The Great Indian Travel Bazaar 2024, served as a pivotal platform for Goa Tourism which was held from May 5th-7th, 2024 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. This prestigious event gathered travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, and other influential stakeholders from all around the world, to not only highlight but also explore the diverse and rich tapestry of India’s tourism offerings. At GITB, Goa Tourism’s presentation emerged as a focal point, captivating attendees and sparking their imaginations with the promise of unforgettable experiences. With its pristine coastlines, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant entertainment scene, Goa enraptured travelers from around the globe. Led by dedicated delegates such as Mr. Sanjeev Ahuja, Secretary Tourism, Government of Goa Mr. Dhiraj Vagle, Deputy Director Tourism, Government of Goa, and Mr. Akshay Govekar, Manager Marketing, GTDC, the delegation showcased the essence of the state through captivating display, leaving an indelible impression on all those present. Their efforts not only drew attention to Goa’s unique offerings but also reaffirmed its status as a premier travel destination within India. At GITB 2024, Goa Tourism’s pavilion stood as a beacon of immersive experiences, showcasing not only the state’s picturesque beaches and vibrant culture but also its commitment to Regenerative Tourism. Leveraging cutting-edge technology such as virtual reality and interactive screens, visitors could experience the serene landscapes and cultural gems of Goa. The pavilion didn’t just highlight the typical tourist attractions; it delved deeper into the essence of Regenerative Tourism, showcasing Goa’s sustainable initiatives and community-driven projects. From eco-conscious accommodations to organic farming experiences, Goa Tourism emphasized its dedication to preserving the environment and supporting local communities. As visitors immersed themselves in the interactive displays, they delved into Goa’s multifaceted allure, discovering …

Today, Jumeirah unveils its new brand identity marking a key milestone in its growth strategy to double the size of the portfolio by 2030. The new visual identity is the first stage in a journey of brand evolution designed to inspire a new perspective of luxury for discerning travellers. Building on its origins and reputation for generous hospitality, the move will see Jumeirah reaffirm its position as an industry pioneer, with curated experiences that shape perceptions and trends. As part of its accelerated growth strategy, Jumeirah has recently announced new properties including Jumeirah Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab in the United Arab Emirates and Jumeirah Le Richemond Geneva in Switzerland. Jumeirah’s renewed vision and investment strategy will also see a focus on boutique style properties featuring up to 150 keys, prioritising suite category rooms and villas and residences. The luxury hospitality brand is actively targeting owner and operator opportunities in gateway cities and resort destinations in Europe, The Americas, Africa, and Asia. Thomas Meier, Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer at Jumeirah said: “Twenty-five years ago, we opened the iconic Jumeirah Burj Al Arab with ambitions to redefine luxury hospitality and over the years we have built an exceptional portfolio of properties across three continents. Today we look to the future of our brand and business with the same pioneering spirit and a robust strategy that will enable the next stage of sustainable growth for Jumeirah. Refining our visual identity and enhancing our guest experience is the first step on a journey of regional and international expansion, that will captivate the most discerning of traveller. We have strong foundations to build from and an exceptionally …

Fourteen members of the Travel Agents Federation of India, Karnataka Chapter recently flew from Bengaluru to Sindhudurg’s Chipi airport with India’s youngest airline, FLY91, to explore the tourism and trade opportunities in south Maharashtra’s emerging travel destination. The three-day FAM trip to Sindhudurg was facilitated by FLY91. During the trip the agents toured various beaches surrounding Sindhudurg, like Chivala, Tarkarli and Devbag and explored water sports and cultural offerings in Maharashtra’s southernmost district. The TAFI-Karnataka delegation comprised of Shanthi Sony, managing partner of Sonys Travel Lines and secretary of TAFI-Karnataka, Sitesh Parekh, managing partner of Active Skylink Travels and treasurer of TAFI-Karnataka, Shekar G. Kandur, founder and managing partner at Flight Shop Holidays, among several others. According to Ashutosh Chitnis, Chief Revenue Officer, FLY91, “The delegation of travel agents registered with TAFI’s Karnataka chapter who were flown onboard FLY91 from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to Chipi airport in Sindhudurg, was also given a tour of a popular cashew processing factory and introduced to local businessmen linked to the travel and tourism industries to explore exciting tourism offerings and experiential opportunities in Sindhudurg.” Competing with the tourism prowess of Goa, the neighbouring Maharashtra district is aspiring to be a popular beach tourism destination as well as a hub for the production of the popular Alphonso mangoes and a traditional food processing industry. With FLY91, India’s pure play airline, enhancing air connectivity to and from Sindhudurg’s Chipi airport to destinations like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, etc. The travel sector is keen to explore Maharashtra’s tourism-oriented district for touristic and trade-related opportunities.

