Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

According to data from Adara, a RateGain Company, an impressive 62% of all hotel searches from India in the last two months have been for France. The allure of witnessing the Olympics, combined with the romantic and cultural magnetism of Paris, has captured the imagination of many. Contrary to the search data, Germany has outpaced France in actual hotel bookings, receiving 19% of all bookings from India, compared to France’s 16%. Several factors contribute to this trend, reflecting practical considerations over aspirational searches.

SOTC Travel released data on East India travel trends. Interestingly, the data highlights Kolkata’s position as a key source market for SOTC travel – with demand from not only the city but also neighboring regions, powering the Company’s growth trajectory. The Company is witnessing a strong demand uptick of 21% YoY for premium destinations including Europe (Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, and Scandinavia), Japan and South Korea. West Bengal/Kolkata Travel Trends Increased travel intent in 2024: 21% YoY Desire for multiple trips:25% higher compared to last year Higher spends: 15-20% compared to last year Top destinations o   Domestic: Kashmir, Ladakh, Chardham, Sikkim, Andamans, Bhutan & Sri Lanka o   International: Europe, Scandinavia, Vietnam, Bali, Singapore – Malaysia, Georgia, Japan o   New emerging: Azerbaijan & South Korea Strong demand for spiritual journeys and darshans – Ayodhya and Char Dham Unique preferences:high interest for experiential holidays, domestic cruises, safaris and biking trips Top customer segments: multi-generational families, millennials & Gen Z Top selling products: Bali Te Gurga Pujo – Bali, Osadharon Vietnam – Vietnam, Japan Ne Sarod Utsov – Japan, Asia Te Hoi Choi Songe Thailand – Singapore – Malaysia & Thailand, Bishyokor Purbo Europe – East Europe, Apurbo France O Swiss – France & Swiss Delight, Shundor Europe – Belgium – Swiss – Germany among others. Daniel D’souza, President and Country Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel said “Kolkata continues to be one of our top source markets with an increase in demand of over 21% YoY from this region. The summer season has witnessed strong growth across both international and domestic destinations 23% vs last year.

Kapil Kaul, CEO & Director, CAPA India, addressing the CAPA India Aviation Summit said, “India’s airline fleet is set to double by FY2030. It took the Indian industry around 90 years from the time of the first commercial flight to reach a fleet size of 700 aircraft. But the rate of growth is so strong that carriers could add a further 600-700 aircraft in just the next 5-7 years.”

Airlines must stay vigilant about governments “going rogue” on globally agreed aviation standards, as the Dutch government did when it moved to cut Amsterdam Schiphol Airport’s capacity without consultation, Willie Walsh, Director General IATA, said. Such actions had the potential to create a retaliatory mess, he warned.

Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD of Air India, has said that the airline’s focus is now on integration, growth optimisation and consumer experience onboard. “The operational processes related to the merger with Vistara to complete towards end of this calendar year,” he said, adding that India has huge 3rd and 4th freedom traffic and the airlines aims to take significant portion of this traffic.

Air India Express expands its network in the National Capital Region (NCR), bringing more convenience to flyers in NCR and North India, by operating 28 weekly direct flights connecting Hindon with Bengaluru, Goa, and Kolkata, with fares starting from ₹5,134. Flight operations will commence on 1st August 2024. Besides operating over 280 flights a week from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi, AIX will be operating from Hindon Airport, ensuring enhanced connectivity to/from other cities in Western UP, Uttarakhand and Haryana. Hindon’s strategic location within the National Capital Region (NCR) ensures seamless access for travellers based out of Central and Eastern Delhi, Noida, Alipur, Agra, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Dadri, Dasna, Dehradun, Faridnagar, Hapur, Haridwar, Khekra, Loni, Meerut, Modinagar, Muradnagar, Noida, Nangloi Jat,  Pilkhuwa, Panipat, Rishikesh, Saharanpur, and Sonipat. Speaking about the announcement, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said, “Our network expansion is focussed on enhancing connectivity across the rapidly growing domestic and short-haul international market, particularly the new and underserved routes. The maturity and size of major metropolitan areas in India can support secondary airports, spreading the benefits of air connectivity and further stimulating growth. We believe the launch of our flights from Hindon is a pioneering effort towards this direction. It will benefit travellers from an extended catchment area, even beyond Delhi NCR, including Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal and Haryana. The new services will complement our operations from the primary airport serving Delhi NCR, providing convenient options.”

Kapil Kaul, CEO & Director, CAPA India, addressing the CAPA India Aviation Summit said, “The industry’s average fare in FY2024 was almost the same as in FY2023. IndiGo’s average airfare in FY2024 was just 1.3% higher than FY2023 but 36% higher compared to FY2020.”

Aeroprime Group, India’s new-age GSA, is proud to announce its appointment as the exclusive Cargo General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) for Cambodia Angkor Air, the flag carrier of Cambodia, effective June 1, 2024. Currently, the airline boasts a fleet comprising A320, A321, and ATR aircrafts, serving over 11 destinations across Cambodia, China, Laos, Singapore, and Vietnam. Starting 16th June 2024, Cambodia Angkor Airlines will operate four weekly flights from Delhi to Phnom Penh utilizing A320 aircraft, offering the only direct connectivity between India and Cambodia which will help increase the trade between the countries and open up more business opportunities for cargo. With plans for further expansion across multiple Indian cities in the near future, Aeroprime Group will oversee the comprehensive sales service of the cargo space on these flights, ensuring efficient and seamless logistics solutions for the airline and expanding its network to meet the growing demand for reliable cargo solutions. Commenting on the announcement, Abhishek Goyal, Executive Director of Aeroprime Group, said, “At Aeroprime, we are keen to grow our business and maintain our market leadership position in the air cargo sector. This partnership with Cambodia Angkor Air is a significant step towards our strategic vision of offering a diverse and comprehensive product offering service to our partners and clients. We are committed to supporting Cambodia Angkor Air in their growth journey by aiding their expansion plans and enhancing sales within the Indian market.” This new appointment marks a significant milestone for Aeroprime Group, reinforcing its position as a leading Cargo GSSA in the Indian aviation industry. Further, it exemplifies Aeroprime’s dedication to providing top-tier sales and service solutions to global airlines, enhancing its esteemed portfolio and solidifying …

In a significant development, Bird Travels has announced that it has been appointed as GSA for Armenia Airways in India. As GSA, Bird Travels will now oversee the promotional and marketing activities to boost the sales of Armenia Airways. Additionally, to expand its services and facilitate trips, Armenia Airways is all set to commence new direct services from Delhi to Yerevan starting from 15 July, 2024. The flights will operate three days a week.

Skyscanner Travel Insight data shows, that since the start of 2024, searches for domestic travel in India have increased by 19% year-over-year, whilst searches amongst Indian travellers for ‘Everywhere’ are up 122% YoY. The top domestic destinations for Indian travellers in 2024 include New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Goa, and Hyderabad.