After bagging the contract from Spain MAEC (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation – Spain), BLS International will open nearly 150 Spanish Visa Application Centers in 45 countries to support the Spanish Embassies and Consulates globally. Out of a total 128 Spanish Visa Centers, 53 are already operational from December 2016, and together the company expects to process approximately 1.8 million applications annually. The five-year contract is worth €175 million (Rs 1,300 crore), Recently, BLS International also announced the renewal order for four years from Russia and Singapore for outsourcing services to the Indian Embassies and Consulates. Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director and Additional Director, BLS International Services Limited said, “Through our association with Spain government, we intend to provide Spanish Visa’s effortlessly accessible by providing services in many small countries like Algeria, Ecuador, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Mauritania etc. We aim at expanding our foreign mission category by bagging global contracts particularly from Thailand and Canada governments, via a competitive process.” BLS International has commenced one Spanish Visa Application Center in each Delhi and Mumbai and at least one center in other countries around the globe including, Russia, Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, China, India, South Africa, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Bolivia, Kuwait, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Dominican, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Senegal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, Vietnam, Oman, Kenya, Cameroon, Scotland, Israel, Ghana, Qatar, Ukraine, Thailand, Philippines, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Tunisia, Nigeria, Armenia, Belarus, Iraq, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan. The company plans to open several more offices in these locations in 2017.

Under the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Regional Connectivity Scheme, the Airports Authority Of India (AAI) has received 43 initial proposals from 11 bidders covering 190 routes. These proposals are now open for counter-bidding. Under the scheme, 30 currently served airports, 12 currently underserved airports and 50 currently unserved airports (making a total of 92 airports) are expected to be connected based on the initial proposals.

Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) was inaugurated on January 20, 2016, at Hotel Centre Point, Nagpur in the presence of Satinder S. Ahuja, Honorary Counsul, Consulate of Georgia, Marzban Antia, Vice President, TAAI, Ankush Nijhawan, MD, Nijhawan Group, and SanJeet, Vice Chairman, PATA India and MD, DDP Group, among other dignitaries. Harmandeep Singh Anand, Co-founder, GPS and MD, Jagsons Travels, informed that 108 exhibitors showcased their various products and offerings for the Tier II and Tier III markets. The event was attended by over 600 buyers. “If we see the multiplier effect, then approximately for 108 exhibitors and 1,000 buyers, 100,000 meetings can be done. This is a huge number. We have witnessed 99 per cent success in terms of exchange of e-cards.” The GPS mobile application launched for the 5th edition has been a huge success, Anand informed adding that the application is undergoing constant upgrade. He informed that to facilitate live feed and news, TravTalk will be integrated in the application. In the upcoming events, video conferencing facilities will also be made available to the attendees. “The buyers and exhibitors can maintain the database and keep in touch even after the show. All data can be found at one marketplace which will bring together the big and small service providers as well as all kinds of travel agents and tour operators in the Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha a region” he added. He further informed that five per cent of the profit from GPS this year will be contributed to Dr. Amit Samarth, a doctor by profession but a sports and fitness promoter in India, in order to fund his endeavour to compete in race across America challenge in 2017. …

The Outbound Tour Operators Association of lndia (OTOAl) has written to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley regarding the recent amendment in Service Tax, which would impact outbound tour markets. Explaining how the agents will not be given any input credit on the tax they pay, OTOAI has said that this would hamper the growth of the tourism industry. OTOAI has urged the finance minister to consider that the abatement available to tour operator should be amended to provide a choice to the tour operator to opt for a lower abatement along with CENVAT credit on input services or opt for a higher abatement without claiming the CENVAT credit on input services. The letter undersigned by OTOAI President Guldeep Singh Sahni reads, “As the actual margin earned by the tour operators is only 3 to 5 per cent, the increase in taxable value to 60 per cent will significantly negatively impact the sector and increase the cost of outbound tours.”

Tourism Australia has yet again witnessed noteworthy growth statistics from Maharashtra, retaining the State’s position as a key tourism source market in India. As of year ended (YE) September 2016, Maharashtra has recorded an increase of 25 per cent in tourist arrivals, and a remarkable increase of 18 per cent in spend. The state witnessed 53,800 visitors to Australia, contributing A$232 mn (Rs. 1,160 crores) to the Australian economy, with an average spend of Rs 2.15 lacs per person. Total arrivals from India for the year ended November 2016 were recorded at 256,400, an increase of 11.5 per cent relative to the same period the previous year, making India the 9th largest inbound market for Australia. Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager, India & Gulf, Tourism Australia, said, “We are extremely delighted that all our focused consumer and distribution initiatives in Maharashtra have paid off, resulting in a stupendous increase in arrivals and spend from the state. Going forward, we are positive that our extensive analysis of the market, in tandem with our key distribution partners and airlines, will provide us with the requisite insights to modify and transform our approach to cater to the requirements of travellers from Maharashtra. We will continue to reach out to our audience through a mix of traditional and evolving communication platforms. Maharashtra has undoubtedly been our fastest growing market and we will put in our best efforts to keep up the momentum and further drive visitation to Australia.” Tourism Australia has undertaken several focused activities in Maharashtra. One such successful association was that with Veena World. As part of the collaboration, eminent Marathi television and film stars who travelled to Australia for MAAI (Marathi Achievers …

