Category: News

Kerala tourism was experiencing a very dull season last year due to the Nipah outbreak and the devastating floods. At the same time, the neighbouring island nation, Sri Lanka has been aggressively marketing its scenic locations and pristine beaches, destinations which Kerala too offers, in the past half a decade or so attracting a good number of visitors there. The cost of visiting Sri Lanka and Kerala is almost the same for a traveller, which also made Sri Lanka a preferred destination for travellers. But, with the recent Easter bombings in the island nation on April 21, that killed 290 ... Read more

Hazara Rama Temple, Hampi Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has identified 17 sites in 12 clusters in the country for development under Iconic Tourist Sites Development Project, pursuant to Budget Announcements of 2018-19. “One of the big plans that we are working on is to develop our iconic sites. We have picked out the 17 most iconic sites in India like the Taj Mahal, Kaziranga and we are working backwards to make them world class. We think that all the first-cut master plans are done, so I think that will be a big push as to how we can ... Read more

Sarovar Hotels has announced the signing of a new hotel in Poovar, marking the group’s further foray into Kerala. One of the fastest growing hotel chains in India with over 80 operational hotels across 50 destinations in India and Africa, this will be Sarovar’s fifth hotel in Kerala, adding to its impressive presence in Vayalar, Thekaddy, Kochi and Thiruvanthipuram. Pooovar is a well-known tourist destination due to its unsurpassed natural beauty, unspoilt beaches and beautiful rivers. It is an ideal destination for relaxing and cherishing the exotic beauty of beaches. A trip to God’s Own Country will not be complete ... Read more

Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) has chosen Thomas Cook (India) to sign a strategic agreement that involves bringing more tourists from India to Sentosa. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed between Mahesh Iyer, Executive Director and CEO, Thomas Cook (India) and Quek Swee Kuan, CEO, SDC in Mumbai. This three-year strategic agreement is aimed to strengthen Sentosa’s position as a top-of-mind destination for all Indian tourists visiting Singapore, increase Sentosa’s capture rates of the India market particularly in tier 2 and 3 cities, and grow visitorship to and spend on the island. To this end, both parties ... Read more

To help travellers unwind and reconnect, Club Med’s all-inclusive concept incorporates all necessary elements for a dream vacation. Besides accommodation, meals and transfers, the hotel chain offers unique land and water experiences alongside a complete range of personalised services for couples and families. Being specialists in family holidays, guests can sit back and relax, knowing that the smallest of details are taken care of; from kids club, sports and activities, all-day gourmet cuisine to entertainment and parties. To endorse these unique offerings to consumers, Club Med has commissioned Mumbai-based firm Blue Square Consultants as their PR representative in India. The ... Read more

Utilising the free slots vacated by Jet Airways, Air Asia India is planning to commence additional flights from the Delhi airport by May 20. The airline will launch additional flights to Indore, Bagdogra, Hyderabad and Ranchi from Delhi starting May 20. The booking is open till May 19 with fares starting from Rs 3,079. The flight I5 752 will depart at 05:35 from Delhi and arrive at 07:05 in Indore while flying back at 07:35 and reaching Delhi by 08:55. The I5 744 flight to Ranchi will depart at 09:35 and reach the destination by 11:15. It will fly back ... Read more

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will boost its services from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow during the busy summer period. The additional flights will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, supplementing the current three daily all-Airbus A380 services between both capital cities. Flagship Abu Dhabi – London route will be served up to five times daily Between 26 May and 22 June, four daily flights will be operated on the route, increasing to five from 23 June to 28 September, returning to four daily flights from 29 September to 26 October. The extra flights ... Read more

Building on the success of its current daily service between the capitals of the UAE and Russia, Etihad Airways has announced a new second daily flight between Abu Dhabi and Moscow’s Domodedovo airport, which will operate seasonally between 27 October and 10 May 2020. The additional flight, operated by an Airbus A320, will provide more convenient travel options between the two capital cities as passengers can now choose between a daytime and evening departure from both Abu Dhabi and Moscow. Together with the existing service, operated by an Airbus A321, travellers will also benefit from improved connectivity through Etihad’s Abu ... Read more

