ETAA will be hosting its second domestic convention from March 3-5, near Hyderabad. The convention will be held at Leonia Resort which is one hour away from the Hyderabad airport. As of now Tourism Fiji have confirmed to be the co-sponsors for the convention and other tourism boards may soon join in. The convention will host B2B sessions, presentations from the exhibitors and sponsors showcasing new products and destinations to its members. The third day will be a optional sightseeing tour of Hyderabad which will be part of the package. Speaking on the occasion Jagat Mehta, President, ETAA said, “We want to showcase new products to our members and maximise their business possibilities so we will be having exhibitors showcasing unique products at the convention. We may also plan to keep knowledge sessions on GST and its effect on the travel industry once there is a clear picture by the government. We expect 200 plus members across the country to attend the convention.” ETAA will also be hosting knowledge sessions in Kolkata on 4th February and Hyderabad on 10th February focussing on up-selling and cross selling where professionals from the travel and trade industry will be present.

Now, passengers can select on-board entertainment in advance from the comfort of your own home with the Lufthansa Companion App. For the first time, passengers will have the option of making a selection from the on-board program from home before setting off and adding their favorite items to a playlist. The on-board program is available up to six weeks in advance. Once on board, passengers then synchronise their personal favourite playlist with the screen in front of the seat, and there is also the option to use the own mobile device as a second screen. During the flight, passengers can then choose something to watch from their favorites list, and at the same time call up flight information, go on social media websites via FlyNet, do a little online shopping in the WorldShop, or find out a few things about the destination they are heading for.

South Korea recorded an increase of 27.3 per cent in Indian arrivals in 2016 as compared to 2015. A total of 195,579 Indians travelled to South Korea last year. According to Byungsun Lee, Director, Korea Tourism Organization, “South Korea will be more accessible to the Indian traveller now. With the positive growth trend, our focus this year will be to promote affordable packages from Delhi and Mumbai with our partners. We shall also seek association with neighbouring tourism boards to jointly promote both destinations and create a win-win situation.” The constant efforts made by the Korea Tourism Organization, New Delhi office on educating the travel trade partners to promote the destination and proactive business approach from the Destination Management Companies (DMC) have been the key factors in the result. Connecting with the end traveller through tactical media platforms and increase in the airline connectivity from Delhi will play as game changer this year.

IndiGo has communicated to Delhi International Airport Private Ltd (DIAL) that it is ready to shift its domestic flights to Terminal 2. The airline, along with SpiceJet and GoAir operate from T1. Indigo has reportedly told DIAL that they are ready to shift to Terminal 2 and make that an all-IndiGo terminal. They have also given DIAL the option to keep Indigo fully at Terminal 1 and shift all others to T2, and that they are fine with both decisions. The main priority for Indigo right now is to have all their domestic operations under one roof for the sake of passenger convenience. Indigo is against DIAL’s idea of splitting domestic flights between T1 and T2.

Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Ltd. (DTTDC) has joined hands with BookMyShow for an online ticketing platform on Pilot Project basis. This means that DTTDC through BookMyShow will offer online ticketing for major tourist attractions which includes Dilli Haats – INA, Janakpuri and Pitampura, The Garden of Five Senses, Guru Teg Bahadur Memorial and the Delhi Hop On Hop Off shuttles (HO-HO), and all other entry tickets/ events and paid shows, etc. Kapil Mishra, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Govt. of Delhi announced this partnership saying that Delhi Tourism has taken the lead in giving the Tourism sector a digital push, through this partnership between DTTDC – BookMyShow on Pilot project basis. The objective behind this association is to help promote tourism in the state. Tourist attractions that will be made available for booking online and Promotion of Delhi Tourism events will be done through this project to add more convenience to the National and International Tourist, besides Delhiites. “With increased smartphone and internet penetration, the convenience associated with online ticketing can be definitely leveraged across different sectors today. Tourism is centered around providing great experience and we are confident with this pilot project DTTDC will be able to add tremendous value through its offering,” said Mishra. In addition, the registration, entry and other ticketing details of all events being organised by Delhi Tourism in the State will be posted on the BookMyShow platform. Kumar Razdan, Country Head, BookMyShow said, “As we pave our way into online tourism ticketing in India, we are thrilled to partner with The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Ltd. (DTTDC). Delhi is a city of monuments, historical sites and is rich in heritage. With …

Uber has announce a partnership with Cleartrip, the online travel company. While on a trip, Uber riders can choose to receive recommendations on the Cleartrip app, on exciting events and experiences to do in the city they are present in, from India’s largest collection of activities and events. Anyone booking airline tickets, and local activities on Cleartrip will now also be able to book a ride in the Cleartrip app, without leaving the site or switching apps.

