Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in partnership with other central ministries and state governments is organising ‘Paryatan Parv’ from October 5-25, 2017. Addressing the media regarding the ‘Paryatan Parv’ and the Swachhta initiatives, Alphons Kannanthanam, Minister of State (IC) for Tourism, said that programme is being organised with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of ‘Tourism for All’. Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and senior officers were present during the breifing. The Minister announced that the Parv will be inaugurated at the Humayun’s Tomb on 5th October 2017. The formal inauguration of the event will be held at 5:00 PM at the venue which will include a cultural programme. The Paryatan Parv will culminate in a 3 day event in New Delhi from the October 23 to 25, 2017 which will showcase the cultural diversity of the country, with cultural performances, crafts bazaar, food court showcasing folk and classical dance & music, handicrafts & handlooms and cuisine from all regions and States of the country. The “Adopt A Heritage” project launched by the Ministry of Tourism will be implemented at key sites during this period. Wayside Amenities for tourists will also be launched at important sites in identified circuits. Central Ministries have also proactively come forward and will be part of the event. In addition, the mega event will see active participation by Cultural Associations and Organisations, Travel & Hospitality Industry, Institutes of Hotel Management, Indian Institutes of Tourism & Travel Management, Service Providers, Students and Youth and the Local Population

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India awarded Abercrombie & Kent India the first prize in Category-I as the Best Inbound Tour Operator, for 2015-16. This is A&K India’s fourth National Tourism Award. The award was received by Vikram Madhok, Managing Director and Arunendu Roy, Director (Finance). Speaking on this occasion, Madhok said this award reinforces and enhances Abercrombie & Kent’s reputation for conducting our business in an honest, ethical and reliable manner, demonstrating integrity in everything we do. The award was presented by the Hon’ble President of India Ram Nath Kovind, in the presence of Minister of State for Tourism and other select dignitaries & invitees from the travel fraternity at New Delhi on September 27, 2017.

FCM Travel Solutions has launched FCM Connect, an integrated global technology platform which gives clients access to multiple tools that deliver on their travel programme. The new solution is an extension of the FCM Connect HUB, a single-sign-on platform that gives customers one simple connection point to all of FCM’s leading technology tools including Analytics, Approve, Booking, Secure, Expense and Mobile. HUB is customisable for each company in both configuration of tools used and interface design. Earlier this year, FCM Connect was previewed to clients and industry at the London Business Travel Show and Global Business Travel Association Conference in Sydney, Australia. Now that it is available, it will support organisations across a full range of travel program deliverables including global, regional or national fulfillment, cost reduction strategies, data compliance, and duty of care responsibilities.    

Jal Mahotsav will take place from October 15, 2017, to January 2, 2018. Organised for a period of 80 days, the festival is held in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh with an aim to revive adventure tourism in the state. The activites include zip lining, paintball, archery, kite flying, land parasailing, paramotors, hot air ballooning, water parasailing, water zorbing, snorkelling and scuba diving among others.

Karan Anand, Head-Relationships and Supplier Management, Cox & Kings Ltd, was conferred the prestigious Gold Medal for Tourism (Médaille d’Or du Tourisme) by the French Government during a special ceremony hosted at the French Consulate in Mumbai. This is the first-ever Gold Medal given by the French government to an Indian in the tourism industry. Anand was awarded the gold medal by Yves Perrin, Consul General of France in Mumbai, for his pioneering contribution in promoting France in India. Perrin said, “We are pleased to give the gold medal to Mr. Karan Anand for his efforts in strengthening touristic ties between our two countries. As the Consul General of France, I would like thank him for his distinguished work towards the promotion of France as a prime tourist destination.” Sheetal Munshaw, Director – Atout France, added, “We are absolutely elated that Mr. Anand is the first Indian recipient of this prestigious gold medal in tourism conferred by the French Republic. Mr. Anand has been a great friend of France since several years and has actively contributed to the evolution of tourism to France. He has lent his expertise consistently and has over the years willingly extended his unwavering support to showcasing destination France in his capacity as member of the Advisory Board for Atout France. Our association with Cox & Kings has resulted in many innovative promotional programs showcasing the myriad experiences France has to offer. The role of Cox & Kings in introducing new destinations such as Chamonix Mont Blanc, the Grevin Wax Museum in Paris has been instrumental in our showcase of France. In 2016, a joint collaboration resulted in the creation of a first ever gastronomic brochure …

