Category Archives: Movements

VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions appoints GB Srithar as the Head of Tourism Services effective 01 February 2024. Srithar joins VFS Global from Singapore Tourism Board (STB), where he spent over 27 years in a career that spanned multiple functions, including Human Resources, Organizational Development, and International Marketing. He notably served as the Area Director for South India & Sri Lanka and was instrumental in leading the International Marketing and Brand Campaigns teams at STB’s headquarters. His last role as the Regional Director saw him responsible for STB’s regional marketing, tourism development, and trade partnership work across India, the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. Srithar will support our Client Governments by offering specialised services in Travel, Trade, and Tourism Services. This support will add value and enable these governments to achieve their strategic goals of boosting tourism and trade in their respective countries. According to Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO, VFS Global, “GB Srithar is a valuable addition to our team, bringing a wealth of experience, knowledge, and a proven track record. His expertise positions him to lead our efforts with our Client Governments to promote travel, trade, and tourism from key source markets.” GB Srithar, Head, Tourism Services, speaking about his new role said, “I am very pleased to join VFS Global – a very prestigious brand and global leader in its field. VFS Global gives me an incredible opportunity to leverage my experience on a global scale working with our Client Governments to promote and add value to Travel, Trade and Tourism Services in both established and emerging markets.’’ This appointment is very much in line with …

According to the sector’s hiring data unveiled by job site Indeed, job postings and clicks were down by 14% in August 2021 as compared to August 2020. Further, when compared to a pre-pandemic August 2019, hiring activity has witnessed a sharp 62% decline, while job seekers’ interest also plummeted as clicks for these jobs saw a de-growth of 36%. While hiring activity in the sector spiked between November 2020 and January 2021, it immediately began to fall from February 2021, as international and domestic travel was severely impacted due to the second wave of the pandemic. Though clicks seemed to have witnessed a gradual recovery after July, they still witnessed a 48% decline between February 2021 and August 2021. Job postings also witnessed a continuous decline, registering 30% degrowth between February 2021 and August 2021. A city-wise analysis found that Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru led sectoral hiring, while the maximum number of travel and tourism job aspirants emerged from Delhi NCR, Chandigarh, and Kolkata.

Air India Chairman Rajiv Bansal named as the new aviation secretary. Bansal, a 1988 batch lAS officer of Nagaland cadre, will replace Pradeep Singh Kharola, upon his retirement this month-end. As per Personnel Ministry order: Rajaraman will take over the charge from Anshu Prakash who will retire on September 30. Steel Secretary Pradip Kumar Tripathi will be the Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Govind Mohan, Additional Secretary in the Department of Home, will be Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Anurag Jain, Vice Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority, will become the Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry; K Sanjay Murthy, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited, will be Secretary, Department of Higher Education.

Tourism Fiji has announced the appointment of experienced tourism marketing senior executive, Brent Hill as Chief Executive Officer. Hill, who most recently was the Executive Director of Marketing for the South Australian Tourism Commission, brings over 16 years of experience in tourism and digital marketing, advertising, branding, communications, campaign, and executive strategy to Fiji’s National Tourism Office. He replaces former CEO Matt Stoeckel, whose tenure ended in December 2020. Commenting on Hill’s appointment, Tourism Fiji Chairman  Andre Viljoen said: “We’re delighted to welcome someone of Brent’s calibre to this critically important role not just for Fijian tourism, but for the Fijian economy. Brent shone through in the extremely rigorous recruitment process initiated and conducted by the Board with PwC’s assistance, for a CEO to lead Tourism Fiji in these unprecedented times, where international tourism activity has been zero for over a year now. His proven expertise, experience and ideas for the industry’s revival are a perfect fit for Fiji’s current requirements. Viljoen added: “When border restrictions ease and travel resumes, Fiji will need dynamism and creativity in marketing itself as an attractive, aspirational and safe destination. We are in the same situation as every other leisure tourism destination in the world. All of us are going for the same markets, which are now smaller with lower discretionary spending ability. Brent is highly regarded in the industry given his many accomplishments, and we will need his wide range of existing relationships and management skills with key global trade partners to market our destination, and his excellent communications skills to rally our industry and stakeholders to a common purpose. His immediate focus will be to work with the Board and Fiji’s extremely …

Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has appointed Deveekaa Nijhawan to lead the International PR and Communications team, to assist in marketing the destination in key markets as part of the country’s strategy to become a world-leading tourism destination.   Her remit covers key markets including India, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and United Arab Emirates with a focus on engaging and penetrating travel trade and consumer media. Nijhawan is a senior PR professional with over 10 years’ experience in PR & Communications in the hospitality sector. Nijhawan says, “I am very excited to join QNTC and embrace this new challenge. I am looking forward to developing and implementing a holistic integrated PR and Communications strategy to position Qatar as a popular tourist destination, while promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage and diverse offerings.”   As part of the national strategy, Qatar National Vision 2030, QNTC is on a journey to welcome six million visitors a year by 2030, by improving and expanding the country’s tourism proposition with visitor experience at its core. Nijhawan will support the international marketing strategy, while Qatar continues to grow and improve tourism assets, enhance the end-to-end customer experience and invest in service excellence across every touchpoint.   She will execute QNTC’s tailored global communications campaigns, with a focus in key markets. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar National Tourism Council, Berthold Trenkel, says, “We are thrilled to welcome Deveekaa to the team. She will play a pivotal role in delivering our ambitious tourism development strategy. Her extensive PR and Communications experience and knowledge of global markets will help us engage with travellers as we prepare to welcome tourists back to Qatar.”   QNTC’s commitment to developing bespoke …

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Arun Kumar, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, Ministry of Civil Aviation as Director General in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Kumar, an IAS officer of Haryana cadre, was heading DGCA as an additional charge since June this year and has now been handed over a full-time charge. He spent time as joint secretary in the aviation ministry before being promoted as additional secretary and now DGCA chief. Kumar succeeds BS Bhullar, who held full-time charge of DGCA as chief from December 2016 to May 2019. Bhullar has now been appointed as chairman of Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA).

The newly appointed, Prahalad Singh Patel, assumed charge as the Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism at his office in Transport Bhawan, New Delhi. The minister holds the portfolio of Minister of State (I/C) for Culture as well. Post assuming office, the minister said, “The tourism and culture ministry have a huge potential. If you look at the different means of earnings and revenue across the world, tourism remains a major source of employment generation. India is a big nation and its cultural identity is expansive. Therefore, preserving our cultural identity, we will take tourism ahead and with full determination we will try and achieve our Prime Ministers objectives. From 2014-2019, progressive work has taken place, we will try to increase the pace of progress and with time we will try and achieve our targets. I believe all the department officials are carrying on their work and the media also play a vital role in tourism and their cooperation is required.”

Arun Kumar, a member of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) cadre, has been given the additional charge of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Kumar, currently holds the position of an additional secretary at the aviation ministry and will succeed B S Bhullar. Kumar will hold his new position that comes into effect from 31 May’for three months’ or ’till an incumbent is selected’, the aviation ministry said in a statement. Source: Livemint

Chartered accountant-turned-politician, Piyush Goyal has been reappointed as the Minister of Railways. Goyal, who worked as an investment banker before becoming member of Rajya Sabha, has handled several key portfolios in the previous Modi government, including the Finance Ministry in the absence of Arun Jaitley. He has also been Power, Coal and Corporate Affairs Minster in the past. During his tenure as Railways Minister, he announced Railways Zone for Andhra Pradesh named South Coast Railways and was also instrumental in announcing new fast speed train, Vande Bharat Express. Born in Mumbai to Ved Prakash Goyal, who has been a Union Minister in the Vajpayee government, he followed his father’s footsteps and joined BJP in 1984. He holds a stellar academic record and is an all-India second rank holder Chartered Accountant and second rank holder in Law in Mumbai University. He also served on the Board of India’s largest commercial bank, the State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda.

Nitin Gadkari will continue to handle Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, while also handling the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The minister has been credited for smooth construction and operation of bridges, flyovers and expressways in the previous cabinet. He is also known to have played a significant role in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Gadkari earned his spurs as PWD Minister in Maharashtra, by delivering the Mumbai-Pune expressway and 55 flyovers in Mumbai.