Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

Sharing details about increase in air connectivity between India and Israel, Sammy Yahia, Consul, Tourism Affairs, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India & Philippines, says, “We are aiming to cross the 1,00,000 mark this year in terms of visitor arrivals from India. We will have two carriers flying directly from BOM-TLV which will be EL AL Airlines and Air India. it will be approx. a five-hour direct flight, three times a week. Moreover, Air India will be flying from BLR as well from October 2023. Arkia will also be resuming operations via Goa and Kochi directly to TLV and Israir announced they want to start operations in India too. With this increase in air connectivity, tourism from India is expected to multiply.”

Changi Airport Group (CAG), Singapore Airlines (SIA), and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) re-launched the Free Singapore Tour today after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19. Three of the existing tours available since pre-Covid-19 – the City Sights Tour, Heritage Tour, and Jewel Tour – have been refreshed to include new points of interest. A brand-new Changi Precinct Tour will introduce travellers to the interesting sights and sounds of the eastern region surrounding Singapore Changi Airport. Each tour lasts 2.5 hours and will be available daily, with plans to progressively increase to nine tours a day. With transit and transfer passengers accounting for about 30% of passenger traffic at Changi Airport pre-pandemic, the tour was first introduced in 1987 to enhance the airport’s attractiveness as a transfer hub and to entice transit and transfer passengers to visit Singapore as a holiday destination. In 2019, over 80,000 passengers went on the Free Singapore Tour. The top markets were India, Australia, and Indonesia, with Indian and Australian travellers making up more than one third of the total participants. New Changi Precinct Tour to showcase eastern Singapore The Changi Precinct Tour is a new itinerary that will bring participants to the eastern part of Singapore to visit local community spaces such as the Tampines heartland, and to admire the rustic charms of Changi Village and Changi Beach. It offers a glimpse of how local residents live, and tells the tale of Singapore’s history on this part of the island, away from the usual hustle and bustle of Singapore’s city centre.   Refreshed itineraries to offer travellers new experiences At the Jewel Tour, in addition to visiting popular attractions like the Shiseido Forest Valley …

Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board today announced magical cruise vacations to Southeast Asia for the first time, revealed by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro and Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, S. Iswaran. Under a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding, Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board agreed to collaborate to homeport a brand-new Disney cruise ship exclusively in Singapore for at least five years beginning in 2025. More details about the maiden voyage, itineraries and onboard experiences will be announced later. “This is a very exciting year for The Walt Disney Company — 2023 marks our 100th anniversary,” D’Amaro said. “As part of this, Disney Cruise Line is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion with new ships and new destinations around the world. We are incredibly excited to make Singapore the home port to our seventh-launched ship, which will sail from here year-round starting in 2025.” “We look forward to welcoming the magic of Disney Cruise Line to Singapore in 2025,” said Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board (STB). “This is an important milestone for STB and reflects Disney Cruise Line’s strong confidence in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The new Disney cruise ship will be an attraction itself and is expected to boost the tourism sector in Singapore for many years to come.” Singapore’s strategic location, world-class air connectivity and port infrastructure make it a thriving cruise hub in Southeast Asia, a diverse region that is home to over 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The addition of a Disney Cruise Line ship in Singapore has the potential to add millions of local and foreign cruise passengers across the five-year period, including fly-cruise passengers who …

Switzerland Tourism has unveiled its new film for its ongoing ‘I need Switzerland’ campaign to promote rail travel and the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland. After having collaborated on screen with Robert De Niro in 2021 and Anne Hathaway in 2022, tennis legend and the global brand ambassador of Switzerland Tourism- Roger Federer will now partner with Trevor Noah, international comedian, for the film. Titled ‘The Ride of a Lifetime’, it showcases the ease and efficiency of the Swiss Travel System and highlights the famous panoramic rail routes that combine to make the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland. The film, directed by Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper, features the iconic duo getting ready to take a train as part of a shoot to promote the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland. They soon realize, they’ve gotten onto the wrong train on a different route to Interlaken, leaving the crew behind. Left on their own, Federer and Noah travel through Switzerland’s striking landscapes and find they’re having a great time even befriending a kind local lady for company who pays for their tickets. Once they hop off, the crew finds them just in time to take them back on the train they’re meant to be on, but they’ve had such a blast, they give the team the slip and run to catch another panoramic train ride on the route! The route they take in the film is a part of the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland, the 1,280 kilometres train tour that leads from the most charming Swiss cities like Lucerne to Alpine villages like Zermatt, and through UNESCO World Heritage sites, impressive natural wonders such as the Rhine Falls and majestic mountains …

