Through new partnerships for the distribution on the local market the company will offer its itineraries in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean and in the United Arab Emirates, with distinguished hospitality, an extended culinary offer, while introducing innovative Sea & Land experiences. Costa Cruises officialises its distribution network for the Indian market by appointing three new travel partners. By bring their extensive knowledge and expertise, Rayna Tours, Sharaf Travel, and Cruise Carrot, in addition to Lotus Aero Enterprise that was already representing Costa in the country, will extend the opportunity to made Costa cruises available to local consumers. Through a new team of four preferred sales agents, Costa aims at offering its cruises to both the incentive market and to those customers who prefer an international style holiday and want to explore Europe by visiting different countries and destinations in a one single voyage, like a cruise with Costa can offer. Mirco Vassallo, International Sales Director, Costa Cruises declared, “We are thrilled to be represented in the Indian market by our selected travel partners and cruise specialists. I am confident that through their collaboration and mutual exchange, we will be able to introduce more Indian guests to our product proposition made of hospitality, entertainment, and culinary offerings.” Costa can offer Indian travellers a wide range of opportunities thanks to its itineraries in the Western Mediterranean (Italy, France, Spain), the Eastern Mediterranean (Greece and Turkey), Northern Europe, Caribbean and in the United Arab Emirates during the winter season. Onboard, guests can enjoy themed restaurants, including the famous Teppanyaki and Archipelago restaurants as well as a diverse gastronomy offer with an international dining experience, vegetarian options and Indian tastes. Not to miss …

As Uttar Pradesh is set to promote Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 domestically and globally, a senior official informed that the budget for Kumbh has jumped 78 per cent from 4,200 crore in 2019 to ₹7,500 crore in 2025. More than 380 development projects have been launched along with infra boost and other tourism projects.

India has generated ₹1.71 lakh crore in foreign exchange earnings through tourism from January 2024 to August 2024. It grew by 15.64 per cent between January 2024 to August 2024. Furthermore, it witnessed 36.5 per cent growth in 2023 over the previous year as per the official statement of Union Ministry of Tourism.

A land where golden desert dunes meet the turquoise embrace of the ocean, where ancient forts stand over vibrant souks, and where nature unfolds in a breathtaking tapestry of canyons, beaches, and wildlife sanctuaries. That land is Al Sharqiya Governorate in Oman, a gem waiting to be discovered. It is a place where adventure and tranquillity coexist. Al Sharqiya Governorate has a bit of everything. The vast desert of Sharqiya Sands, the magnificent cliffs and unspoiled beaches stretching east from Tiwi to Sur and south to the island of Masirah, the dramatic gorges and fertile wadis of the eastern end of the Hajar mountains and the historic towns of Sur, Ibra and Sinaw. There are coral reefs, mudflats and lagoons frequented by large bird populations and multiple turtle nesting sites along the coastline; indeed, a natural paradise unfolds in Al Sharqiya. Tourists can discover: Wadi Shab: A hidden gem between towering cliffs, a stunning turquoise pool—dare to swim under a vast rock and discover a secret, shimmering mountain cavern. Ras Al Jinz: The best place to see nesting Green Turtles is at Ras Al Jinz. Oman is home to nesting sites for four different species of turtle, the endangered Green Turtle, the Olive Ridley Turtle, the Loggerhead Turtle and the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle. Wadi Bani Khalid: A great place to spend a leisurely day hiking, swimming, picnicking and caving (for those who have the proper equipment and experience). The wadi has been dammed to form artificial pools that are used to irrigate the oasis downstream. The pools are surrounded by palm trees and immense orangey-red rocky outcrops, providing an attractive backdrop to your picnic. Sharqiya Sands: Entering Sharqiya Sands …

Travstarz Global Group, a Trip.com invested company hosted a networking evening and training for its travel agent partners at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Amritsar on 25th November, 2024. The extremely successful event saw a packed crowd with over 45 agent partners joining in for the evening from Amritsar and even Jallandhar. Pankaj Nagpal, Managing Director, Travstarz Global Group added, “Over the last one year this is our 3rd event at Amritsar besides Chandigarh and Ludhiana covering all major Punjab cities and we have received an overwhelming response each time at our events. Other than the event, we have received tremendous support for all our destinations from Punjab partners specially Amritsar for Baku, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Dubai & Abu Dhabi and USA and Canada. The show showcased our entire portfolio of products and destinations specially focussing on Japan and Georgia which has been recently added to our DMC list. We already have unmatched offerings for USA and Canada both with over 600 short and long-haul itineraries for these countries alone now with our headquarters in Los Angeles, USA and Punjab has been a strong support market for these destinations” Vani Singh, Vice President, Travstarz Global Group said, “Our focus has always been Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and we have witnessed the large volume of outbound business coming from these cities. These shows and networking events are our way to reconnect with our partners to apprise them of all new products and to thank them for their support to us. We plan to host more events in each of the coming months till April 2024 across the country moving to South India as well”  

