Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

South African Tourism on Friday concluded the third leg of its 10th edition of the ‘Learn South Africa’ workshop in Kochi, following successful events in Chandigarh and Nagpur. This initiative aimed to engage key travel trade partners across India, particularly focusing on the growing interest from tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Over 100 travel trade partners from Kochi participated in the event, offering beyond its well-known destinations like Cape Town and Johannesburg and helping them to gain insights into South Africa’s hidden gems such as Eastern Cape, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal India remains one of the largest source markets for South Africa, with increasing interest from smaller cities like Kochi. Indian travellers are on the lookout for diverse experiences that range from thrilling adventures to rich cultural explorations. In response to this demand, the workshop equipped travel partners with the necessary knowledge and tools to create customized itineraries tailored for travellers in India. The objective of South African Tourism is to position the Rainbow Nation as a premier choice for leisure and MICE travel. Commenting on the event in Kochi, Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager for Asia, Australasia, and the Middle East at South African Tourism, stated: “We have witnessed notable trends among Kochi travellers, such as a growing preference for experiential travel, wellness tourism, and adventure activities. Further, travellers from this region are rapidly emerging as a significant market for South African tourism, we have seen a notable increase in inquiries from local travellers seeking unique and offbeat experiences in H1 2024. Our collaboration with local trade partners has been exceptionally positive, reinforcing our belief that this will drive more Indian travellers to explore the lesser-known regions of South Africa. …

Sharing his views on the future of the traditional travel agent, Vishal Bhatia, Country Manager – India, VisitBritain, says, “Many debate whether the agent should now provide support or not, depending on their experience. Few have helped and won the client back, few have helped only to have the client book online again. Eventually, it comes down to the relationship and trust between both. Both OTAs and traditional travel agents are here to stay as long as they adopt the use of technology and grow their reach. Time is money! A client can either spend time to research and book online or get an agent to do it for him.”

Home to one of South East Asia’s highest peak, Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s Sabah region is keen to accelerate its India growth story. With the latest arrival figure available now, Sabah has shown robust growth from the Indian market. Sabah has received 7,249 Indian tourists during the January – September 2024 period posting a significant jump in arrivals from last year’s nearly 6,000 Indian visitors for the whole year. The first three quarter growth over the corresponding period last year is over 60 percent. With the Indian visitor arrival target set at over 10,000 for 2024, Sabah Tourism Board is also eyeing an ambitious over 60% growth for the current year that it looks well set to meet. The region’s pre-pandemic 2019 Indian visitor arrivals was also around 6,000 that it recovered last year. India is projected to grow from 2023’s already strong 27.2 million outbound market size, to a staggering 50 million outbound travel market by 2030. Sabah is keen to corner a greater slice of this market. To further strengthen its presence in India, STB has partnered with Blink Brand Solutions, in a joint marketing campaign. This collaboration aims to drive targeted campaigns and increase destination awareness. Speaking about the partnership, STB CEO Julinus Jeffery Jimit expressed optimism about the potential of the Indian market. “The growth numbers are very encouraging, but we are only beginning to tap into the enormous potential of the Indian outbound travel segment,” he said. Furthermore, citing a McKinsey report, Jimit said, “By the end of this decade India will be a US$ 143.5 billion outbound travel market and that’s staggering. The same report also says that 70 percent of Indian outbound travellers chose …

Get ready for the vibrant Brahmaputra Carnival, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Brahmaputra River. This unique three-month extravaganza will take place from December 15, 2024, to March 15, 2025. The 90-day carnival will be held along the banks of the majestic Brahmaputra at Lachit Ghat in Assam. Prepare for a dynamic fusion of tranquility and adventure, with the mighty river serving as the heart of the celebration. It promises an immersive experience that blends rich cultural traditions with thrilling adventures and luxurious accommodations. This grand carnival features a range of exciting activities, such as glamping, water sports, live concerts, and showcases of culinary heritage and handicrafts. Thrill-seekers can enjoy exhilarating activities like speedboat rides, kayaking on serene waters, tackling challenging terrains on ATVs, river rafting, water rollers, archery, bungee jumping, jet skiing, and many more fun-filled experiences. The event also offers a platform for local artisans, musicians, and performers to showcase their talents through traditional music and dance, enriching the cultural experience. For those seeking relaxation, the festival provides a luxurious glamping experience with three categories of tents: Royal Tents, Premium Tents, and Deluxe Tents. Each option offers a comfortable and stylish retreat, complete with modern amenities and breathtaking river views. Beyond the carnival grounds, explore the captivating tourist attractions of Guwahati. Visit the revered Kamakhya Temple, encounter diverse wildlife at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, or find serenity at the Umananda Temple. For convenience, Guwahati Airport is located just 22.5 km from Lachit Ghat, with taxis and prepaid auto-rickshaws readily available. Additionally, Guwahati Railway Station is only 2.4 km away from the carnival site, providing easy access via various transport options. Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Government …

