Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

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.

Winners of the Spain Tourism and Europamundo webinar organised by TravTalk, Mr and Mrs Jay Sarogi from Holiday Tripster in Kolkata, are currently on a nine-day tour to Spain as part of their win. Europamundo Vacations had collaborated with the Tourism Board of Spain to launch their products for 2023-24 season.

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has successfully concluded its first roadshow in Beijing with 13 partners including DMCs, hoteliers and airline partners in attendance. The roadshow celebrated key milestones for Saudi’s tourism growth story and showcased the country’s rich cultural and heritage offerings and, why Saudi is the perfect travel destination for Chinese travelers. A series of events, meetings, round table discussions and networking events were hosted, culminating in over twenty strategic partnership announcements. During the highly anticipated roadshow, Saudi Tourism Authority held meetings with over 100 trade partners and travel buyers in China to promote Saudi as a leisure destination, sharing insights into the emerging trends in MICE tourism. Facilitating seamless group travel is Saudi’s inclusion in the ‘Approved Destination Scheme’ alongside China’s participation in Saudi’s e-visa program along with 48 other nationalities and inclusion in the brand new 96-hour Stopover Visa – where guests flying onwards on SAUDIA can avail a complimentary one-night hotel stay in Saudi. Saudi’s presence in China is an indication of how important the tourism industry is for the Kingdom and the incredible growth the country has witnessed since opening to tourism in 2019. Saudi’s post-pandemic tourism recovery has outpaced G20 countries. Last year, Saudi Arabia welcomed 93.5 million visits and saw total tourism spend amount to SAR185 billion – an increase of 93% compared to 2021. China is a key source market for Saudi. As part of Saudi’s ambition to achieve 100 million visits annually by 2030, China represents immense potential as it is expected to be Saudi’s 3rd top source market by then. Alhasan Aldabbagh, President-APAC, Saudi Tourism Authority, said, “We are delighted to showcase the beauty of Saudi and its diverse tourism …

DCT Abu Dhabi is organizing the #Summer in Abu Dhabi Webinar today at 3pm, which would allow the participants to learn about the family friendly attractions, beach, resorts & hotels and entertainment options. Register with jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com. +919650196532.