Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) showcased Taiwan’s potential for Incentives at ITB INDIA 2024, under the theme “Explore Taiwan, Explore New Asia.” This participation marks a significant step in strengthening tourism ties between Taiwan and India. Indian outbound numbers have increased to 92 per cent of pre-pandemic levels from January to June, compared to the same period in 2019. The Taiwan Pavilion at ITB INDIA attracted numerous industry players, facilitating discussions on cooperation opportunities across sectors, including business travel, incentive travel, and wedding photography. With Indian visitor numbers rebounding, Taiwan is rolling out the red carpet for Indian travellers. The delegation was led by Cindy Chen, Acting Director, Taiwan Tourism Administration, Singapore Office; TTA delegations participated at the ITB, Mumbai after a successful showcase at the Taiwan EXPO 2024 in New Delhi in July. The vibrant Taiwan Pavilion at the ITB, Mumbai was a standout, featuring stunning visuals from the serene Sun Moon Lake to the modern skyline of Taipei 101. The captivating displays showcased Taiwan’s blend of natural beauty and urban charm, attracting industry leaders to explore partnership opportunities. Chen remarked, “The ITB INDIA travel show is an exciting opportunity for us to present Taiwan’s warm hospitality, rich cultural experiences and robust infrastructure. We are here to strengthen our collaboration with Indian travel partners that will lead to new opportunities for both the markets. We’re eager to welcome more Indian tourists and create unforgettable journeys tailored just for them.” Joining Director Chen were Allen Chang, Manager, TTA, and the stakeholders, including Paul Yeh, Shi Chun Travels, Paul Hsieh, Edison Travel, Emily Chiu and Elizabeth O. Salim, Apple Tour, and Hank Yen, EVA Air. The initiative aimed at highlighting ease of …
Read More »A successful Mélange 2024 concludes, 2025 dates and venue announced
Melange 2024, that took place in Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre over two days, saw an overwhelming response from exhibitors, visitors, and invitees alike. With the aim to bring purely B2B agents to exhibit at this show, the exhibition brought together a diverse range of participants from various segments of the trade. The MTF team gave its best effort to plan and deliver an exceptional event, and is grateful for the faith and positive feedback that has been shown by the trade. Pradeep Saboo, Co-organiser of Melange, says, “While we are proud of the event’s success, we also acknowledge that there were a few minor challenges, and we are committed to taking lessons from them to improve future editions. Your faith and confidence in Mélange have been the key to our achievements, and we will continue to improve with every edition.” The MTF team, that has Pradeep Saboo, Sameer Karnani and Rajat Bagaria at its helm, is pleased to announce the dates for Mélange 2025, scheduled for 20th & 21st September 2025. The event will take place at the soon-to-be-unveiled state-of-the-art exhibition space at NESCO, promising an even grander, high-tech experience for both exhibitors and visitors. As a token of appreciation, the MTF team is offering special pre-registration rates for exhibitors who register before 30th September 2024.
Read More »Tamil Nadu Travel Expo (TTE) to kick off at Madurai’s IDA Scudder Auditorium today
Three-day Tamil Nadu Travel Expo (TTE) is scheduled to kick off at the IDA Scudder Auditorium in Madurai from today. The event aims to boost the state’s tourism profile and attract a larger number of visitors both from within India and neighbouring countries to the state.
Read More »‘Tourism Unity Policy set to be rolled out soon, plan to organise overseas roadshows’: Diya Kumari
Addressing the Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM) 2024 in Jaipur, Diya Kumari, Deputy Chief Minister, Rajasthan, said, “Our Tourism Unit Policy will be out soon. We are planning to organise roadshows overseas to promote Rajasthan and for that, we need your participation and involvement. A lot more is in the pipeline for the future.”
Read More »ITB India 2024 Concludes Successfully with a Record of Over 25,000 Business Engagements
The three-day B2B trade show, held from 11 – 13 September in Mumbai, successfully concluded with over 600 top-tier Indian & international buyers. Alongside MICE Show India, Travel Tech India, and the ITB India Conference, ITB India 2024 served as a unique platform, fostering fruitful business collaborations in the travel industry. ITB India 2024, the annual 3-day business-to-business trade show and convention, held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, came to a successful close today. The second in-person edition attracted key travel industry professionals and created unparalleled pathways to the Indian and South Asian travel markets for quality buyers and global exhibitors representing MICE, Corporate, Leisure, and Travel Technology sectors. The event launched the inaugural ITB India Gala Dinner with over 400 international exhibitors and top buyers in a high level B2B networking function. This year’s event drew over 600 Indian & international top-tier buyers, facilitating more than 25,000 business engagements. Key exhibitors include AsiaPay, Club Med, Collinson Group, EVA Airways, Encalm Hospitality, Kenya Tourism Board, Melia Hotels International, Mize, Mondee, Novotel Jaipur, Prince Hotels & Resorts, Sarawak Tourism Board, Tourism Office of Spain, Taiwan Tourism Administration, Uzbekistan Airways, visitBerlin, and Visit Oulu. “India’s travel industry is experiencing remarkable growth and the increasing demand in this market is sparking renewed interest from around the world. This year’s edition proved instrumental in forging strategic partnerships and driving growth in one of the world’s most dynamic travel markets. With a focus on staying ahead of the curve, our conference tracks provided key insights to ensure attendees are future-ready”, says Joyce Wang, Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, Organiser of ITB India, MICE Show India, and Travel Tech India. The …
Read More »India’s Travel Boom: A deep dive into the future of travel with SOTC’s Vishal Suri
