Category Archives: Agents

The first virtual ‘Korea Travel Expo’ will see buyers from West and South India indulging in B2B meetings with over 15 exhibitors from South Korea. In fact, 1/3rd of the delegation from South Korea is looking to explore the India market for the very first time or after many years. Register at www.koreatravelexpo.com, email jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 9650196532.

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani visited Nadabet on India-Pakistan border and inspected various border tourism development works under the ‘Seema Darshan’ project. It is being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 125 crore and is expected to be completed before 15 August, 2021. Under this project, the Gujarat Tourism Corporation has completed the work of shelter development near Nadeshwari Mata temple. Tourism amenities are being developed in four phases.

Highlighting the importance of yoga on International Yoga Day, Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Tourism & Culture (I/C), said, “We know that the discussion around the world regarding mental health as well as post-Covid wellness – if anyone has a permanent solution for that it is India – whether it is in the form of Yoga, Ayurveda or Ayush.”

Despite the adverse impact of the pandemic, Thomas Cook India (TCIL) has witnessed sequential business recovery during the last nine months of fiscal 2021. This has resulted in sequential reduction in operating losses. The fund infusion TCIL received from its parent Fairfax of Rs 436 crore of optionally convertible cumulative redeemable preference shares during March 2021 has also mitigated impact of operating losses and provided support to its liquidity. Madhavan Menon, Managing Director, Thomas Cook (India), said, “The reaffirmation of the rating from CRISIL is a reassurance of our sound business fundamentals and financial management, despite the headwinds brought on by the pandemic. Factored in equally, is our strong brand equity and leadership positioning in the forex and travel businesses; as also the strong support from our parent Fairfax. Our consistent efforts at reimagining our businesses coupled with effective cost management have played a key role in navigating through the past 15 months and we will continue to focus on innovation and digitisation as we build momentum towards recovery.”    

The Resolution Plan submitted by the Jalan Kalrock Consortium for the corporate insolvency resolution of Jet Airways (India) Ltd was approved earlier today by the Hon’ble National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai Bench. The Consortium awaits the written order by the National Company Law Tribunal approving the Resolution Plan and shall inform all stakeholders on next steps for the revival of Jet Airways. NCLT asks the DGCA, Aviation Ministry to decide on slots within 90 days. A two-member bench of the NCLT pronounced its final ruling on the Kalrock Capital and Murari Lal Jalan consortium resolution plan for Jet Airways on June 22. Jalan had claimed that the consortium intends to get Jet back in the skies within four to six months of getting the approval. NCLT says the airline will have no historic right over landing slots.

The Yaas relief and health check-up camp organised by ETAA Eastern India Chapter in association with CAS, NatureMates and The Rotary Club of Calcutta (South Central) was completed smoothly in June 2021 in Mousuni Islands, Sunderbans despite the challenges of the bad weather, flooded roads, partial lockdown, and unavailability of public transport. Koushik Banerjee, Chapter Chairman (East India), says, “This couldn’t have happened without the co-operation of the forest department. The local people of Mousuni islands amazed us with their hospitality, humility and discipline.”

In order to ensure safety for its employees, Tripjack recently conducted a vaccination drive for its Mumbai office. Sharing this development is Hussain Patel, Director, Tripjack, says, “We at Tripjack took this important step towards the health and safety of our employees and managed to vaccinate more than 250 staff members. With the completion of our vaccination drive, we urge each and everyone to take this necessary step towards ending this pandemic. As travel begins, vaccination will become an important criterion.”

KD Singh, Founder & President, TravelBullz in a message to travel trade partners has said that the success of the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ initiative, which allows vaccinated foreign tourists to enter Phuket from 1 July, is part of a bigger effort to reopen Thailand for international tourists. However, India & other high-risk countries are unlikely to be open soon for tourists. Sharing details, he said, “Phuket Sandbox – 1st July 2021 is a go however, the Indian subcontinent and several other countries that have been classified as high-risk by the authorities are unlikely to be open soon.” “We wish to emphasise that this is a constantly changing environment, and everyone we know in the Thailand tourism industry is doing everything they can to ensure that Phuket Sandbox is a success, paving the way for the Thailand reopening plan to continue on track. The good news is that properly vaccinated tourists will not need to go through quarantine and there would be no minimum night’s stay restrictions if they do not plan to visit other cities in Thailand. Guests who wish to travel to other cities will be mandatorily required to first stay in Phuket for 14 to 15 days, after which they are free to travel any place in Thailand as long as their RTPCR test remains negative before departing Phuket. The success of Phuket’s Sandbox is thought to be part of a bigger effort by the government to reopen Thailand as a tourist destination,” Singh further added. According to sources, the following is the reopening strategy by the Thailand government: 1st July to 30th Sept.  – Phuket Sandbox – No Quarantine Required plan 1stOct – 31st Dec – 8 more provinces- No Quarantine Required,  including …

Urging the industry to plan for the future now, Madhavan Menon, CMD, Thomas Cook India, speaking at the company’s ‘Mission Tomorrow’ event, said, “Q4 2021 and all of 2022 are going to see a rush. I believe we are going to enter that phase where people are going to go into revenge mode. I can see domestic travel and international travel bouncing back. Please plan your trips!”

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has funded a training course and manual to help both Thai and ASEAN travel and tourism executives understand the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The course, conceptualised and compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor, Travel Impact Newswire, will facilitate brainstorming of ideas to enhance the visibility of the SDGs. The training manual will be available free of cost.