Category Archives: Agents

Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Usha Padhee, recently met with Office of the Lt. Governor in Leh, Ladakh to discuss and seek his guidance on various air connectivity issues. Secretary Civil Aviation, Ladakh Saugat Biswas and officials from AAI and SpiceJet were also present. She also visited Kargil. The meeting was to discuss flight operations in Kargil. Approval from DGCA for air operations, assessment for land, infrastructure, etc and the prospect of acquiring aircrafts on lease for both civil and commercial purposes was also discussed.  

Officials flagged off the state’s first vistadome coaches at the Mangaluru Junction railway station on Sunday. The state has introduced them with the aim of promoting rail tourism. Each vistadome coach has a seating capacity of 44 with seats that are rotatable up to 180 degrees. Wide windows offer a clear close-up view for the passengers.

Don’t miss out on today’s Thomas Cook India webinar that will discuss ways in which the trade can help restart travel recovery. The company will highlight its latest initiative ‘TravShield’ as well as its ‘Travel Now Pay Later’ concept. All attendees will receive gift vouchers worth Rs 1,000 along with a Thomas Cook participation certificate. They will also be able to participate in a unique holiday bidding contest to win a trip for two pax for a 7-day holiday in Ladakh! What’s more – three agents who attend the entire session will stand a chance to win a 2-night stay with Sterling Holidays. Inviting the trade to attend this, Romil Pant, Senior Vice President – Holidays, Thomas Cook India, says, “We look forward to each one of you joining us on the occasion as we talk about ‘TravShield’ and ‘Travel Now Pay Later’ idea and assist the trade in re-inventing travel. We promise you a lot of interaction and fun during the webinar as we give all participants.” To participate, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call 9650196532, or register directly at https://event.webinarjam.com/register/264/wy0z2bk8

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) while launching the Thomas Cook India TravShield – Safe Travel Commitment, said, “To provide guidance to our MICE Corporates and build confidence that it is safe to travel again, we have designed a 3 pronged strategy that covers personal, financial and mental safety. Our TravShield is a comprehensive safe travel commitment designed with meticulous health and safety protocols to safeguard our MICE customers and encompasses and enhances the companies’ existing Assured Insured Secured Travel Program. We want Thomas Cook to be the ‘Safest Travel Partner’ when consumers start travelling again.” Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel have announced a two-pronged strategy: TravShield and Holiday First & Pay When You Return. TravShield is designed with meticulous health and safety protocols to safeguard customers across Holidays, MICE and Business Travel and encompasses and enhances the companies’ existing Assured Insured Secured Travel Program. The health and safety Assured Program, in partnership with Apollo Clinics, is inbuilt into TravShield. The Holiday First & Pay When You Return scheme provides customers the flexibility of paying once they return from their holiday.

G Kishan Reddy has become the new Minister of Tourism and Minister of Culture. He takes over from Prahlad Singh Patel, who took over office on 30th May 2019. He has also been made the Minister of Development of the North Eastern Region. MOT also gets a Minister of State with Shripad Yesso Naik being appointed as the new Minister of State for Tourism the news came after a cabinet reshuffle was announced by Prime Minister Modi.

Jyotiraditya Scindia has been announced as the new Minister of Civil Aviation. He takes over the charge from Hardeep Singh Puri, who has been at the helm of Ministry of Civil Aviation since 2019. The news came after a cabinet reshuffle was done by Prime Minister Modi. Scindia was a Minister of State with an independent charge for Power in the cabinet of Prime Minister ManMohan Singh from October 2012 until May 2014.

Thomas Cook India leads travel recovery with its latest initiative TravShield – a definitive Travel Safety Commitment, India’s only Safe Travel programme which promises their customers the confidence to travel safely. TravShield commits to protecting their customers in every possible aspect of Personal, Mental and Financial Safety.  Thomas Cook India has also addressed the apprehension/concerns of people on committing their money on travel by launching ‘Holiday First, Pay When You Return’. Inviting the trade to attend this, Romil Pant, Senior Vice President – Holidays, Thomas Cook India, says, “We look forward to each one of you joining us on the occasion as we talk about ‘TravShield’ and ‘Travel Now Pay Later’ idea and assist the trade in re-inventing travel. We promise you a lot of interaction and fun during the webinar as we give all participants.” To participate, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call 9650196532, or register directly at https://event.webinarjam.com/register/264/wy0z2bk8

Rakesh Verma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, has shared that the MOT is currently working on NIDHI+ platform. “We are consolidating on what we had built as a platform and also building SAATHI framework for other quality certifications also. NIDHI+ looks at four elements. One is the registration of units, which could be hospitality units, tour operators, travel agents, and all kinds of tourism service providers. Second is consolidation of quality certification, including sustainability certification and adventure tourism certification. We are also working with OTAs for integrating database and trying to build a unified database, as well as to help our tourism service providers get listed on OTAs and Incredible India website. The 4th pillar is working with the ministries of MSME and FRRO offices, because they also have database of hospitality units and MSME units, which would allow us to remove duplicacies and help build one unified database,” he added.  

Two more international airports will be added in North Eastern states, at Imphal and Agartala, with the aim of increasing connectivity in the region, said Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region. The airport at Itanagar will be functional by the end of the year and that a facility is also coming up at Kohima. At present, there is an international airport in Guwahati.  

Gujarat Tourism recently organised a familiarisation tour for members of IATO and ADTOI associations in Ahmedabad city. Titled ‘Dekho Ahmedabad’ the agents toured the city on a double decker Bus. The tourism board will conduct another fam this month for 24 members to Velavadar that has the Blackbuck National Park.