Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

The AAI’s draft of National Airports Development Plan has scribed its agenda to expand the airport count to 300 by 2047. As per the plan, around 70 airstrips can be developed into full-fledged airports that can handle narrow-body aircraft such as A320 or B737, and nearly 40 airstrips can be developed to handle smaller aircraft.

Mayur Patel, Head of Asia, OAG Aviation, said, “India has made remarkable progress in its aviation industry, positioning itself as the third largest domestic aviation market in the world. India has witnessed substantial growth in its domestic aviation sector, showcasing the country’s expanding middle class and their rising disposable income.”

Anoop Kanuga, MC Member, TAAI, said, “The potential to host weddings in J&K is immense, primarily due to its scenic locations and cultural richness. To tap it, the govt can help support the MICE community by improving infrastructure, strengthening security and offering subsidies to attract event organisers and agents to host weddings and MICE tourism events in the region.”

Sharing the travel data of India-registered users that give a peek into the global travel trends of Indians, Uber’s data reflects a sharp increase in the number of Indians using the ride-sharing app abroad during 2023. Indians are expected to surpass records set in previous years as they have travelled close to 1,000 cities across 68 countries overseas.

Booking.com’s Travel Trends for 2024 revealed that to make the most of monsoon, Indians are looking at exploring the mountains, the beaches and soaking in some natural beauty. Besides metros, leisure destinations such as Lonavala, Udaipur, Jaipur, Ooty and Mussoorie are among the most searched destinations this rainy season.

Hahnair, a charter airline and premier distribution partner for airlines worldwide, proudly announces a partnership with renowned Formula 1 driver Nico Hülkenberg. This collaboration will see Nico Hülkenberg prominently displaying the Hahnair logo on his helmet throughout the 2024 racing season. Nico Hülkenberg will benefit from Hahnair’s unparalleled commitment to safety, service, and comfort, traveling to his races with the airline’s top-tier aircraft and crew. This strategic alliance underscores the similarities between the precision and innovation of Formula 1 racing and the advanced, efficient airline distribution services provided by Hahnair. Daniel Rudas, General Manager and COO of Hahnair said, “Hahnair is delighted to partner with Nico Hülkenberg, an exceptional athlete who embodies speed, commitment to success, and the skills to master powerful technology” “Hahnair ensures that airlines achieve accelerated success in the highly competitive airline distribution market, mirroring the relentless drive and cutting-edge performance seen in Formula 1.” Expressing his enthusiasm for the partnership, Nico Hülkenberg commented, “Traveling with Hahnair, I can count on their first-class Connoisseur Service as well as reliably arriving at my races in time.” Nico Hülkenberg drives for the Haas F1 Team in Formula One. He won the GP2 Series Championship in 2009 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015, and he is a previous champion of both the Formula 3 Euro Series and A1 Grand Prix, as part of A1 Team Germany. Hahnair is a scheduled and charter airline providing first-class service to passengers. The airline is also renowned for its distribution solutions for airlines as well as ticketing services for travel agents worldwide. The company currently partners with 350 airlines and more than 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets. For more information on Hahnair, visit www.hahnair.com.

Jurgen Bailom, President and CEO of Cordelia Cruises, shares his comments on what the FM can do to help develop the cruise tourism industry in India. He says, “We at Cordelia Cruises are optimistic about the positive changes it could bring to our industry. The government’s support has been instrumental in fostering growth and development within the cruise sector. We believe that a reduction in the GST rate for cruise ticket sales and onboard services, or the introduction of a tax holiday similar to what was done for the IT industry, would not only make cruising more accessible to a broader audience but also boost the overall travel and tourism sector.” “Continued investment in port infrastructure development is crucial to support the growth of the cruise industry and improve connectivity. We believe these measures will significantly contribute to positioning India as a premier cruising destination, benefiting both the economy and tourism. We are confident that the government’s continued support will drive the industry forward.” “Furthermore, we request that cruise services should not qualify as providers of Overseas Tour Program Packages (OTPP), which mandates the collection of TCS from customers purchasing cruise packages. Unlike airlines, which are exempt from TCS for international flights, adding TCS over and above the 18% GST increases the overall cost of a cruise ticket and is not favourable for passengers. This change will significantly increase bookings and contribute to the growth of the cruise industry in India.”

Sharing some of the pain points that he seeks clarity and consideration on from the FM , in the upcoming budget, Mahendra Vakharia, Executive Committee Member / Immediate Past President – OTOAI & MD, Pathfinders Holidays, shares the below: Make the GST application and adjustment of Credit rule simpler for services rendered to client based in different state, service purchased from different state and invoiced from different state…. Allow adjustment of input credit of GST for International Holidays Reduce the percentage of TCS and Simplify the application of TCS on Foreign tour packages if you are unable to completely abolish TCS on International Packages – especially when booked from a tour operator / travel agent as it is not creating a level playing field for the Travel Agent charging TCS against  a Foreign registered online portal which is allowed to process bookings without charging TCS. This is totally and completely demoralising in defeating the rule of “Make in India” and favouring the foreign operators instead of the local travel agents. Interpretation of TCS rule is also very complicated and should be made very simple – both for the client and the travel agent thereby reducing the liability of the Travel Agent for non compliance due to ambiguity of the law and its implementation In fact from the day one when TCS was introduced the request from Industry was to abolish this TCS rule for International Tour Packages. This rule is not giving the local travel agent who is generating employment, paying income tax, paying GST,  a level playing field in comparision to the online Foreign Travel Portal who is not paying income tax, not generating employment, not paying GST and taking …

Tamil Nadu Travel Expo will be held in Madurai from 20 to 22 September this year at Grand Madurai by GRT Hotels. One of the important aspects and focus of the expo will be to turn Tamil Nadu into a favoured destination for weddings. Nearly 250 people from across the country and abroad will take part in the expo. 

Rajesh Magow, Co-founder & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip said, “Online travel agents (OTAs) in India are struggling with the challenging requirement of obtaining state-wise GST registrations. Allowing OTAs to register in State(s) through their central head office would significantly alleviate these burdens, streamline operations, and enhance efficiency. This requirement puts national OTAs at a disadvantage compared to international competitors who are not subjected to similar regulations.”