Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Palladium Hotel Group is strengthening its international presence with its arrival in the Middle East. The project announced will be carried out in conjunction with Al Marjan and Almal Real Estate Development, an award-winning ultra-luxury developer based in the region. The ambitious project, which attracts more than $100 million in investment, will consist of 442 hotel rooms and residential units. It represents the first international opening for the iconic Ibiza-born brand, which is now to be known as Ushuaïa Unexpected Hotels & Residences, integrating the concept of branded residences with the existing hotel proposition. The hotel and residential facility will be located on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the region’s premier tourist and investment destinations, and will comprise a sophisticated beach club, exquisite restaurant and captivating infinity pool, all situated adjacent to the Wynn Resort Island and overlooking the picturesque Arabian Gulf. Jesús Sobrino, CEO of Palladium Hotel Group, said: “This is a triple milestone for the company, as we announce our arrival in the Middle East and the growth of an emblematic brand for Palladium Hotel Group, as well as the group’s first foray into the branded residences segment. We are proud to be able to carry out this project hand in hand with two partners with whom we are aligned on the concepts of service and entertainment, and therefore we thank Almal Development and Al Marjan for their trust.” Dmytro Starovoitov, Co-Founder, Almal Development, said: “Our new development embodies Almal’s commitment to delivering unmatched luxury and sophistication in the realm of hospitality and entertainment. As a full-service investment and development company, we are excited to bring the brand Ushuaïa Unexpected Hotels & Residences to …

IHCL announced the opening of a Vivanta hotel in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. Located in the heart of the city, the hotel is a seamless blend of contemporary elegance and local tribal heritage. Speaking on the occasion, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said, “We are delighted to unveil Vivanta in Jamshedpur, India’s first planned industrial city. Founded by Jamsetji Tata and named after him, Jamshedpur is also known as Tatanagar due to the presence of multiple Tata companies. This opening will mark the debut of the Vivanta brand and will be IHCL’s second hotel in the city.” With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have two hotels across Vivanta and Ginger brands in Jharkhand.

As part of the ongoing, continuous endeavor to enhance the customer journey through digitization, IndiGo will trial new entertainment content. Available to its customers inflight, using the IndiGo app, the trial will be conducted for customers travelling between the Delhi-Goa sector from 1st May 2024, for a period of three months.  Committed to enhancing its app to become a valuable tool for its customers, as well as improving the in-flight experience, the airline has upgraded its app to provide options to watch popular blockbuster movies, TV shows, access moving maps, games, as well as tune into a wide range of music genres, while cruising at 30,000ft.

Skyscanner’s report finds that nearly 3 in 4 Gen Z travellers meticulously plan their first international trips, with 76% arranging itineraries and 73% booking return tickets in advance. Over half (51%) prioritize budget-friendly flights and accommodations, for their first overseas trip, indicating a strong emphasis on financial planning among this generation. 

Imagine stepping into a hotel room and being greeted by breathtaking sunset views every evening. With the introduction of the world’s first sunset view rating system for luxury hotel rooms, Corona India makes sure you get the sunset you were promised. Now being piloted at a selection of luxury hotels including the CGH Brunton Boatyard, Niraamaya Surya Samudra and Brij Laxman Sagar located in Kochi, Kovalam and Pali respectively. Corona’s unique campaign around stunning sunset views is set to capture every traveller’s heart. Conceptualized in partnership with Digitas India, part of Publicis Groupe India, the campaign enables luxury travellers to check out the sunset rating of iconic hotels across the country on CRED Escapes, a luxury travel platform for India’s 1%. With nearly 90% of people in cities spending their time indoors, the allure of sun tourism has been on the rise. Recognizing this trend, Corona India set out to create a unique solution—a sunset visual quality rating system akin to a Michelin Star for restaurants. This innovative approach guarantees travellers the opportunity to witness nature’s wonder with certainty, transforming fleeting moments into cherished memories. Developed by an interdisciplinary team of atmospheric scientists and big data analysts, the rating system utilizes 43 years of historical atmospheric data from ECMWF and NASA to establish a new benchmark in sunset quality. The prediction model analyses various parameters such as location, wind speed, AQI and cloud cover to score the sunset quality from a hotel room on a 5-point scale. Vineet Sharma, Vice President Marketing & Trade Marketing, AB InBev India said, “We all believe in taking a moment from our busy everyday lives to enjoy the beauty of sunsets. If a hotel room can …

