Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

VFS Global, along with the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea, organised the India-Korea Harmony Cup Golf Tournament at the prestigious Delhi Golf Club to celebrate the 50-year milestone in diplomatic relations between India and South Korea. An impressive lineup of diplomats, prominent Indian and South Korean businesspeople, and key officials attended the event. The chief guest for the occasion was Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa and former CEO of Niti Ayog and he was joined by His Excellency Chang Jae-bok, the Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to India Amitabh Kant actively participated in a round of golf, adding to the excitement of the event. His Excellency Chang Jae-bok presented prizes to the accomplished winners, rounding off the celebration of the enduring diplomatic ties between the two nations. Prabuddha Sen, Chief Operating Officer, South Asia, VFS Global, said, “India and South Korea are strategic partners, and it extends across businesses. VFS Global has been partners with the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea in New Delhi for the past ten years, offering visa services. We have recently opened Visa Application Centres in Chennai and Bengaluru and are committed to cementing it further. As a testament to our enduring partnership, we organised a golf tournament, symbolising the strength and longevity of the diplomatic ties between our two nations.” The India-Korea Harmony Cup Golf tournament was a fitting tribute to the strong and longstanding diplomatic ties between India and South Korea. This event marks an important milestone in the continued partnership and collaboration between the two nations.

Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture of Tata group and Singapore Airlines, declare the addition of Doha (Qatar), its 50th destination, to its growing network. The airline will be operating direct, 4x weekly flights between Mumbai and Doha, starting from 15 December 2023 using its A321neo aircraft. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents. Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara said, “We are thrilled to introduce direct flights between Mumbai and Doha – the capital of Qatar and a burgeoning financial hub in the Middle East. Given the city’s growing economic significance, this move not only further solidifies our presence in the Gulf region but also enhances our network offering from our Mumbai hub. We hope that our customers will appreciate having the option of flying with India’s best airline on this route.” Vistara will accept all eligible customers meeting visa/entry requirements in both countries, as specified by the respective government bodies. Vistara strongly encourages its customers to fully understand these guidelines before making their bookings. Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The only Indian carrier to feature amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines, Vistara has been named ‘16th Best Airline’ globally, while also being recognized as the ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff in India and South Asia’ for the fifth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and South Asia’ for the third time in …

M/s SKI Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. a real estate & hotel development company in Delhi, today declare the signing of a franchise agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts for a new hotel development under the midscale Ramada by Wyndham brand in Jim Corbett, Uttarakhand. The Jim Corbett National Park , situated in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand State, is the oldest national park in India and was established in 1939 as Hailey National Park. In 1956, it was renamed after Jim Corbett – the famous hunter turned conservationist and wildlife author. JCNP is one of the most renowned wildlife sanctuaries in India, popular for the Royal Bengal Tiger and every year about 70,000 – 100,000 international and domestic tourists visit the park. The park is very well connected to most major cities of India by road, rail and air. IGI Airport, Delhi is the nearest international airport and is about 260 KM away. Due to its closeness to Delhi National Capital Region (Delhi NCR), Jim Corbett is also very popular for corporate breaks, brainstorming and team building. The closest domestic airport is Pant Nagar Airport, which is 80 km away. JCNP, fits very well, as an extended leg, in the popular golden triangle tourist circuit comprising of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts currently have hotels in all three locations and a resort in JCNP will further enhance Wyndham’s product offering in North India. Expected to open in 2025, Ramada by Wyndham Jim Corbett Belpadao will have a modern design 66 contemporary rooms and a host of amenities including a lobby lounge, an all-day dining restaurant & bar, health club, spa, swimming pool, meeting room and a business center. …

During the Industry Roundtable on Developing India as a MICE destination, Neeraj Dhawan, Director, Falcon Exhibitions, raise a crucial need for certified MICE professionals to bolster the MICE industry in India. He underscored the importance of skilled expertise in advancing India’s capabilities and reputation as a leading MICE destination.

According to a study by Booking.com, post-COVID, India is expected to surpass earlier momentum in the travel industry, possibly occupying first position amongst the top markets with 10-12% growth in total travel expenditure from 2023 to 2027. India led the way on tourism expenditure recovery in 2022 by reaching 78% of 2019 levels, vis-à-vis 52% for Asia.

Cyril V. D. Diengdoh, Tourism Department, Government of Meghalaya said, “We have approved a PPP policy aimed at developing tourism as a full-fledged industry. As part of this initiative, we are enabling private operators to construct greenfield hotels. The government has identified specific land areas where private sectors can invest in hotel development.”

Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture of the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, inaugurated daily, non-stop flights between Delhi and Bali. The inaugural flight, operated on Vistara’s A321LR aircraft, commenced from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi at 00:30 Hours (IST) on 01 December 2023 and arrived at Denpasar International Airport, Bali (DPS) at 11:05 Hours (WITA). Vistara’ s A321LR with three-class seating configuration is distinguished for its exceptional features including contemporary interiors, in-seat power/USB charging ports, state-of-the-art In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system, live TV and onboard Wi-Fi to accentuate the overall in-flight experience for customers. Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “Bali is one of the most coveted holiday havens for travellers in India and we are excited to be the only airline currently to launch direct connectivity between Delhi and Bali. Given the close commercial and cultural ties that India and Indonesia share, Bali has also rapidly grown to be a key destination for corporate travel and MICE. We are excited to bring the Best Airline in India and South Asia to Bali and are confident that Vistara with its world-class product and services will be a much-preferred choice for customers travelling on this new route.” Mr. Faik Fahmi expressed PT Angkasa Pura I (AP1) President Director,  enthusiasm and optimism regarding the opening of this route. “We welcome Vistara to Bali. After a long time, finally today Bali is connected directly with India via the inaugural flight operated by Vistara. This deserves to be recorded in the history books of AP1; this long-awaited flight route is officially operational today.” SCHEDULE OF FLIGHTS BETWEEN DELHI AND BALI EFFECTIVE 01 DECEMBER 2023 Sector Flight No. Days of …

Travellers have seen an increase in travel prices for the past 3 years. The average international trip cost in 2023 is USS6.574, up 21% from last vear. Sauaremouth survey reveals, 82% of travellers foresee their travel spending either rising or staying the same in 2024.

Rajiv Mehra, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators IATO, said. “The Indian market has seen notable shifts since the pandemic. e-commerce has surged, emphasizing the need for online presence. Additionally, there’s a growing focus on health and wellness products.”

The Embassy of Spain in India has announced to process Visa at Delhi office to Indian tourists within 24 hours without any additional cost. The idea behind this move is to attract more Indian travellers to the country. Usually, the visa processing time takes between 15 and 45 days.