Category Archives: States

Delhi features as a top source market for Thomas Cook India. Lockdown fatigue and pent-up demand is resulting in strong travel desire from Delhites – Thomas Cook India has been witnessing a robust 60% month-on-month increase since re-opening in June 2021. A surge in demand for the upcoming Festive & Winter Season, Expo 2020 Dubai and honeymoon travel due to marriage season in North is powering travel growth from Delhi. Thomas Cook India reports that the demand is back to 65% of pre-pandemic levels overall: domestic travel at an impressive 290%; international at 55% (acquisition data Sept 2021 vs Sept 2019). Maldives, Switzerland, France, Russia, Spain, Egypt are the top destinations, while Expo 2020 Dubai is seeing a brisk demand currently. Additionally, Delhi is also witnessing a strong demand for overseas education travel and Thomas Cook India has delivered well on student travel to USA and Canada with quarantine packages. Delhi NCR Travel Trends: Thomas Cook India’s survey has revealed insightful consumer behaviours & travel trends for Delhi 62% prefer international destinations; favourites include Maldives, Dubai, Switzerland, France 78% prefer Domestic holidays; Kashmir, Leh-Ladakh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand; with North East and Andamans now seeing strong demand *(*data not equal to 100% as multiple choice options were provided to customers) Top Experiences: Delhites enjoy outdoor adventure trips like Biking in Ladakh, Rafting in Uttaranchal ,Kashmir, Rajasthan, South India; mountain destinations and experiences like ATV rides/a picnic lunch in an apple orchard; Andamans and beach destinations with water sports like sea karting, snorkeling, etc. Winter holidays with festivities of Christmas markets in Switzerland & France or Russia’s Lapland & Northern Lights, Nile cruises, hot air ballooning in Cappadocia (Turkey) and Expo …

Travel Agents Federation of India – Gujarat Chapter has written to the Ahmedabad Airport Director regarding an announcement made for Ahmedabad runway repair from 3 January 2022 to 31 May 2022 from 9am to 6pm excluding public holidays and Sundays. The latter states, ‘We propose that this repair and maintenance work if possible should be executed in night hours from 10pm to 5am starting from March 2022 with a short completion period. We seek your immediate support to make these changes happen and save the tourism industry from losing its current pace.’  

Team India tourism, North East and the officials of Ministry of Tourism (MOT), India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and Nagaland government visited Khonoma, an Angami Naga village recently to conduct recce for ensuing ITM 2021in Nagaland. ITM 2021 is scheduled from 28-30th November 2021 in Nagaland, just before the popular Hornbill Festival in its capital Kohima. As per MOT, the idea to conduct the ITM before the event is to take advantage of the festival’s popularity.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, Waterways and Tourism, Shripad Naik inaugurated a week-long campaign of India Tourism, Goa to promote the national festival of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ at Panaji. Venkatesan Dhattareyan; Regional Director, India Tourism and Manager Jitendra Jadahav were also present on this occasion. “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the occasion of 75 years of Independence with grandeur and enthusiasm befitting the historic nature, glory and importance of the occasion. This Mahotsav of 75 years of Independence is dedicated to the people of India”. Said Naik.

The government of Karnataka announces on Monday that RT PCR reports of international travellers on arrival at airports in Karnataka is not required as the Covid numbers are declining. Chief Secretary, P Ravi Kumar, said passengers would have to mandatorily upload the RT PCR reports on Air Suvidha Portal. Also, the international passengers will not be checked for oxygen saturation level unless they show signs of being unwell.

In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, CEO, NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, had an interaction with the Administrative Secretaries of different Departments in Srinagar today. Kant said that long term growth needs the involvement of private players in a transparent and competitive manner.”The industrial sector is the one having a major role in creating jobs, therefore focus on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ which will help bring in private players and that NITI will support the government through transaction advisors in range sectors that may need to involve private players, besides, creating an ecosystem for large companies,” he added.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state government is planning to craft a religious tourist circuit comprising all places travelled by 15th century Vaishnavite scholar Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev. Sarma said that Sankardev was a great Indian and the greatest Assamese of all times. He was a great social reformer who laid the foundation of the greater Assamese society. He added considering the social and religious contributions of Sankardev, there is still ample scope for research on his life and works.

Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs & Minister of Co-operation,  has said that Goa was the most preferred tourism destination in the world and hence PM Modi has taken a decision to allow charter airplanes to fly into Goa from October 15. Also, he added that Mopa airport should be ready in one year and will enhance tourism. “With Goa achieving 100 per cent vaccination, the situation is conducive for tourism,” he claimed.

Guidelines for the Recognition of Tourism Service Providers of West Bengal has been approved and released by the state government. The new guidelines will replace the 2006 policy. Nandini Chakravorty, Principal Secretary, Tourism Department of West Bengal and the Tourism Department of West Bengal have made significant changes in the policy such as categorization of Tour Operators into Inbound, Domestic, MICE, Cruise and Adventure to enable them to specialize and extend superior services. The new guidelines categorically define the different segments of service providers as per the current industry structure.

Arvind Singh, Secretary, MOT, in his address at the Buddhist Circuit conference in Varanasi, shared that in a ministerial meeting, the Prime Minister has said that at the launch of Kushinagar airport, he would like to invite some Buddhist Circuit tour operators as well, so that they can get information about the circuit. Also, there will be 13 Buddhist countries’ ambassadors, as well as airline operators, since the idea is to promote the Buddhist religious tourism in the region.