Air passengers might have a reason to smile this Diwali season as average airfares on many domestic routes have dropped 20-25% compared to the year-ago period, according to an analysis by ixigo. The prices are for one-way average fare on a 30 days APD (advanced purchase date) basis.

DCT-Abu Dhabi will host the first-of-its-kind APAC Travel Marketplace in Al Ain on 15 and 16 October, connecting over 200 travel agents from the APAC region with 60 Abu Dhabi-based stakeholders. The B2B event is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen relationships with the APAC travel trade.

Hotels in India are witnessing unprecedented wedding bookings this season. Properties are nearly sold out for key dates, with rates increasing by up to 25%. Unique offerings and services are being launched to cater to the growing popularity of destination weddings in Udaipur, Goa, and beyond.

TripJack, India’s leading B2B travel-tech platform announced the appointment of Varun Mahajan as the new Head of Business for its Flights portfolio, effective May 2024. In his new role, Varun will work closely with founders Hussain Patel and Hasan Patel to drive TripJack’s vision forward and accelerate the company’s growth trajectory. Varun will lead TripJack’s largest division with a focus on building new lines of business, driving process transformation, and enhancing capability development. His leadership will be instrumental in shaping the future of TripJack’s flights portfolio as the company strengthens its position in the travel industry. Varun brings with him over 15 years of rich experience across diverse sectors. Most recently, he served as an Associate Partner at McKinsey India’s growth practice, where he spearheaded numerous sales and marketing transformations across industries for five years. His expertise lies in scaling businesses and implementing high-impact strategies to achieve significant growth. Prior to his tenure at McKinsey, Varun spent nearly a decade at Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) in various brand management, marketing, and sales roles. His deep-rooted experience in the consumer goods sector provides him with unique insights into building customer-focused strategies. Varun holds an MBA from the prestigious Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi. With a strong understanding of the Indian commercial landscape and a proven track record in B2B and B2B2C environments, Varun is well-positioned to strengthen TripJack’s ‘customer-first’ philosophy. His leadership will be pivotal as the company continues to enhance its offerings and expand its flights business in the face of a growing competitive market.  

Atout France, the France Tourism Development Agency recently organised the 6th edition of its annual B2B showcase Explore France at the JW Marriott in Goa from 7th to 11th October. A delegation of 23 key stakeholders representing the diversity of France’s touristic offering interacted with 50 members of the Indian travel trade fraternity over 2 days of pre-scheduled meetings and also interacted with trade media representatives. An approximate of 1100 meetings took place over these two days enabling the partners and agents to understand the evolution of travel trends and discuss potential business opportunities. This evolutive edition of the showcase commenced with a presentation for the delegation on the Indian travel landscape and the ever-evolving profile of the Indian traveller and trends prevalent in the country. The presentation included a showcase of the legacy of family run travel businesses in India and the importance of the family segment in Indian outbound travel by Neil Patil, COO, Veena World. There was an introduction also by NPCI Payments International Limited and Lyra on the importance and integration of UPI as a seamless mode of digital payments and its advancement in France. The opening dinner of the workshop took place in the presence of the Consul General of France in Mumbai Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet. In addition to the pre-scheduled meetings, this year, the delegation also had an opportunity to present their offerings to the assembled agents. An interactive visa session was also organised in association with the Consulate General of France in Mumbai and VFS Global to discuss visa procedures and address commonly asked queries by Sami Bouakaze – Consul and Deputy Head of Mission. The networking evenings provided many opportunities for the participants …

Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman invites the travel trade for an exclusive webinar focusing on the latest offerings of Oman. Gain valuable insights to help create enriched itineraries for your clients, showcasing the best of what Oman has to offer. Unlock Oman’s beauty for your valued clients. For more information, or to register, please contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman invites the travel trade for an exclusive webinar focusing on the latest offerings of Oman. Gain valuable insights to help create enriched itineraries for your clients, showcasing the best of what Oman has to offer. For more information, or to register, please contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman invites the travel trade for an exclusive webinar focusing on the latest offerings of Oman. Gain valuable insights to help create enriched itineraries for your clients, showcasing the best of what Oman has to offer. For more information, or to register, please contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.