Emirates, the official airline of the 2019 Arabian Travel Market, welcomed over 14,000 visitors to its iconic stand to experience the award-winning airline’s products and services. The Emirates stand showcased its game-changing Boeing 777-300ER First Class Private Suites with floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, up to 40 square feet of personal space and ultra-modern design features inspired by Mercedes-Benz. Visitors to the stand also had a chance to experience the airline’s Business Class seat on its Boeing 777-300ER, inspired by the interior of a modern sports car and featuring ergonomically designed headrest, touchscreen controls, lighting options, and a personal mini-bar. In addition, ... Read more

Palladium Hotel Group has kicked off the 2019 season in Ibiza with the opening of Grand Palladium Palace Ibiza Resort & Spa, Grand Palladium White Island Resort & Spaand Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza on 5 and 12 April, with the seasonal openings of the group’s other Ibiza hotels imminent. New developments across the Ibiza portfolio are as follows. BLESS Collection Hotels arrives in Ibiza BLESS Hotel Ibiza, the second property of the BLESS Collection Hotels brand, opens in June reinforcing Palladium Hotel Group’s continued expansion in the luxury segment opening 150 new job opportunities on the island. Located in Cala ... Read more

Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton’s globally recognized midscale hotel brand, is celebrating strong growth in Africa with four open properties and an additional 14 in the pipeline just three years after opening its first hotel on the continent in 2016. Many of these properties represent first-in-country openings for Hilton Garden Inn and for the Hilton enterprise as a whole, including Botswana, Zambia and Uganda. Speaking from Africa’s Travel Indaba, John Greenleaf, global head, Hilton Garden Inn said, “We have positioned Hilton Garden Inn for success in Africa with a prototype developed specifically for the region. This prototype has been curated to ... Read more

Pride Hotels has appointed Mohammad Shoeb as the Associate Vice President of Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity, New Delhi. A Post Graduate Diploma holder in Tourism & Hotel Management, Mohammed Shoeb brings with him over 30 years of hospitality experience, having held senior management positions in premium hotel brands across the country. He is a hotel opening specialist and has opened four hotels from 2005 till 2015 in the southern part of India. In the past, he has worked with Radisson Hotel, Accor Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels Group and ITC Welcome Group. A significant mention can be made for his remarkable achievement ... Read more

Photo Courtesy: African Arguments Ivorian Minister of Tourism Siandou Fofana on 25 April 2019 presented a strategy document aimed at making Côte d’Ivoire Africa’s fifth biggest tourism destination from 2025 to the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) , and sought its support to implement the plan. The document entitled “Sublime Côte d’Ivoire”, was presented to the Bank’s Vice-President responsible for Private sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, Pierre Guislain, at the headquarters in Abidjan. “We have come to share this new vision for Côte d’Ivoire with the Bank and to secure your help and financial support. We need your help to pool resources ... Read more

Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International’s distinctive collection of passionately independent hotels, today welcomed Sankara Nairobi to its diverse and distinguished portfolio of over 171 hotels around the world, marking the debut for the brand in Kenya. Set in the heart of Westlands, Sankara Nairobi lies in the epicentre of the city’s commercial, retail, and entertainment quarter and boasts quintessential Kenyan charm and hospitality, contemporary interiors and carefully curated modern African art throughout the hotel. “We are thrilled to welcome Sankara Nairobi, a distinctive hotel which evokes the spirit and heritage of this vibrant city, to our portfolio,” said Alex Kyriakidis ... Read more

Emirates customers can unlock the best Dubai has to offer for less this summer with the return of My Emirates Pass – an offer that turns an Emirates boarding pass into an exclusive membership card providing travelers special benefits and discounts of up to 50 per cent off in more than 500 leisure and retail outlet locations across the UAE. Emirates passengers flying to and through Dubai between 1 May and 31 August 2019 can take advantage of My Emirates Pass by simply presenting their boarding pass and a valid form of identification in any of the participating outlets. UAE ... Read more