Rakesh Kumar Verma, Joint Secretary, MOT, will be travelling for ITB Berlin 2020 with a delegation of around 49 exhibitors, which will be led by Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (I/C), Tourism and Culture. The format has been changed this time for ITB Berlin, as there will not be a presentation and press conference, but a panel discussion instead. “We will be having a breakfast meeting with the German FTOs in Berlin. We have a panel discussion on the first day, which will focus on global trends in tourism focusing on Incredible India and will be moderated by a CNN journalist. It will have around 5 panelists including German tour operators who will be talking about India and their experience. While there will not be a specific campaign for ITB Berlin, we will project the efforts we are taking and the whole range of offerings we have been developing at MOT. Apart from that we have small group engagements and one-to-one engagements at the VIP lounge at India Pavilion of ITB. We are trying to project India as an experiential and transformational destination for the travellers, which is one of the key messages that we are putting across,” he shares. “The Ministerial delegation would consist of 49 co-exhibitors, including state governments, tour operators, hotels, wellness centres, as well as Ayurveda society. We’ve taken a huge space of 705 sq. m. CMD, ITDC, will also be there. It will be a combined marketing effort by the Government and the stakeholders,” reveals Verma.

Virgin Atlantic will be flying from Delhi to Manchester with services taking to the skies from October 2020 onwards. For the first time, Virgin Atlantic will fly from India to Manchester. Coupled with the airline’s double daily service from Delhi to Heathrow and daily service from Mumbai to Heathrow, the airline will now offer over 600,000 seats per year between India and UK. Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic commented: “2020 marks our 20th anniversary of flying to India and as the destination continues to grow in popularity for both business and leisure travel, we’re thrilled to announce for very first time a new service flying three times a week from Delhi to Manchester, our home in the north.’’

A welcoming and authentic land that combines nature, culture and traditions, the Hauts-de-France region offers its visitors a wide range of sightseeing opportunities and activities. The Hauts-de-France region was created on 1st January 2016 with the amalgamation of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy regions. Just over the English Channel, the Hauts-de-France region stretches from Calais to Paris and from Normandy to the Champagne region. This diverse destination stands out for its picturesque flowery villages, its WW1 remembrance sites, its gothic cathedrals and vibrant capital of the French Flanders: Lille. Art lovers, foodies and history buffs will find a truly unique taste of France here. The Hauts-de-France region includes some of France’s most beautiful sites.Whether you come for a weekend or a longer stay, the Hauts-de-France region will delight you with its distinctive character and rich cultural heritage! Chantilly Only 20 minutes from Charles de Gaulle airport and 45 minutes by car from Paris, check out the Chantilly castle and get a taste of the French royal lifestyle. The castle has the largest art collection in France outside the Louvres. Chantilly, the ‘Equestrian Capital’ showcases a LIVE Horse Museum with a magnificent horse show and world class horse racing. Lillie Stroll through the various museums like La Piscine, Le Palais des Beaux Arts etc. Or go for a day trip to Brugge or Ghent. View the city in a vintage car or go on a beer tour. Take in some retail therapy and visit McArthurGlen outlet centre, Shopping mall Euralillle and more. Try your luck at a casino or shake a leg at one of the many night clubs. Satiate your taste buds at the variety of restaurants offering all international cuisines. …

In an effort to further promote the Rann Utsav, Gujarat state aviation infrastructure company limited has added direct flights between Bhuj- Ahmedabad and Bhuj- Delhi from 27th February 2020 till 12 March 2020. The flights connecting Ahmedabad and Bhuj will be operated by Air Deccan and the flights connecting Bhuj and Delhi will be operated by Zoom Air. These new flights and connectivity were promoted at a tour operators meeting in New Delhi.

VFS Global invites all members of the travel trade to participate in the webinar today that will highlight the organisation’s new initiatives to ensure seamless visa application experiences, as well as the optional services on offer to customers. It will be held at 12 PM today. Sanjeet Joher, Head – South Asia, VFS Global, says, “The travel agent fraternity is a key partner in the VFS Global ecosystem, and it is important for us to collaborate for a smooth peak travel season. Our webinar will help educate them on the services we offer and answer their top queries on visas.” Those who are interested in participating can get in touch with Jaspreet Kaur for further information either via email jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91-9650196532.

