Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Noida International Airport today entered a strategic collaboration with Akasa Air, to support each other in their growth journeys. Akasa Air will base aircraft at the airport to operate domestic and international flights from Noida International Airport, to support the growing air travel demand in the region. India has witnessed a surge in passenger traffic in recent times, and this is poised to grow further in the years ahead. Noida International Airport and Akasa Air share a commitment to supporting this growth by deepening air connectivity from Delhi NCR and Western Uttar Pradesh to India and the world. Mr. Christoph Schnellmann, Chief Executive Officer, Noida International Airport, said, “We are excited to welcome Akasa Air as our airline partner, marking a significant step forward as we progress towards airport opening. This partnership highlights our commitment to strengthen air connectivity in the Delhi NCR region and Western Uttar Pradesh. Akasa Air is one of the fastest-growing airlines in the country, and we are thrilled to have them join us on our mission to establish a comprehensive air network, connecting major metros as well as Tier 2 and 3 cities across the country. Our goal remains to offer passengers unmatched connectivity and an exceptional travel experience.” Commenting on the occasion, Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air said,” “Noida International airport exemplifies our government’s focus on developing aviation infrastructure as the country moves towards becoming an international aviation hub. Akasa Air’s proposed partnership with the airport is in line with our endeavour to build a holistic network that connects the length and breadth of the nation. We are confident that the synergy will enable us to further fortify connectivity to and from …

In an eagerly anticipated announcement, the theme for Taj Mahotsav 2024 is revealed as ‘Sanskriti & Samriddhi,’ echoing the profound connection between culture and prosperity. Under the patronage of the Uttar Pradesh Government and organised by the Taj Mahotsav Committee, this festival stands as a legacy initiative, celebrating the rich roots of Indian heritage. As a tradition, the Taj Mahotsav’s Management Jury invited the public to contribute ideas for this year’s theme. The response has been overwhelming, showcasing the enthusiasm and creative spirit of the community. After careful consideration, the theme ‘Sanskriti & Samriddhi’ was selected to encapsulate the essence of cultural richness intertwined with prosperity. The associated slogan, “Viksit Bharat Ke Sankalp Sang, Taj Mahotsav Ke Rang,” reflects a commitment to the development of an evolved India and the vibrancy that Taj Mahotsav brings to this shared vision. The chosen individual/entity whose theme suggestion has been selected will be honoured with a token of appreciation amounting to ₹10,000, a gesture of gratitude for their contribution to this cultural extravaganza. The deadline for theme submissions was January 15th, 5 PM. Revised dates for the mega festival have been announced, with Taj Mahotsav 2024 commencing on February 17th and continuing until February 27th, ‘24. This extension promises an extended period of revelry and cultural immersion for both locals and visitors. Anticipating the excitement, the Taj Mahotsav 2024 has lined up a spectacular array of events, including a Kite Festival, Hot Air Balloon rides, Musical Performances, and captivating showcases of various art forms, encompassing dance and handicrafts. Bollywood & Punjabi Nights will add a glamorous touch to the festivities. Moreover, a mesmerising light show has been planned, promising to enhance the grandeur …

Signs multiple hotels with Bangalore-based Grand Continent Hotels  India’s fastest growing group of hotels, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts declare its latest business model – A Sarovar Affiliate,  a model that will position the group on a rapid trajectory of growth and expansion to meet its business plan for the next five years. with the launch of this model, the group foresees bringing a large number of hotels into its existing portfolio within the mid-market and premium categories across India. The first agreement in this direction has been signed with Bengaluru-based Grand Continent Hotels to manage its upcoming hotels across key metropolitan and secondary cities pan India. With this development, Sarovar will add over 10 hotels in the next five years to its proliferating portfolio. The recently opened hotels include a 45-room hotel Grand Continent Hosur, Tamil Nadu, and a 48-room hotel Grand Continent Hebbal, Bengaluru. Under the new agreement, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts will extend robust sales and marketing support to Grand Continent Hotels which stand to gain from Sarovar’s wide network of Regional Sales Offices (RSOs) across eleven cities and Louvre’s global distribution platform. Mr. Ajay K Bakaya, Managing Director Sarovar Hotels & Resorts and Director, Louvre Hotels India said, “We are pleased to introduce a flexible, limited-services and bespoke model that addresses the paradigm shift being experienced globally. Businesses are exploring and discovering possibilities of alliances and partnership opportunities which forge businesses on a fast track and offer scalability and our Affiliate business model is an important step in this direction.” Mr. Ramesh Shiva, Managing Director Grand Continent Hotels Pvt Ltd Said, “We are excited to partner with Sarovar Hotels & Resorts which enjoys a legacy of size …

Shri Ram-Janaki Yatra, Shri Jagannath Yatra, Garvi Gujarat Tour, Ambedkar Circuit, and Northeast Tour were the most popular tourist circuits of 2023 as stated by Indian Railways. Last year saw almost 172 Bharat Gaurav trips, and approx. 96,491 tourists experienced the enriching trips.

TTC and Biosphere joined hands to promote sustainability in the hotel industry. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said, “The collaboration is a fundamental step towards international standardisation in sustainability, creating a clear and homogeneous pathway for the industry.”

Addressing Wings India 2024, Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the government is all set to operationalise more than 220 airports from the current 148 airports in next five years, under PPP and low-cost model, fostering the development of states without any airport.

At Travel M!CE and Corporate Show, Rikant Pittie, Co-Founder, EaseMyTrip.com, said, “We have seen 15% increase in our business when we started selling flights, hotels and accommodation together, so bundle products should be recommended for business augmentation.”

Mr. Prakash Bedi, Vice President, Clarks Safari  India is blessed with a varied landscape and architectural marvels, most travelers visit India to experience heritage or spiritual tourism apart from being a favorite destination for leisure and business travel. The hospitality sector is a billion-dollar industry and gives employment to 137 billion individuals. Last year’s budget was promising, with the announcement of opening up 220 airports by 2025, the allotment of 2.4 lakh crores to Indian railways capital expenditure, and increasing coastal shipping using India’s eastern and western shipping lines, boosting the tourism sector. With the 2024-2025 budget in the pipeline, there are a lot of expectations within the industry. The sector only has 1,90,000 branded rooms which is significantly lower than the other Asian counterparts. China has nine times more branded rooms than us. The industry needs more foreign investments and big chains setting up properties in India. Too much of licenses are acting as dampeners, it is essential to have one clearance window, to support ease of doing business and to encourage new players to enter the sector. This will lead to the expansion of the hotel industry and more inflow of international tourists. For long, the industry has been struggling to get industry status, rationalize taxes, and easier loan conditions for small and medium properties. We are hoping this budget will address a few of those issues. It is high time the indirect taxes especially the goods and services taxes need to be standardized as per global standards. All across the globe the GST charged is 12%, whereas in India we charge 18% GST, this leads to the driving of the room tariffs. This will make India globally …

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) roped in DreamSetGo as the official travel partner for the Indian Olympic delegation travelling to Paris. The partnership aims to provide services and ground support to Indian delegation ensuring a seamless experience for athletes, their families and federations.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis unveiled a ₹350 crore plan to accelerate tourism in Vidarbha. The State govt will develop numerous facilities to augment tourism, generate employment in the region, and develop a tourism circuit including forest and water tourism sectors.