Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Jumeirah, a global leader in luxury hospitality and a member of Dubai Holding, unveils a unique partnership with the Thanda Group, a refined collection of privately owned hospitality experiences, for the introduction of two new iconic destinations: Jumeirah Thanda Island in Tanzania, and Jumeirah Thanda Safari in South Africa. Situated in the protected Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve in Tanzania, Jumeirah Thanda Island comprises an immersive, exclusive-use villa, while Jumeirah Thanda Safari lives in one of South Africa’s most luxurious private safari destinations featuring branded residences, and an exclusive member’s club. These additions to Jumeirah’s portfolio mark the global hospitality leader’s entry into Africa and illustrates its continued evolution through the delivery of destinations curated to inspire, enhanced by partnerships deeply aligned with Jumeirah’s innate approach of connecting people and culture, through distinctive and meaningful experiences. The name “Thanda” itself – meaning ‘love’ in Zulu – encapsulates the core values of these distinct destinations that already showcase deep rooted connections with local communities and the environment. This first of its kind private island and safari offering for Jumeirah is infused with the essence of Tanzania’s historical ties to Arabian Hospitality dating back to ancient times; when seafarers on trade routes were received with generous fireside welcomes to exchange the knowledge and stories that have helped shape the culture of the Middle East region today. The safari – meaning ‘journey’ in Swahili – carries on into South Africa, to one of Africa’s oldest proclaimed game reserves, once the ancient hunting grounds of the Zulu kings. Thomas Meier, Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer at Jumeirah, comments: “As we look to the future, our intent for Jumeirah is clear.  We want …

The 4th edition of the Me’Gong Festival 2024 came to a close with a trailblazing performance by the renowned European rock band, Europe. The event was graced by the presence of Shri Conrad K Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya. The Hon’ble Chief Minister welcomed the band Europe and other performers to Meghalaya and Garo Hills. He mentioned that many people in the state and the entire Northeast region had grown up listening to their songs, and it was a dream come true for many. He also noted that the region had a strong influence of rock music from the 80s and 90s, and that the Me’Gong Festival had attracted a large number of fans from across the country. Joey Tempest, Europe’s lead vocalist said, “We’re thrilled to perform at Me’Gong Festival in Garo Hills, it’s incredible that our music has reached this far corner of the world.” “I recall our frantic fans in 1988, and we’re excited to experience the same energy here. This visit to Garo Hills will undoubtedly inspire our future lyrics.” Tempest praised the breathtaking landscape of Garo Hills. “This band is still one of the best on the planet, and our impact continues to be huge.” With conviction, he declared, “Music will never die! Rock music lives on, underlying everything.” In a lighthearted moment, Tempest quipped, “Garo Hills meets Gora(White)!” The two-day festival, which began on November 29, 2024, witnessed a massive turnout of over thousands of people on the first day alone. The Day 1 event featured captivating performances by singer Gajendra Verma, India-based rock band Euphoria, and DJ Udita Goswami. Day 2 of the event included the Meghalaya Grassroot Music Project (MGMP) stage …

Speaking at UP Tourism’s ‘Mahakumbh 2025 Prelude’ event, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI, said, “We see the Mahakumbh as an opportunity for cultural exchange.” He invited global tourists to experience world’s largest spiritual gathering, scheduled to be held from 14 January-26 February 2025 in Prayagraj.

Under the budget announcement’s special assistance programme for states, the Centre has approved 40 projects totalling ₹3,295 crore to turn tourist destinations into iconic hubs, with the primary aim being the decongestion of known and traditional tourist destinations. The focus of the exercise is to tap the future potential of these sites.

PA Mohamed Riyas, Tourism Minister, Kerala, said, “The govt plans to introduce a new policy to enhance the tourism sector by making it more women-friendly & safest global destination.” An audit report has been prepared on the prevaling women-friendly environment & is being presented at the Global Women Conference.

Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi won the ‘Fastest Growing Leisure Destination’ award at the ITA. On behalf of NTO, Nikhil Jeet, Manager, Country (India), DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “With a team of dynamic professionals, we have ensured that Abu Dhabi’s wide range of tourism offerings reaches every travelling Indian.”

Celebrating its 30 years of diplomatic relations with India, South African Tourism held a Press Meet in New Delhi. During the address, Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, South Africa, announced the launch of a new digital Entry Travel Agreement (ETA) system to boost tourism ties with India. The move will replace the existing e-visa programme to simplify and expedite the visa application process. She said they have cut down extra documentation required for the visa application to three international documents across South African missions. She further revealed that mass visa processing for group travellers will now be made possible via a recently gazetted Trusted Tourist Tour Operator System Scheme that is primarily targeted at the Chinese and Indian markets. So far, 23 Indian tour operators have applied for this program in its first phase, demonstrating the positive response it has already received. The system will take effect on 20 January 2025. Highlighting that air connectivity remains a challenge for Indian tourists, Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, South Africa, said, “We will be meeting Indian carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet to explore possibilities of direct flight between India and South Africa as we currently lack any direct route.” The session was focused on economic growth and strategic collaboration, delving into the future travel outlook, India-focused initiatives, and key insights to shape and strengthen outbound Indian travel to South Africa.

Rail Europe, together with Lufthansa Group, Swiss tourism boards, and high-speed rail operators, recently organised an exclusive familiarisation tour to Switzerland and Paris for its key partners. Rail Europe planned this trip after a gap of almost four years post pandemic and this trip was a reward to their GSAs for their continuous efforts to sell train travel in Europe. Their adventure began in the picturesque Swiss Alps in Interlaken region. The unique experiences were the Raclette rafting on the lake of Brienz with a backdrop of snowcapped mountains, chocolate making workshop, adventurous activities like First Glider where everyone could fly like an eagle and the First flyer on the Grindelwald First mountain. Then the group headed to Montreux region with experiencing the Prestige class on the scenic train of Golden Pass line and enjoyed some snow activities on the Glacier 3000. The highlight of this region was cellar wine tasting at the Domian Bovy, Charlie Chaplin’s Museum, and the stunning view from the Chillon castle. The objective of this trip was to showcase the agents the benefits of Swiss Travel Pass and their add-ons such as discounts on mountain excursions and free entry to museums, and to experience the high-speed TGV Lyria from Geneva to Paris – the headquarters of Rail Europe. From the romantic Swiss Alps, they boarded the high-speed train to the city of Love Paris. The group strolled through the streets of Montmartre, explored the city with hop on hop off city tour, got on the highest level of the Eiffel tower and ended the mesmerising FAM trip with the romantic dinner on the Seine river cruise. This trip was a resounding success where they experienced Rail …

As South Africa and India commemorate 30 years of diplomatic relations, Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, South Africa, will visit India in December. She will engage in bilateral discussions to strengthen tourism ties, focusing on streamlined visa processes, digital innovation, enhanced air connectivity, and rural tourism.

As Uttar Pradesh is set to promote Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 domestically and globally, a senior official informed that the budget for Kumbh has jumped 78 per cent from 4,200 crore in 2019 to ₹7,500 crore in 2025. More than 380 development projects have been launched along with infra boost and other tourism projects.