Atout France – France Tourism Development Agency organised the sixth edition of the very prestigious Ambassador’s Travel Awards in Mumbai on 12th December after a hiatus of 5 years and under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Thierry Mathou. These awards were instated in 2015 under the high patronage of the Ambassador of France to India and powered by VFS Global for all its subsequent editions.  The objective behind the awards is to recognise and reward a selection of travel companies across India for their exemplary efforts in showcasing France as a travel destination both from the destination showcase, visa perspective and the prolific penmanship of a journalist who, through articles, has essayed a versatile presentation of destination France. Our jury members consisted of eminent luminaries that included His Excellency Thierry Mathou, the Ambassador of France to India, and Claude Sarre General Manager Air France-KLM. This year for the first time, a new category of awards was announced to felicitate a travel professional who has successfully completed Atout France’s global certified e-learning programme, France Connaisseur. The winners for this year’s awards were: 1: Visa Category – awarded to Veena World for its exemplary endeavour towards qualitative visa submissions Destination Showcase Awards: 1: Gold – Best Showcase of France as an Incentive Destination – Winner: Thomas Cook (India) 2: Diamond – Best Showcase of France as an Indulgent Destination – Winner: N.Chirag 3: Platinum – Best Showcase of France as an Experiential Destination – Winner: Harmony-Tours 4: France Connassieur E-learning Award: Awarded to one travel professional for having successfully completed Atout France’s e-learning programme France Connaisseur. Winner: Noopur Shukla, Holidays & More Sharing her thoughts, Ms Sheetal Munshaw – Director Atout …

Taiwan Tourism Administration, the destination marketing organisation responsible for the promotion of Taiwan as a premier travel destination, has announced the appointment of Paul Shih as the Director of TTA, Singapore Office. Shih brings a wealth of knowledge, significant experience and proven leadership roles from across sectors in key positions. In his new role, Shih is responsible for India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the Middle East tourism markets. He will oversee all TTA’s operations in these markets to prepare Taiwan Tourism for its next phase of growth. He replaces Joseph Cheng who held this role earlier and was instrumental in relaunching Taiwan’s post-Covid tourism interests in several key markets, including emerging tourism markets like India. Shih’s overall responsibility encompasses developing the markets he is responsible for to enhance Taiwan’s visibility and destination awareness and boost visitation. Shih will also be responsible to unfold Taiwan latest destination marketing and publicity campaign ‘Taiwan – Waves of Wonder’ in order to grow leisure and business travel from across India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Middle East markets. “I am incredibly honoured and excited to lead Taiwan in some of the most dynamic international tourism source markets like India, Middle East amongst others. Taiwan is one of the world’s premier travel destinations and packs tremendous destination punch within its small geography that has never ceased to delight and entertain international visitors. It would be my utmost endeavor to take brand Taiwan, the marketing and promotion of the diverse destination,  its offerings and experiences to newer heights and help create destination demand across sectors like business, leisure and MICE tourism in these markets,” Shih said while commenting on his appointment. Shih will also …

SKAL International India, a premier global organization of travel and tourism professionals, is proud to announce the launch of its Inaugural National culinary competition, ‘Culinary Sherpa,’ aimed at fostering young talent in the hospitality industry. The competition is set to inspire and recognize the next generation of chefs from hotel management institutes across India. The Culinary Sherpa competition took place in multiple cities, bringing together top culinary talent from premier hotel management colleges. Students competed in a series of rounds that challenged their creativity, skill, and understanding of culinary arts under the mentorship of industry stalwarts and SKAL members. The competition received tremendous response across India, with hotel management students from cities such as Bangalore, Tirupati, Goa, Pune, Chennai, etc., participating with enthusiasm. Competition Highlights: Eligibility: The competition was open to students from hotel management institutes across India. Rajagopaal Iyer, Director, Young SKAL India said “The success of the Culinary Sherpa program highlights the immense talent and creativity of India’s young culinary minds. This initiative not only provides students with a platform to showcase their skills but also connects them with industry leaders, setting the stage for their future success in the hospitality sector. At Young SKAL India, we are committed to empowering the next generation of hospitality professionals, and Culinary Sherpa is a testament to that vision.” Sanjeev Mehra, President, SKAL International India, shared, “Culinary Sherpa is an exciting initiative to nurture young talent and prepare them for the dynamic hospitality industry. By engaging with students and showcasing their passion for food, we aim to create a platform that bridges education and industry opportunities.” Key Objectives of Culinary Sherpa: Promote innovation and excellence in the culinary arts among students. Encourage …

Willie Walsh, Director General, International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed confidence that India would ease bilateral flying rights, especially as Indian carriers like Air India and IndiGo broadened their fleets with wide-body aircraft. He underlined the benefits of such agreements, highlighting that an increase in the rights will enable Indian airlines to offer more direct international connections.

Goa tourism is bouncing back, with over 71 lakh visitors recorded till September, marking a strong recovery from the pandemic. The state tourism department said efforts have been made to boost tourism through initiatives like enhanced infrastructure, improved connectivity, and active promotion in global markets, ensuring that “Goa remains a sought-after destination for travellers from across the world.

Highlighting the efforts being made to make tourism an integral part of building a ‘Viksit Bharat’, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, Govt of India, said a total of 76.17 million jobs have been created in the tourism sector along with launching programs like Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi. Foreign exchange earnings are estimated to be $28.07 billion, marking a 42.53% increase compared to 2014.