Anticipating the surge of foreign tourists coming into the Philippines in summer season and following President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive for the implementation of electronic visa systems, the Department of Tourism (DOT) initiated a high-level convergence meeting with the heads and representatives from the DFA, DICT, DOJ and B to discuss visa reforms to ease entry for country’s tourist source markets.

The Western Australian (WA) Government has reaffirmed its commitment to India after the state’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism, the Hon Roger Cook attended the CAPA India Aviation Summit in New Delhi to discuss establishing a direct flight from India to Perth. The two-day visit continues the momentum gained during the Western Australia Government’s India Mission in July 2022, with the state’s tourism body meeting with key officials of top airlines at as Western Australia looks to develop direct aviation connections between the two destinations to boost visitation. Minister Cook said he was hopeful a direct flight would be established between India and Perth. He said, “India is a priority market for Western Australia, and we continue to work with our valued airline partners to further build and grow our aviation capacity between our two regions. With the growing diaspora of Indians in Western Australia, the key focus is to tap into the ‘Visiting Friends and Relatives’ market and encourage travelers from India to stay longer and explore more of Western Australia.”

Singapore has emerged as a favored destination for Indian travelers interested in nightlife and cruises, according to a survey conducted by Tripoto, a leading trip and travel portal in India. More than two-fifths (41%) responded stating that the range of activities was pivotal to them choosing their next destination for a holiday.    

Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce, Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), by Thai Trade Center New Delhi, with support from the Royal Thai Embassy and Tourism Authority in New Delhi, launched Thailand Week Trade Fair & Festival 2023, which was held from 16th – 19th March 2023, at Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden, New Delhi. “India and Thailand have been collaborating with each other on trade and development, the collaboration has been strengthened to the next level after both countries entered the “New Normal” era where we can resume our businesses in the regular manner. One indicator is the bilateral trade volume between two countries, which reached a new high record at 17.70 billion dollars in 2022. This partly contributes to the great effort of India and Thailand, especially the well-developed policy of the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce of Thailand (Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit), and DITP practical changes in strategies, mindsets and working methods.” Mr. Phusit Ratanakul, Director-General Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, stated in a video message. The Thailand Week Trade Fair & Festival 2023 provides Indian consumers with opportunities to indulge themselves with Thailand’s amazing cultures and experience the high quality of Thai products. Meanwhile, local importers and distributors can source profitable Thai products and seek lucrative trade opportunities with Thai exporters, which can lead to sustainable partnerships and strong competitiveness for both sides. The fair took place between 16th – 19th March 2023 at Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden, New Delhi. “The Thailand Week Trade Fair & Festival 2023” aims to boost trade, business, and people-to-people contact between Thailand and India. We have worked closely with Indian distribution networks and retailers to understand the consumer’s needs and trends. As a result, a wide variety of more than 150 Thai products from 31 …

Tourism New Zealand is completing 20 years in India and celebrated this milestone in the presence of HE David Pine, New Zealand High Commissioner to India. India and New Zealand tourism have established strong ties over the years as the country grows to be a popular choice for India travellers.

Singapore Tourism Board brought together leading minds in the tourism and lifestyle industries to share their perspectives on the changing market at its ‘Cruise Conclave’ thought-leadership conference in Mumbai recently. Sessions focused on how changing consumer preferences have prompted the industry to respond and reimagine tourism experiences to stay ahead of the curve.