Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Dr Sagnik Chowdhury, Deputy Director General & Regional Director (West & Central), Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, along with his team made a detailed presentation to members of TAAI Western India in Mumbai on the merits of being an MoT-accredited travel agent and the approval process. Underlining some tweaks in the categories, his team also fielded some questions and challenges from the members. He said, “We also highlighted our certification programme which will go a long way in empowering their staff towards a more solid career in tourism.”

Gathering insights from more than 31,000 travellers across 34 countries and territories, Booking.com in its releases its 9th Sustainable Travel Report 2024, stated that 95 per cent of Indian travellers confirm that sustainable travel is important to them, with 93 per cent saying that they want to travel more sustainability over the next 12 months.

Domestic aviation in India is witnessing an unprecedented growth of 4,71,751 passengers and 6,128 flights  on 21 April, 2024 as compared to 21 April last year, which was 4,28,389 and 5,899, respectively. As more people gain access to air travel, the sector is expected to continue its upward trajectory, revealed DGCA.

Based on the travel reaches of its over 10 crore active users, MakeMyTrip in its ‘India Travel Trends Report’ revealed 25% increase in the number of people taking more than three trips a year. International bookings are once again being made well in advance instead of sudden travels during the tumultuous 2020 and 2021, the report added.

Teleport – India’s Most Trusted Visa Platform, invites Indian travel agents to attend a B2B webinar today at 3 PM IST. Participants will learn tips for easy visa appointments; tricks to avoid visa rejections, and all of it at the lowest rates. To register contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com, or call 9650196532.

Skyview by Empyrean, a 22-acre mountain harbour that seamlessly blends premium hospitality, adventure, nature and luxury in Sanget Valley, Patnitop, Jammu & Kashmir, has established itself as the region’s architectural pride since it opened its doors to the public 5 years ago. The premium property’s six categories of rooms and suites as well as the 200-seater Pine View Banquet and its restaurants – Banana Leaf and the Skyview Café reflect nature-inspired decor themes and have kept alive local, traditional building and masonry techniques in some form or another. These sustainable, eco-friendly design themes have been given shape through the Sylvan form of architecture and the use of Jammu and Kashmir’s age-old, traditional earthquake-resistant and eco-friendly dhajji-dewari building and masonry concept. The Persian word ‘dhajji’ was used by carpet weavers to describe a quilt patchwork. ‘dewari‘ is the Persian word for ‘patchwork quilt wall’. Skilled masons of the region construct symmetrically shaped squares, rectangles, and triangles of light timber frames packed with masonry infills that are weather, sound and earthquake proof. Guests can experience the warmth and intricacies of the region’s rich heritage and culture in stand-alone rooms and suites overlooking the scenic Sanget valley with panoramic mountain views of the Shivalik range or expansive views of the property’s in-house world-class Gondola — India’s highest and CEN certified Gondola. The rooms and suites at Skyview by Empyrean take inspiration from the rich heritage and architecture of the region while adhering to sustainable practices. The 237 sq. ft Gondola View Deluxe Rooms and the 277 sq. ft. Gondola View Premium Rooms featuring unique dome-shaped roofs are inspired by the natural environment of the region, with the warm and cosy interiors lending the …

Sarawak Tourism Board is thrilled to unveil the highly anticipated Rainforest World Music Festival 2024, set to be a transformative celebration under the theme ‘Evolution’. In its 27th edition, the RWMF promises an immersive experience that transcends music, incorporating responsible tourism, cultural celebration, and environmental stewardship. The festival lineup is nothing short of extraordinary, featuring a diversity that showcases 20 acts in total, made up of 68 international musicians from 14 countries across 6 continents together with 63 Malaysian artists. This exciting amalgamation of sounds and cultures promises to create a musical fusion like never before, showcasing the richness of global musical traditions right here in the heart of Sarawak. All the acts combined command a massive global fanbase of 12 million, comprising followers from Spotify and various social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitter (X), and Facebook. Among the festival’s headlining acts is the Grammy and Golden Globe award winner Kitaro, a Japanese recording artist renowned for his groundbreaking electronic-instrumental music. Kitaro Live World Tour will be coming to the Rainforest World Music Festival for the first time to enchant and captivate audiences with his ethereal compositions and transport them on a musical journey like no other. Kitaro won his Grammy in 2001 at the 43rd Grammy Awards for Best Album in the New Age category. Alongside Kitaro, headlining at the RWMF this year from West Malaysia is none other than Dato’ Zainalabidin, known for his hit song ‘Hijau’ which has been around for over three decades. It was one of the first few songs in the country to be categorized under the genre of ‘World Music’ when the concept was still relatively new in Malaysia. Zainalabidin is …

