Category Archives: Agents

The 40th IATO Annual  Convention is set to be held in Puri, Odisha in September 2025 informed Rajiv Mehra, President – Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). He added that the proposal was accepted by the Odisha Government Tourism Department. This will be IATO’s third convention in Odisha. Mehra also informed that the 33rd IATO Annual convention held in 2017 in  Mayfair Convention Centre, Bhubaneswar, and it was a very successful convention and was attended by about 900 delegates from all over the country. He also informed that Puri will be a very attractive destination for IATO members and we expect about 1000 delegates to join for the convention. He thanked Aswini Kumar Patra, Hon’ble Tourism Minister of Odisha and Odisha Tourism for accepting IATO’s proposal. IATO will soon announce the venue for 39th IATO Annual Convention which is also being finalized.

The ATOAI will organise its seminar combined with an adventure tourism roadshow tomorrow at The Park New Delhi from 9am to 5.30pm. the event will include sessions on best practices and selling adventure travel. It will also offer buyers an opportunity to meet authentic sellers and network with them. To register, visit https://forms.gle/8FGiGDasqHGjxaHG6_

The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) has announced its TAFI Convention 2023, which will take place onboard Costa Serena from November 4-7, 2023. Registrations are open for members interested in attending this. Starting November 2023 until January 2024, Costa Serena will offer 23 sailings visiting Mumbai, Cochin, Goa and, for the first time ever, Lakshadweep islands.

Join the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, on September 20, 2023, at 11:30 am for an exclusive webinar. Discover Oman’s enchanting blend of beach, hiking, culture, and nature. Dive into their captivating attractions and stand a chance to win a free trip. Contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com, 9650196532 for details. To participate, please register on this link: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/544/rymlob5o

Speaking about the upcoming IATO Convention in Aurangabad, Radhika Rastogi, Principal Secy, Tourism & Culture Affairs, Maharashtra Tourism, said that the Ministry expects a lot of productive thinking and discussions at the convention. Maharashtra has a lot to offer to tourists. Tourism is ultimately a multi-stakeholder industry and govt is only a small player. And this convention is a great opportunity for all of us to exchange our ideas.”

Having added 3 new routes from KL to India recently, Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, Group MD of Malaysia Aviation Group, says, “India remains a key market for Malaysia Airlines. Currently, our average load factor on this route is at 81% YTD July 2023. We expect to restore our pre-COVID-19 capacity back in the Indian market by end of 2023 and will also look to increase flight frequencies to other destinations.”

The overall acceptability of online companies and customers who believe can book via companies like us has only increased in India, says Jaal Shah, Founder of Rezlive.com. “India has become a very competitive and crowded market in terms of the B2B online portals. What is really good about this is that most of them are home-grown Indian companies. There have been some new entrants in the market and the existing players have strengthened their position. India as a market has also evolved where in people want to book online more,” he adds.

Announcing the 9th edition of its travel trade training session ‘Learn South Africa 2023’, Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India & South-East Asia, South African Tourism, says, “We recognise the immense potential that lies within the Indian market. This year’s Learn SA will have a special focus on tier 1 and tier 2 cities of India.”    

The Travel Trade Association of Uttar Pradesh (TTAUP) will hold its flagship B2B show titled TTAUP Travel Mart (TTM) in Lucknow on September 27, 2023 at Holiday Inn Lucknow from 10 am. The association has organised its TTM B2B networking event since its inception.

Great Plains, the iconic eco-tourism company, has opened Sitatunga Private Island, a water-based Réserve-Collection Safari Camp in the upper reaches of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Built on a raised, wrap-around railway sleeper private deck, Sitatunga Private Island can accommodate a maximum of four adults in two separate and stunning private suites. The spacious double-bedroom Sitatunga Private Island Suite hosts four adults or a family of two adults and up to three children, offering a total footprint of approximately 607m2. Sitatunga Private Island can host up to eight guests in total sharing the two suites and the two-bedroom Sitatunga Private Island Suite. Constructed almost entirely of recycled materials, breathing new life into old treasures, the new camp offers discerning explorers a ‘slow safari’ experience that is as sustainable as it is luxurious. Each of the two guest suites, as well as the 2-bedroomed Sitatunga Private Island Suite comes complete with an indoor lounge, gorgeously appointed bathrooms with baths and separate showers, a private deck with outdoor lounging and seating areas as well as a private pool with expansive views over the lagoon that stretches in front of the camp itself. Sitatunga Private Island will provide guests with the most authentic ‘Robinson Crusoe’-inspired experience and a refuge for the soul in the Okavango Delta. Dereck Joubert, CEO of Great Plains, says, “Sitatunga Private Island is unlike any other Great Plains property, pushing the eco-design boundary in a remote region in Botswana whilst also offering the highest level of hospitality and accommodation. It is also one of the few locations in the world where one can still see sitatunga, the rare aquatic antelope, from camp and by boat, which is the main activity here in …