In a written appeal, IATO has urged the Union Finance Minister to ask the GST council to consider rationalisation or lowering of GST on various tourism related services at their upcoming meeting. In a statement, IATO has said that this would help boost the sector as and when the revival happens.  Rajiv Mehra, President IATO, said “The inbound tourism has been the worst hit and if we were to get these financial relief it will help us give us some strength to bounce back. Sincerely hope that our requests will be given serious consideration by the GST council. I would also request the Ministry of Home Affairs to start planning on opening an E-Tourist Visa in phases as Vaccination in many source markets like USA, UK and other European Markets are almost complete. This can be done in stages and on reciprocal basis, so that inbound tourism business can start which will not only revive economic activities but also will bring back jobs lost during the last 14 months.”

A Madurai couple took their wedding to the next level, when they booked an entire chartered flight from Madurai to Bengaluru and tie the knot mid-air. The couple, along with their families, relatives and guests were on the SpiceJet chartered flight, reveal photos and videos of the wedding that went viral online. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an inquiry into the mid-air ceremony.

A trial flight operated by Flybig Airlines safely landed at the Pasighat Airport in Arunachal Pradesh on May 23, and the carrier has now started scheduled civil operations from Monday, according to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry. The ministry expects that the direct flights under the central government’s UDAN scheme will boost the economic opportunities in the region, it was revealed in a Tweet.

South India Hotels & Restaurants Association (SIHRA) organised a vaccination camp for hoteliers, which was inaugurated at GRT Convention Centre, Chennai by Shri Venkatesan, Regional Director (South), Indiatourism. The camp received good response from all Chennai hoteliers. In a tweet, Ministry of Tourism gave special thanks to Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and all the Health Department officials for their support.

Willie Walsh, Director General, International Air Transport Association (IATA), speaking at the ATM 2021, said that the aviation industry will take time to repair their balance sheets. “Airlines are not going to be able to take the risk of operating unprofitable routes in the short term,” he said. He also warned that while those airlines that survive would fill the gaps left by those that fail, they would have to be careful how quickly they rebuild.

Shangri-La Group launched Fam.ily™ – its family experience brand, which is aimed to create best-loved experiences for multi-generational families as well as provide support for customers on their parenting journeys. “Family has always been at the heart of the Shangri-La brand culture and treating our guests like family remains a hallmark of the Shangri-La identity,” said Hui Kuok, Chairman of Shangri-La Group. “With the launch of our new Fam.ily™ brand, and as we continue to introduce thoughtfully-designed family offerings, we hope to deliver the best-loved experiences that will bring families closer together, and create precious and lasting memories for our family guests,” she added.

Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Group, has said that low-cost carriers would benefit when the aviation sector resumes in a post-COVID world, thanks to strong domestic demand in the US, China, and Europe. Speaking at ATM 2021, he also added that a number of elements of costs like PCR tests and inequitable distribution of vaccination are going to hamper the demand for the aviation sector.

PA Muhammad Riyas is the new Tourism Minister of Kerala, who will also be handling portfolios of Public Works Department (PWD) and Youth Welfare. Riyas is a first time MP and is the national president of DYFI. At 45, he is one of the youngest ministers in the new Kerala cabinet, and has taken charge after the swearing-in ceremony held in presence of a limited gathering.

SpiceJet recorded a Passenger Load Factor (PLF) of 70.8% in April, which was highest amongst all domestic scheduled operators, revealed Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). GoAir was second in line with 65.7% PLF, while Air Asia recorded 64%. IndiGo’s PLF in the month was 58.7% and Star Air registered its PLF at 55.5%. Vistara and Air India recorded 54.6% and 52% PLF respectively.

Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) through the Directorate General of Lighthouses & Lightships (DGLL) has decided to promote the Lighthouses across India as tourism destinations & means of promoting Lighthouse Tourism in India. Hence, they have invited agencies either individually or in consortium to submit nonbinding expressions of interest (EOI) about the development at the selected 65 Lighthouse locations across the country. The purpose of this invitation is to obtain response from interested parties pertaining to the range of indicative project components, capital investment that can be proposed, suggestions for making this initiative & PPP development a success and to obtain feedback on any other concerns / issues, if any are being anticipated.