Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Tourism and hospitality sector in Rajasthan has been designated full-fledged industry recognition. As a result, investors are exhibiting a keen interest to invest in the state’s tourist sector. Rashmi Sharma, director of the tourism department , “ The Rajasthan Tourism Department is currently focusing on identifying and developing new, lesser-known tourist destinations within the state as part of its new tourism policy, which is continually luring Investors to invest in the state and allows them to conduct all of their business through a single window rather than compelling them to visit various places” Industrial Status: The department issues entitlement certificates to tourism units in order to grant industrial status benefits. The units that receive this certificate receive power at industrial prices, which are around 30% lower than commercial rates. At the same time, UD tax on these units is levied at industrial rates, which are 80% lower than commercial rates. There were 1,262 applications for entitlement certificates for industrial status received by the department, out of which 859 have been issued. Similarly, 41 applications have been received under the Rural Tourism Scheme 2022, of which 35 certificates have been issued. So far 25 guest houses have been registered by the department in the state. The state operates about 850 home stays (paying guests) by combining old and new policies. What is included in tourism units: Hotel and Motel, Heritage Hotel, Budget Hotel, Restaurant or Cafeteria, Resort, Sports Resort, Health Resort Spa, Camping Site, Amusement Park, Animal Safari Park, Convention Center / Mice, Museum, Rope Way, tourist luxury coach, caravan and cruise tourism.

Mr. BS Gautam, an entrepreneur and hotel owner today declare the opening of Days Inn by Wyndham Gangtok Tadong, in collaboration with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,100 hotels across over 95 countries. Gangtok is located in the eastern Himalayan range, at an elevation of 1,650 m (5,410 ft). Nestled within higher peaks of the Himalaya and enjoying a year-round mild temperate climate. It is the main base for Sikkim tourism. Summer and spring seasons are the most popular tourist seasons. Ecotourism has appear as an important economic activity in the region which includes trekking, mountaineering, river rafting and other nature-oriented activities. Sikkim is one of the few states in India where gambling is permitted, and the majority of upscale hotels have designated areas for casinos. Days Inn by Wyndham Gangtok Tadong is located in the Upper Tadong area of the Gangtok City and thus enjoy great connectivity and visibility with stunning views of the Himalayan ranges. The hotel is located in close vicinity of a number of higher education institutes, a short drive from MG Marg, lined with an array of restaurants and excellent shopping as well as 24 km or 1 hours’ drive from Pakyong Airport. The hotel provide 43 contemporary rooms with all day dinning, meeting facilities, gym, and a pool. This hotel marks Wyndham’s first Days Inn hotel in Gangtok and the 58th hotel opening in the Eurasia region. Mr. BS Gautam, Owner of Days Hotel by Wyndham Gangtok Tadong said, “We are delighted to be opening the Days Inn by Wyndham Gangtok Tadong under the well-known, economical Days Inn by Wyndham brand. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is one …

Recommending measures to revive tourism, Niti Aayog said that there needs to be greater integration between Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of External Affairs for the purpose of branding and marketing of medical tourism in India as only 6.7% of the overall foreign tourist arrivals are for medical purposes. As a pre-budget suggestion to Ministry of Tourism, Niti Aayog has said that a Rs 500-crore fund invested in easily retractable Government Bonds or securities by the Ministry of Tourism, with another Rs 100 crore invested every year for next 20-30 years, will help sustain the industry in case of another unprecedented crisis. Greater integration between Ministry of Tourism and MEA can turn India into a top destination for medical tourism. Currently, only 6.7% of the overall foreign tourist arrivals in India are for medical purposes, says Niti Aayog.

EGYPTAIR shall be commencing 4x Weekly Flights from New Delhi (DEL) to Cairo (CAI) eff 04 August 2023. The national flag carrier of Egypt is a Star Alliance member since July 2008. The Delhi-Cairo route will be operated by the latest generation A320 neo aircraft, which offers 16 Business Class and 126 Economy Class seats.

Indians remain resilient as Booking.com’s latest study shows that they are the second most confident travellers in Asia Pacific despite economic challenges. It found that 86% of Indian travellers are optimistic about their future travel plans, while 61% have no intention of postponing their travel plans in the next 12 months.

Hailing IndiGo’s deal with Airbus to procure 500 A320s, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia says, “India has set another landmark with this largest-ever recorded order by a carrier with any aircraft manufacturer in the world.” He expressed confidence that this investment will yield fruitful outcomes in terms of employment opportunities within India. Expressing optimism for the employment prospects associated with the deal, he said, “Every dollar invested in civil aviation yields $3.1 in terms of new growth, as well as the employment multiplier. Every direct job in civil aviation results in 6.1 indirect jobs in the sector. And therefore, there are tremendous dividends that accrue from the ever-expanding civil aviation sector.”

