Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

TAAI has recently concluded its AGM virtually, which saw its national team, heads and ECs state and region chapters, as well as members in presence, revealed Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI. “We completed first year of our 2019-21 tenure. Our team was appreciated for its hard work. Now, we are working on our way forward. We had also invited Aashish Gupta, Consulting CEO, FAITH and we had a detailed dialogue with the office bearers and the Management Committee, and regional chapter teams, who gave their inputs on how they want TAAI to be a futuristic organisation,” she said.

Nandini Chakraborty, Tourism Secretary, West Bengal, has revealed that the current occupancy at around 30 operational properties of West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDCL) is 100%. “We have done extensive promotion on social and other media about our properties as well as the state, and the response has been phenomenal,” she commented. Hotels and guest houses at popular tourist destinations Bengal are seeing over 80% occupancy in the last 2-3 months, which is more than the average occupancy of 60-70% which these properties have recorded in the last 2-3 years. Source: TOI

To promote inbound tourism, the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has released the revised guidelines for the Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) for overseas promotions by tourism service providers. Under the new guidelines, the service providers will be entitled to more financial benefits and simple claim process. The guidelines will be effective from 1st January 2021.

LIM Si Ting, Area Director, India & South Asia (Mumbai), International Group, STB has said that the STB India Virtual Tradeshow will be a great opportunity for the trade to establish new business prospects and strengthen existing connections with 45 confirmed stakeholders from Singapore, comprising airlines, hotels, DMCs, attractions and cruise lines. “Let’s prepare ourselves for tourism restart.” Register Register now at www stbindiatradeshow2021.com, email: Jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com, call: +919650196532.    

SpiceJet has announced the launch of 21 new domestic and international flights including the introduction of two weekly flights from Mumbai to Ras Al-Khaimah from 15th January. It will also increase frequency on the Delhi- Ras Al-Khaimah sector to 4 flights a week. SpiceJet will be the first airline to connect Jharsuguda with direct flights to Mumbai & Bengaluru.  

The Government of India, the Government of West Bengal and the World Bank signed a US$ 105 million project to improve the inland water transport infrastructure in Kolkata, West Bengal. In the first phase, the project will enhance the capacity and improve the safety of the Inland Water Transport system; including rehabilitating existing jetties and buying new ferries.

Shahpura Hotels & Resorts has announced an expansion with new hotels in Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. 3 new hotels – ‘Shahpura Boutique’, ‘Shahpura Dev Villa’ and ‘Shahpura Dev Panache’ will soon open up in Udaipur, informed Digraj Singh Shahpura, Director, Shahpura Hotels & Resorts.

Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Wednesday virtually attended the 39th Board of Governors Meetings of the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) along with other office bearers at the Ministry of Tourism headquarters in Delhi. He announced the commencement of a national competition in Kargil from January 25 during the meeting.

Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of Tourism, Sri Lanka, has said that he expects the country’s international airports to officially reopen by January 21. “We are currently preparing for this after identifying some basic issues,” he added. The airports will open after 10 long months with health protocols in place.

With Chipi airport in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra set to be operational later this month, Government of Maharashtra plans to develop the region further as an alternative destination to Goa. This will help boost tourism in the coastal district, currently reached by tourists mostly via rail or road.