Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of a new property in Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set to open by 2025, the hotel will offer 205 rooms, including 44 suites. Guests can look forward to a luxurious experience that seamlessly blends world-class hospitality with the enchanting beauty of one of India’s most legendary destinations. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has partnered with Shekhar Resorts , introducing the first Fairmont in the city of Agra.  “We are delighted to partner with Fairmont, an iconic luxury brand within the Accor Group. Given Accor’s expertise in luxury hospitality management and knowledge of the markets they operate in, we found Fairmont and Accor as the most adept partners to manage the upcoming Fairmont Agra. We believe that the property will stand out and elevate the luxury hospitality experience in Agra and northern India. We are excited to start our first partnership with Fairmont and Accor and to bring the most unique and memorable experiences to our guests,” says Anuj Jain, Director of Shekhar Resorts , Agra. Fairmont Agra’s strategic location is approximately two kilometres from the Taj Mahal, offering guests easy access to this renowned architectural achievement. Situated on the banks of the Yamuna River in the populous city of Agra, located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the hotel is just a two-hour drive from the bustling capital city of New Delhi. “This is a great addition to our brand portfolio,” says Mark Willis, CEO of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “Fairmont Agra will be situated in one of the most awe-inspiring destinations in the world, and …

Thomas Cook (India) inaugurated a new Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlet in Edappally, Kochi to capitalise on the strong and growing travel opportunity from the region. The outlet was inaugurated by P  Rajiv, Minister for Industries, Law and Coir, Government of Kerala. Kerala has witnessed a 35% uptick in travel demand compared to pre pandemic levels and this expansion augments Thomas Cook India’s distribution and reach in Kerala, to 13 consumer access centres: 11 owned branches and 2 Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlets. In addition to serving the financial hub of Edappally, the outlet will also serve as a hub for nearby residential and business areas of Aluva, Angamaly, Vyttila, Perumbavoor and Palarivattom. In the new age of travel, customers are understandably seeking the guidance and reassurance of holiday experts and Thomas Cook India’s internal survey reiterates the same, with a significant 77% of respondents stating that they require guidance from a holiday expert. To help customers with their travel plans and requirements, Thomas Cook India has opened a Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlet in Edappally, Kochi. Thomas Cook’s strategic omnichannel model offers extensive touchpoints to customers: India’s largest retail holiday network of 135 outlets and B2B distribution (across its owned stores, Partner franchise outlets and Preferred Sales Agents) coupled with the Company’s website, call centres and Holiday app. With the upcoming summer holidays, consumers from Kerala are displaying a strong travel desire for both domestic and international destinations. Favourite Indian locales include Kashmir, Leh Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the North East. Spiritual tourism has been witnessing an uptick and favourites include Char Dham and Amarnath Yatra. Closer to home international destinations like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Maldives and Mauritius are driving …

Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, has said that this year the states of Northeast will get good traffic because the road conditions and flights to some of those states has improved manifold. “Thus, I am hopeful, that this year people will focus on going to NE,” he added.

According to a recent update from the US department of state, US visa costs will rise from next month as processing fees for certain categories rise. “The hike – ranging from $15 to $110 – will come into effect from May 30 and apply to tourist or business as well as student and exchange visitor visas,” revealed an official document. “The fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2), and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will increase from $160 to $185,” stated the document.

Karma Lakelands is organizing the Watermelon Fest at its property to welcome the summer. The relishing concoctions of the watermelon drinks are ready to quench the thirst.  They are providing a wide assortment of frosty and frothy cocktails, mocktails, and slurpees that are curated with an innovative blend by in-house mixologists. The property is located miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city and is lavishly spread across 235 acres.  It is pristine, pretty, picturesque, and a perfect weekend getaway for Delhi NCR locals. Karma Lakelands is an eco-sustainable resort where environmental sustainability and luxury are a single value proposition. It is a zero-waste resort and follows several practices to bring an ecological balance. As a resort, they strive to minimize their carbon footprint and execute initiatives and actions to reduce the use of energy and water while avoiding the use of plastic. Single-use products & not just plastics are ruthlessly minimized. Their restaurant Lake360 is the only restaurant in NCR that has a lakeside dining offering. Currently, the fest is hosted in other restaurants located within the property like: On Kourse, Pizza Bay, and AK’s Cocktail Bar. In order to beat the summer heat they are organizing “Watermelon Fest” on the property. In the fest, one can get to experience different mocktails and cocktails, with watermelon used as a base. “We like to curate freshest experiences for our guests. Our mixologists planned different concocts with this cool summer fruit. From slurpees to sorbets, mocktails to cocktails, there is something for every heart,” said, Aryadev Khurana, Director, Karma Lakelands. The cocktails like Murricane come with a mixture of Bourbon whiskey, watermelon juice and fresh herbs with a dash of …

Air India starts flight from London Gatwick Airport. This will see 12 flights departing every week to Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Kochi and Goa. Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India, said, “We are pleased to be launching services from London Gatwick, enabling our passengers to have even more choice on how they enter India.”

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Tourism, has said that the 2nd Tourism Working Group meeting held in Siliguri & Darjeeling from 1-4 April was a huge success. Speaking on the response, he said, “Green tourism was considered as the number one priority by all countries participating in the TWG meeting.”

Manisha Saxena, DG, Ministry of Tourism, has said that as part of her new role in the central ministry, her focus would be to facilitate the tourism sector in as many ways as possible as part of Ministry of Tourism’s overall policy. “I want to be the part of the team which deliver tourism as one of the foremost economic activities in India,” she said.

Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, has said that MOT is stepping up efforts to promote India as a M!CE destination. “We are taking up all 55 destinations where G20 meetings are being held as places to be promoted. We will be launching a major M!CE campaign in digital marketing space so that people come to know about it,” he said. E

Airindiaexpress.Com, the unified customer interface of Air India Express and AirAsia India – the two subsidiary airlines of Air India, has witnessed a surge of visitors within days of launch with the platform, contributing over 25% of international flight revenue on the first day itself, making it the dominant single source of reservations.