With over 5,000 global businesses signed up to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and committed to taking various steps regarding climate action, for many, environmental impact is a critical consideration – alongside the traditional financial priorities – when making travel decisions. To empower clients, FCM Consulting has joined forces with CAPA – Centre for Aviation (CAPA), one of the most trusted sources of market intelligence for the aviation and travel industry and their partner, Envest Global, to unveil a new, first in class approach for clients to help them address their environmental aims when planning business travel. Launching today, FCM’s team of sustainability experts have devised an industry-first service that pairs their methodology alongside insights from the CAPA-Envest Airline Sustainability Benchmarking Report which goes beyond the typical single CO2e metric typically used for sustainability calculations. FCM is the only Global Travel Management Company to currently have access to this valuable data which provides comparable ranking of airlines incorporating over 10 ‘sustainability parameters’ and is regarded by CAPA as the industry’s single source of truth on emissions, benchmarking airlines and their performance as they transition to net zero operations. As companies become more astute on all things-sustainability related, FCM understands that the industry must keep pace. According to Glenn Thorsen, Sustainability Lead – FCM Consulting, he believes TMCs must be able to provide deeper and more accurate analysis on travel impact with measurable benefits. “As sustainability has risen to the top of the agenda, we make it our business to be a step ahead in the evolution of emissions measurement and reporting so that we can help our clients get the best out of their programmes and achieve their goals,” …

Akasa Air has announced an order for four additional Boeing 737-8 jets at the ongoing Paris Air Show, a follow-up to the already placed order of 72 aircraft taking it to a total of 76 aircraft which include 23 737-8s and 53 high-capacity 737-8-200 aircraft. The airline is also on course to announce another significant three-digit aircraft order by the end of 2023. As Akasa Air targets to commence international operations by the end of 2023, the additional order of four 737-8s will fortify the airline’s plans to strengthen its expansion strategy. Since launching operations in August 2022, Akasa Air is the fastest-growing airline in the country with a fleet of 19 aircraft which has carried over 3 million revenue passengers and crossed the milestone of operating over 900 weekly flights with a published network of 36 unique routes connecting 16 cities. Elaborating on the order, Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air said, “Akasa Air set a benchmark in the 120-year history of global aviation by becoming the first airline to reach a fleet size of 19 aircraft in less than a year of operations. While we are extremely happy with this achievement, we want to keep ourselves focused on our commitment to contribute to the air transportation ecosystem and support the nation’s economic growth engine. We are excited to add four more Boeing 737-8 to support our international expansion, taking our initial order of 72 aircraft to 76 to be delivered in the next four years. In addition to supporting our rapid domestic expansion, these airplanes allow us to take full advantage of the category leading 737-8 aircraft with its unparalleled range, as we prepare our foray into …

Air India, a Tata Group-owned global airline, today signed purchase agreements to acquire 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, going one step further in its $70 billion (based on list prices) fleet expansion program that it announced in February this year. The purchase agreements were signed on the sidelines of the ongoing Paris Air Show. Air India’s firm orders include 34 A350-1000, six A350-900, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 10 Boeing 777X widebody aircraft, as well as 140 Airbus A320neo, 70 Airbus A321neo and 190 Boeing 737MAX narrowbody aircraft. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, said: “This landmark step further positions Air India for long-term growth and success that, we have every hope, will come together to represent the best of modern aviation to the world.” Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India, said: “Our ambitious fleet renewal and expansion programme will see Air India operate the most advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft across our route network within five years. We are proud to be working with all our partners in this journey to rebuild a global airline which reflects India taking a more confident posture around the world.”

