Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

The National Committee of Ministry of Tourism on Krishna Circuit  has identified 12 destinations for development under Krishna Circuit, namely, Dwarka (Gujarat); Nathdwara, Jaipur & Sikar (Rajasthan), Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon & Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha) and the concerned State Governments were advised to submit proposals for these destinations. The projects under the scheme are sanctioned with the objective of improving connectivity and infrastructure of tourism destinations to enrich overall tourist experience and enhance employment opportunities.   Overall, 15 thematic circuits have been identified for development including themes covering all the religious/spiritual sites in the country.   The Ministry has also released Rs 70.60 cr and Rs 45.72 cr for the development of tourism infrastructure at places related to Maharashtra in Kurukeshtra and Govind Dev ji temple (Jaipur), Khatu Shyam Ji (Sikar) and Nathdwara (Rajsamand) respectively.

Regenta & Royal Orchid Hotels has recently announced signing up of three new properties; in North Goa, Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and Belagavi (Karnataka). All three properties are scheduled to open within the next 2 months. Of the three new openings, two properties (in Goa and Noida) will be positioned under the Regenta Central brand while the one in Belagavi will be positioned as a Regenta Resort. The new hotel in Goa marks the groups foray in the tourist-intensive and high-demand area of North Goa, and further strengthens the group’s presence in the destination, where two resort properties are currently operating, in the south. The Regenta Central Noida will be situated within the city-centre area, close to the Delhi Metro line and will feed a strong demand pipeline originating from industrial companies and IT parks which are in close proximity. Located on the old Belagavi- Goa route, Regenta Resort Belagavi will feature contemporary rooms and cottages and will serve business as well as leisure guests, while also providing contemporary banquet and open spaces for weddings and events. Chander K. Baljee, Managing Director, Regenta & Royal Orchid Hotels said, “Our new openings are exactly in sync with our growth plan to reach 100 hotels. Through these launches, we’ll be strengthening our portfolio both in terms of geographical reach and diversified offerings. These hotels will help us play-out our well-defined Regenta brand architecture and offer best-in-class accommodation and services for business as well as leisure guests. The properties are being beautifully designed and feature contemporary amenities which guests will love. All our hotels will offer our distinctly warm Indian hospitality, these will be hotels with a soul”.

Due to a Supreme Court order, construction of Goa’s Mopa Airport is expected to be commissioned in 2021. Developed jointly by the Goa government and GMR, the greenfield airport is planned in North Goa district and is expected to handle 30 million passenger traffic when it is fully operational. The first phase of the airport was expected to be completed in 2020. However, the Supreme Court had stopped work on-site after a petition alleged that thousands of trees were being illegally cut at the airport site by the developers. (Source: IANS)

Low-cost carrier GoAir has appointed Miranda Mills as its Chief Operating Officer, effective August. The former Airbus executive will report to Jeh Wadia, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. Mills, an aeronautical engineer from University of Glasgow, spent 16 years with Airbus where she played several leading roles including Global Sales & Marketing Director and Sales Vice President for the commercial aircraft division for South Asia. She was also Chief Digital Officer & Director, Transformation – Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce. For some time now, the Mumbai-headquartered LCC GoAir, which operates 285 daily flights connecting 24 domestic cities and four international destinations, had unfilled posts at the helm.

Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) will connect Tokyo Narita International Airport and Chennai International Airport from October 27 on Boeing 787-8 aircraft. This expansion will bring ANA’s number of total cities serviced to 46. This will be ANA’s third route offering service to India, along with flights from Narita to Mumbai and Delhi. “It is always exciting to add a new destination, but it is even more significant to be the only carrier offering connecting this growing region with Japan,” said Seiichi Takahashi, Senior Vice President of ANA.      

