Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj Airport has started its first-ever night operations after 106 years, paving the way for 24/7 flight services. The airport’s new terminal is set to handle 2,700 pax per hour, ensuring seamless travel for flyers, accommodating increased air traffic and enhancing connectivity for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. To meet the demand, the airport has added 20 new flights, covering 14 destinations, including six new routes.

Ahead of the Union budget, Rajesh Magow, Co-founder, MMT, said, “The travel & tourism sector is a vital pillar of India’s economy. Allowing GST credit for hotel construction & rationalising GST rates will help reduce the cost of accommodation while stimulating domestic tourism & positively impacting inbound tourism. He requested the FM to allocate resources for the global campaign under the Incredible India initiative.

Keeping the theme of its convention as ‘Tourism for Tomorrow, Protecting the Planet’, TAFI aims to empower eco-friendly travel by focussing on environmental stewardship and guiding the way for its members. Ajay Prakash, its President, says, “It is important that we as travel agents keep in mind the fact that the resources of this planet are finite and tourism thrives, essentially, on the natural beauty and diversity of the planet. We therefore have a moral responsibility to contribute towards the protection, preservation and nurturing of the planet.”

K. Syama Raju, President of FHRAI, says it is keen to collaborate with the Andhra Pradesh govt to achieve its goals mentioned in its latest Tourism Policy which recognises tourism as an industry, combined with substantial incentives for private investors and a focus on thematic circuits. He says, “With its emphasis on sustainability and community empowerment, this policy has the potential to create significant economic and employment opportunities.”

To attract tourists from non-ASEAN countries, the ASEAN Tourism Association has re-introduced its ASEAN Pass, which offers affordable inter-ASEAN travel options, shared its president, Eddy Soemawilaga. The pass, currently implemented via AirAsia’s platform, encourages multi-destination travel and invites participation from other airlines and travel agents.

A partnership between Asego and Collinson enables eligible policy holders of Asego WaitMate to access over 1,600 premium airport lounges and travel experiences globally in the event of a delayed flight. This is powered by Collinson International’s SmartDelay solution. The addition of Asego WaitMate to our product portfolio enhances the customer experience, especially during uncertainties such as flight delays. During such trip inconveniences, Asego offers comprehensive insurance along with the comfort of exclusive lounge access. This partnership further reinforces Asego’s commitment to elevating travel protection for Indian travellers,” said Dev Karvat, Founder & CEO – Asego Global Assistance & Travel Insurance.

As per ICRA’s latest report, the domestic air passenger traffic for December 2024 was estimated at 153 lakh, higher by 7.3 per cent in comparison to 142.5 lakh in November 2024. It witnessed a YoY growth of 10.8 per cent and remained higher by 17.5 per cent than pre-COVID levels of 130.2 lakh seen in December 2019.

Noriah Jaafar, Director, Tourism Malaysia, Mumbai, said, “We will focus on joint promotions and tactical campaigns to further boost Indian arrivals. We are also excited to prepare for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, which will serve as a cornerstone for our future tourism initiatives, aiming to attract more visitors from India.”

Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, has announced that they are working on a new website for the association, which will be launched by the end of January or February. “To promote India overseas, we have revamped our website, which will have more packages.” he said while speaking at the IATO Luncheon meet in Delhi.

Dispelling untruths about tourism in Goa in recent times, Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism, Govt of Goa said, “The last week of December 2024 saw 200 daily fights. There was 21 per cent growth in tourist arrivals in 2024 over last year. Foreign tourist arrivals into Goa have shown a 3 per cent increase in 2024.”