Speaking at the inauguration of Swosti Premium Beach Resorts Puri, JK Mohanty, CMD, Swosti Resorts, said, “It is the first five-star property in Puri and will change the hospitality landscape of the town, which receives thousands of visitors from across the country as well as outside.”

KPMG and PHDCCI in its report titled ‘Sacred Journeys: Unfolding the Evolution and Growth of Pilgrimage and Spiritual Tourism in India’ said that pilgrimage and spiritual tourism are rapidly expanding within the global tourism sector, reflecting a growing interest in cultural, spiritual, and faith-based travel. With over 450,000 religious and cultural heritage sites, India offers a wealth of pilgrimage and spiritual landmarks, highlighting its growth, economic impact, and future opportunities.

VFS Global which manages visa applications for 52 countries from India, said that the volumes recorded in H1 2024, surpassed the same period in 2019 by 2%. It also witnessed an 11% YoY growth in application counts over H1 2023, said Yummi Talwar, COO – South Asia, VFS Global, adding that India has been witnessing an extended travel season over the past two years and we are confident the momentum would last till the year-end.

Highlighting India’s growing importance as a key tourism market for Moscow, Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman, Moscow City Tourism Committee, said, “India currently ranks as the 6th-largest source of tourists to the city, with an increasing number of Indian business professionals choosing Moscow as their preferred destination for business events.”

Kerala-based travel services operator Alhind Group has received the Civil Aviation Ministry’s initial nod to start an airline — Alhind Air. This takes the group’s ambition to enter India’s fast-growing aviation sector a step closer. The airline will start its operations by the end of 2024 after receiving the Air Operator Certificate from DGCA.

According to JLL’s Hotel Momentum India report the hospitality sector recorded a 4.8% growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR) in Q2 of 2024. Despite lower occupancy due to summer vacations, the industry expects a busy upcoming quarter driven by corporate travel and social events.

Switzerland Tourism invites the Indian outbound travel trade to attend an exclusive webinar to explore Zurich’s unique and exciting attractions including presentations by Zurich Tourism, FIFA Museum and Best of Switzerland Tours. Attend all webinars for a chance to win a trip to Switzerland in 2025! For more info, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Nok Air, a leading premium budget airline in Thailand, has launched its new nonstop daily service between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) and Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport (DMK). The new route will be operated by state-of-the-art Airbus 737-800 with 189 seats. Starting on October 28, 2024, the new route will offer convenient travel options for both business and leisure travellers seeking seamless connectivity between Thailand and India. With its well-known Thai hospitality service and tailored product offerings, Nok Air aims to provide passengers with an exceptional flying experience at an affordable price “This is a great milestone for Nok Air as we continue to increase our international network. This will enhance the travel connection from India to Bangkok and to our extensive domestic network. Not only well-known destinations like Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Krabi but also hidden gems across the country such as Chiang Rai, Nan, Udon Thani, Trang, and others,” said Wutthiphum Jurangkul, Chief Executive Officer, Nok Air. Passengers can purchase tickets starting on August 19, 2024, with travel periods from October 28, 2024, to March 29, 2025. With Round Trip fares starting from INR 16,000* and can be purchased on www.nokair.com or through preferred travel agents. Timetable Destination Flight Number Departure Arrival BOM-DMK DD939 02.05 07.45 DMK-BOM DD938 22.05 01.05+1 Nok Air also operates four weekly flights from Hyderabad to Don Muang Airport (DMK), offering convenient connections to Bangkok and over 20 destinations across Thailand.

Scylla AG & VIVA Cruises have joined hands with Global India Reps to introduce their premium river cruise brand in Europe to the Indian Market. Scylla AG, a leader in exclusive river cruises across Europe since 1973, has a fleet of 40 in-house designed ships that offer unparalleled experiences for tourists and event organisers alike. VIVA Cruises, established in 2018 as an extension of Scylla AG, specialises in river cruises tour operator that explores Europe’s most picturesque destinations. Operating year-round, VIVA Cruises’ modern fleet navigates the Rhine, Danube, Main, Moselle, Seine, Rhône, and the Baltic Sea coast. Global India Reps is a representative/marketing platform having the collective experience of almost 20 years in consulting, launching, promoting & creating a network for sourcing business for its Principals from India. Rony H Broun, Regional Vice President, says “I am delighted that through our collaboration with, Global India Reps, we can introduce VIVA Cruises Journeys, facilities, custom services to the Indian market. This collaboration is set to showcase the unique offerings and exceptional service standards of Scylla shipping company & VIVA Cruises to potential partners and customers in India. Outbound Travel from India presents a significant opportunity given the huge demand for this region and we wish to offer and serve the outbound travel market for 2024 & beyond.” Reach us at Booth F530, BLTM! “With their unique experience, strong trade relationships and proven track record of success launching new international products from India, we are confident that Global India Reps, headed by Mr. Ashish Saran will springboard and accelerate our entry into the Indian outbound market”, Broun added. Ashish Saran, Co-Founder & Business Head, Global India Reps added “there is a major …

SriLankan Airlines, aiming to capture travellers’ attention with its safety protocols, has launched a brand-new onboard safety video featuring a range of Sri Lanka’s most mesmerising scenic locations. In the air travel industry, disseminating safety information is a regulatory pre-requisite, as well as a precaution to ensure that every passenger is aware of safety provisions and protocols. The new safety video transcends this basic requirement by incorporating the island’s aesthetics and the signature warmth and care of SriLankan’s onboard service, to create a cinematic experience that is both informative and captivating. Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines, said, “We are delighted to launch our brand-new onboard safety video, which we premiered to over 200 international travel trade partners at the Global Sales Conference. This video replaces the one we have had for over a decade and offers a fresh perspective on the island home we proudly share with the world.” While drawing the viewer’s attention to vital safety details, the video unveils the tourist attractions of SriLankan Airlines’ hub, Sri Lanka. It transforms the flight cabin into various scenic ambiances, conveying that a journey aboard SriLankan Airlines to Sri Lanka is a visually captivating experience in itself. As the regulatory body, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) worked closely with the airline, where the input and valuable insights of the former were immensely helpful to deliver an accurate and universally comprehensible safety demonstration. The Inflight Entertainment system (IFE) version of the video includes subtitles in Sinhala and Tamil, enhancing the clarity and engagement of the safety guidelines being demonstrated. SriLankan Airlines has always been in the forefront of marketing quintessential island attributes to its global network, both …