time of year (33%). This is in spite of the fact that Indian travellers are in fact, big planners, with 72% of respondents preferring to thoroughly plan their trips – further cementing how Indian travellers are seeking that sweet spot of travel and value for their holidays.

Recommending measures to revive tourism, Niti Aayog said that there needs to be greater integration between Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of External Affairs for the purpose of branding and marketing of medical tourism in India as only 6.7% of the overall foreign tourist arrivals are for medical purposes. As a pre-budget suggestion to Ministry of Tourism, Niti Aayog has said that a Rs 500-crore fund invested in easily retractable Government Bonds or securities by the Ministry of Tourism, with another Rs 100 crore invested every year for next 20-30 years, will help sustain the industry in case of another unprecedented crisis. Greater integration between Ministry of Tourism and MEA can turn India into a top destination for medical tourism. Currently, only 6.7% of the overall foreign tourist arrivals in India are for medical purposes, says Niti Aayog.