Türkiye offers visitors a variety of holiday options in every season. One of the country’s most enduring attractions is its renowned Turkish bath and spa tradition, which has been integral to this geography since antiquity. Enjoying this bathing culture in Pamukkale, one of the world’s most stunning landscapes, is an unforgettable experience that can only be found in this remarkable destination… Pamukkale, located in western Türkiye, about 20 kilometres from Denizli, is a true natural wonder with gorgeous snow-white travertines and terraced pools that resemble frozen waterfalls.  Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the travertines appear as a field of clouds dotted with warm, aquamarine-coloured pools. Immerse yourself in these healing mineral waters and discover the captivating beauty of Pamukkale up close. An Enchanting Natural Wonder Considered a bucket list destination for many, Pamukkale is known for its beautiful snow-white travertines, formed by the interaction of oxygen and thermal waters. A perfect blend of history and nature, the Pamukkale travertines, with their mineral waters, are also believed to offer healing properties. Every year, people worldwide flock to this mesmerising destination, enchanted by the breathtaking landscapes and the potential for rejuvenation. It is important to note that most travertines are protected due to their delicate structure. Still, visitors can freely walk in some regions of the travertines containing small terrace-shaped pools. To preserve the travertines, guests must remove their shoes and socks before entering. The Ancient Healing Waters Adjacent to the Pamukkale travertines is the awe-inspiring Hierapolis Ancient City, also part of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Around 2,500 years ago, King Eumenes II of Pergamon, enthralled by the splendour of the travertines, built a city near the site. Honouring Hiera, the wife of …

• Flights to Oradea, a precious hidden gem for city trippers, commence on 3 June • Athens returns to the network of LOT Polish Airlines LOT Polish Airlines, a member of Star Alliance and a leading airline in Central and Eastern Europe, continues its strategy of sustainable growth and adds two more European destinations to its global network. Flights to Oradea in Romania start on 3 June, while LOT Polish Airlines has now celebrated its comeback in Athens. Oradea is a Romanian city near the border to Hungary which can be described as a hidden gem for city trippers. It is steeped in history with roots reaching back to the ancient Romans and with fantastic architecture from the epochs of baroque and Art Nouveau. LOT Polish Airlines operates four times per week from its global hub in Warsaw to Oradea effective 3 June 2024. This service will be operated by Embraer E170 and E175 aircraft. From Delhi to Oradea in less than 12 hours  Travellers from India, who want to explore an amazing destination, which has not yet been discovered by many tourists, and therefore plan to include Oradea in their European itinerary, can even start their adventure there – thanks to the convenient flight service from LOT Polish Airlines from Delhi via Warsaw: Every Monday and Saturday, departure from Delhi at 8:00h, arrival in Oradea at 17:00h local time the same day; 11:30 hours total travel time including 100 minutes stopover in Warsaw Daily service between Warsaw and Athens A destination not be missed on a roundtrip through Europe is Athens and LOT Polish Airlines has now returned to the Greek capital. The Polish carrier is flying daily between …

STIC Travel Group has been appointed as the General Sales Agent for Celestyal Cruises in India. Effective immediately, STIC Travel Group will market, distribute, fulfill, and represent both dynamic and preformed travel packages for Celestyal, in addition to providing cruise-only services across India. Celestyal decided to cooperate with STIC Travel Group because the India region is an important market with great potential.Celestyal is convinced that with the newcooperation it will be able to accelerate furthergrowth in this region and at the same time offer new touring products to a wider audience leveraging STIC Travel Group robust distribution and technology platforms. STIC Travel Group has great experience in bringing together both cruise and tour whilst offering a comprehensive service, such as sales and marketing activities, service centres in the local language and much more. Isha Goyal, Executive Director & CEO of STIC Travel Group said, “We are very much looking forward to the cooperation with Celestyal and will support the cruise operator with our broad network in the tourism industry, most accurate market knowledge and profound marketing and sales know-how with all our strength”. Marios Polydorou, Vice President Business Development of Celestyal Cruises, said, “STIC Travel Group has decades of outstanding expertise in the cruise segment, making it an ideal partner for us.