Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

ANA HOLDINGS INC. (hereafter “ANA HD”)  has been awarded Gold Class status in the S&P Global Sustainability Awards for 2022, making it the first and only firm in the aviation industry to do so. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, ANA was appointed to S&P Global’s premium Gold Class rating. This is the latest in a long history of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) accolades for ANA HD, which has also been honoured by other organisations such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Out of the 7,554 firms assessed, ANA HD was one of only 75 companies (including four Japanese companies) to get Gold Class designation from S&P Global, putting the ANA Group in the top 1%. Companies are rated Gold, Silver, or Bronze based on their contributions to the economy, environment, and society. Companies with a very excellent track record are granted Gold, Silver, or Bronze ratings.

The matter regarding extending the validity of the approval/ recognition of the existing stakeholders (tour operators/ travel agents/tourist transport operators) given by the Ministry of Tourism and grant of provisional recognition for the new agencies in view of crisis caused due to the Covid-19 pandemic has been considered in the Ministry. It has been decided to give extension to the existing validity of the tour operators, travel agents and tourist transport operators upto 30.06.2022.

Kerala Tourism Minister Riyas, speaking at a press conference in Dubai on the sidelines of the Kerala Week at Expo 2020, said the state is eager to collaborate with UAE-based investors and Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) in writing a new story of growth and development in key sectors, particularly tourism, as the state recovers from the covid-induced crisis.

Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, launched the Tourism Department’s integrated web platform on Tuesday, which will give a one-stop solution for tourists and visitors, as well as online booking. The portal will provide information about tourism in J&K, as well as associated enterprises such as Tourism Development Authorities, J&K Cable Car Corporation, golf courses, and so on.

G. Kishan Reddy, the Union Culture Minister, will launch the summit. It will focus on best practises and strategies to develop India’s museums. The Global Summit will bring together prominent figures, domain experts, and practitioners from India and around the world to explore best practises and strategies in the field of museum development and management. The Summit is being held in collaboration with Bloomberg.

Malaysia’s coronavirus recovery council on Tuesday said it has recommended a full reopening of borders as early as March 1 without mandatory quarantine for travellers, as part of plans to accelerate economic recovery. The Southeast Asian nation has shut its borders since March 2020 and froze the entry of foreign workers to try to contain novel coronavirus outbreaks. The recommendation comes as neighbours waive quarantine requirements to attract vaccinated tourists, including Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore. 

Since The Sigmund Project’s launch in June 2021, it has seen surprising growth receiving over 18,000 unique visitors to the site from over 108 countries. Developed by travel and tourism industry expert Alan Elliott Merschen, The Sigmund Project is a not-for-profit online platform, open to anyone who has a great idea to advance the global tourism industry; from small entrepreneurs to large multinational companies, from accommodation providers to the transportation sector, from universities to startups. 

Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) has formed seven committees intending to involve more members in leadership roles in TAFI’s activities. The Educational & Communication Committee that produces TAFI fortnightly has tied up with Marriott Hotels and is encouraging its members to sign up for Marriott Hotels Excellence programme. Sensitive and Sustainable Tourism is another thrust area for TAFI, said Ajay Prakash, president, TAFI. The committee is organizing a session on  Sustainable Tourism for its members and training will be imparted to the frontline staff to improve their competence in day-to-day operations. 

Ministry of Tourism has recognised the immense potential of Rural Tourism and has been actively working on promotion and development of this niche area of tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has accordingly formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Development of Rural Tourism in India- An initiative towards Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, which has been circulated to concerned Central Ministries, all State Governments/UT Administrations and Industry Stakeholders. 

Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet, at a post-budget interaction with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, put forth the difficulties being faced by civil aviation, travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. He requested her to consider granting infrastructure status to these sectors to facilitate lending by banks and financial institutions. He also requested the Hon’ble Finance Minister’s support for inclusion of Aviation Turbine Fuel under GST. The FM gave a positive response to consider these issues.