Indian visitors travelling to Sultanate of Oman increased to a record 63,492 in April 2023, according to Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. The Ministry said the Indian tourist flow to the Sultanate has been highest in the past 15 years. In January 2023, the Ministry stated, the Indian arrivals were 38,279 more than the pre-COVID figures of 29,094. By April 2023, the numbers had reached 63,492 – the highest it has seen in the last 15 years! “This stupendous growth in number of Indian travellers to Oman in April is a delight. Following the mammoth rise in Indian tourist flow in April this year against the same period last year, we are optimistic that Oman will become a preferred travel destination for Indian tourists,” said Arjun Chadha, Country Manager, Oman Tourism India office. Oman, renowned for its hospitality, breathtaking landscapes, and rich history, has unparalleled attractions, combined with the efforts of the Ministry and its partners, have culminated in the extraordinary influx of Indian tourists in April, he added. Apart from investments in marketing tourism, Oman Tourism has carried out activities such as organizing roadshows in five cities and a four-city sales mission in India to jointly advertise and promote travel through various media outlets. According to the Ministry’s statement, to enhance its presence in the Indian market, Oman Tourism will expand its promotional efforts through collaborative efforts, sales missions, FAM trips, and roadshows. Recently, Oman Tourism hosted a sales mission in cities such as Kochi, Hyderabad and Kolkata, which was also honored by the presence of the MHT Head office, Muscat. The ministry met more than 70 trade partners at the time, which received a positive response. The …

With over 25 years of experience, TransViet is one of the major company in Vietnam providing excellent level of services at the most competitive rate. Marc Asia Destination Reps has associated with them to bring Vietnam closer to India. After successfully representing major DMCs like Travco (Jordan & Egypt), Tour Oman, Royal Gulf (Dubai), Mazi Tours (Greece & Cyprus), Iberia Tours (Georgia) etc., the addition of Vietnam to Marc Asia’s product line makes it a one-point-stop for most of the major destinations from India.

V. Vidyavathi, Secretary, Tourism, has said that a dashboard will be created for cases studies on sustainability from participating countries, which would be available for everyone for reference. It will be a legacy from India’s G20 presidency.

The European Commission welcomes agreement between European Parliament and European Council to allow digitalisation of Schengen visa procedure. It will modernise two main aspects of the procedure: digitalisation of visa sticker and visa application by setting up an EU online Visa application platform.

Upcoming regional airline, Jettwings Airways, has received the NOC for starting scheduled passenger flights. Sanjay Aditya Singh, MD & CEO of the upcoming airlines, said that the base will be Guwahati with initial connectivity within the Northeast Region. Discussions for aircraft are ongoing. He said ” Formalities will be completed and operations to start with 5 planes initially.” Jettwing Airline to be the first airline from Northeast in the country.

Lauding upcoming projects in Maharashtra, Chetan Mehta, VP, HRAWI, says, “It is crucial to enhance room capacity to meet rising demand. Maharashtra has around 3,40,000 rooms and with the number of projects in the pipeline, we will require at least double the capacity of hotel rooms. Subsidy for establishing hotels at specified tourist locations, along with incentives for eco-friendly hotels and electricity subsidies, will provide the necessary impetus for the growth of the sector.”  

The ANA Group joins the “Pokémon Air Adventure” program in collaboration with The Pokémon Company to celebrate the inaugural flight of the new “Pikachu Jet NH” arriving for the first time at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi on 13th June 2023. An ANA aircraft has been specially transformed into the all-new Pikachu Jet, complete with a spectacular Pokémon livery on the exterior and Pikachu-themed designs through the interior, including themed cabin crew aprons and other in-flight amenities. In addition, exclusive commemorative gifts will be available for all Pikachu Jet passengers, making every flight a magical Pokémon-filled adventure infused with Japanese hospitality. Tsuneya Katagiri, Country Manager, India, All Nippon Airways (ANA), gave a statement on the exciting partnership between ANA and The Pokémon Company: “We are both proud and honored that first flight of the “Pikachu Jet NH” touched down in Delhi today. Through this partnership, we hope many Indian passengers enjoy the unique experience at the highest quality. We look forward to welcoming passengers with limited edition Pokémon merchandise that will make their first flight a one-of-a-kind journey.” The “Pikachu Jet NH” aircraft features a livery designed for ANA, in which the Sky High Pokémon Rayquaza is depicted across the entire fuselage to create a vivid effect. Charizard, Latias, Latios, Vivillon, and other flying Pokémon from all over the Pokémon world move together with Pikachu toward the shining rays of hope and endless possibilities of an interconnected world. Moreover, passengers flying on the Pikachu Jet NH will receive commemorative gifts such as Pikachu-adorned Kifuda (Japanese wooden tags), Pokémon stickers, and special Pokémon-themed boarding certificates. To tie the entire journey together, ANA will welcome passengers aboard with special boarding music that …