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has woven sustainability into every aspect of its operations, driven by a deep understanding of the environmental impact of modern air travel. Through initiatives in waste reduction, energy conservation, and resource management, CSMIA is setting a new benchmark in the Indian aviation industry—leading the way towards a cleaner and greener future in air travel. Minimising waste across operations At the core of CSMIA’s sustainability efforts is a powerful waste management system that has diverted 99.6 per cent of its waste from landfills. CSMIA has streamlined various initiatives to minimise waste across the operations: Waste Segregation and Recycling: A comprehensive waste management system includes waste segregation at source and safe disposal through authorised vendors across both commercial and cargo operations. Plastic Waste Reduction: CSMIA is a proud flag bearer of green initiatives in the Indian Aviation industry, under which Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) were installed to encourage passengers and the airport community to recycle plastic bottles by safely disposing them in RVM’s Organic Waste Management: Organic waste from food and beverage outlets is processed in an on-site composting facility, producing compost for landscaping. E-Waste Management: The airport has set up e-waste collection points for the proper collection of electronic waste generated within the airport. Mumbai Airport disposes all the e-waste via authorised vendors. Tissue-less toilets: To minimise paper waste, hand dryers have been installed in washrooms, significantly cutting tissue paper consumption. Through these innovative steps, CSMIA is creating cleaner, greener, and more sustainable airport experience. Engaging passengers in sustainability efforts A key part of CSMIA’s sustainability drive is engaging passengers to create a culture of shared responsibility. To make recycling simple and intuitive, CSMIA has …

British Airways has unveiled its brand-new First seat, combining elegant design with expert British craftsmanship, reflective of modern British luxury travel. The new cabin forms part of the airline’s A380 retrofit plans, expected to take to the skies in mid-2026. The airline’s new first class has been carefully designed to provide the feel of a modern luxury hotel, alongside home comforts and thoughtful British touches at 35,000ft. The seat has been beautifully curated by expert designers and world-class manufacturers from all corners of Great Britain and Ireland, including London, Glasgow, West Yorkshire, Kilkeel and Dublin. British Airways has unveiled a game changing new First Seat for its customers, combining elegant design features, reflective of modern British luxury travel The airline is the only European carrier to offer First class from London to the US and has worked alongside expert designers and world-class manufacturers to produce a modern luxury seat, championing the best of British craftsmanship Carefully designed to provide customers with a modern luxury hotel feel, the seat also combines home comforts and thoughtful British touches New features include a wider and longer seat, a 32-inch TV screen, buddy dining, optimal sense of space and privacy, with a personal luggage space The new seat is ultra-wide (36.5inches), with a bed length of 79inches, and features a multi-purpose ottoman and elegant storable table, a 32-inch 4K TV screen, adjustable mood lighting including scenes such as ‘relax’, ‘dine’ and ‘cinema’. The seat can be adjusted with the touch of a button to find the perfect level of comfort and is located within a cocooned 60-inch curved wall for ultimate privacy, whilst still providing a spacious environment. For customers travelling together in the centre …

Nestled along the Atlantic coast in Southwestern France, often overlooked by the tourists for the more popular Paris, French Rivera or the Champagne region, lies the small but magnificent beach town of Arcachon. Famous for its expansive beaches, fresh oysters, the majestic Dune du Pilat, Arcachon truly captures the essence of coastal France. Whether you want to experience slow-living and spend a leisure day at the beach or whether you want to improve your surfing and sailing skills and finish the day at the casino well into the wee hours of the morning, Arcachon offers a unique blend of experiences that is both tranquil and invigorating. In April 2024, my trip to France brought me to Paris and Bordeaux, where I had the opportunity to explore numerous tourist attractions including the world-renowned vineyards of Saint-Émilion. And then I decided to visit Aracachon, a place I had never heard of before, but a place whose elegance and radiance is now etched in my memory for a lifetime. From Bordeaux, Arcachon is less than an hour train ride away and the Gare d’Arcachon (train station of Arcachon) is less than 100 metres away from the main beach (Plage d’Arcachon) and the city centre. And these, are a sight to behold!! From the beach volleyball players, chic boutiques and people savouring seafood delicacies, I knew I was in for a delight. My first destination was the ‘Dune du Pilat.’ The bus Baïa, ligne 3 (line 3) goes directly to the dune from the station (and back for €2/- one way), or you can bring your bikes with you from Bordeaux, OR you can walk the 9 km route along the beautiful city or …

TAAI, celebrating its journey from 1951 to 2026, will launch the ‘TAAI 75 Years’ initiative in early 2025. Sunil Kumar, President, said, “We’re starting early to ensure the initiative grows and transitions into a significant industry event. The celebrations will honour our legacy, foster partnerships, and highlight the evolution of India’s travel industry.”

The contribution of the tourism sector to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2022-23 stood at five per cent, the government informed Parliament. In a written response in the Lok Sabha, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Tourism Minister, stated that the total foreign tourist arrivals in 2023 stood at 9.52 million.