The India travel trade market is important for Russia. India Tourism will be presenting its offerings at MITT-the fifth largest international travel trade exhibition of the globe, along with diverse states. MITT will welcome regional stands from Kerala, Goa, MP and Karnataka, which will exhibit with sub-exhibitors Jungle Lodges and Resorts, and the Golden Chariot. A sumptuous mix of traditions, cultures, cuisines, religions and landscapes, India is full of rich tourism experiences. Find the Indian national stand at A6043, Kerala at A7055, Goa at A5053, and Karnataka at A1055, Hall 1, Pavilion 1. MITT is the largest B2B travel & tourism trade show in Russia, attracting representatives of the tourism industry from Russia, regions and all over the world. It is taking place from March 17-19 in Moscow.

VFS Global, in an exclusive partnership with the Embassy of Vietnam in India, launches the first official digital Vietnam eVisa on Arrival (eVoA) solution. Travellers can easily apply on https://vietnam.vfsevisa.com/ before departure to Vietnam. For those who seek a visa urgently to travel to Vietnam, the option of special priority services on the same day (as well as next day approvals) is now available on this officially recognised online solution. The cost of the priority services is slightly higher than the cost of the normal visa processing service. On the occasion of the visit of Vietnam’s Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh to India, VFS Global and the Embassy of Vietnam in India signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation for tourism promotion and facilitation of human mobility. In 2019, more than 18 million travellers visited Vietnam from across the globe compared to 15 million travellers in 2018.

The Madhya Pradesh (MP) government has approved the Film Tourism Policy 2020, offering incentives to filmmakers, promoting private investments and make MP an attractive destination for film shoots. According to the policy, if a filmmaker shoots a film in MP, he will get 50% of grants, the maximum amount of which may be Rs 1 crore. Apart from this, investment in film-related infrastructure will be encouraged with grants and land. Special grants will be given to filmmakers who offer screen time to tourist destinations in the state. For the grants, the filmmaker has to give credit to the state government and the tourism department. The logo of the tourism department and that of the government will be used in the film. A film facilitation cell will also be set up and services will be provided on concessionary rates in the units of MPSTDC. Facilities will be provided through single-window system for shooting films. As per the policy, land will be allotted for film studios, post-production centres, VFX centres, skill development centres, film institute etc.

Clarks Inn Group of Hotels has announced the opening of Clarks Premier Kota, which is its first five-star ‘Premier’ branded property and 100th hotel overall. Clarks Premier Kota boasts of 75 tastefully appointed rooms across different categories to suite every need. The hotel offers 27 Deluxe and 12 Executive categories rooms. There are 12 Suites and another 24 as Studio rooms with separate living area and a kitchenette to cater to bigger space requirement of guests. SN Srivastava, President & Co-founder, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels, said, “Today is a proud moment for us. Opening Clarks Premier Kota is a historic occasion for Clarks Inn Group of Hotels in more ways than one. Clarks Premier Kota is the first ‘Clarks Premier’ branded property of the company. It is an upscale five-star hotel brand and this hotel is our signature ‘Clarks Premier’ property. It is only befitting for us to open our newest property, Clarks Premier Kota, in this beautiful city as we celebrate not only the milestone of 100 hotel portfolio but also the launch of our first Clarks Premier branded hotel. This hotel will redefine the hospitality experience in the city of Kota.” Officially unveiled on 21st February 21, 2020, the hotel is located on the prominent Bundi Road, in the heart of the city. “We don’t just promote our properties but also help develop destinations that we are located in. And Kota and the nearby areas are treasure trove of cultural, historical, religious, wildlife and other tourism landmarks. Garh Palace, Madho Singh Museum, Abheda Mahal, the picturesque Jagmandir Palace in the middle of Kishore Sagar Lake, Garadia Mahadev temple, Charan Chauki, the scenic Kota Barrage, Mukundara Tiger Reserve, …

The Jallianwala Bagh would remain closed for visitors due to its ongoing renovation work till 12th April. The work on restoration and allied services, which is estimated to cost around ₹20 crore, is being done under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the target date for the renovation to be completed is 31st March. A new 15-foot-wide exit gate has been constructed. The old structure around the martyrs’ well has been replaced with glass walls so that visitors can have a clear view of the inside of the well. There is a new light and sound show system being installed. Revamping is also taking place of the 50-seat auditorium on the first floor with a 3-D projection system to showcase documentaries.