Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Representatives from 42 nations gathered at the expansive 27-acre construction site of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, following an invitation from the Indian Embassy in the UAE. The visit aimed to foster intercultural understanding. The BAPS Hindu Temple is the second largest in the world and it is expected to attract over 3 million visitors in the first year to the UAE, positioning itself as the next significant wedding and MICE destination in Abu Dhabi.   

One of the fastest-growing segments in the tourism sector is the cruise industry, gaining immense popularity among travellers. During FITUR 2024, experts and leaders in the cruise sector discussed the industry’s prospects. Projections for 2024 suggest a promising year, with forecasts indicating that over 36 million people will opt for cruise travel. 

Merlin engages with the Indian travel industry in Delhi as they unveiled Baba Ramdev’s wax figure for Madame Tussauds New York, intending to boost outbound sales from India. As they plan to launch more products and execute marketing strategies in India, Merlin expects more Indian diaspora to visit Madame Tussauds NY.

Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI, said that the implementation of industry status will offer waivers and reliefs which are critical for the growth of hospitality. “We anticipate the forthcoming policy will promote the growth of tourism in Vidarbha and Maharashtra at large,” he added.

With the theme ‘The Magical Every Day’ Kerala’s pavilion experienced high numbers of visitors including business delegates at FITUR 2024 in Madrid, reinforcing its position as an enthralling destination for Spanish travel market. Kerala has recorded 18,947 arrivals in 2019 from Spain claiming it to be a pivotal market for the state in future.

The Clarks Hotels & Resorts, has launched its second property in beautiful Sri Lanka, this move puts the chain well in place to enter into the luxury leisure segment and increase the brands international footprint further. Celestial Hills, a boutique luxury resort, is nestled in the picturesque city of Kandy, the resorts blending in seamlessly with nature, features 11 luxury private villas, each with their own private plunge pools, an outdoor shower and a large balcony all looking into Hatana and Knuckle mountain ranges. The resort also features a local cuisine restaurant, where guests can experience local flavors looking over some fabulous views. The spa, consists of 2 treatment rooms with a range of therapies that our guests can choose from. The pool, nestled in between the trees, is a perfect afternoon spot to relax. The visitors can explore Kandy, which is  a cultural jewel with UNESCO-listed sites, vibrant markets, and tranquil lakes and immerse in a cultural odyssey with the rhythmic beats of Kandyan drums and engagements with local artisans. Mr. Rahul Deb Banerjee, Vice President of The Clarks Hotels & Resorts, ‘Our strategy involves both national and international expansion. With our unique property in Sri Lanka, we aim to provide travellers with exceptional experiences. As the Sri Lankan government promotes tourism and domestic interest grows, we anticipate a surge in tourism. We are actively promoting Sri Lanka as our new international destination, offering Indian travellers our renowned hospitality globally.’

In conjunction with the state visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron to India, Akasa Air and CFM International today declare an agreement to purchase CFM LEAP-1B engines to power 150 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, the sale of which was announced last week. The agreement also includes spare engines and a services contract. The Mumbai-based operator launched its operations in August 2022 and had previously ordered a total of 76 LEAP-1B- powered 737-8 aircraft, of which 22 are currently in service. Mr. Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO of Akasa Air said, “This significant, long-term agreement is a testament to the confidence that CFM International has in Akasa Air. Continuing to partner with CFM as our engine maintenance provider not only reaffirms our focus on operational reliability but equally underscores Akasa Air’s relentless pursuit of world-class safety.” “With CFM as our long-term engine maintenance provider, we remain confident in our path to becoming one of the top 30 leading airlines in the world, by the turn of this decade”, he added. This new order grows CFM’s footprint in India, with more than 400 CFM-powered aircraft in service and 2,500 LEAP engines in the backlog. Both CFM’s parent companies GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines have also significantly invested in India to build state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to LEAP production and maintenance, while signing strategic partnerships with Indian aerospace companies as part of the “Make in India” policy. Gaël Méheust, president & CEO of CFM International said, “Our customers, including Akasa, are seeing 15 to 20 percent better fuel efficiency with their LEAP-powered fleets and it has the highest reliability and daily utilization rates in this thrust class.” “Today’s order will continue to bring these benefits …

Due to political strike by employee unions against Finnish Govt. on 1-2 February, Finnair will start cancelling flights from 30 January due to no connections from Helsinki. Customers will be offered alternative routes, long-haul flights to be routed directly to their destination.

The state government of Goa has announced to build its first wellness destination centre and eco-cottages at Anjunem-Keri. Govt has accepted the proposal of Rane Construction for the development, operations, and maintenance of the property with the vision to promote hinterland tourism.

MOT participated at FITUR in Spain with 40 + Indian co-exhibitors with a vision to promote India globally. India has recorded the arrival of 64,756 foreign tourists from Spain in 2023, which signifies that Spain is one of the important source markets for India.