Australian accommodation provider Oaks Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Oaks Bodhgaya, marking the brand’s debut in India. Part of Minor Hotels portfolio of brands, the group has partnered with GP Group and Top Travel & Tours to open the new hotel, which represents an overall investment of $6.7m. The 78-room hotel includes 74 deluxe rooms offer 30 square metres of space and feature twin beds, a walk-in shower and some have a bathtub. Three suites, each offering 66 square metres of space, feature a king size bed, two bathrooms with a bathtub, a lounge and dining area. Designed specifically with disabled access, a deluxe suite of 40 square metres is equipped with two bathrooms featuring walk-in showers, along with well-planned living and dining areas. Business and event guests can take advantage of the banquet hall. “We are very excited to announce the opening of Oaks Bodhgaya which represents Minor Hotels’ debut in India,” said Thomas Meier, Minor Hotels Senior Vice President Operations – Asia. “Minor Hotels has been looking for the right opportunity to expand its footprint into India and we are pleased to have partnered with GP Group and Top Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd to launch our Oaks brand in this new market which has huge potential.” Sanjog Modgil, Vice President Hospitality, of GP Group, commented, “The GP Group has long recognised the potential of the Indian Buddhist Circuit and we are delighted to partner with Minor Hotels and Top Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd to launch Oaks Bodhgaya, which marks the first step in establishing our presence on this world famous circuit in India.” Home to Mahabodhi Temple, where Buddha is said to have …

Online travel portal, Yatra has revealed its new brand identity and logo. Commenting on the occasion, Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C), Yatra said, “Today we are much more than a booking site for flights, hotels and packages. We are a travel marketplace. And our new logo symbolises just that. The change in brand identity is coupled with the evolution of Yatra’s product offering, covering an unmatched range across flights, hotels, holidays, bus, train, cabs, homestays, activities and cruises.  Today we have everything that a traveller needs on our site, and truly the one-stop travel platform for Indians. We are bursting with new ideas, with new discoveries to be made, and newer journeys to be experienced.” Speaking on the new brand identity, Vikrant Mudaliar, Chief Marketing Officer, Yatra said, “The change in brand identity is not only about the change in logo and colour but also a change in what the brand stands for along with the branding elements such as tonality, communication, look and feel. The new red logo showcases the richness of our experience and the expansive depth of our product portfolio. It also helps us to stand out in an increasingly cluttered media environment and at the same time lends a sense of confidence and reliability to our brand. The changed Yatra logo is fluid, just like travel should be. The new logo type face is hand drawn and inspired from the trail of a journey. The logo is free flowing and not bound, just like our plans should be. The logo stands for a seamless travel experience that Yatra provides with the new marketplace model.”

Niraamaya Retreats has completed the enhancements of its Thekkady property, and the revamped Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club is now open for guests. Complementing the existing plantation-style cottages, the newly added rooms are built on stilts to maximise the majestic mountain views. The rooms have cleverly positioned floor-to-ceiling windows, so guests can wake up to stunning views of nature. The interiors, a play of muted tones with pops of colour feature minimal decoration and vibrant art. All rooms will have air-conditioning, a feature exclusive to only a few properties in the region; and amenities such as minibar, Wi-Fi, and luxurious bath amenities.

Global assistance and travel insurance provider, TrawellTag Cover-More has announced a partnership with GoAir India wherein the insurance provider will offer specialised travel assistance services including insurance for GoAir passengers opting for domestic travel. The association rides on Cover-More’s upgrade of their proprietary optimisation platform, ‘Impulse’ which works in real time to offer travel protection plans matching the customer’s profile based on the details provided while booking tickets. Cover-More’s expertise has enabled it to serve clients like Malaysia Airlines, Air New Zealand & Virgin Atlantic. This alliance perfectly marries with GoAir’s motto of ‘Fly Smart’ that is aimed at offering passengers a holistic, quality-assured, and time-efficient service through value for money in fares and services. Dev Karvat, MD & CEO, TrawellTag Cover-More, said “’Impulse’ is the key to our new strategic partnership as it not only equips the travelers with holistic travel protection but also enables our client to enhance ancillary revenue though an agile online technology. Indians are gradually realizing the risks of travelling even within the country and service providers have taken up the onus of educating travellers and ensuring they travel smart and safe.” He added that TrawellTag Cover-More has upgraded its team and infrastructure to provide dedicated support to GoAir in product innovation, claims management and emergency assistance.

India ranks among the top 10 business travel markets with a spend of $ 29.6 billion in 2015. This was revealed in a white paper titled ‘Business Travel in India’ Emerging Trends & Opportunities’ released by FCM Travel Solutions along with KPMG. The report also details business travel spending in top 15 countries across multiple sectors over a period of five years. India is all poised to lead this growth and accordingly by 2030 business travel spending in India will have trebled from the present levels. The paper gives a comprehensive glimpse in to where and how business travellers in India are spending. Asia has become the world’s largest business-travel market, and trends suggest India’s significance within APAC will only grow with time. Rakshit Desai, Managing Director, Flight Centre Travel Group – India said, “In order to understand how emerging trends will impact business travel programs in the near future, it is first important to understand the perspective of business travellers today. Consequently for corporates, managing business travel is becoming increasingly complex, with changing traveller preferences, integration with mobile technology, and strategies adopted by travel suppliers. This white paper helps analyze the disruptive changes happening today and forecasts how they will impact managed travel processes, the Indian business traveller experience and their expectations in the near future. It also examines the impact of technology on the way business travellers would purchase products and services, thereby predicting leading trends until 2030. The report identifies six key business travel trends and reveals new travel behaviours of the future – Increasing number of business travellers relying on user generated content and mobile devices. With an increase in online and mobile booking tools and …