Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

Qatar Tourism has launched a new, interactive online training course – Qatar Specialist Programme – designed to enhance its global travel trade partners’ knowledge of Qatar’s diverse product offering and provide a recognised qualification for its global travel trade partners. The programme, which uses the latest technologies in digital learning, replaces the current Tawash programme and supports Qatar’s mission to become a leader in Service Excellence. Available in 11 languages, Qatar Specialist Programme equips trade partners with the relevant knowledge and tools to promote and sell Qatar internationally more effectively. Comprising several modules, each focusing on a particular aspect of Qatar’s tourism offering, the programme allows participants flexibility, letting them complete each module at their own pace, supported by an intuitive, engaging educational tool. Features include interactive maps and knowledge check quizzes. Vice President of International Markets, Philip Dickinson, said: “The Qatar Specialist Programme is another step towards supporting the global travel trade industry in working alongside Qatar Tourism to help drive significant growth in annual international visitor arrivals and welcoming six million visitors a year by 2030.” Qatar Specialist Programme focuses on various aspects of Qatar’s tourism offering, covering history, heritage, attractions and experiences. Partners who complete the full course will receive exclusive Qatar Specialist benefits and receive insider tips, itineraries and the latest information on accommodation and attractions.

Oman recorded 794,000 inbound travellers till the end of the end of May 2022. As many as 111,883 Indian travelers visited Oman till the end of May 2022 as compared to 24,881 recorded in April this year. According to the tourism indicators for May 2022 released by National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), while 1.5 million travelers departed Oman by the end of May 2022, the nation received 794,000 travellers from GCC nations, India, Yemen, Germany, and United Kingdom by the end of May 2022.

New Zealand’s border fully reopens from August 1, 2022. This webinar will highlight details on what to expect while travelling to the country and some simple guidelines that need to be followed to stay safe whilst there. Join the webinar on July 27 at 11am IST. To sign up, contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Continuing with its series of exclusive webinars to help the travel trade discover Spain, the Tourism Office of Spain – Mumbai, along with Andalucia Tourism, will conduct an exclusive one-hour webinar titled ‘Self Drive in Andalucia’ on Saturday, July 23 at 3pm IST. Sign up today for the Spain Specialist Program (SSP) and register now to attend the webinar. The webinar will conclude with an exciting quiz on the destination and the winner will leave with a 7-day trip to Andalucia in November 2022. For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

Russia has introduced a universal single-entry electronic visa for 52 countries, including India that will simplify the process of obtaining a permit, allowing a foreign citizen to stay in Russia for up to 16 days in a period of up to 60 calendar days. In order to apply for an electronic visa, a tourist will only need to fill out an online application, which will be reviewed by the Foreign Ministry within four days.

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) expects 4 to 6 million International Visitor Arrivals (IVAs) for 2022, revealed STB in its tourism performance numbers for the first half of 2022 and expectation for full year. Indonesia (282,000), India (219,000), Malaysia (139,000), Australia (125,000) and Philippines (81,000) were Singapore’s top five international visitor-generating markets.

Fiji Tourism has just launched its revamped Fiji travel specialist programme called Matai 2.0 and it’s more in-depth and interactive with quizzes and more video content! Kathy Koyamaibole, Regional Director (Asia & The Pacific), Fiji Tourism says, “The revamped version has three tiers– Gold, Silver and Bronze – with different incentives. There are exciting prizes for those who complete the Matai 2.0 programme before July 31, 2022. They then qualify for a famil to Fiji.”

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) in partnership with Business Events Australia (BEA) launched a new online game to showcase the destination appeal of Sydney for incentive events from India, Malaysia and Singapore – with prizes on offer. The aim of the game is to educate BESydney’s corporate clients in South and Southeast Asia as well as travel agents, inbound operators and industry. The second phase will see the game launched in Japan and South Korea. “The city has undergone many changes since the pandemic. We have brand new facilities, refurbished properties and new and updated attractions along with exciting new precincts and neighbourhood revitalisation.  There are so many opportunities for visitors to experience the energy and excitement of the city for themselves,” said BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith. The fun and educational game is designed to bring these Sydney experiences to life and has been developed for web-GL, utilising video encoding and 3D animation sequences featuring a combination of a gamified track experience, quirky Aussie koala guide, postcards and destination footage.  The strategy and purpose of the game is a new concept that hasn’t been done in Australia before.  Users race around Sydney’s streets, collecting points to win prizes.  By visiting these new attractions and precincts online, corporate companies and incentive agents can learn more about the variety of venues and what they offer for event organizers. The game allows players to drive around Sydney as a koala, visiting venues, learning about products and experiences along the way, and collecting points by answering riddles and questions on Sydney. Points will determine a player’s position on the leader board and prize vouchers will be awarded for players in top positions, until 22 August …

The Meliá Atocha hotel in Madrid was the venue chosen by the tour operator to celebrate together this special date, with its almost 200 guests. Madrid, 26/05/2022 – The management group, the founding partners, representatives of the Latin American operators, the head office team, and tour guides, together with family and loved ones of the company, got together again after two years to not only celebrate Europamundo Vacaciones 25th anniversary but also to enjoy the meeting after the hard period the company has been through. The idea was also to give away to a year in which they are going to experience a series of very important structural changes. The guests arrived at 7pm on Thursday evening, and after those first emotional encounters of all the attendees, an event marked by three great moments began: Origins, We are Europamundo, and Future. Marisol Amo, head of the Tour Guides Department, and Úrsula Cortés, General Management Assistant, both in charge of the organisation of the event, kicked off the event by presenting a first video starring all those who were part of the creation of the company, long before those recently celebrated 25 years, since most of them have been working together for more than 30 or 35 years! It was a very emotional moment as it was attended not only by the most veteran team, but also by family members and people who have been with Luis Garcia, current CEO and founder of the company. Afterwards, the founding partners and Luis Garcia shared a few words with the attendees. The cocktail party began in a festive and joyful athmosphere, with a sense of celebration among the attendees. The halfway point of …

Venice is all set to become the world’s first city to make an entrance fee compulsory for its tourists from next January in a bid to tackle overtourism. Starting from Jan 16, 2023, tourists will have to pay an entrance fee if they want to visit Venice, jewel in Italy’s tourism crown. The ticket’s prices will range from a three-euro minimum right up to 10 euros. The price will not be fixed, but will vary according to the number of visitors: The more requests for entry, the higher the cost. If the entrance fee is not paid, the tourist may face a fine of 300 euros (£258), according to The Independent. Venice’s councilor for tourism Simone Venturini on Friday announced the date at a press conference. The councilor termed this a “great revolution,” and a solution for the over tourism problem that the lagoon city has been facing for decades. Residents and children aged under six will be exempt, as will disabled people, homeowners, those who come to the city for health reasons or to visit relatives, and those coming to attend a sporting or cultural event, according to CNN’s report.