Category: Top Three Stories

Tourism Ireland organized an informative webinar for the Indian travel trade on the 19th NOV to share the latest about Ireland’s product offerings, including key attractions, and service providers, screen tourism, and coastal touring routes. Speaking after the event, Ms. Huzan Fraser Motiwala, India Representative, Tourism Island said “With the British Ireland Visa Scheme ( BIVS)  we now have a single Visa between the UK and Ireland. So the Visa comes stamped with the BIVS stamp and you can travel with that one visa to both the UK and Ireland.  You apply for the visa from the country that you ... Read more

Ministry of Tourism is planning an array of promotional activities to help tourism gain its ground, majorly in the domestic market. Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism sounded very positive speaking about the campaigns and the outcome. “We are planning to Bring some promotional material at the key airports. We’ve had extensive discussions with the airport’s authority of India and will also be entering into discussions with the private concessionaires at some of the airports to see how the message of Dekho Apna Desh and all the different products of our Incredible India can be showcased to ... Read more

Marriott International, Inc. announced it has signed an agreement with Ingenious Holding Limited to debut the company’s bold and experiential Moxy Hotels brand in the Middle East. Slated to open in 2025, the 320-room Moxy Downtown Dubai will rise within the city’s iconic downtown neighborhood and tourist hub. “The introduction of Moxy continues to reinforce the demand we are seeing for affordable accommodation across the Middle East, without compromising on style. With its playful personality and stylish setting, Moxy will be a great fit for a vibrant and dynamic destination like Dubai,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Middle East, ... Read more

South Africa’s popular destination, Table Mountain has been chosen as Africa’s leading tourist attraction at the World Travel Awards 2020. Table Mountain faced stiff competition from Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, Cape Town Big Six attractions – Robben Island, and the V&A Waterfront. Table Mountain has earlier won the award in 2019 and 2013. Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) in the background has been encouraging the South Africans to cast their votes. With a visitor list touching over 29 million over the decades, the win has cemented the destination’s position ... Read more

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released guidance to ensure that the air cargo industry is ready to support the large-scale handling, transport, and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. IATA’s Guidance for Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Logistics and Distribution provides recommendations for governments and the logistics supply chain in preparation for what will be the largest and most complex global logistics operation ever undertaken. Reflecting the complexity of the challenge, the Guidance was produced with the support of a broad range of partners, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),  International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA),  International Federation of Pharmaceutical ... Read more

Despite the pandemic, recent research says that China will still be the number one source market for international tourism. According to quantitative research of China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, China will reclaim its top position in 2020 with 18 million Chinese international trips, most of which however happened in January, representing about 10% of the number for 2019. Travelers from mainland China can be expected to be responsible for more than a million border crossings, with Macao as the main destination. A number of other countries in Asia welcome Chinese visitors again, including Thailand, Laos, Japan, Singapore, and others. Chinese citizens within ... Read more

UAE based Emirates Airlines has been recognized as the Best Airline for 2020 at The Sun Travel Awards, and the Best Long-Haul Airline at The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards. Following an unprecedented year for travel, hundreds of thousands of votes were cast by readers looking to celebrate the best in the industry. Emirates’ range of world-class products and services onboard its modern, wide-body aircraft helped to secure the award wins, with passengers able to enjoy over 4,500 channels of entertainment on ice – the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system – as well as regionally inspired meals and ... Read more

Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) and his celebrated interior designer wife, Gauri Khan have officially become Airbnb hosts by offering a once in a lifetime stay in their Delhi home. In homage to Shah Rukh’s signature pose from over 30 years of Bollywood superstardom, the campaign will give residents of India a chance to stay in the Khan family’s genteel home. Located in the leafy neighborhood of Panchsheel Park in South Delhi, the Khan’s home is exquisitely designed in Gauri’s warm, inimitable style. Though the power duo now resides in Mumbai, their Delhi home remains a special place of ... Read more

Delhi, 04 November 2020: Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture of Tata group and Singapore Airlines, today announced special, non-stop flights between Delhi and Doha, the capital city of the state of Qatar, from 19 November 2020. The airline will operate its Airbus A320neo twice a week between the two cities, on Thursdays and Sundays, as part of the bilateral ‘transport bubble’ agreement between India and Qatar. Bookings are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents. Mr. Leslie Thng, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said: “We are pleased to strengthen ... Read more

In an interactive session with Mr. Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (IC), Government of India, the tourism industry leaders of the FICCI Tourism Committee yesterday requested the government for urgent support for survival and revival of Indian Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry. FICCI Tourism Committee members submitted key recommendations for the survival of the industry which includes extending the moratorium for another 1 year; period of restructuring for hotels should be extended till March 2024; payment of the Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS) scrips which is due to the tour operators for the financial year ... Read more

FHRAI has appreciated the decision of the Maharashtra government for granting industry status to Tourism and for efforts to simplify the licensing process for Hotels & Restaurants. Mr. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India ( FHRAI) thanked the government for the support and expressed hope that there will be a single-window licensing process. He said “We have been following up with every successive government in the Union, in the center as well as and in various states to get this travel, tourism, hospitality basically tourism, as an industry. We are very thankful to ... Read more

The first major conference in the ‘new normal’ of the COVID-19 world will take place in Cancun, Mexico on 23-25 March 2021, hosted by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, is once again hosting the most influential event in the Travel & Tourism calendar, to help lead the sector into recovery and restore millions of jobs around the world. The WTTC Global Summit will take place in a hybrid format, observing all health and safety protocols. The 20th WTTC Global Summit, delayed from Spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 ... Read more

When it comes to hospitality no country comes closer to perfection than Thailand offering something for every one of diverse interests, every age, and every budget. From pristine sandy beaches to lush jungles, bustling busy cities to traditional villages, Michelin star menus to roadside noodle stalls, historic Buddhist temples to 21st-century skyscrapers, Thailand is truly amazing! Amazing Thailand also has Amazing Golf facilities. Ideally located more than 250 golf courses throughout the country, by the sea, by the mountains, by the lakes, inside the cities even besides the airports. Top-quality courses, reasonable green fees, friendly caddies. From the beach resorts ... Read more

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his counterpart Lotay Tshering from Bhutan launched phase two of the RuPay card in Bhutan on Friday the 20th NOV2020. At the online launch function of the card, Prime Minister Modi announced that RuPay cards issued by the Bhutan National Bank can be used at ATMs for INR 1 lakh and for INR 20 lakh at point-of-sale terminals. This will allow Bhutanese cardholders to access the RuPay network in India. The Rupay Card Phase I was launched in August last year during Modi’s state visit to Bhutan. The RuPay card is an Indian ... Read more

Under the prevailing circumstances, one would not get surprised if Hong Kong, the world’s most visited city is termed as a “Bus Cemetry”.  Scores of tour buses and coaches lying idle, in the parking lots are gathering dust at the container port of northern Hong Kong. These coaches have been staying off the road and lying idle for more than 10 months since the government authorities have put a stop on non-resident arrivals into the city due to the Covid-19 virus scare. By end of November, things are expected to turn even worse as the Government would be putting brakes ... Read more