Ebix will be acquiring Yatra Online via merger, as part of a definitive agreement signed between the two travel giants. Following the completion of the transaction, Yatra will become part of Ebix’s EbixCash travel portfolio alongside Via and Mercury and will continue to serve customers under the Yatra brand. The transaction will create India’s largest and most profitable travel services company, and a leading online travel platform poised to capture significant international growth opportunities. Ebix Chairman, President and CEO Robin Raina, commented, “The acquisition of Yatra would lend itself to significant synergies and the emergence of EbixCash as India’s largest and most profitable travel services company, besides being the largest enterprise financial exchange in the country. Over the last few months, we have evolved a detailed synergistic plan, that once fully executed can provide between 40 to 75 cents of accretion to the Ebix non-GAAP EPS. We are excited by the cross-selling opportunities that this combination provides us, while further strengthening our future EbixCash IPO offering.” Dhruv Shringi, Co-founder and CEO of Yatra Online. “We are pleased to announce this agreement with Ebix, which provides our shareholders with the opportunity to participate in the significant upside potential of one of the fastest growing multinational On-Demand software and E-commerce services companies in the world. Over the last several years, we have built Yatra into one of India’s most well- recognized e-commerce brands, growing into the leading corporate travel services provider and one of the largest consumer travel companies. Becoming a part of Ebix’s EbixCash travel portfolio will enable us to continue on that path. As part of a larger diversified organization with the necessary scale and resources to be a leader …

Passengers travelling to the UAE on Air India flights can now carry 10 kgs more in their check-in luggage as the airline has, with immediate effect, increased the baggage allowance from 30 kgs to 40 kgs. The move is in line with the increasing demand by the travel community for an enhanced baggage allowance on the route. The allowance for hand-baggage, however, continues to be the same at 7 kgs. “As demanded by the people, Air India will allow passengers to carry 40 kgs as luggage in the check-in besides the usual 7 kgs that the traveller carries as hand baggage,” said Ashwani Lohani, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India.

After making its presence felt in the southern market with Hyderabad and western market with Ahmedabad, the bandwagon of Global Panorama Showcase has now moved to North India with the fourth edition of GPS Chandigarh. With a reinvented format, the organisers have concised the plan of the show from three days to two days. Harmandeep Singh Anand, Co-Founder & Managing Director, GPS, said that the same format will be followed in other GPS cities like Kolkata and Kochi, while the format followed in Ahmedabad will continue in Pune, keeping in mind the better understanding of markets in different cities. “With four new EDWIN programs this year, travel agents in Chandigarh have a chance to experience all four different destinations and learn more knowledge about them. Our core motto with EDWIN programs has always been to empower and educate the travel trade so that they can grow their business manifold. GPS will keep working hard to provide best networking opportunities to all the attendees,” Anand said further. Day 1 of the show started with GPS app workshop and announcement of EDWIN for year 2019, in destinations like Tanzania, Zanzibar and Ladakh. EDWIN on Jalesh Cruise is also in line, apart from Europe tour on coach by Red Tours and Europe tour by rail by Amigo Travels, in plans this year. Day 1 comprised product presentations and knowledge sessions by exhibitors throughout the day, followed by the welcome dinner in the evening. Day 2 of the show is totally dedicated to B2B meetings throughout the day, followed by gala dinner. GPS is hosting over 150 buyers from different places around Chandigarh for the show.  

Ministry of Tourism (MOT), has sanctioned Rs 1,400 crore worth projects in the eight northeastern states in the past five years under Swadesh Darshan scheme, revealed Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel. Of Rs 1,400 crore, Rs 896 crore were released for a total of 16 projects, he added. Of this, two projects each were for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura. The projects included heritage development of Tezpur-Majuli-Sibsagar in Assam, wildlife tourism in Assam (development of Manas-Probitora-Nameri-Kaziranga-Dibru-Saikhowa), eco-tourism in Mizoram (development of Aizawl-Rawpuichhip-Khawhphawp-Lengpui-Durtlang-Chatlang-Sakawrhmuituaitlang-Muthee-Beratlawng-Tuirial air field-Hmuifang), tribal affairs (two projects) in Nagaland, (development of Mokokchung-Tuensang-Mon and Peren-Kohima-Wokha), and spiritual tourism in Manipur (development of Shri Govindajee Temple, Shri Bijoy Govindajee Temple-Shri Gopinath Temple-Shri Bungshibodon Temple-Shri Kaina Temple). Patel said the Union Home Ministry (MHA) had declared Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim as partly protected area and partly restricted area.

To facilitate employment for Jet Airways’ staff, the government will launch a dedicated web portal. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister, Civil Aviation, informed that a website would be launched listing staff of Jet Airways and help find employment in other private entities, while addressing the Rajya Sabha on the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2019. “Every employee would be listed there and the prospects for their re-employment or employment will be facilitated by the government,” he said.  The Minister, however, said that government cannot assume responsibility for a business failure conducted by a private party. Referring to Jet Airways, Puri said he was sensitive to (business) failure and willing to see what can be done within the governmental system to cushion that failure.