Arvind Singh, Secretary, MoT said, ‘Everybody wants to mainstream sustainability in all aspects of life, including tourism and highlighted the fact that with G20 around the corner it is important to step up our commitment towards it. He also informed that there are four tourism track meetings slated to be held during G-20. “It is the ideal time that India should take the leadership position in responsible tourism”, he added. 

Riaz Munshi was re-elected as the President of OTOAI Managing Committee for the term 2022-24. Shravan Bhalla was elected as Vice President, Sidharth Khanna as Gen. Secretary, Gurdeep Gujral as Treasurer, and Monia Kapoor as Joint Secretary were selected respectively. 

TOFTigers India Wildlife Association & Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) sign an MOU in an event held at Hotel Ashok, today at the Assam Tourism Road Show in New Delhi to training Wildlife Park guides and Safari Vehicle drivers in Guest Handling and to promote and support the strategy and concept of sustainable tourism. With a vision to create a sustainable future for tourism, TOFTigers has taken several steps to achieve this goal since 2005. The MoU is yet another milestone in this journey of change and improving environmental and economic sustainability in the state of Assam. TOFTigers will actively support and promote the introduction of the training for improving the guides’ and drivers’ knowledge of conservation, ecology, and storytelling skills for better visitor experience – which will potentially help them generate more income, while also furthering conservation awareness among tourists. TOFTigers and ATDC have a strong view towards promoting sustainability and social responsibility within the travel sector. The MoU was signed in the presence of dignitaries from the state of Assam and leaders from national tourism industry who had gathered in a large number at the event. Sustainable tourism practises are about putting local communities and the environment at the heart of business operations, in addition to economic factors. “TOFTigers is dedicated sustainable tourism organisation in India and would like to support the travel industry in India towards sustainability,” said Mr. Vishal Singh, Director TOFTigers. The travel and tourism industry are one of the largest industries in the world and contributes enormously to the economic well-being and development of many countries by helping to alleviate poverty throughout the world. It has recognised cross-cultural benefits as well as educational, health …

EaseMyTrip, India’s one of the largest online travel tech platforms, has signed an agreement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) during an event held on November 21, 2022. The objective of this MoU is to share resources and collectively collaborate to boost the growth of tourism in Assam. Binded by the MoU, EaseMyTrip will provide white label solutions to endorse ATDC properties on its website and mobile application. The agreement further substantiates the MoU between the parties and provides a distinct scope of the obligations that have been promulgated. As a stakeholder in this agreement, EaseMyTrip will provide white-label solutions to ATDC, including its complete booking process and payment gateway. The mandate also requires EaseMyTrip to ensure all reasonable efforts to provide uninterrupted customer support and services to ATDC and keep an updated hotel and property management suite at all times. Obligatory binders within the contract have also clearly been proposed for ATDC within the purview of the MoU. As a stakeholder in this agreement, ATDC will have the sole and exclusive right to entrust its registered properties to EaseMyTrip and authorize EaseMyTrip to manage bookings related to its properties during the contract period. The ATDC would also need to ensure that the information related to the properties provided to EaseMyTrip is true and accurate at all times. Speaking about the agreement, Nishant Pitti, CEO and Co-Founder, EaseMyTrip, said, “While there are several tourist sites in India, the state of Assam has a unique characteristic that draws many visitors. Those seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of urban areas flock to this serene Indian state. There are several locations to explore in Assam, …

Akasa Air, India’s newest airline, today inaugurated its first flight on the Pune-Bengaluru route. Pune is the ninth destination in Akasa Air’s network and its second city in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai. The airline is offering double daily flights on the Bengaluru–Pune route starting today with additional daily flights linking the two IT hubs, starting from December 10, 2022. Earlier in November, Akasa Air announced the addition of Visakhapatnam as the tenth destination on its network, with flights connecting the city with Bengaluru, scheduled to commence from December 10, 2022, and a second frequency on the route to be added on December 12, 2022. Since its launch in August this year, Akasa Air has been progressively scaling up its operations and by mid-December expects to cross over 450 weekly flights on a total of fourteen routes across ten cities – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, and Visakhapatnam. This rapid expansion of cities, routes, and frequencies is in line with the airline’s vision of adopting a phased yet rapid approach to grow its network across India. Commenting on the maiden flight and the new route, Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder, and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, said, “Commencement of operations on this route is a momentous occasion as we expand our footprint in Maharashtra by adding Pune to our network. Both Pune and Bengaluru are important IT hubs, and enhanced connectivity on this route, backed by affordable fares, are in line with our purpose to strengthen important transportation links of our country, which will provide a boost to economic development. We will soon launch another daily flight on this route from December 10 onwards, taking daily departures from Pune …

Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) will be announcing its new team today for the term 2022-24. The existing team will be taking over unopposed and some shuffle in positions is expected. Currently, Riaz Munshi is President, Himanshu Patil is Vice President, Shravan Bhalla is Gen. Secretary and Siddharth Khanna is Treasurer.

The Rajasthan Cabinet approved the Rural Tourism Scheme 2022. to create employment opportunities in the villages and protect the handicrafts industry by establishing rural guest houses, agricultural tourism units, camping sites and caravan parks. The scheme will also acquaint domestic and foreign tourists with Rajasthan’s rural culture. 

Ravi Gosain, Vice President, IATO said, “Many of us are concerned about what will happen in the future, things have changed, products have changed, and many of the FTOs with whom we do business are no longer in business. As a result, we must create new markets for ourselves. So, these are the few things we will discuss during the Convention, which is why we have specifically chosen this theme, inbound tourism what lies ahead.” 

Tourism New Zealand will conduct an exciting webinar highlighting their latest campaign If You Seek and related trade tools and assets on Tuesday, Nov 29 at 11am. For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532 to register.

Having been certified by Tourism Authority of Thailand that it has been developed tosupport ‘Net-Zero’ hotels, Cross Hotels & Resorts Cross Chiang Mai Riverside announces an ambitious ‘Net-Zero’ project. Receiving this certification not only validates the excellence of the services, but also inspires visitors to travel sustainably. Every area of the resort was created with environment in mind, to lower energy expenses. It may be noted travel becomes environmentally friendly with “Net-Zero” hotels. The distinctive design of Cross Hotels & Resorts Chiang Mai Riverside combines contemporary elements with the traditional Lanna style that is the most distinguishing feature of Northern Thailand. A balance of natural tranquility and the vivacity of the nearby Chiang Mai city center can be found in the area, situated on the banks of the Ping River. The resort’s courtyard is dotted with 100-year-old tamarind trees, while the rooftop infinity pool overlooks the Ping River. Situated on the serene banks of the river, Mother Nature takes center stage. A 20-minute drive from the Chiang Mai International Airport and minutes away from the city centre, Cross Hotels & Resorts Chiang Mai Riverside is situated on the riverbanks. The city is well-known for its sheer energy and splendor. Cross Hotels & Resorts Chiang Mai Riverside’s facilities provide visitors a never-ending variety of experiences, both excitement and relaxation, including the Ozone Gym-Pool-Roof Bar, the Cross Spa, the Oxygen Dining Room providing French/Thai fusion haute cuisine, and the library bar & Café. The resort offers guests water sports such as swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Visitors will be delighted by the thrilling activities available on the Ping River. The resort boasts unique spa experience packages for honeymooners, families, couples, and leisure …