Yatra Online has signed a partnership with OYO which will bring the latter’s inventory on to an online travel agent platform for the first time. With this association, Yatra’s total hotel inventory will further expand to over 70,000 hotels in India, especially in the budget hotel category. Travellers can book OYO hotels on Yatra’s platform, make changes to their reservations and reach out to Yatra’s customer service if required. Dhruv Shringi, Co-founder & CEO, Yatra.com, said, “Yatra continues to expand its reach in tier II and III markets in India. Our partnership with OYO is a firm step in that direction and enables us to deliver a unique proposition to our customers allowing them to choose from an unmatched variety of travel and accommodation options in India.” Ritesh Agarwal – Founder & CEO, OYO said, “Through this partnership, OYO’s quality-assured hassle-free offerings will be accessible to millions of discerning travellers who book on Yatra.com. We welcome them to avail our economy and mid-market offerings that deliver the right balance of price, location and quality. Our mission is to bring high-quality living spaces to all Indians and this alliance will help us penetrate deeper into emerging travel markets.”

Value Retail, specialists in the creation and operation of luxury shopping destinations offering outlet pricing, the Collection of 11 Chic Outlet Shopping Villages in Europe and China, has appointed AVIAREPS India to support in sales, marketing and trade promotion across India. Value Retail serves the world’s leading brands in key tourism markets in western Europe and China, working with the world’s top travel trade operators to attract customers from all over the world. Value Retail has consistently delivered double-digit growth in gross sales every year since the opening of the first Village, Bicester Village, in 1995. The Villages are widely recognised as the best performing shopping centres in terms of sales densities in the world. Speaking about the partnership, Marcelo Molinari, Group Tourism Director, Value Retail, comments: “India has been a strategic market for Value Retail for many years and we are delighted to be working with AVIAREPS to extend our presence in the region. India is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing outbound travel markets in the world, second only to China. Our award-winning Villages are just outside the major European cities and offer guests the world’s best brands along with memorable shopping experiences supported by events, food, styling services and unparalleled hospitality – there is something for everyone.” Value Retail also has specialist in-house Groups & Events teams in every Village dedicated to serving business tourism guests. The company creates tailor-made programmes for groups of between 10 and 7,000 attendees to support the needs of the growing Indian MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) and luxury tourism market. Also speaking on the association, Joseph Fernandes, General Manager, AVIAREPS India, said: “Shopping is the top activity for Indians …

The first day of meetings of GoMedia Canada 2017, hosted by Destination Canada, kicked off on October 3 at Cunard Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Nearly 150 travel journalists and influencers from all over the world met with Canadian industry partners to discover what makes Canada and Nova Scotia worth exploring. GoMedia Canada is the country’s premier travel media event, connecting the world’s top travel media with tourism organisations and operators from across the country. Tourism Nova Scotia played the perfect host at the event. “Hosting this international tourism industry event is an honour,” said Michele Saran, CEO of Tourism Nova Scotia. “This is an incredible opportunity for Nova Scotia to share the best it has to offer with the influencers who inspire people to pack their bags and travel.” “Nova Scotia was a natural choice for GoMedia Canada 2017” said Emmanuelle Legault, Destination Canada’s vice-president of International Affairs. “It’s a great opportunity for our host, Tourism Nova Scotia, to delight and inspire media by showcasing the natural wonders, culinary delights, diverse culture and welcoming people that can be found on our East Coast.” GoMedia Canada 2017 is on till Oct. 5.

Global Panorama Showcase is returning for its sixth edition in 2018 with more global exhibitors and  buyers. The registrations have now opened up for seven cities starting with Nagpur (Jan 15-17, 2018), followed by Ahmedabad (July 5-7), Chandigarh (July 12-14), Lucknow (July 19-21), Kolkata (Aug 2-4), Kochi (Aug 9-11) and Pune (Aug 23-25), reveals Harmandeep Singh Anand, Managing Director, GPS.

Sabre Corporation has announced the development of the new Sabre Content Services for Lodging, a technology solution that will integrate multiple sources of content including the Sabre global distribution system (GDS) and non-GDS sources such as aggregators, re-distributors, agency-sourced hotel content and other sources as identified. Planned for a 2018 launch, the new solution will also support a multi-representation display option of the content creating a whole new way to retail travel content. The solution will include the capabilities of Sabre APIs and will be incorporated across all Sabre points-of-sale: Sabre Red Workspace, GetThere and TripCase. Not only will it drive more efficiency and revenue with increased lodging choice, but for bothuyers and suppliers of lodging content this solution will extend tools that improve optimization capabilities to better manage chain, property, and rate-level preferred content. “As a travel technology leader with customers spanning six continents, we’re identifying areas that not only cater to the growing needs of travelers but also redefine the travel experience,” said Traci Mercer, Sabre senior vice president of lodging, ground, and sea. “The Sabre Lodging, Ground and Sea team is committed to enhancing our portfolio of lodging options, ensuring we continue to lead the way in meeting the distribution and e-commerce needs of these customer segments.”