Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Underlining the need for developing, promoting and harnessing the potential of coastal and beach tourism, Valsa Nair Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary (Tourism), Govt. of Maharashtra, emphasised on growing the Blue Economy in a sustainable and inclusive manner in Konkan. “The first tourist district in the country lies in Konkan i.e. Sindhudurg district. We have provided special incentives to the Special Tourism District under the Maharashtra Tourism Policy. We have also formed PPP for MTDC resorts and open lands there,” she says. Operations at the new Chipi airport in Sindhudurg district can start from March 1 if the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gives a go-ahead.

Sharing an update on where the India market stands in terms of arrivals, VisitBritain CEO, Sally Balcombe says, “At the moment India is 16th in volume and the eleventh-biggest market in terms of spend for us. But the really important thing is that you are growing fast. We know we are the second-most popular destination in Europe for the India market. Indians spend a lot of money here and stay a longer time – 56% more time than others on an average. Your growth trajectory will take you into our top 10 international markets very soon!”

The Red Sea in Saudi Arabia is the world’s most ambitious luxury tourism development, offering an exclusive experience of unparalleled diversity for discerning global travellers. The Red Sea will welcome its first guests by the end of 2022 and will attract 1 million overnight visits per year by 2030. It will be an exquisite sanctuary offering luxury experiences, customised to the needs of each visitor. Smart technology will deliver innovative, tailored services from the moment visitors begin to research their trips to the time they return home.

Speaking at The Art of Travel roadshow in Delhi, Jatin Khanna, Market VP – North India, Bhutan & Nepal, Marriott International, said that recovery has already begun. “Recovery has already started happening for the industry, and I personally feel by the time we hit Q3 and should international travel resume by then, it would support a good V-shaped recovery for us,” he shared.

Switzerland Tourism has launched a special ‘100% Women’ campaign is aimed at attracting women travellers to holiday in Switzerland, especially for outdoor activities and mountain sports. Along with a six-month 100% Women Peak Challenge, the NTO will present around 230 offers and events that are geared towards women where all experiences are led by women and include mountaineering tours, different city and cultural tours, majority of which have been newly conceived, especially for this campaign.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will resume its T1 for domestic flight operations with effect from midnight, March 10. Catering to 5 domestic carriers, the terminal will witness 102 flight movements across 27 destinations on day one of its opening. The terminal was closed in March 2020. The terminal will cater to all domestic flight operations of Go Air, Star Air, Air Asia and Trujet, plus select flights of IndiGo. The airport will have 38 check-in counters operational across the 5 domestic carriers to avoid crowding.

Sanjay Arya, CEO, KFT Holidays, started watching cricket in England in 1983, the year India won the World Cup. “However, I came back before the final since we weren’t too hopeful about the Indian team. But whenever I visit England and India is playing, I go watch a few matches. The last match I saw there was India v/s Pakistan in Manchester in 2019 World Cup, courtesy VisitBritain. It was electrifying! I even made my team in the VisitBritain Cricket Carnival and played the last game. Although I didn’t win, I will change my strategy for the next game.” Register on http://bit.ly/VisitBritainCricketCarnival or contact Vartik Sethi on vartik.sethi@ddppl.com or +91 83684 28139.  

Sunil VA, Regional Vice President, ISC and APAC, Oman Air, has shared that it’s the perfect time to have this kind of an event and it’s a great start since there are many cricket enthusiasts in the trade who have gone through a lot in the last 7-8 months. Register on http://bit.ly/VisitBritainCricketCarnival or contact Vartik Sethi on vartik.sethi@ddppl.com or +91 83684 28139.

Radisson Hotel Group has launched Radisson Individuals in India with the opening of Classic Grande Imphal. “We are excited to enter this new partnership launching Radisson Individuals in India. The hotel’s strong service standards, matched by our global expertise and robust distribution will co-create unparalleled experiences for guests looking to travel to the beautiful city of Imphal,” said Zubin Saxena, Managing Director and Vice President, Operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. Overlooking the majestic Baruni Twin Hills and ridges, Classic Grande Imphal, a member of Radisson Individuals features 171 uniquely designed rooms.

Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) has launched a one-year long virtual exhibition, called GPS Connect, for global exhibitors and buyers from across India, which will start in April. Harmandeep Singh Anand, MD, GPS, shares, “It’s a year-long platform, and one can come for one-day or as many days they prefer. This virtual platform can culminate into a hybrid and physical event in future as well, as an when we require. Also, it will not be limited to just Tier-II and III agents, but will have buyers from across India. We have a following of over 50,000 travel professionals and we are expecting at least 8000-10,000 of them to register for the same. The buyers just need to do one-time registration, whereas the exhibitors would be from around the globe. Meetings can happen without any fear of getting COVID, as no one needs to travel.”