Travelport has developed blockchain solution to enhance the hotel commission reconciliation process with IBM Services, BCD Travel and number of hotels. The blockchain technology solution aims to optimise hotel commission processing on a distributed ledger by managing reconciliation, tracking and accounting for commission payments owed from hotel chains for services purchased by travellers via booking agencies. The platform creates an accurate and shared view of the booking status and commissions, which benefits all parties concerned. Blockchain technology behaves like an online ledger with the ability to collect data, build upon that data in real-time, and then independently and securely report information to any number of parties based on permission. Following an IBM Garage engagement, Travelport and IBM Services, together with partner BCD Travel, developed an MVP solution using distributed ledger technology to streamline commission reconciliation between BCD and three high profile hotel chains. Hotel commission reconciliation processes include a range of challenges from the operational lack of audit trails driving escalations and manual data mapping, to the financial impairment of revenue forecasting, to the more commercial impact on commission flexibility and duty of care. Solving for this current friction is critical to ensure all stakeholders in a hotel transaction are duly compensated and ultimately to ensure customers receive an optimal travel experience; and, blockchain is an ideal solution to address this. Travelport and IBM are currently working in partnership with industry stakeholders to evolve the solution into an active pilot program. Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating Officer at InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) commented: “Blockchain is a disruptive technology with enormous potential to improve hotel commission reconciliation process and Travelport’s blockchain solution will certainly address various challenges surrounding it. Further, as we …

The fourth edition of Global Panorama Showcase Kolkata kick-started at The Lalit Great Eastern, Kolkata with slew of announcements related to its upcoming plans. With a target of reaching out to 25 destinations with EDWIN (Educational Destination Workshop) in next five years, Harmandeep Singh Anand, Managing Director, GPS, announced new EDWIN program with Trulyy hotels at its properties in Gujarat and Rajasthan. He also announced special booking packages with Trulyy providing 30, 40 and 50 per cent discount with membership program.  According to Anand, The Oberoi hotels has also proposed a special membership plan for the GPS members. He also briefed about sustainable and responsible tourism initiatives of GPS including rain water harvesting programme, restricting single-use plastic and counselling the clients on code of conduct in hotels abroad.

Addressing the demand to open more mountain peaks for mountaineering and trekking, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced that the Government will open 137 mountain peaks which will be located in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Sikkim to foreigners who want to obtain Mountanineering Visa (MX) for climbing/ trekking these newly opened peaks. The decision has been lauded by the adventure travel industry in India.

Tourism Association of Bihar (TAB) recently celebrated its Foundation day. The event was inaugurated by Y. Nilkantham (Director , India Tourism,  Patna) , Sumit Chatergee (Principle , IHM , Hajipur). Nilkantham shared insight regarding tourist flow in Bihar where he said that by 2020, Bihar will host more foreigners than Goa. He also encouraged the associates of the association to actively participate in programmes organised by India and state tourism . He said, “Two way traffic from other states or from Nepal  should be created to promote Bihar so that adequate revenue could be generated .” The Foundation Day also saw the presence of delegates from Nepal Tourism Board.  

Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State, Tourism (I/C) and Culture, said that the MOT is developing an all-encompassing ‘One Stop Solution’ including information on tourism related services through a web based application and a grievance redressal mechanism through Twitter and tourist-helpline. The minister sought support from all the states for the same at recently held National Conference of Tourism Ministers from all the states in New Delhi. Tourism Ministers from 19 states and Union Territories with senior officials from their tourism departments, attended the conference and agreed to work on the application and the technology together with MOT. They shared what steps they are already taking regarding safety and security of tourists in their states, and also gave suggestions for developing this technology alongside MOT.

The Tourism Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel, has launched the Hindi version of the new Incredible India portal recently. He also announced that the Arabic, Chinese and Spanish versions of the new Incredible India website will be launched next month. The new Incredible India website was launched on 14th June last year. Since its launch, the website has attracted 85,84,928 total visitors including 65,31,722 Unique Visitors as on 31st July, 2019.

During the national conference of tourism ministers in Delhi, InterGlobe Foundation has received new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to develop and upgrade the basic and advanced tourist amenities at Tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana in New Delhi. They would also look after the operation and maintenance of the approved tourist amenities. For developing tourist amenities at heritage/tourist sites and making them tourist friendly , in a planned and phased manner, these MoUs and Letters of Intent (LOI) are being issued by the ministry under the ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ project, in collaboration with Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India and state/UT government. With this, Interglobe Foundation has also become ‘Monument Mitra’ through the innovative concept of vision building, where the agency with beset vision for the heritage/tourist site will be given an opportunity to associate pride with their CSR activities. The Foundation will also get limited visibility in the premises and the Incredible India website. The ministry handed over a total of 3 MoUs and 5 LOIs to prospective Monument Mitras during the conference. So far, 11 MoUs have been signed under the project and 38 LOIs have been issued for 102 tourist/heritage site.

To boost inbound tourism during lean period (April-June), MOT has announced the reduction of visa fee from USD 25 to USD 10. A short duration of e-Visa for tourists with one-month validity and visa fee of USD 25 has been introduced for peak season (July-March). The Ministry has introduced 5-year e-Tourist Visa with USD 80 fee, besides the existing one year e-Tourist visa with a fee of USD 40.   For Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, lean period visa fees is USD 10 and for e-visa of 30 days, 1 year and 5 years, the fee is USD $25. For rest of the countries, where e-Visa facility is available, lean period visa fee is USD 10 and peak season visa for 30 days is USD 25. For e-Visa for 1 year and 5 year, the fee is USD 40 and USD 80 respectively.

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) is deepening its foothold in the India market with the appointment of it’s first-ever Regional Director dedicated to India. It has appointed Seema Kadam for this role who will develop and support air service for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), spearhead strategic travel trade engagement including the implementation of a training program using the L.A. Insider Program, and attend key industry trade shows in the region.  In 2018, Los Angeles welcomed 130,000 visitors from India, an increase of 5.1 per cent year-over-year making India the third-highest year-over-year international growth market for Los Angeles. Kathryn Smits, Vice President, Tourism for Los Angeles Tourism, says, “We established a travel trade presence in India several years ago through representation, who introduced Los Angeles to the industry.  The time is now right to deepen our engagement. India holds such vast potential for Los Angeles and appointing a full-time, regional director to oversee all of our tourism activity is a natural evolution of our commitment to the market.” Kadam was earlier with Switzerland Tourism and Tourism Fiji.

The Ministry of Tourism released the Hindi version of The Incredible India website with updated content on 20 August. The primary objective of this launch is to engage with visitors across web and social media platforms, make it more interactive by providing a deeper engagement to the travellers visiting the website and to deliver real-time personalised experiences for each visitor, based on the interest and travel persona. The Ministry of Tourism’s Incredible India website project incredibleindia.org aims towards showcasing the tourism products of India at a global arena and provisioning design, development, implementation and maintenance of digital platform which provides the visitors with relevant, personalised and contextual digital experience escalating tourism awareness, attraction and opportunities. This is a key marketing tool for the Incredible India campaign. MOT revamped the Incredible India website with the aim to provide more information about India as a tourist destination. It is also fully responsive with mobile devices, making it easy to navigate on a wide range of web browsers and portal devices. The Ministry of Tourism launched the new Incredible India website on 14 June 2018. The website showcases India as a holistic destination revolving around major experiences such as spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more. Since its launch the website has attracted 85,849,28 total visitors, including 65,317,22 unique visitors as on 31st July 2019.