VFS Global has been named an official ticket re-seller for Expo 2020 Dubai, the World’s Greatest Show, to be held in the UAE between 20 October 2020 and 10 April 2021. Customers travelling to the UAE during Expo 2020 can visit their nearest VFS Global Visa Application Centre in the GCC, India, China, Russia, UK and Germany to plan their trip, leverage VFS Global’s services and reserve their Expo 2020 tickets. Business travellers can start booking their tickets from today, from destination management companies, travel agents and educational institutions, while leisure travellers will be able to do so early next year on vfsglobal.com. VFS Global will be offering a range of packages with suggested itineraries that include single- and three-day passes to visit Expo 2020 Dubai. Customers who opt to submit their visa application through the Premium Lounge, or hold a VFS Global Privilege Program membership, can also enjoy discounts on the packages they purchase.

The number of domestic tourists in Himachal Pradesh is expected to grow to 26.97 million by 2023. (CAGR 5.90%). In terms of foreign tourist arrival, the state is expecting the number to 0.66 million by 2023. (CAGR 6.49 %). During the period, the state has planned to highlight adventure tourism, spiritual tourism and eco-tourism, revealed a tourism, hospitality and civil aviation report revealed during the Rising Himachal Global Investor Summit in Dharamsala. Notably, tourism sector’s contribution to state’s GDP is 6.8 per cent.

Tourist destinations in Kerala will be made differently-abled friendly by 2021, informed Kadamapally Surendran, Tourism Minister, Kerala, who revealed in the state assembly that they have identified around 120 tourist spots across the state in the first phase. Of these, 98 destinations have already been made completely differently-abled friendly. A host of facilities, including special parking areas and toilet facilities will be made available. Work on the remaining centres is in progress. Special tour packages for the differently-abled will also be brought out under the responsible tourism initiative, the Minister added.

12% demand of e-procurement in India comes from hospitality sector, according to a recent survey report in the e-procurement space in India by C1 India, The report revealed that 40% of demand for e-procurement comes from government organisations while 10% comes from manufacturing industries, 4% from IT and software companies, 3% from e-commerce companies, 20% from banking entities, 3% from FMCG players, 3% from the telecom industry, 4% from the healthcare sector, and 1% from other industries. Released in line with digital India, the report sights some interesting findings on the changing trends and talks about the growth & development in the procurement industry in India.

The percentage shares of top 15 source countries availing e-Tourist Visa facilities during September, 2019 were highest from China (11.87%), followed by USA (9.91%), UK (8.84%), Malaysia (6.09%), Australia (4.72%), Germany (3.95%), France (3.75), Israel (3.26%), Canada (2.68%), Singapore (2.67%), Spain (2.59%), Japan (2.52%), Oman (2.31%), Italy (2.12%) and Indonesia (2.07%), according to statistics revealed by Ministry of Tourism.

Indian travellers are at the top in wanting to take on long trip to a destination in 2020 that offers all their favourite activities close by, with 72% of them wanting the same, according to Booking.com. 71% of Thai travellers saying they want to go on one long trip to a destination that has all of their favourite activities and sights close together, followed by 68% of Indonesians wanting the same, ranking at second and third position respectively. 

Data from the Annual Travel Monitor 2019 Final Edition (ATM) released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) last month shows that Asia continued to dominate the supply of international visitor arrival numbers (IVAs) into Asia Pacific in 2018, generating close to 63% of the 696.5 million IVAs into the region. In percentage growth terms between 2017 and 2018, Africa outbound into Asia Pacific had the strongest annual increase at over 13% year-on-year, followed by Europe at almost 11% and then Asia at 7.3%. The nondescript ‘Others’ category increased by 7.5% in 2018, year-on-year.

IndiGo has signed a one-way codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways, allowing Qatar to place its code on IndiGo flights between Doha and Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, revealed that they are looking at making it a two-way codeshare in future, and even grow the relationship further with IndiGo. Baker revealed that they are not denying a possibility of buying a stake in IndiGo, since they have been interested in the same for a long time. However, there is no progress in the same as yet.

Cruise Professionals has launched a special offer for the travel trade on its 11th anniversary. Nishith Saxena, Founder & Director, Cruise Professionals said, “For year 2020, travel agencies just have to sell five cabins (balcony or higher grade cabins) on any of the Princess Cruises year 2020 itinerary, after which, they will be entitled for a free cruise ex Singapore, along with a part of air fare and visa fee of Singapore. The special offer is valid from November 7 to December 6.”

On the concluding day of WTM London, EbixCash Travel & Holidays announced that they have become the titles sponsors of the IPL teams, Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals. Making the announcement in London, Naveen Kundu, Managing Director, Mercury – A Luxury Initiative of EbixCash said, “What we have launched at WTM London is a part of our initiative to take the Kings XI Punjab brand outside India and build extended fan base in UK. We want travellers to come to India and follow, Kings XI Punjab. We want to encourage them to follow their team, travel with them to watch matches in different parts of India. Sharing details on different tours the company is going to launch, Kundu said that it will be a complete inbound tour to India being launched in UK. “We are targeting all the Kings XI supporters and cricket fans, who wants to travel to India to watch their team play and win. We are going to launch pre and post cricketing tours, where we will take travellers to cricket stadiums to watch matches from the EbixCash Stand and all the other destinations they want to travel in India,” he said.