The International Air Transport Association released data for March 2024 global passenger demand with the following highlights: Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers , was up 13.8% compared to March 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers , was up 12.3% year-on-year. The March load factor was 82.0% (+1.0ppt compared to March 2023). International demand rose 18.9% compared to March 2023; capacity was up 18.8% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 81.6% (+0.1ppt on March 2023). Domestic demand rose 6.6% compared to March 2023; capacity was up 3.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+2.5ppt compared to March 2023). Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General said, “Demand for travel is strong. And there is every indication that this should continue into the peak Northern Summer travel season. It is critical that we have the capacity to meet this demand and ensure a hassle-free travel experience for passengers. That means making urgent progress to resolve supply chain issues and for airports and air traffic management to be fully staffed and operating at maximum efficiency. While airlines are prepared for customer care and assistance when operational issues arise, they are fed-up of bearing the cost when delays and cancellations are the result of poor preparation in other parts of the value chain.” Air Passenger Market in Detail MARCH 2024 (% YEAR-ON-YEAR) WORLD SHARE​1 RPK ASK PLF(%-PT)​2 PLF(LEVEL)​3 Total Market 100% 13.8% 12.3% 1.0% 82.0% Africa 2.1% 10.0% 12.3% -1.5% 72.1% Asia Pacific 31.7% 24.2% 17.9% 4.3% 83.5% Europe 27.1% 10.6% 10.2% 0.3% 80.9% Latin America 5.5% 10.9% 8.8% 1.5% 83.1% Middle East 9.4% 10.5% 13.6% -2.1% 77.5% North America 24.2% 6.3% 7.6% -1.0% 83.7% 1) % of industry RPKs in 2023    …

In a recent development Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) has once again revived its India strategy. The tourism administration has ventured into India market establishing its presence once again that was disrupted because Covid-19 pandemic. Taiwan is keen to posit itself as a popular destination for Indian MICE, wedding and leisure travellers. In hence to restart India marketing plan more efficiency, TTA Singapore Office has appointed BlinkBrand Solution as its representative in order to drive its India market growth plan through comprehensive and integrated 360 degree strategy. Blink will leverage its unique expertise and strengths and closely work with various channels encompassing travel trade partners, various consumer, and digital media platforms, among others, in order to boost Taiwan’s visibility and destination leadership in the Indian market. Commenting on Taiwan latest entry into the Indian market Mr. Joseph Cheng, Director of TTA Singapore office, said, “India is fast emerging as one of the biggest tourism source markets in the world and we are very interested in developing India market for us. At the same Taiwan’s diversity of tourism products are second to none and we wanted to work with somebody who not only understands this but is also very familiar with the destination itself. In Blink Brand Solutions, we have a partner whom we have worked with and have full confidence in their ability to deliver for us. Moreover, Blink’s CEO Mr. Noel Saxena’s association with our destination, aspirations and expectations and our way of working is more than a decade old and, therefore, gives us tremendous confidence in the Indian market going forward.” Noel Saxena, CEO, Blink Brand Solutions said, “We are delighted to welcome Taiwan back into the Indian market. …

The luxury resort in Munnar, Chandy’s Windy Woods, secured 11th position in World’s Top 25 hotels list of Tripadvisor Travelers Choice Award 2024. Windy Woods also got the No.1 position among top 25 hotels in India. The winners are selected from over 8 million hotels listed in the Worlds most trusted and largest online review platform Tripadvisor. Apart from the above awards Chandy’s Windy Woods is also ranked No.7 among Top Hotels in Asia, No 6 among World’s 25 Luxury hotels, No.4 among Asia’s Top 25 Luxury hotels and No.1 among India’s Top 25 Luxury hotels. Windy Woods Munnar is the only hotel from India found a place in the coveted list of World’s Top 25 hotels and that makes this achievement so special. Chandy’s Windy Woods is located at the most picturesque area of Munnar and its unique architectural design that merges with the landscape of that terrain. This ecofriendly design compliments with facilities matching international standards, highly personalised services considering likes and dislike of their individual guests, the high-quality food with authentic taste differentiate Chandy’s Windy Woods from others. This is not the first time that Tripadvisor Travelers Choice Awards are conferred to Chandy’s Windy Woods. In the years 2020 and 2021 Chandy’s Windy Woods was placed No.12 in the World and No1 in India for two consecutive years. Chandy’s Hotels and Resorts have two properties in Munnar. The first one, Chandy’s Windy Woods is a Five Star classified hotel having 48 rooms with facilities including Swimming Pool, Spa, Health Club, Multi-cuisine Restaurant, Wine and Beer Parlour and Conference Hall. The second property, Chandy’s Drizzle Drops is located at Top Station, which is a boutique resort having 12 …

