Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

DreamSetGo has been appointed as an Official Travel Agent for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, bringing cricket fans closer to the action with personalised, high-end travel and hospitality experiences. As one of the select authorised travel agents for the tournament, DreamSetGo will provide seamless, customised travel solutions for cricket enthusiasts worldwide. These premium packages will feature official match tickets, luxury accommodations, VIP hospitality, exclusive fan interactions and meet-and-greet sessions with cricketing icons, ensuring a once-in-a-lifetime sporting adventure tailored to each fan’s passion. “At DreamSetGo, we believe sports travel should go beyond just attending matches. It should be a gateway to immersive, unforgettable experiences,” said Daniel D’Souza, Co-founder, DreamSetGo. “As an Official Travel Agent for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, we are elevating fan engagement through bespoke offerings that provide top-tier hospitality and exclusive access beyond the stadium. Whether it’s soaking in the electrifying atmosphere of a marquee match or getting up close with cricketing legends, we are committed to curating extraordinary journeys for fans. With personalisation at its core, DreamSetGo’s offerings blend sport, luxury, and exclusivity, ensuring fans don’t just watch history unfold, but become part of it.”  

WTTC’s latest report ‘Bridging the Say-Do Gap: How to Create an Effective Sustainability Strategy by Knowing Your Customers’ focuses the gap between travellers’ desire for sustainable options and their actual behaviour. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Travellers care about sustainability but when buying travel, cost and quality are king. Customers expect businesses to create affordable sustainable options.”

While growth in foreign tourist arrivals is on the lower side at 3%, it is better than industry average, said Goa’s tourism minister Rohan Khaunte. Addressing the controversy of losing popularity among tourists, he added, “All is well. Posts by many influencers of deserted beaches, empty hotels in Goa flooded the internet last December. We didn’t want to respond to every social media influencer who took Goa for a ride in the last quarter. We will address the issues raised. However, the way they took it up was something, which we need to condemn.”

Tourism minister of Andhra Pradesh, Kandula Durgesh, has requested Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for fast-track approvals for Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for proposed Swadesh Darshan projects. He informed the minister that tourism development in AP would proceed through central government schemes like PRASAD, Swadesh Darshan 2.0 and the special assistance to states for capital investment Scheme. “Development work at the Simhachalam temple in Visakhapatnam is complete by 60 per cent and the tendering process for the Annavaram temple development in Kakinada district has been finalised,” he said.

Six Senses has received the highest level of certification by Control Union – a certification body accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Six Senses properties underwent an extensive audit by Control Union to verify their efforts in sustainability planning, reducing negative environmental impacts, enhancing cultural heritage, and maximizing social and economic benefits for surrounding communities. Jeff Smith, Vice President of Sustainability, Six Senses shares, “GSTC Certification is a mark of trust and credibility in sustainability. While this certification is issued globally, it marks a proud moment for our individual Six Senses properties included in this certification and their sustainability teams, who work proactively to provide uncompromising hospitality, environmentally cognizant operations, an outstanding guest experience, and high levels of engagement among colleagues and the local community.” The GSTC Certification is a respected seal of sustainable travel and tourism, offering an antidote to “greenwashing” in the hospitality industry. The extensive certification criteria aim to give credibility to sustainability claims, ensuring they are both measurable and can be upheld through meaningful action. Certification is based on third-party audits of hotels and corporate processes by accredited auditors, and is granted for a period of three years, providing a continuous commitment to improvement and accountability. Six Senses Vana, a pioneering wellness retreat nestled in the Himalayan foothills, has made significant contributions to achieving this prestigious certification, embracing sustainability as a core value since its inception. The GSTC certification further validates Six Senses Vana’s efforts to minimize environmental footprint, preserve cultural heritage, and cultivate meaningful connections with the local community, thereby marking a proud moment in its long-standing sustainability journey. Jaspreet Singh, General Manager, Six Senses Vana, added, “The recent GSTC certification is a testament …

Two hospitality companies have aligned forces, creating one powerhouse organization strategically positioned for the future of the Indian hospitality industry: LaRiSa Hotels and Resorts that owns and operates hotels with a portfolio of 8 properties across India and AM Hotel Kollection that manages experiential boutique hotels with 18 properties have a combined annual operating revenue of more than INR 100 Crore with 26 operational units comprising 950 keys and another 6 hotels with 120 keys on the anvil. In its new avatar, the new company under the brand LaRiSa Hotels and Resorts captures the passions and unique strengths of AM Hotel Kollection, an established operator managing independent and lifestyle properties, and LaRiSa Hotels, known for its owned and operated hotels, as well as curated and experiential hospitality. This merger will drive greater success and provide the necessary momentum for accelerated growth – giving the company an opportunity to participate in Branded and Co-branded ownership and management space. Their combined centers of excellence will make it the property manager and employer of choice as it delivers improved and accelerated results focused on service to owners and hotel guests. Over the next few years, the merged entity expects a 20-25% growth from the existing and also hopes to enhance the revenue through new acquisitions and management contracts. Hospitality innovators join forces Leading the new company are Ms. Priya Thakur – Owner and Director of Larisa Hotels and Mr. Randhir Narayan—Founder and CEO of AM Hotel Kollection. This transformative partnership merges Larisa’s signature collection with AM Hotel Kollection’s unique hotels across India and beyond, creating a collective portfolio of 32 diverse hotels, resorts and villas. This landmark merger cements Larisa’s position as a …

