Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced plans for the debut of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in India with the signing of a management agreement for Bhopal’s Noor-Us-Sabah Palace. One of Bhopal’s oldest and most sought-after hotels, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace will undergo extensive refurbishment to join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand as a 60-room heritage hotel and is expected to open in 2025. “At Hyatt, we are focused on thoughtful growth based on locations that matter most to our guests, World of Hyatt members, and customers, and introducing Hyatt’s brands across India has been a priority for us,” said Dhruva Rathore, Vice President of Development, India & Southwest Asia, Hyatt. “Bhopal’s history and the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace’s rich Nawabi heritage make it a perfect addition to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio. This collection of independent hotels has seen great momentum across the globe, as each property invites guests to experience distinct culture and history, and we look forward to expanding The Unbound Collection by Hyatt footprint throughout the sub-continent.” Noor-Us-Sabah Palace will offer cultural moments for guests seeking a sophisticated yet unscripted experience. Spread across 18 acres, the hotel was originally built as a royal residence in the 1920s by Bhopal’s last ruling Nawab Hamidullah Khan for his eldest daughter, Abida Sultan, and it was subsequently converted into a hotel in 1998. The hotel will be completely renovated to bring alive the history and legacy of the Nawab’s royal residence through its interior design, and its storied past will be harnessed to deliver unique and authentic experiences. The hotel will also provide a distinctive and unique location for weddings and events, in addition to catering to premium business …

Arun Kumar, Director General, DGCA, has said technical snags faced by domestic carriers in recent weeks did not have the potential to cause havoc and that even foreign airlines that came to India reported 15 technical snags in the last 16 days. “The country’s civil aviation space is absolutely safe and all the protocols laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) are followed,” he said.

Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned financial assistance of around Rs. 631 Crore to States/UTs for infrastructure development under Coastal Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme, announced G Kishan Reddy, Minister of Tourism, Culture & DoNER, in a written reply in Lok Sabha

Rupinder Brar, former ADG, Tourism, has said that MOT and other line ministries should work towards making sure that UNESCO Heritage sites in India, at least, should become truly global in terms of every offering that they have, whether it is in terms of just reaching there, or in very basic needs.

Rohan Khaunte, Tourism Minister, Goa, has said that Goa’s tourism depends largely on UK and Russia, along with some parts of Europe. It is believed that British and Russian tourists pay more than other foreign tourists when they arrive in the state. Khaunte added that the government is taking all measures to get a “good footfall with good spending”.

NIMA held M!CE Forum 2022 in Jaipur from 29-31 July. Anand K Tripathi, Addl. Director, Rajasthan Tourism said that M!CE has huge potential. Jagdeep Bhagat, National Coordinator, NIMA, said, “The event offered a good networking opportunity to the members from across India. The idea behind this forum is to update the members about the opportunities in the industry and what’s going on in the world.”

Directorate of Tourism (DoT) along with MOT, organised a training workshop to officially kick-off the Annual Tourism Survey in Maharashtra. This exhaustive Annual Tourism survey will be carried out for 13 months and will help the tourism department understand the travel behaviour, the triggers and barriers when it comes to visiting Maharashtra.

MP Bezbaruah, Secretary General, Hotel Association of India (HAI), has said that for some time to come, domestic tourism will continue to be the driving force. “Expansion of accommodation and access will be crucial factor to sustain this tempo of domestic tourism,” he added.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, has recommended that MoCA may look into initiating direct flights between India and countries that are witnessing a rise in the number of outbound international tourists. “Thus, connectivity between India and its South Asian neighbours is of utmost importance for Indian tourism sector,” it said in a report.

Rajeev Menon, president of Marriott International, Asia Pacific excluding Greater China (APEC), has said that despite business taking a hit worldwide, investments in India were very strong. “Our team, just in the last 18 months, signed 27 deals in India,” he claimed.