The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Tuesday said check-in counters left unmanned by airlines were leading to congestion at major airports in the country. ‘Airlines are therefore advised to deploy sufficient manpower at all check-in/baggage drop counters well in advance to ensure decongestion and smooth flow of passengers at airports,” the MoCA’s said in the letter. A surge in air travel – airports have seen over 400,000 domestic flyers a day for 10 consecutive days – has strained the infrastructure at the country’s busiest airports such as Delhi and Mumbai and forced the MoCA to order a reduction and shifting of peak-hour flights. “It has come to the notice of the MoCA that the airline check-in counters at certain airports are found unmanned or inadequately manned during early morning hours leading to congestion at the airports, thereby causing inconvenience to the passengers,’ MoCA’s letter stated, requesting airlines to place real-time data on their social media feeds regarding waiting time at respective airports’ entry gates.

With the revival of the Indian tourism industry post pandemic, AmEx has released a report which furnishes valuable and relevant information on key indicators of tourism statistics. As per the report, 62% plan to attend music festivals to celebrate the holidays this year. Almost 87% people agree they would rather purchase experiences as gifts for their friends and family rather than material gifts.

DCT Abu Dhabi is organising an exclusive webinar to educate the travel trade about luxury hotels and experiences at the destination, which will be held today at 3pm. To register contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com , +91 9650196532.

Seeing huge opportunity in MICE, Tripjack has launched a MICE vertical. Amit Parkar, Business Head – MICE, Tripjack, says, “We expect demand for MICE in India to grow rapidly. This was the idea behind launching a new MICE vertical at Tripjack. We will create space in the segment by leveraging our existing network. Since TripJack is a tech-driven organization, we are also exploring how our expertise can help us deliver a seamless experience to our customers,” Parkar says.

Informing about the goals for the India tourism sector for 2024, Arvind Singh, Union Tourism Secretary has said, “We will strive to recover to pre-pandemic level by mid-2024. The country is estimated to achieve US$ 50 billion GDP contribution from tourism, US$30 billion in Foreign Exchange Earnings and 15 million foreign tourist arrivals by 2024.”

Located on the banks of Lake Lucerne and surrounded by a gorgeous Alpine landscape, Lucerne is a gateway to many popular mountain excursions and offers exciting activities and shopping experiences. This webinar will highlight the unique offerings in and around Lucerne. Attend all webinars for a chance to win a trip to Switzerland in 2023. For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Delegates of FHRAI attended a pre-budget meeting chaired by the FM where it put forth requests with special emphasis on granting infrastructure status to the hospitality industry. FHRAI has also requested for continuation of the Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme (EPCGS) for another 10 years and extension on the repayment period under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) of 10 years or based on the loan repayment period of the principal loan. FHRAI will submit a detailed representation to the FM shortly.

Sharing its perspective on the merger of Air India and Vistara, CAPA India said in a report that it expects to see the emergence of Air India as a global network carrier in terms of size, scale and service standards. The combined entity is in line with India’s aspirations to be a USD 5 trillion economy. The combination of Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines will provide Air India with the requisite strategic expertise, industry capabilities, access to capital and determination to create an airline that India will be proud of.

Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, has just confirmed that the e-visa facility will again be available for UK nationals travelling to India. He said, “The big news today is we are rolling out e-visas once again. This servie will be made available to you forthwith. System upgrade is underway and the visa website will soon be ready to receive applications from friends in the UK.”  

GO FIRST has announced that it has signed an exclusive General Sales Agreement with EaseMyTrip to sell, promote and market passenger tickets and other services to passengers in Saudi Arabia effective from this month. To establish a fruitful commercial relationship and expansive grip within one of the biggest travel markets in Western Asia, EaseMyTrip will be extending operations of GO FIRST by opening an independent branded office and representing the airlines in Dammam and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and other locations. The three-year exclusive partnership deal provides an opportune time for both brands to expand and bolster their service range in Saudi Arabia. EaseMyTrip and its sweeping reach, comprehensive marketing interventions, and knowledge of the locals would help GO FIRST provide suitable schemes for Saudi tourists and locals, enhancing their experience. Furthermore, this association would necessitate all the other travel agents within the vicinity to create a purchase circuit from EaseMyTrip when they will be buying GO FIRST tickets from Saudi Arabia. Articulately summing up the agreement, Rikant Pittie, Co-Founder said, “At EaseMyTrip, we understand that Saudi Arabia attracts millions of tourists every year, and the locals love to travel as well. It is a significantly crowded travel market that is yearning for a better travel experience. With our successful endeavours in most associations and businesses around the world, we want to enter the market here in Saudi Arabia and serve the tourists with utmost dedication. We are overjoyed to begin our journey as a GSA partner with GO FIRST, one of the most popular and affordable airline services in multiple international destinations.”