TreeHouse Hotels & Resorts, a leading hospitality chain owned by Karma Hospitality, is excited to announce the launch of its new brand, “Nest by TreeHouse”, aimed at providing young domestic travelers with Clean-Comfort accommodation at a great price. The first property set to open will be in Bhiwadi and next one in Panjim, strategically located to cater to both business and leisure travelers. Nest by TreeHouse will offer a vibrant environment with music in the lobby, pool tables in the cafe, great wi-fi, Fresh Start Hot Breakfast,  family room with bunk beds at leisure locations are  just some of the facilities along with TreeHouse Comfort Beds. Hotel will have spaces that allow for socializing with a self-service Nest Market where you can buy basic necessities at MRP! Jayant Singh, Managing Partner of TreeHouse Hotels & Resorts, expressed his enthusiasm for the new venture: “Nest by TreeHouse” is not just about providing a place to stay; it’s about creating an environment where young travelers get quality services at value prices. We are committed to meeting the needs of our guests without compromising on comfort.” Ajay Mehtani, Partner at TreeHouse Hotels & Resorts, added: “With Nest by TreeHouse, we aim to redefine economy accommodation in India. Our focus is on delivering Clean-Comfort that resonates with the values of our brand ‘Quality meets Value’. We are thrilled to bring this concept to Bhiwadi & later in Panjim and look forward to welcoming our first guests.” The opening of Nest by TreeHouse marks an important milestone for TreeHouse Hotels & Resorts as it continues to expand its footprint across India. With a strong emphasis on technology and operations, the company is well-positioned to cater …

SAMHI Hotels Limited is delighted to announce its collaboration with the Indian School of Hospitality, a renowned institution specializing in management and leadership development, to introduce an exclusive Management Development Programme for senior leaders. This initiative aims to foster innovation, strategic thinking, and leadership excellence within the hospitality sector. The program is tailored for senior executives at the various hotels under the umbrella of SAMHI Hotels Limited to equip them with cutting-edge skills in leadership, operational finance, and business strategy. Participants will engage in a curriculum designed by the Indian School of Hospitality, known for its expertise in Hospitality Management, Finance, Leadership, and Strategy. The program has been designed and contextualised as per the needs of hospitality leaders of today and would include experiential workshops, case studies, mentorship, and hands-on action learning projects, ensuring participants gain practical insights and tools to address the challenges of a dynamic global market. “We are very excited to partner with the Indian School of Hospitality to create a bespoke program for emerging leaders across our hotel portfolio,” said Ashish Jakhanwala, Chairman, MD & CEO of SAMHI Hotels. “As we invest capital to grow our hotel portfolio, we also remain committed to investing in developing talent. What makes this unique is that the program is available to leaders across different brands that our hotels operate under and therefore the cohort itself brings phenomenal experience to the classroom”, he added. Indian School of Hospitality is delighted to partner with SAMHI Hotels Limited to deliver this bespoke leadership program,” said Mr. Dilip Puri, Founder and Executive Chairman, of Indian School of Hospitality. “Our goal is to empower leaders with the knowledge and skills to drive organizational success and adapt to the evolving demands of the hospitality sector”, he added. …

In a strategic initiative to boost travel to Georgia from the high-potential India market, Thomas Cook Limited, India’s leading omnichannel travel services company, has signed an MOU with Georgia National Tourism Administration. This powerful collaboration focuses on building awareness and inspiring demand towards driving increased visitations to Georgia. Thomas Cook India’s internal data reveals strong travel appetite from Indian consumers for fresh, new destinations and easy visa regimes. This partnership aims to showcase Georgia along three key axes: attractiveness, accessibility and affordability. To inspire Indian travellers and catalyze demand, Thomas Cook India’s partnership with GNTA will focus on key objectives, including – Creating strong awareness for Georgia in the India market Building inspirational content for the destination Promoting MICE to Georgia Joint marketing collaboration to promote Georgia in the India market Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said, “From the charming streets of Tbilisi, rich in history and culture, the majestic landscapes of the Caucasus mountains, the ancient cave cities of Uplistsikhe, and globally renowned wine culture with its neolithic grape wine cultivation dating back to almost 8000 years, Georgia offers a wealth of unforgettable experiences, and at great value for the discerning Indian traveller. We are delighted to collaborate with the Georgia National Tourism Administration to jointly promote Georgia as a go-to destination across our customer segments. To inspire demand, our strategic intent will focus on education and training, familiarization trips and joint marketing collaborations to target India’s high-potential segments including millennials/young working professionals, families, couples, solo travellers, B-Leisure and corporate MICE groups. Our efforts will focus on key markets across India’s metros, mini-metros, as well as Tier 2 & 3 …

The Ministry has launched a revamped version of Incredible India Digital Platform (IIDP) as a comprehensive resource for stakeholders. Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, says, “IIDP offers real-time weather updates, city exploration, and essential travel services. The portal has also partnered with several OTAs for bookings. The ministry encourages state governments to include soft components involving the use of technology to enhance visitor experience at major tourist destinations.”