Ministry of Finance has announced that there will be no change in the rate of TCS for all purposes under LRS and for overseas travel tour packages, regardless of the mode of payment, for amounts up to Rs. 7 lahks per individual per annum. For the purchase of overseas tour program package under Clause (ii) of Sub-section (1G), the TCS shall continue to apply at the rate of 5% for the first Rs 7 lakhs per individual per annum; the 20% rate will only apply for expenditure above this limit. Increased TCS rates to apply from 1st October 2023

Kumar Pushkar, APCCF (Wildlife) has extended insurance benefits to travelers going to Karnataka amidst risky factors. He expressed concern about safety, “We are going to collaborate with insurance agencies to provide insurance across all eco-tourism places”.

Julia Simpson, President, World Travel and Tourism Council, emphasized on need of smart visas. “Paper visas is thing of past. India is moving quickly in the e-visas space but it can move faster towards smart QR coded visas like Dubai,” she said.

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General, UNWTO said, “We must ensure recovery of tourism to be sustainable, inclusive and resilient. Goa Roadmap for Tourism to work as channel for achieving SDGs & offering G20 economies proposed plan leading towards better future.”

PATA India chapter is organizing an exclusive webinar on Artificial Intelligence (AI) & ChatGPT on 4 August 2023 at 11:00 AM (IST). The speaker of the event will be Matt Gibson, CEO – UpThink, a digital agency specializing in content, SEO, influencer marketing, and AI integration for the travel industry.

Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State for Tourism, has said Ministry of Tourism, Government of India also lays great focus on development of rural tourism destinations that aim to preserve and promote cultural and natural heritage while also making sure that tourism leads to sustainable development

Julia Simpson, President and CEO, WTTC, has said that in 2022, there were 37.2 million people employed in the travel and tourism sector in India. “By the end of this year, we expect 39 million people to be employed in this sector,” she added.

The 8th edition of travel wedding show was held at Momentos by ITC Hotels by Ekaaya Udaipur from 24-25 June. Rajeev Jain, Founder & MD, Rashi Entertainment, said that India is the largest wedding industry, projected to grow at 30% followed by UAW at 20%.

VFS Global has entered strategic partnership with Radisson Hotel Group in India. Through this alliance, VFS Global aims to operate UK Premium Application Centres at the brand’s properties properties in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Mohali in Punjab, and Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

MOT constituted National Tourism Advisory Council, will have Minister of Tourism as Chairman and Secretary as VC. Other ministries, stalwarts and associations are part of this council. It will be a ‘think tank’ to advise Govt on policy matters relating to tourism.