At the second edition of ITB India, Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel, delivered an insightful keynote on India’s rapidly evolving travel landscape. With India’s economy and demographic shifts setting the stage for unprecedented growth, Suri painted a vivid picture of how the country’s travel sector is poised for expansion, underpinned by strong domestic demand, a youthful population, and a growing middle class. Suri began by highlighting India’s economic ascent, positioning it as a global powerhouse. Currently, the country boasts a $3.95 trillion economy and is expected to become the third-largest economy by 2027 -28, growing at a steady rate of 8%. This robust growth is fueled by a diverse economic base, including IT, services, agriculture, and manufacturing. According to Suri, this economic diversity and stability create a fertile ground for travel and tourism to flourish. A major driver of this boom is India’s young, tech-savvy population. With 52% of India’s 1.4 billion people under the age of 50, and 27% under 30, Suri emphasised how this “Gen Alpha” is already contributing to the nation’s growing consumer market. These young consumers, being digital natives, are increasingly embracing technology to plan and book travel, shifting from a traditional “saver” mentality to a more “spending” and experience-driven mindset. Suri also touched on the significant shift in consumer behavior, especially post-pandemic. “Pre-pandemic, travel was more about escaping life; post-pandemic, it is about experiencing life,” he noted. This psychological shift has led to a surge in local, experiential travel, with people looking for more meaningful, culturally immersive experiences rather than merely ticking off destinations. The demand for authentic stays, such as Airbnbs and homestays, has increased, reflecting a deeper desire to connect with local …
Read More »Explore opportunities for Tamilnadu beyond heritage at Tamilnadu Travel Expo on Sept 20-22 in Madurai
Embark on a journey beyond tradition as the Tamilnadu Travel Expo invites the trade to delve deeper into the tapestry of this state. This annual event, held on Sept 20-22 in Madurai, goes beyond themes, showcasing the state’s hospitality, wellness retreats and wedding destinations. To register, write to info@tamilnadutravelexpo.com or call 8939997767
Read More »Melange 2024: Exhibition Space Fully Booked with Quality Exhibitors
Melange 2024 has received overwhelming support from the travel trade community. They confirmed that the exhibition space is booked to capacity with an impressive lineup of quality exhibitors. At Melange, the emphasis is always on the quality and diversity of the exhibitors. Melange is proud to host a variety of booths that reflect the rich segment variety of the travel industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet top-quality exhibitors, including hotels, DMCs, airlines, representation companies, and more, many of which have never been seen together under one roof. These representation companies bring global partnerships to the event, further enhancing its scope and reach. In addition to the outstanding exhibitor participation, Melange reported that visitor registration is strong, with a substantial number of buyers confirmed to attend from various cities across India. This diverse group of buyers will have the opportunity to engage with exhibitors and explore the wide range of offerings available at the event. Melange 2024 is truly on the map, and are confident that they will set new benchmarks in the industry. They extend their heartfelt gratitude to all exhibitors, visitors, and partners for their unwavering support and look forward to welcoming everyone to what promises to be an exceptional event.
Read More »ETAA conducts its first Business Partners Meet in Mumbai
The Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA) successfully hosted its inaugural roadshow in Mumbai on 20th August 2024 at the IMC, Churchgate. The event brought together 25 exhibitors from various sectors of the travel and tourism industry, with over 100 Travel Agents and Tour Operators participating and benefiting from this vibrant gathering. The exhibitor lineup showcased a diverse range of participants, including Domestic and International DMCs, Tourism Boards, Visa Experts, Hotels, Loan Advisors, Insurance Partners, and Airlines. The Mumbai Board Team, consisting of Mr. Jagat Mehta, National Director; Mr. Abhijit Khadilkar, National Director & Membership Head; Mrs. Dipti Pradhan Thakoor, National Director & Event Head; and Mr. Dharmesh Advani, National Director, spearheaded the event with strong support from ETAA Coordinators and the ETAA Mumbai Committee. The roadshow marked a significant first for the team, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from both exhibitors and travel agents. Sponsored presentations by M/s AVNI MICE and RupeeBoss Financial Services Pvt Ltd. added value to the event, while India Tourism made a notable appearance. Tourism Malaysia and Qatar Tourism offered complimentary hotel packages, and Oman Air and Indigo sponsored hampers for the lucky draw. Exciting lucky draws were held every 30 minutes, sponsored by various Exhibitors, with participants walking away with a variety of delightful prizes. The ETAA Business Partners Meet 2024 set a new benchmark for industry collaboration, energizing the travel community with fresh connections, exciting opportunities, and a shared vision for the future of travel.
Read More »Union Budget 2024: Rules for FDI and Overseas Investments to be simplified, but no relief in GST
Rules for FDI and Overseas Investments to be simplified to increase FDI inflows and promote use of Indian Rupee as currency for overseas investments, said the FM in her Interim Budget speech. She also said that 1.5 lakh core provision for long-term interest-free loans will be made to support infrastructure investment by state governments. The states will also be incentivised to implement Business Reforms Action Plans and digitalisation to develop tourism. All in all, the Union Budget 2024 was not a total let-down as far as tourism is concerned. Perhaps it has sown the seeds for a better tourism experience in India. But that may be too far into the future. Moreover, there has been no change in taxation, which has disappointed the travel trade no end. Their main gripe was the extremely high GST rates and the procedures, as well as bearing the onus of determining the quantum of TCS.
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