Gajesh Girdhar has been elected as the National Coordinator of NIMA. He shared, the association is now focusing on driving more membership and expanding the team. “Our main goal is to attract a larger number of individuals from tier III and tier IV cities. We anticipate a growth rate of 20 to 25% from these areas. We aim to increase our overall membership by 50%, with 25% of that growth coming from these cities”. In order to achieve this, the association is actively promoting its membership through various activities. “Our MICE forum, which has been successfully running for the past two years, has generated significant interest in membership. The positive word-of-mouth from last year’s event in Jaipur and this year’s event in Amritsar has led to an increase in online applications for membership,” he added.  Furthermore, the associations’ regional coordinators are also making dedicated efforts to attract new members from remote areas. Their commitment and hard work are crucial in bringing in more memberships. NIMA is currently focusing its efforts on the upcoming convention at Resort World, which will take place from August 6th to August 10th. This event is supported by Singapore Tourism, IHG Hotels and Resorts, Resort World Cruises, and Yorker Holidays. 

ITA Airways launched its nonstop service between San Francisco and Rome. The inaugural flight, AZ 641 connecting two cities departed on July 1 at 3:15 p.m. from San Francisco International airport. Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer of ITA Airways & CEO Volare, speaking on the launch of the new flight said that with the launch of this new destination, the second in California and the sixth in North America, we consolidate the Company’s expansion towards the U.S. market, which the first international market for ITA Airways. He said, “The new connection to San Francisco further enriches the intercontinental network of ITA Airways, which is one of the Company’s main assets”. The new San Francisco International Airport – Rome Fiumicino flight will operate from 1 July to 30 July 2023 with 3 weekly frequencies departing every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday at 3:15 p.m. and landing in Rome Fiumicino at 12:05 p.m. local time the day after. Return flights from Rome Fiumicino will be departing at 9:35 a.m. to land in San Francisco International Airport at 1:15 p.m., local time. In opening this new North American route, ITA Airways met the high demand and expectation of its customers, who immediately responded positively to the launch of a direct flight between San Francisco and Rome, determining a promising performance as of July, first month of operation

During the monsoon season, the Queen of Satpura adorns herself with a captivating wet cloak, enchanting all those who seek natural beauty and serenity in her presence. Amidst this picturesque weather, numerous adventure enthusiasts are eagerly preparing to go on a journey to this hill station, seeking both thrills and awe-inspiring experiences. Set to take place on July 23, the Pachmarhi Monsoon Marathon attracts runners from across the country. Organized collaboratively by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and Adventure & You (AK connect), this event will witness the spirited participation of both the young and the young-at-heart across four different categories. Mr. Yuvraj Padole,  Deputy director of the MP Tourism Board and the event’s organizer, expressed the marathon’s commendable standing among professional athletes. He remarked, “This marks the fifth edition of the marathon. When we started this event five years ago, our goal was to attract around 500 participants. This time the registration is running and we are approaching the limit of 1000 participants. To ensure optimal facilities and infrastructure for all participants, we will close registration at 1000. It is particularly exciting to witness the overwhelming response to the 42-kilometer full marathon category, introduced last year, in addition to the 5-kilometer, 10-kilometer, and 21-kilometer runs. This exhilarating event not only invigorates tourism during the quieter monsoon months but also creates employment opportunities within the region.” The buzz surrounding the marathon, set to take place in the NarmadaPuram district, has already begun.  Those  responsible are working to further highlight the natural beauty of Pachmarhi by adding vibrant elements to make the event even more spectacular.

Turkiye has recently been a popular vacation and wedding location for Indian tourists. According to the latest reports, the country has broken all previous inbound travel records from India this year as it saw an increase of 88.03% travellers until April 2023 alone. Istanbul and Nevsehir, two of the most popular tourist destinations this year, captivated visitors with their natural beauty. The country has emerged as an ideal destination for the FIT and MICE segments amongst Indian travellers, leading to an uptick in the number of Indians visiting Turkiye, this year. Having a lot to offer in terms of beautiful historical landmarks, rich local cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and exuberant art and music, Turkiye anticipate to host an even greater number of Indian guests by the end of 2023 as the wedding season approaches. With many Indian couples choosing to get married in the country’s scenic destinations, Turkiye is expected to host a significant number of Indian weddings this year. Istanbul, Antalya, Bodrum and Cappadocia are amongst the most preferred cities by Indian couples to host their destination weddings. Moreover, the upcoming festive and holiday seasons combined will also add up to the number of Indian travellers visiting the country as most of them prefer taking leisure vacations around the end of the year. Turkiye ranks as the fourth most popular destination for tourists worldwide after hosting 51.4 Million international visitors in 2022. The country aims to surpass all the previous records by hosting a significantly higher number of Indian and international visitors in 2023. For more about Turkiye: https://www.goturkiye.com/