Ahead of the Union Budget, Pankaj Nagpal, MD, Travstarz Global Group said, “It’s disappointing to see small countries like Singapore attracting13 million passengers whereas India which has so much to offer in terms of tourism is attracting 9 million passengers arrivals every year. GoI needs to understand the kind of scope and tourism potential India has, it should be getting over 100 million passengers every year.”

Addressing the 2nd “Healthcare Summit” of the American Chamber of India, Jitendra Singh, MoS, Science & Technology, said, “Gone are the days when people used to visit other developed nations to access medical facilities, India has become the most sought-after destination for medical tourism and is among the frontline nations in preventive healthcare.” 

Rohan Khaunte, Tourism Minister, Goa, said, “The state is looking forward to tap new and emerging markets by participating in global trade fairs. During Covid-19, the international footfall in Goa was only 33,000, which has now increased to 4.5 lakh this year.” In the last four years, Goa has spent ₹63 crore to promote the state within the country.

As an IT and telecommunication service provider to the air transport industry globally, SITA Aero in a recently held round table in New Delhi shed light on its ongoing collaborations with airlines and airports across India, detailing SITA’s projects and service offerings to their partner. The company also opened a new command centre in Gurugram to expand its portfolio in India. Keen to play a pivotal role in the growth journey of India’s aviation industry, SITA to drive state-of-the-art Airport Operational Database (AODB) and Flight Information Display System (FIDS) solutions, along with SITA Operations Manager services to Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) through advanced solutions. Together, these solutions revolutionise airport management by introducing new functionalities and providing superior operational control, promising significant benefits for CIAL. Responding to the question on Digi Yatra, David Lavorel, CEO, SITA Aero, said, “With the debut of Digi Yatra in June 2017 by the Civil Aviation Ministry of India, it has become a model for the world when it comes to using technology to facilitate hassle-free travel. It uses facial recognition technology to confirm passengers’ identities at various checkpoints, including security, boarding gates, and check-in, giving passengers a paperless and seamless experience.” Marking a significant milestone, SITA in a groundbreaking collaboration implemented the SITA Smart Path solution at Bangalore International Airport this month, which is aligned fully with the Digi Yatra program. The partnership sets a new standard for seamless, biometric-enabled travel experience in India. In this pioneering collaboration, BIAL is utilising SITA’s cutting-edge products and solutions, including SITA Smart Path, Passenger Flow Management (PFM) solution, and Face Pods. These technologies will enable biometric-enabled passenger processing at all touchpoints across the airport, ensuring a seamless …

Mayur Patel, Head of Asia, OAG Aviation, said, “India has made remarkable progress in its aviation industry, positioning itself as the third largest domestic aviation market in the world. India has witnessed substantial growth in its domestic aviation sector, showcasing the country’s expanding middle class and their rising disposable income.”

Anoop Kanuga, MC Member, TAAI, said, “The potential to host weddings in J&K is immense, primarily due to its scenic locations and cultural richness. To tap it, the govt can help support the MICE community by improving infrastructure, strengthening security and offering subsidies to attract event organisers and agents to host weddings and MICE tourism events in the region.”

Sharing the travel data of India-registered users that give a peek into the global travel trends of Indians, Uber’s data reflects a sharp increase in the number of Indians using the ride-sharing app abroad during 2023. Indians are expected to surpass records set in previous years as they have travelled close to 1,000 cities across 68 countries overseas.

Booking.com’s Travel Trends for 2024 revealed that to make the most of monsoon, Indians are looking at exploring the mountains, the beaches and soaking in some natural beauty. Besides metros, leisure destinations such as Lonavala, Udaipur, Jaipur, Ooty and Mussoorie are among the most searched destinations this rainy season.

Cleartrip, a Flipkart company, announced the launch of its latest offering, ‘Cleartrip for Work’ (CFW). This solution, specifically curated for business travellers, urban entrepreneurs, and startup founders, provides access to exclusive corporate flight fares and additional benefits. How is Cleartrip for Work different? Save up to 10% on travel expenditures through exclusive fares and GST input credit Avail complimentary in-flight meals, low/zero cancellation fees and free seat selection Earn Supercoins, an exclusive reward benefit available only to Flipkart, Cleartrip and Myntra users on every transaction and use them to make your CFW booking further beneficial For the first time in the industry, compare all fare types in one place for easy decision-making CFW stands out for its hassle-free, one-click onboarding process and ease of use. Users can sign up using their mobile number and access its features directly from the  Cleartrip home page, making it incredibly convenient, especially for frequent fliers. Speaking on the occasion Anuj Rathi, Chief Business and Growth Officer stated, “Of the 30mn+ micro-entrepreneurs in India, most travel often and need flexible travel benefits including cancellation, seat selection and meals at affordable prices. With CFW, Cleartrip has brought all the flexibility along with special airline fares, combining it with Supercoins to make it the most flexible and affordable destination for business travellers. We will continue to invest in CFW and are committed to introducing innovative and value-based offerings to our customers.” CFW allows users to make multiple bookings with the same login, offering flexibility and convenience for frequent travelers. It is available on Cleartrip’s Android and iOS app and on the mobile web. The desktop version will be launched soon.

Opening the International Kayaking Facilitation Centre at Pulikkayam in Kodenchery, PA Mohamed Riyas, Public Works Department & Tourism Minister, Kerala, said it will be ideal to have off-road championships regularly within Kerala, and Kodenchery that will boost the tourism sector. ‘We will attract not just locals but participants from all over the globe,” he said.