Tag Archives: Mumbai

In a significant development for the Indian and Iranian tourism sectors, the Iranian Tour Operators Association (ITOA) and the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 11 September, 2024, at the ITB India 2024 in Mumbai. The MoU, signed by Mostafa Shafie Shakib, Chairman, ITOA, and Riaz Munshi, President, OTOAI, aims to strengthen tourism ties between the two nations. The signing ceremony was witnessed by distinguished members of both associations, including Shravan Bhalla, Vice President, OTOAI, and Monia Kapoor, Joint Secretary, OTOAI. The presence of Mostafa Shafie Shakib as the primary signatory from the Iranian delegation highlighted the significance of this initiative. Other esteemed members of the Iranian delegation were also in attendance, further reinforcing the importance of the agreement. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in fostering tourism growth, exploring new opportunities, and creating sustainable partnerships between India and Iran. The MoU underscores the shared commitment of both countries to promoting cultural exchange and unlocking new tourism potential.    

The 2nd edition of ITB India kick-started at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai on Wednesday. The three-day event is expected to attract thousands of industry professionals from around the world and will feature a B2B trade show, a conference, and a variety of networking opportunities.

Nok Air, a leading premium budget airline in Thailand, has launched its new nonstop daily service between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) and Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport (DMK). The new route will be operated by state-of-the-art Airbus 737-800 with 189 seats. Starting on October 28, 2024, the new route will offer convenient travel options for both business and leisure travellers seeking seamless connectivity between Thailand and India. With its well-known Thai hospitality service and tailored product offerings, Nok Air aims to provide passengers with an exceptional flying experience at an affordable price “This is a great milestone for Nok Air as we continue to increase our international network. This will enhance the travel connection from India to Bangkok and to our extensive domestic network. Not only well-known destinations like Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Krabi but also hidden gems across the country such as Chiang Rai, Nan, Udon Thani, Trang, and others,” said Wutthiphum Jurangkul, Chief Executive Officer, Nok Air. Passengers can purchase tickets starting on August 19, 2024, with travel periods from October 28, 2024, to March 29, 2025. With Round Trip fares starting from INR 16,000* and can be purchased on www.nokair.com or through preferred travel agents. Timetable Destination Flight Number Departure Arrival BOM-DMK DD939 02.05 07.45 DMK-BOM DD938 22.05 01.05+1 Nok Air also operates four weekly flights from Hyderabad to Don Muang Airport (DMK), offering convenient connections to Bangkok and over 20 destinations across Thailand.

India Travel Awards 2024 will be held tomorrow at the Sofitel Mumbai BKC. The crème de la crème of the travel and hospitality industry will be present to witness the prestigious ceremony.  The event, honouring the achievers from the industry will be held for the first time in Mumbai.

HVS Anarock in its ‘Hotels & Hospitality Overview’ of June stated that Kochi registered the highest increase in occupancy rate, growing by 7% year-on-year, a notable rise compared to other cities. Meanwhile, both Hyderabad and Mumbai experienced declines in y-o-y occupancy rates but saw substantial increase in average rates, with Hyderabad leading with over a 9% y-o-y increase and Mumbai up by 7%.

Sailing on the high waves of success of its small ship river cruising experiences – Avalon Waterways recently hosted a residential River Cruise symposium at a luxury resort near Mumbai. An august group of 35 travel companies attended this 3-day conference which had one of Avalon’s highly experienced & senior Cruise Director fly-in all the way from Budapest – Hungary as a primary speaker and educator. At this “special invite” conference, hand-picked leisure travel leaders got a unique opportunity to gain insider insights and deepen their understanding of what makes Avalon the leader in River Cruising and why it is also becoming the unrivalled choice for experienced cruisers looking for boutique luxury experiences on the legendary European rivers and even beyond. “We are committed to working with the travel trade and completely invested in our mission to provide agents the most updated knowledge and trends on the River Cruising space. We believe Avalon waterways has influenced the river cruising space for the better and forever and with its emphasis on “Relaxed Luxury” and our truly one of a kind “Suites with a view” – we have set the bar really high. This conference was a perfect setting as not only a grand thank-you event for our supporters but also another step towards our hard-core training commitments towards the travel trade. The travel agents got over a year’s worth of education, in just a short period of time, through the meticulously planned educational sessions as well as their one-to-one interactions with our Cruise Director and the entire Avalon waterways team, said Varesh Chopra – Managing Director, Avalon Waterways, South Asia & Middle East. “The first-hand product knowledge the agents received, will …

The International Exhibition on Ancient Sculptures – Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome and India is set to be conducted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) in Mumbai on 1st December where prestigious archaeological sculptures from all corners of the world will be exhibited. The Adi Varaha Idol from the District Archaeological Museum, Vidisha will become the only sculpture from Madhya Pradesh to be exhibited at the exhibition.  The monument is carved out in red sandstone with the carvings of numerous Gods and Goddesses and Sages. According to ancient mythologies like Bhagwat-Puran and Mahabharata, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Varaha and rescued the submerged earth Goddess. The sculpture possesses a very high artistic value in iconographic studies and serves as one of the best examples of Adi Varaha. Mr. Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary Department of Tourism and Culture, Madhya Pradesh  said ‘Madhya Pradesh houses countless archaeological wonders and is home to 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites like Sanchi, Bhimbetka and Khajuraho Group of Monuments. The state has yielded the remains of great dynasties over the centuries and the earliest representation of sculptural art is dated around 2nd Century BC.’ The Directorate of Archaeology Madhya Pradesh has always been in limelight for the commendable work done in the fields of Archaeology. The main function of this Directorate is to conduct village to village survey, excavation, collection, display, prevention, compilation, publication and protection of the cultural heritage spread across the state.  

During a panel discussion at the 38th IATO convention, Vikramjit Singh, President, Lemon Tree Hotels, revealing their expansion plans shared that the brand is to inaugurate India’s largest hotel in Mumbai, a 669-room property, scheduled to open in October.   

Vinod Kannan, CEO of Vistara, announced, “The airlines has launched several new routes from Mumbai, especially connecting to Middle East, aiming to align with the airline’s strategy to position Mumbai as vital hub for international travel”.     

Parveen Chander, Executive Vice President, Executive Vice President – Sales & Marketing, has communicated that Mumbai will see two major hotel opening this year – a 371 keys flagship Ginger at the Mumbai Airport and an eco-sensitive designed hotel Taj The Trees in Vikhroli