An iconic hotel in the heart of Mayfair has delcare the appointment of an experienced Director of Operations – as it looks to ‘shake up’ its offering as a premier London destination with exciting plans for 2024 and beyond. DUKES London, one of the capital’s most renowned hotels, recently welcomed Dusko Babic as its new Director of Operations, who is already applying his more than 20 years of worldwide experience in providing guests with the highest degree of hospitality and customer service to take the hotel’s operation strategy into a new era. Having worked in operational roles within established hotels for many years, including in an EMEA Franchise Services Team overseeing a portfolio of more than 470 hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Dusko brings a wealth of experience to the position. His two decades in the industry have also seen him work closely with stakeholders, providing operational support and training, and coordinating processes and programmes for hotel portfolios. Dusko said: “I’m delighted to have joined such an esteemed team and venue and I can’t wait to apply my skills to elevate its offering even further. At DUKES London, we provide the very best of quintessential British hospitality in London and create unforgettable memories for our guests and team members. I am extremely proud to be one of the ambassadors for DUKES London and look forward to our phenomenal future.” The newly appointed Director of Operations has already set the wheels in motion by   announcing a new classic comfort menu in the DUKES Great British Restaurant. In addition, the luxury hotel will be launching a new afternoon tea offering in early May to be held in the British …

Imagine stepping into a hotel room and being greeted by breathtaking sunset views every evening. With the introduction of the world’s first sunset view rating system for luxury hotel rooms, Corona India makes sure you get the sunset you were promised. Now being piloted at a selection of luxury hotels including the CGH Brunton Boatyard, Niraamaya Surya Samudra and Brij Laxman Sagar located in Kochi, Kovalam and Pali respectively. Corona’s unique campaign around stunning sunset views is set to capture every traveller’s heart. Conceptualized in partnership with Digitas India, part of Publicis Groupe India, the campaign enables luxury travellers to check out the sunset rating of iconic hotels across the country on CRED Escapes, a luxury travel platform for India’s 1%. With nearly 90% of people in cities spending their time indoors, the allure of sun tourism has been on the rise. Recognizing this trend, Corona India set out to create a unique solution—a sunset visual quality rating system akin to a Michelin Star for restaurants. This innovative approach guarantees travellers the opportunity to witness nature’s wonder with certainty, transforming fleeting moments into cherished memories. Developed by an interdisciplinary team of atmospheric scientists and big data analysts, the rating system utilizes 43 years of historical atmospheric data from ECMWF and NASA to establish a new benchmark in sunset quality. The prediction model analyses various parameters such as location, wind speed, AQI and cloud cover to score the sunset quality from a hotel room on a 5-point scale. Vineet Sharma, Vice President Marketing & Trade Marketing, AB InBev India said, “We all believe in taking a moment from our busy everyday lives to enjoy the beauty of sunsets. If a hotel room can …

BWH Hotels is proud to announce the appointment of Medha Tiwari as Head of Sales & Marketing for the regions of India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Medha brings over two decades of invaluable experience in the hospitality industry, having worked with renowned brands such as ITC, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Lalit Hotels, Interstate Hotels, and The Park Hotels. Throughout her illustrious career, Medha has consistently demonstrated her expertise in driving new business, providing exceptional customer service, and fostering strategic partnerships with stakeholders and executives to enhance commercial value. Her exceptional ability to build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers, establish large-volume accounts, and ensure client retention and loyalty has been instrumental in her success. Medha’s leadership qualities shine throughout her track record of motivating staff members and transforming teams into record-breaking units. Her dedication to excellence, coupled with her integrity, character, and strong work ethic, has earned her widespread recognition in the industry. Medha Tiwari holds a Professional Development Programme from Cornell University in Strategic Pricing and Hotel Administration, in addition to an MBA from Amity University and a hospitality degree from the Institute of Hotel Management, Gwalior. She has honed her expertise in sales & marketing, revenue management, distribution, and branding over the course of her career.

Le Cordon Bleu, the globally renowned network of hospitality and culinary schools, is delighted to announce the appointment of Chef Thierry Le Baut as the Academic Director at its GD Goenka University campus. Chef Le Baut is a celebrated culinary maestro with a global reputation in hospitality, culinary arts, and pastry arts. As a veteran, he has led the kitchens of Michelin-starred establishments and spearheaded the Le Cordon Bleu Manila and Ottawa campuses as Executive Director, earning him international acclaim. As the new Academic Director at Le Cordon Bleu Gurugram, Chef Le Baut brings a wealth of experience and a passion for excellence that will elevate the learning experience to new heights. He is committed to nurturing students’ academic journey, fostering creativity, and instilling the highest standards of culinary and hospitality artistry. Under the expert guidance of Chef Le Baut, students will embark on a remarkable journey encompassing all elements of the culinary and hospitality world. Furthermore, his international experience will broaden the horizons of the students at the campus as he will be instrumental in creating pathways for exchange programs with over 35 LCB campuses worldwide. ”I am delighted be a part of Le Cordon Bleu, Gurugram as the Academic Director. With a comprehensive global experience and a strong commitment to excellence, I am excited to lead the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals towards unparalleled success. The Indian hospitality industry has immense potential, and I firmly believe that our students will play a pivotal role in shaping its future,” said Chef Thierry Le Baut. Ms. Kim Menezes, Vice Chancellor, GD Goenka University said, ”Chef Thierry Le Baut’s expertise and global experience will undoubtedly empower students to excel …