Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Pramod Sawant, CM, Goa, has said that they have no plans to open the tourism sector in the state, and the state curfew has been extended for another week. He said, “We are seeing an average of one or two COVID deaths daily and the case positivity rate has been down around 2%.” While curfew restrictions are in force since May, the state has seen increased tourist arrivals. Sawant has requested people to take precautions.

India organised the IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) Tourism Ministers’ virtual meeting recently where G. Kishan Reddy met the Tourism Minister of Brazil and the Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa via videoconferencing. The meeting was to promote tourism cooperation among member states. A significant aspect of the meeting was the adoption of an outcome document on cooperation and promotion for speedy recovery of travel and tourism.

The ministry of civil aviation issued an order allowing domestic airlines to increase flight capacity to 72.5% from 65% with immediate effect. This was done after review of the current status of Scheduled Domestic Operations viz-a-viz passenger demand for air travel in terms of purpose specified in the initial order. This will remain in place until further orders. In July, MoCA hiked the capacity of domestic flights to 65% from the earlier 50%.

The Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced that it will offer cashback to women travellers for travel in the two Tejas Express trains operated by it. IRCTC said on the occasion of the upcoming Rakshabandhan festival women who will be travelling in the Delhi-Lucknow and Mumbai-Ahmedabad Tejas Express trains will get a cashback of 5% till 24 August.      

Members of TAAI’s Madhya Pradesh & Chhatisgarh Chapter recently conducted a tree plantation drive at Indore Airport. Also present at the event were PC Sharma, Airport Director, IDR, and M Singh, Deputy Commandant, CISF, along with other TAAI chapter members.

G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture & DoNER, held a meeting with Invest India team to discuss the strategy policy for the promotion of tourism in Ladakh. In a tweet, Reddy said, “This will help in paving the way for the UT’s tourism sector by bringing growth and investment.” The MOT is also planning to visit Ladakh this month with a huge delegation and also release a vision document on the destination as well.

Experience AlUla will conduct another exciting webinar for the Indian travel trade to educate and give an update on the various leisure offerings, MICE facilities, hotels and suppliers in AlUla. It will be held today at 3pm IST where attendees will stand a chance to win exciting prizes. To register, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Swiss Government, and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has announced that children travelling with fully vaccinated adults will not be required to quarantine from 4th August 2021. Only children between 16 and 18 will need an RT-PCR report before boarding the plane and upon arrival. Switzerland started welcoming fully vaccinated tourists across its border starting 23rd June 2021.

Hyatt  has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Apple Leisure Group (ALG), a leading luxury resort-management services, travel and hospitality group, from affiliates of each of KKR and KSL Capital Partners, LLC for $2.7 billion in cash. The transaction is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.  Mark Hoplamazian, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hyatt, said, “The addition of ALG’s properties will immediately double Hyatt’s global resorts footprint.”

Jyotiraditya Scindia has written to Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, to start a Delhi-Agra-Gwalior train service under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to start 75 Vande Mataram trains within a year to commemorate 75th year of Indian Independence. Scindia shared this in a tweet and shared the letter he has written to Vaishnaw.