Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Hotel Ibis Limited, a hotel development business in Bangladesh today declare the signing of Ramada by Wyndham Cox’s Bazar Kolatoli Beach under a franchise agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Cox’s Bazar is the prime beach and tourist town in Bangladesh, locate alongside the beach of the Bay of Bengal,  boasting a 120 Km unbroken coastline , reachable through motor transport. This town is located in the Chittagong Division in south-eastern Bangladesh, beside ‘Myanmar (Burma)’. Located about 150 km south of Chittagong Metropolitan city, Cox’s Bazar is connected both by air and road with the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka and the prime port city Chittagong. With direct beachfront access to the famous Kolatoli Beach, guests can enjoy magnificent sunsets over the Bay of Bengal from the comfort of their guestroom or with a drink at the roof top bar lounge. The hotel will feature 141 contemporary rooms, all day dining, banquet halls and meeting room, health club, spa and an outdoor roof top swimming pool. Alhajj Jashim Uddin Ahammed, Managing Director, Hotel Ibis Limited said, “We are delighted to partner with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts for our newly built hotel at Cox’s Bazar under the internationally recognized Ramada by Wyndham brand. Hotel is currently under the final stages of finishing and will be ready to welcome guest by end of this year.” Nikhil Sharma, Market Managing Director Eurasia, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said, “We are delighted to partner with Hotel Ibis Limited for this amazingly located hotel on the popular Kolatoli Beach. This signing marks an important step in our expansion plan for Bangladesh by bringing a high-quality midscale hotel in a prime location in Cox’s Bazar.” Through the opening …

The airline to commence direct flights between Kochi (India) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) on August 12, 2023~ VietJet, Vietnam’s leading low-cost carrier has recently launched a campaign, “Vietjet Pampers you, Summer Chill”, to declare its heavily discounted offers as part of its Summer 2023 promotion. Airline will offer 88% discount to all the passengers – only on 8th August 2023. offer is applicable for all the routes. Passengers must use Promo code “SUMMER88” when booking on www.vietjetair.com or the VietJet Air mobile app to receive the discount on 8th August 2023 valid from 0:00 – 23:59 (GMT+7). In its strategic plan to spread connectivity between India with Vietnam, the airline will also commence direct flights between Kochi and Ho Chi Minh City on August 12, 2023. Flights between Kochi – Ho Chi Minh City route will be operated with a frequency of 4 flights/week on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The flights from Kochi will depart at 23:50 and land in Ho Chi Minh City at 06:40 . The return flights will depart from Ho Chi Minh City at 19:20 and arrive in Kochi at 22:50 . Additionally, Indians can fly to Vietnam on Vietjet flights from Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively. Furthermore, the airline has also announced international route, connecting Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Jakarta (Indonesia). The route linking Ho Chi Minh City to Jakarta will commence operations on August 5, 2023. With up to 32 direct flights per week, the airline is connecting most flights between India and Vietnam bridging the distance and travel time between the two countries. Additionally, passenger can also fly to Hong …

The 38th IATO Annual Convention will take place in Aurangabad from September 29 to October 2, 2023. Ravi Gosain, IATO VP, said they expect about 900-1000 delegates from all over the country at the event. The theme of the convention is ‘Inbound Tourism and Emerging sustainable trends’ and there will be 5 post tours.

Tejbir Singh Anand, VP of ATOAI, says that Maharashtra is one of the most mature markets in India for adventure tourism. “It is a fantastic market. Its not just about money; its also about the attitude and aspirations. In Maha we find people who are more aspirational have a long bucket list. It definitely tops as a source market, with Pune and Mumbai being the icing on the cake.”

Speaking about the importance of India market for Oman, Asma Al Hajry, Deputy DG of Tourism Promotions, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, said, “The country recorded a 126% growth in Indian arrivals in April 2023 as compared to the same month last year. With Indian arrivals already surpassing 2,34,000 in the first five months this year, Oman has already seen a 114% growth in arrivals from India compared to last year.”

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of India International Hospitality Expo 2023, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, CM of Himachal Pradesh, urged the hospitality sector to invest in the state. He added that the govt will provide them with all the support required.

J&K has registered 1.27 crore tourist arrivals this year so far, and the figure is expected to touch a record-high by this year end, said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. He credited the restoration of peace for this development. J&K recorded 1.88 crore arrivals in 2022, the highest number in the past three decades.

The Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO) in partnership with the Travel Agents Association of Coimbatore, took center stage on 01 August 2023, as they organized a highly successful roadshow at the prestigious Hotel Grand Regent in Coimbatore. The event aimed to foster mutual growth and cooperation between the two vibrant travel communities, while promoting the mesmerizing tourism opportunities in the Andaman Islands. With a turnout of 50 travel agents from Coimbatore, the event was graced by the presence of AATO’s President, M. Vinod, whose vision and leadership have been instrumental in elevating the Andaman Islands as a prime tourist destination. The roadshow proved to be an invaluable platform for networking and knowledge sharing among the participants. Highlighting the event’s significance, M. Vinod, President of AATO, said, “We are excited to collaborate with the Travel Agents Association of Coimbatore for this incredible roadshow. This platform has allowed us to showcase the diverse and breathtaking tourism opportunities that await travelers in the Andaman Islands. We are confident that this event will lead to fruitful partnerships and an increase in tourist footfall to our beautiful islands.” The event commenced with a panel discussion on “Tourism Opportunities in Andaman” that was moderated by the Joint Secretary of AATO, Saikat Biswas. The discussion delved into the untapped potential of the Andaman Islands as a year-round travel destination, featuring its pristine beaches, rich cultural heritage, and thriving marine life. The insightful session garnered active participation from travel agents and industry experts, enabling the exchange of ideas on promoting sustainable and responsible tourism practices.

The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) organised an insightful seminar aimed at simplifying the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for the hospitality industry in Panaji. The seminar was held on the heels of the 50th GST Council meeting which took place on July 11, 2023, in New Delhi. The event saw attendance from 42 hospitality professionals including hotel and restaurant owners from across Goa. CA Jinit R Shah, a seasoned Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of experience, conducted the seminar, providing in-depth knowledge and practical insights on GST related topics to the participants. The seminar focused on a variety of GST-related topics that are relevant to the hospitality industry. These topics included the rates applicable to restaurant services within hotel premises with different room tariffs, free food supplied to staff, food packaging, tips and service charge, covers charges, and sponsorships. For hotels, Mr Shah shared insights on the break-up of room tariffs and the applicable GST rates, including when there is provision for extra beds, or when guests use hotel utilities such as laundry services or consume from the mini-fridges in the rooms, among others. “The GST has been a complex and challenging tax regime for our industry and this seminar has helped us to better understand the rules and how to comply with them. His insights and practical examples tailored specifically for the hospitality sector have been immensely valuable for our members. The seminar has empowered professionals to navigate the GST landscape with confidence and efficiency, addressing doubts and providing valuable resources. The seminar has not only helped us clarify doubts on a variety of GST related topics but, has also equipped us better to …

Sentosa is set to introduce an array of leisure experiences to Indian travellers. The new developments were revealed during the visit of Chin Sak Hin, Assistant Chief Executive, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), who is here to strengthen SDC’s longstanding relationships with Indian trade partners to ensure that Sentosa is the preferred choice of destination for all Indian travellers to Singapore. Strategic partnership with Thomas Cook India and SOTC Currently, India is a top source market for Sentosa and accounts for nearly a third of overseas visitors to Sentosa Island for the first half of 2023. To leverage this high growth potential, SDC has inked one-year strategic partnerships with Thomas Cook (India) and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, respectively. The MoU aims to deepen the relationship between SDC and Thomas Cook and SOTC; highlight the range of discoveries in Sentosa; and shore up Sentosa’s position as a top-of-mind destination. The partnership will see SDC working closely with Thomas Cook and SOTC on activities such as product development, joint consumer promotions, as well as publicity to raise Sentosa’s profile in the India market, increase Sentosa’s capture rates of the India market particularly in Tier 2 and 3 cities, and grow visitorship to and spend on Sentosa Island. Both Thomas Cook and SOTC will also curate exclusive packages that feature the latest offerings in Sentosa. The partnership is a timely and strategic move to refresh Sentosa’s brand image among Indian travellers, particularly as the island destination had repositioned itself earlier this year as an island of fulfilling experiences where discovery never ends. The new brand proposition presents opportunities and moments which allow guests to discover a new perspective while enjoying their time on …