Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

StarCruises introduced a new lineup of shorter itineraries aboard the Star Voyager, sailing from both Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City. These carefully curated 3 Night and 4 Night voyages offer guests a convenient and flexible way to enjoy the magic of cruising—perfect for the school holidays in Singapore and Vietnam, first-time cruisers, families, busy professionals and spontaneous getaways.

Rikant Pittie, CEO & co-founder, EaseMyTrip, “For FY26, we plan to significantly scale up our EasyDarshan vertical and expand curated pilgrimage offerings across all major religious circuits like Char Dham, Jyotirlingas, Shaktipeeths, and key temples in South India. The plan is to tie up with temple trusts and local administrations to ensure pilgrims’ safety and comfort.

To enhance tourism and connectivity in the state, Sushanta Chowdhury, Tourism and Transport Minister, Tripura, announced that the state government has initiated plans to introduce seaplane tourism in the state. The initiative aims to leverage the state’s abundant water bodies to attract both domestic and international tourists with a unique aerial and aquatic travel experience.

According to American Express India’s 2025 Global Travel Trends report, Indians are willing to go the distance and travel both domestically (36 per cent) and internationally (32 per cent) for a sporting event in 2025. Cricket (63 per cent), football/soccer (38 per cent) are the top sports Indians are planning to travel for this year.

Calling on Agoda to immediately reverse the recent changes to its commission structure, K Syama Raju, President, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), said, “We strongly urge Agoda to uphold equitable business practices and maintain complete transparency in their engagements with Indian hotel partners.”

Highlighting Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh’s initiatives to promote sustainable tourism through the introduction of a 50 per cent subsidy on GSTC certification fees, CB Ramkumar, Vice Chair, GSTC, raised concerns about the practical challenges of these policies, pointing out that despite the announcement, ‘no fiscal allocations had been made to fund the subsidy, which leaves the policy lacking in execution.’

Marking a major milestone in India’s maritime tourism sector, Mumbai’s long-awaited International Cruise Terminal at Ballard Pier is set to begin full-scale operations. Built at a cost of ₹556 crore, it is ready to welcome 10,000 passengers daily. The terminal is set to make Mumbai a major departure point for international sea travel.

JLL India, one of the largest real estate consultancy firm, today announced a partnership with the Indian School of Hospitality to develop the next generation of talent in real estate operations and HR. This strategic collaboration addresses India’s dynamic real estate market’s growing need for skilled professionals. The partnership with ISH introduces a specialized one-year Postgraduate Programme in Hospitality Management, tailored to meet the evolving demands of real estate-linked services. This innovative program combines six months of advanced academic learning at ISH with a five-month applied immersion across JLL India’s operational network. Ajit Kumar, Managing Director, Work Dynamics Accounts, West Asia, India, JLL, emphasizes the significance of this partnership said, “At JLL, we are committed to investing in future-ready talent. By funding 50% of the program fee for each participant, we are ensuring that selected candidates are well-equipped for long-term careers within our real estate advisory ecosystem. This investment aligns perfectly with our growth and talent strategy in India. This collaboration exemplifies JLL’s commitment to shaping the future of real estate through education and industry partnerships. By aligning academic excellence with practical industry experience, we are creating a talent pool which is future ready and ready to handle the dynamic and ever evolving FM sector.” The ISH-JLL Postgraduate Programme is designed to create a pipeline of professionals who are not only operationally sound but also adaptable to the complexity of modern real estate environments. Kunal Vasudeva, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Indian School of Hospitality said, “This is what industry-academia collaboration should look like, where education aligns with employment, and industry takes the lead in shaping future talent. In every strong economy, real progress begins when institutions and companies come together …

GRT Hotels & Resorts, India’s leading boutique hospitality group, celebrated World Heritage Day with a heritage-themed quiz, bringing together history enthusiasts, guests, and team members from across 17 properties in five South Indian states. We had 650 participants taking part in the hybrid event. Hosted by Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali, Dewan to the Prince of Arcot, whose deep knowledge of Indian heritage and culture enriched the occasion. Designed to spotlight India’s diverse and storied legacy, the quiz featured questions on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, iconic monuments, ancient dynasties, regional art forms, and cultural traditions. Participants competed in a fun, hybrid format—both on-ground and online—for attractive prizes, including stay and dining vouchers at GRT Hotels & Resorts. Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Vikram Cotah, CEO of GRT Hotels & Resorts, said “World Heritage Day is a celebration of the past that shapes our present. Through this quiz, we aimed to spark curiosity, encourage learning, and honour India’s magnificent heritage. We are grateful to Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali for lending his insight and grace to this event.” The event also served as a cultural platform, fostering community engagement and offering guests a taste of GRT’s signature hospitality with specially curated local delicacies reflecting India’s timeless heritage.

Work underway in Maheshwar, Mandu, Dhar, and Orchha to make historic sites accessible for all Every monument has a story, every ruin whispers history, and every ancient wall echoes the soul of a civilization. This World Heritage Day, Madhya Pradesh is not just celebrating its rich cultural legacy, but also ensuring that its heritage is experienced by everyone — regardless of ability. In a remarkable initiative to make tourism more inclusive, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is executing the ‘Accessibility Infrastructure and Development’ project across four prominent heritage sites — Maheshwar, Mandu, Dhar, and Orchha. The move is aimed at making these culturally significant destinations accessible to persons with disabilities through thoughtfully designed infrastructure like ramps, Braille signage, accessible washrooms, and wheelchair-friendly pathways. “Under the guidance of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and the leadership of Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and Religious Trusts & Endowments Shri Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi, we are working to have more of Madhya Pradesh’s iconic locations added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Our goal is to make these destinations not only more visited, but more inclusive. This is a step towards enabling every individual, regardless of physical ability, to experience the timeless beauty of our heritage,” Shri Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Culture, and Religious Trusts & Endowments Department, and Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board. Heritage for All: What the Project Entails Designed with a people-first approach, the project will enhance facilities for those with locomotor disabilities, visual and auditory impairments, intellectual and multiple disabilities. Modern features like audio guides, tactile paths, and signboards in Braille will offer a more immersive experience to visitors. Major Site-Wise Interventions: Maheshwar: Improvements at …