The European Union (EU) has adopted a new visa system called the “cascade” regime specifically for Indian nationals. Indian citizens can now be issued long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years. This is a significant improvement compared to potentially shorter-validity visas offered previously. To qualify for the two-year visa, applicants must have obtained and lawfully used two Schengen visas within the previous three years. 

Naveen Kundu, MD, Ebixcash Travel has said that the travel corporate tax paid by corporations in India has grown by 160% over the last 10 years. Net direct tax collection has surged by 160% to ₹16,63,686 crores, indicating increased profitability among corporations. With the corporate tax rate slashed to 25% from the previous range of 30-35% announced in 2015, business houses now have an additional 10% from their theoretical revenues to allocate towards employee expenditures.  

Malaysia plans to build Southeast Asia’s largest integrated circuit design park and will offer incentives including tax breaks, subsidies and visa exemption fees to attract global tech companies and investors, the government said. Malaysia is aiming to turn Kuala Lumpur into a regional digital hub, with the goal of being among the top 20 countries in the global startup ecosystem index by 2030.  

BWH Hotels is proud to announce the appointment of Medha Tiwari as Head of Sales & Marketing for the regions of India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Medha brings over two decades of invaluable experience in the hospitality industry, having worked with renowned brands such as ITC, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Lalit Hotels, Interstate Hotels, and The Park Hotels. Throughout her illustrious career, Medha has consistently demonstrated her expertise in driving new business, providing exceptional customer service, and fostering strategic partnerships with stakeholders and executives to enhance commercial value. Her exceptional ability to build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers, establish large-volume accounts, and ensure client retention and loyalty has been instrumental in her success. Medha’s leadership qualities shine throughout her track record of motivating staff members and transforming teams into record-breaking units. Her dedication to excellence, coupled with her integrity, character, and strong work ethic, has earned her widespread recognition in the industry. Medha Tiwari holds a Professional Development Programme from Cornell University in Strategic Pricing and Hotel Administration, in addition to an MBA from Amity University and a hospitality degree from the Institute of Hotel Management, Gwalior. She has honed her expertise in sales & marketing, revenue management, distribution, and branding over the course of her career.

Le Cordon Bleu, the globally renowned network of hospitality and culinary schools, is delighted to announce the appointment of Chef Thierry Le Baut as the Academic Director at its GD Goenka University campus. Chef Le Baut is a celebrated culinary maestro with a global reputation in hospitality, culinary arts, and pastry arts. As a veteran, he has led the kitchens of Michelin-starred establishments and spearheaded the Le Cordon Bleu Manila and Ottawa campuses as Executive Director, earning him international acclaim. As the new Academic Director at Le Cordon Bleu Gurugram, Chef Le Baut brings a wealth of experience and a passion for excellence that will elevate the learning experience to new heights. He is committed to nurturing students’ academic journey, fostering creativity, and instilling the highest standards of culinary and hospitality artistry. Under the expert guidance of Chef Le Baut, students will embark on a remarkable journey encompassing all elements of the culinary and hospitality world. Furthermore, his international experience will broaden the horizons of the students at the campus as he will be instrumental in creating pathways for exchange programs with over 35 LCB campuses worldwide. ”I am delighted be a part of Le Cordon Bleu, Gurugram as the Academic Director. With a comprehensive global experience and a strong commitment to excellence, I am excited to lead the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals towards unparalleled success. The Indian hospitality industry has immense potential, and I firmly believe that our students will play a pivotal role in shaping its future,” said Chef Thierry Le Baut. Ms. Kim Menezes, Vice Chancellor, GD Goenka University said, ”Chef Thierry Le Baut’s expertise and global experience will undoubtedly empower students to excel …