In an attempt to promote its home-stay scheme in the state, the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MakeMyTrip. Under this collaboration, MakeMyTrip would promote and help in implementing the state-run MPSTDC’s scheme which is meant for the owners of apartments, bungalows, cottages at the places of tourist interests. The homeowner, who can provide accommodation and food facility to domestic and international tourists, may register under this scheme. According to a state official, the programme has seen a good response so far. It was informed that so far, 82 people have registered themselves under the home-stay scheme with the highest number-26- being from Indore followed by Bhopal at 13. Among others, nine each have registered themselves in Ujjain and Pachmarhi, five in Amarkantak and four each in Jabalpur, Gwalior and Balaghat.

G6 Hospitality, known for its economy lodging brands, Motel 6, and Studio 6 in the U.S., Canada and Hotel 6, Estudio 6 in Latin America, announced its global portfolio expansion by signing an area development agreement with Auromatrix Holdings. This new partnership will introduce Motel 6, Studio 6 and Hotel 6 brands to India, marking G6 Hospitality’s first venture into the market. “Our mission is to build on the iconic heritage of our brands to become the universally recognised leader in economy lodging, and expanding our portfolio to such an important market like India marks a significant milestone for G6 Hospitality,” said Jim Amorosia, President and CEO of G6 Hospitality. “Motel 6, Studio 6 and Hotel 6 operations in India are designed to suit the specific needs of travellers in the area. Combined with the expertise of our partners at Auromatrix, we are uniquely positioned to successfully launch a compelling new lodging option to both leisure and business travellers,” he adds. The new properties will showcase elements of the “Phoenix” room design featured at Motel 6 and Studio 6 properties in the U.S. and Canada. Unique room features planned for the properties may include wood-effect flooring, platform beds and flat screen TVs, offering areas that are highly functional, space-efficient and with a modern décor that provides extra comfort for budget-conscious travelers. Motel 6, Studio 6 and Hotel 6 rooms will also offer unique amenities to respond to the needs of the diverse market.

Japan crossed the 100,000 mark in Indian arrivals in 2016 and witnessed a total of 123,000 Indian visitors, informed Masahiko Sakamoto, Senior Director, Tourism Division, Bureau of Industrial and Labour Affairs at Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s first promotional activity on January 30 in New Delhi called Tokyo Wonderland. He said, “We are focusing on improving the arrival numbers from India through such promotional activities to showcase the culture and tourism products of Tokyo. 2020 is the year we host the Paralympic Games and are expecting a large inflow of tourists too.” He informed that places like Ginza and Shibuya are undergoing an infrastructure transformation and are some of the things to look forward to, apart from the cuisine, shopping, numerous nature parks and theme parks. The event showcased the city and its different attractions under five themes ‘Unique Culture’, ‘Excellent Dining’, ‘Exciting Shopping’, ‘Delightful Stay’ and ‘Comfortable Nature’ and also organised a Japanese tea ceremony for the attendees to experience.

The Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines will be conducting training sessions in Ahmedabad and Delhi this February, in conjunction with the DOT’s participation in OTM 2017 in Mumbai. The training sessions will be conducted by top suppliers from the Philippines in Ahmedabad on February 24 at Hyatt Ahmedabad and on February 27 in Delhi at The Lalit New Delhi. The objective of the workshop is to educate, interact and establish commercial ties with Indian trade in these cities. Representatives from DOT Philippines along with a 14 -member delegation will interact with over 400 key travel agents and tour operators, MICE and up-market leisure operators. SanJeet, Tourism Attaché, Philippines Tourism, said, “India being an important source market for Philippines tourism, such training sessions ( our first of 2017) will provide an excellent platform to showcase the destination’s products and services. The Indian travellers’ palate has become experimental and therefore, through our numerous trade initiatives, we envisage the influencers of the Indian travel market to sell the destination more effectively to the end consumers.” The programme for the workshop will include presentations by officials of DOT Philippines, DMCs and hotels from the Philippines in addition to Q&A, detailed networking sessions, entertainment by Filipino artists and a special lucky draw for the participants.