Ahmad Johanif Mohd Ali, Director, Tourism Malaysia’s office in New Delhi, stated that one of Malaysia’s primary focuses is promoting itself as a filming destination. Through the Film Production Incentives in Malaysia (FIMI), they offer a 35% rebate on total expenditures, attracting numerous filming locations to choose Malaysia. They also aim to attract Indian filmmakers through these incentives.

Samual Machado, Managing Director for India and South Asia, Sabre Travel Solutions said, “The data shows that India travel market will be more than $250 billion worth in the next four to five years. When it comes to challenges, the speed at which we are growing will bring a lot of challenges to us. One of these challenges is technology adaptation, which will be a huge challenge in India because most of the agencies that we have are brick and mortar. They all have to invest to make sure that they are elevating the offline travel business to online travel business.” 

The Department of Culture & Tourism, Abu Dhabi invites the Indian outbound travel trade to attend an exclusive webinar on Al Ain city, thethrilling new attractions it has to offer, exciting adventures, and authentic Emirati hospitality that your clients can enjoy. Tune in today at 3 pm. To register and get more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Bobby KS Sawhney, Hon. Secretary, ITTA, explained the challenges faced by the company in importing high-end vehicles, stating, “All vehicles imported primarily from Japan lack financial institution support for loans. They insist that the vehicle must be purchased by us, brought into India, and registered in Delhi within 14 days for them to provide a loan. Specifically, they require registration within 14 days of landing in Delhi, which necessitates having speed governors installed. However, speed governors are currently unavailable.”

Jammu and Kashmir has seen a remarkable rise in tourism, with a 300% annual increase in foreign tourist arrivals. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha urges collective efforts from experts and industry leaders to tap into adventure, border, and heritage tourism, along with offbeat destinations, golf, bird-watching, agro-tourism, and destination weddings to boost the region’s tourism sector.

Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that India will develop the North and South Blocks of Delhi’s Raisina Hill complex into the world’s largest museum in 2025 which will be almost double the size of France’s Louvre museum. An agreement has been signed between France and India for this purpose, the tourism and culture minister said, adding that he was fortunate and proud to be part of the opportunity to execute the world’s largest museum project.

Coorg, tops domestic tourism with a 1910% increase in hotel bookings, followed by Varkala (400%), Goa (366%). Velankanni (200%), and Jodhpur (179%), stated RateGain, Factors driving this surge include scenic beauty, cultural appeal, and enhanced transportation options, boosting tourism from July to September with bookings made between January and mid-June 2024.

Radisson Hotel Group is delighted to announce the signing of 10 new hotels in just four days. These signings are across brands, including Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson Individuals, and its brand extension Radisson Individuals Retreats. The Group also entered five new markets and will be the first to open internationally branded hotels in Jawai (Rajasthan), Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Ooty (Tamil Nadu)and Calicut (Kerala). In a pioneering move, the Group signed Radisson Blu Hotel, Nathdwara Stadium, Rajasthan, featuring 234 luxurious rooms. This innovative hotel is India’s first Cricket Stadium Hotel, with 75% of its rooms offering exclusive views of the main cricket field, providing an unparalleled experience for sports and leisure enthusiasts. There are two signings under its Radisson brand – Radisson Sagar and Radisson Mohali as the brand continues to be the fastest-growing upscale brand in the Group’s portfolio both globally and in India. Additionally, as part of its strategic growth in Southern India, the Group has signed Park Inn & Suites by Radisson, Calicut. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Development Officer at Radisson Hotel Group said“The rapid expansion of our portfolio in South Asia reflects the trust of our partners, the delivery of our systems,and the relevance of our brands. India is one of the key growth markets for us worldwide and we look forward to continuing our growth journey with our existing and new partners.” “South Asia offers a significant opportunity for us to grow as we remain focused on cementing our portfolio across brands and our valued partners have a strong role to play in this. With their support, the Group is fueling this growth journey dotted with such milestones of signing …

Leading by example and doing away with the conventional member meetings, Coffee & Connect by Tourism India Alliance (TIA) was recently launched in Jaipur for its Members and special invitees. Whereas the convention during such association meetings till now has been that the team on one side of the Dais speaks and the members on the other side of the Dais just listen. TIA Jaipur members made such meetings more engaging where everyone got the opportunity to talk, network, exchange ideas and gain insights. In its inaugural monthly meeting “Coffee & Connect” by TIA, members from Jaipur gathered to engage in meaningful discussions over some superb coffee, delving into a range of pertinent industry topics and sharing unique personal experiences from the past three months of the summer season. Trending industry relevant topics like Multigenerational Travel, Holidays to Long Haul destinations, Experiential MICE, High-End Luxury Travel, Market Research and positive migration to Service Charge regime were discussed. The Coffee & Connect by TIA series aims to become a regular monthly event from now onwards, scheduled for every third Saturday of the month at all the cities where it has more than 10 members (Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Mumbai, Raipur, Delhi to name a few), fostering continuous engagement and knowledge sharing among TIA members. “Subject Experts will also be invited during these meetings for sharing their knowledge with the members. This initiative is set to strengthen the community and keep everyone updated on the latest industry trends and best practices.” – Prashant Kothari, Vice President – Tourism India Alliance (TIA)

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, reported that Musandam Governorate’s castles, forts, and historical sites had attracted 25,009 visitors in 2023 as against 23,535 visitors in April 2024. Key landmarks such as Khasab Fort, Al-Kamazra Fort, Bukha Fort, and Dibba Fort were highlighted for their appeal to Arab and foreign tourits by Maryam bint Ahmed Al Shehiya, Head, Craft Heritage Section. She emphasised the investment opportunities at these sites for individuals and the private sector, aligned with Oman’s 10th five-year plan to boost sustainable tourism and the national economy. This objective of the initiative is to develop heritage, culture & arts, and offer diverse tourism experiences through public-private partnerships, she added. Efforts are also on to support private museums by constructing modern buildings or restoring archaeological sites to showcase rare artifacts. The construction of the Dibba Archaeological Visitor Centre began this year, funded by OQ Company and the Musandam Governor’s Office. Discovered in 2012, the site dates to the first millennium BC and includes early Iron Age tombs, skeletons, and artifacts, Bassam bin Muhammad bin Abdullah al Kamzari, Head, Department of Antiquities and Museums, revealed. Efforts are ongoing to support private museums by constructing modern buildings or restoring archaeological sites to showcase rare artifacts. Specialists regularly visit these museums to ensure quality services and provide necessary support, he added.