Kerala Tourism is all set to replace its traditional tourist information centres with robotic and automatic kiosks to digitalise the information delivery system. P. A. Mohamed Riyas, Minister, Kerala Tourism, highlighted that introducing robotic kiosks at railway stations is part of a broader effort to modernise and digitalise Kerala’s tourism infrastructure.

Nirav Kapadia, Owner, Get Set Go Travel won the ‘Best Customised Tour Operator’ award at the India Travel Awards 2024. Having completed 4+ years in the travel consultancy market, the company has set a benchmark for others in terms of exceptional work and satisfactory services.

“Demand for international travel is strong. We are exploring new markets and continue to add destinations,” said, Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo, adding that the airline may launch flights to Penang and Langkawi in Malaysia in the coming months. Further, it will add three more international destinations before next March, increasing its global footprint to 40 destinations.

Suggesting that India has to create an enabling environment for the market forces to unleash with aggression in terms of investments in the sector to realise the sector’s true potential, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, MOT, said, “Tourism currently contributes 5.6% to the country’s GDP which is quite low. The task is to double it in the next 10 years by encouraging market forces to invest aggressively in the sector.”

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and held discussions on promoting the state’s religious sites, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, and cultural heritage at the national and international levels. He also requested the Union Minister for cooperation to develop infrastructure in view of the state’s increasing population.

ADTOI successfully concluded its 2024 elections, resulting in the appointment of a new Managing Committee consisting of six Office Bearers and eight Managing Committee Members. Ved Khanna of Tourwala Enterprises has been elected as the new President of ADTOI for the 2024-2026 term, succeeding PP Khanna. After assuming the office, Khanna said, “We aim to organise a special drive to encourage our members to go for MOT approvals, make efforts with authorities for simplified GST structure for better trade practices, open more ADTOI chapters for increased participation, collaborate with State Tourism Boards for promotion of local destinations, and put more emphasis on cultural and culinary tourism. Efforts are underway to have grand conventions, trade shows and tourism conclaves at regular intervals.” Responding about the possible challenges he might face, Khanna said, “I see no big challenges in the process besides minor barriers which I am sure we would overcome.”

Diana Marin Acosta, Senior Vice President, Head of Global & Luxury Sales, Minor Hotel, said that they want to keep growing partnerships and build brand awareness by organising roadshows in India. “We are ready to open one property in Jaipur next month and are committed to opening 50 hotels in the following years,” she added.

As part of its ambitious plan to enhance air connectivity, Odisha cabinet has approved a financial incentive program for airlines to launch new flights connecting various airports in Odisha. According to the program, airlines will receive ₹5 lakh per round trip for domestic flights and ₹10 lakh for international routes.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, inaugurated FHRAI’s Centre of Excellence in New Delhi. Billa, said, “It will create a comprehensive data ecosystem and play a vital role in generating analytical insights that can guide government policy and help us better support the industry.”

Data from Ixigo and Cleartrip revealed that 78% of domestic and 30% of international flights from India are booked within 15 days of departure, particularly for visa-free destinations like Thailand and the Maldives. Flexible work schedules, rising disposable incomes, and tempting last-minute offers from OTAs fuel this trend.