Tag Archives: New Delhi

The country’s first Medical and Wellness Policy will be launched on June 21, 2017, announced Dr Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister – Tourism and Culture, Govt. of India at a press conference in New Delhi. The policy will be instrumental in streamlining the process for making India a preferred medical and wellness destination, owing to its affordability and quality of services. The Board had recently held its second meeting with various stakeholders to discuss the framework of the policy. As many as 201,333 foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India on Medical Visa were recorded in 2016, while there were 1,34,344 FTAs in 2015 and 75,688 FTAs in 2014.

Post the success of last year’s ‘Travel Experiential Show– Beyond Luxury,’ the next edition of the show will be held from April 8-9, 2017, at WelcomHotel Sheraton, New Delhi. Over 60 pre-vetted, high-profile travel buyers and exhibitors across the world are expected to be present under one roof owing to the Experiential Show. Its one-on-one meeting format will give the exclusive list of luxury buyers and leading global suppliers an opportunity for serious B2B meetings, unrivalled networking opportunities and the know-how to cater to existing and potential clients. The specialised event is aimed to identify and drive trends in the experiential travel sector, and in turn attract highly sought-after, difficult to reach clients. The show will be inaugurated by luxury travel specialists followed by cocktail and networking gala dinner on April 8, 2017. “We look forward to the second edition of India’s Premier Travel and Experiential Show. After the outstanding response from the previous affair in December, we are expecting it to be a fruitful amalgamation for the industry people,” said Sarika Rawal Bhambhani, General Manager, DDP Exhibitions.

Australian High Commission in India has advised visa applicants not to finalise their travel arrangements until they get a visa. The visa office at the Australian High Commission, New Delhi is currently experiencing a very high volume of Visitor visa lodgements from applicants travelling to Australia from India, especially in the upcoming summer months.  As a result, visa processing is taking longer than usual. Visitor-Tourist visa applications are currently taking up to 17 working days (over 3 weeks) to be processed. Visitor-Business visa applications are currently taking up to 10 working days (up to 2 weeks) to be processed. Hence, they have recommended to lodge the visa application well ahead of the proposed travel date and only finalise travel arrangements after the visa process has been completed. Agents are also advised to write to the High Commission only if the application is not processed within the current processing timelines.

Airbnb has officially launched its new platform Trips in New Delhi, adding 15 bookable local experiences to the thousands of homes available to stay in. Trips is a way to experience a different side of the city, immersing themselves in communities through the eyes of locals. For cities, it can help to diversify tourism away from busy city centers. It also allows local people to participate and benefit from tourism by sharing their interests and passions, while enabling them to make a little extra money. Brian Chesky, Co-Founder, CEO and Head of Community of Airbnb, said, “Trips is the most significant development in the history of Airbnb. We’re moving beyond just the home, bringing together where you stay, what you do and the people you meet all in one place.  I’m excited to launch India Trips as we’ve handpicked unique experiences, designed and led by locals, to reflect the diversity and variety of the city.” Launched in November 2016, Airbnb Trips currently has over 800 active Experiences available, with bookers from over 73 different countries giving 91 per cent of Experience bookings a 5-star rating.

Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism in Canada, was in New Delhi on March 28, 2017 to meet the representatives from the tourism industry of India. Destination Canada along with H.E. Nadir Patel, High Commissioner for Canada to India organised a round table meeting with the minister for the travel trade dignitaries as well as the media. She discussed about the growth opportunities between the two countries as well as easing of Visa issuance for Indians travelling to Canada. “This year is Canada’s 150th birthday and we want the world and especially people from India to visit Canada, as we really see tourism as an economic driver. We have Destination Canada as our marketing agency, which is looking at markets outside Canada, including India, so that people can get to know the signature experiences that we have in Canada. It is the only country in the world where you can hear languages from around the world, see the diversity and eat food from all corners of the world.” The discussion was followed by cocktails and dinner hosted at the High Commissioner’s official residence.

The Royal Thai Embassy presented Namaste Thailand Festival 2017 in New Delhi at the Bridge, DLF Promenade Mall and Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj. Visitors were treated to Thai food, Thai products, Thai cultural performances and fun activities, at the festival, which celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and India. Along with the Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi, the festival was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of Thailand, Thai Trade Center New Delhi, Tourism Authority of Thailand New Delhi, Thai Airways New Delhi, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)

Enterprising Travel Agent’s Association (ETAA) took their second Domestic Convention to Hyderabad which was held from Mar 3-5, 2017, at Leonia Holistic Destination. The event gathered over 200 attendees, informed Jagat Mehta, President, ETAA, and added that the edition saw a pan-India participation from different states of the country such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, New Delhi, West Bengal, to name a few. He elaborated, “We were very satisfied with the turnout and the response. While there were a few last minute cancellations, it did nothing to deter the spirit. Our first domestic convention was held back in 2011 with 180 members from Mumbai, Pune and a few from Gujarat so in comparison to that, we’ve managed to bring together a diverse crowd. Yes, business is the main aim but so is forging and strengthening bonds.” The three-day convention involved B2B meetings between buyers and sellers that was effective in connecting travel agents and tour operators from Tier II & III cities to travel suppliers, and also saw a host of team-building activities take place in the sprawling 150-acre property.

Making visa application facilities convenient for travellers, the Chinese Visa Application Centre was inaugurated at Shivaji Stadium metro station, Connaught Place, New Delhi by HE Lua Zhaohui, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to India; Wei Xiaodong, Vice Director-General, Service Bureau for the Foreign Ministry and its Overseas Missions of China; and Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group. Commenting on the launch, the Ambassador said, “This is going to facilitate tourism between the two countries even further. Both countries boast of a huge population and want a better two-way exchange of tourist arrival numbers.” Adding on, Zubin Karkaria stated, “We anticipate strong tourism growth between India and China and this spacious centre will enable us to cater to the rising demand for China visas and simultaneously enhance the applicant’s experience.” On the occasion, the very first ‘China in Luxury’ outlet was also launched in the centre where travellers can avail of premium packages on exclusive travel experiences.

The 23rd edition of Madame Tussauds is set to open in New Delhi this June at Regal Cinema, Connaught Place. The wax attraction will exhibit over 50 figures from diverse leagues such as history, sports, music, cinema etc. The attraction will showcase 60 per cent of local celebrities and 40 per cent of international leaders as wax figures which will be created in an excess of Rs. 1.5 crores each. Merlin Entertainments, the operator of the attraction, plans to offer competitive ticket fares in order to attract large segment of Indian visitors and once open, Madame Tussauds will also offer special fares for students, and groups, informed Anshul Jain, General Manager and Director, Merlin Entertainments India. “The wax attraction will provide an immersive and exhilarating experience of the glittering world of renowned celebrities and personalities of the likes of Amitabh Bachachan, Narendra Modi, Sachin Tendulkar, Kim Kardashian, etc. We will also have a broader focus on Indian celebrities and I am sure that all the locals and tourists will cherish meeting their idol,” says Jain. Marcel Kloos, Director-New Openings Europe and Emerging Markets, Merlin Entertainments, adds that the attraction can accommodate 500 visitors at a time and will be open from 9 am to 8pm. The tickets will also be available online for the same once the attraction is open.

The Terminal 2 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, will now be open to public only in February. The new terminal was to be made operational on January 1 to decongest the domestic Terminal 1D. The delay is reportedly because two of the airlines have refused to move out of 1D, which recently underwent refurbishment and a security survey. The new terminal is part of the expansion plan of 1D.