Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

Rajeev Jalnapurkar, Vice Chairman, Indian Association Of Amusement Parks And Industries (IAAPI) met Aaditya Thackeray, Tourism Minister of Maharashtra, to request him to allow the reopening of amusement parks immediately in Maharashtra and also submitted suggestions for a stimulus package for revival of this industry. Thackeray has assured its reopening in the next unlock notification.

The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) is seeking a sector-specific loan restructuring plan from the government. It says that in order to save the industry from imminent collapse, loan extensions should be given to the sector on similar lines as those given under the Prime Minister’s scheme for loans below Rs 25 crore for SMEs and MSMEs.

Confirming the news about the air bubble arrangement between India and Nepal, Narayan Podayal, Delhi Station Master, Nepal Airlines, says, “The air bubble is in place and we are in planning stage regarding the flight frequency and health document requirements. The date for resumption of flight will be announced soon.” Duration of quarantine for passengers is also under discussion.

After conducting a series of webinars for the trade recently, Huzan Fraser Motivala, India Representatives, Tourism Ireland, says, “We look forward to welcoming Indian customers to Ireland when borders re-open. They will discover heart-warming moments and spectacular sights in Ireland. Indians can visit Ireland and UK on a single visa under the British Irish visa scheme.”

Discover Qatar, the destination management subsidiary of Qatar Airways, has announced the launch of its first expedition cruise series around Qatar’s coastline. They are designed for seasoned and adventurous travellers, provide an opportunity to observe the largest gathering of the world’s largest living fish – the whale shark – in the Al Shaheen marine zone.

A few top travel agents were invited by Vistara Airlines on premium Economy to visit Udaipur and hosted by the Leela Palace Udaipur over two days. They were put up in lake-facing rooms and each one of the agents had a designated attendant.

On the third day of Russian Expo Days today, participants will get a chance to see live broadcasts about the Amur Region and industrial tourism. At 11am IST, one can watch the session ‘Get to know Amur: the region of contrasts and wonderful discoveries’ to learn about tours to cosmodrome, extreme sports or relaxation. At 1:30pm IST, the session will be on ‘Industrial tourism in Russia: from diamond mines to folk crafts.’ One gets to learn about options for individual tourists or corporate groups. Agents can win a trip to Krasnaya Polyana Resort in Sochi on attending all sessions live. Register for free on: russiadays.travel.

Sharing an update on the popular North East festival, Arijit Purkayastha, Festival Organiser and Chapter Chairman for North East, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), says, “With the inputs from our stakeholders, we propose to organise the 8th edition of North East Festival on December 19-20 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Guwahati. It will also be streamed via the North East Festival Facebook and YouTube channels.”

Consortium led by Murari Lal Jalan and Kalrock Capital has announced the revival of Jet Airways as a full-service carrier. The Jet 2.0 program is aimed at reviving the past glory of Jet Airways, with a fresh set of processes and systems to ensure greater efficiency. As per the resolution plan, Jet Airways intends to operate all of its historic domestic slots in India and restart international operations. Jet Airways will be back in the skies by summer of 2021 provided it receives NCLT and regulatory approvals on time.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Vistara have signed a Commercial Cooperation Framework Agreement, which is an extension of a codeshare partnership that was established in 2017. Taking it a step forward, the new agreement would allow both airlines to achieve further synergies on services between Singapore and India, as well as in the key regions of South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. JoAnn Tan, Acting Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Singapore Airlines, said: “By bolstering our partnership, Singapore Airlines and Vistara are able to work together to provide additional options for our customers. It also reflects the importance of the Indian market to Singapore Airlines, as well as our commitment to grow our network in the coming years.” Leslie Thng, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara said: “We are thrilled to further strengthen our partnership with Singapore Airlines. The intent is reflective of our deep-rooted commitment to providing our customers the finest and the most convenient way to fly across the world with the consistency of a five-star travel experience. This is in line with our long-term growth plan of expanding Vistara’s global presence and presenting India’s best airline to the world.”