Travel News

Club Med has achieved a record first-half 2024 bookings performance at +14 per cent as of March 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, which already showed record levels. In a recent conversation with ETTravelWorld, Rachael Harding, CEO of Club Med’s ESAP Markets, shared valuable insights into the company’s business strategies, expansion plans, and the significance of the Indian market.

New Schengen Visa Rules for Indians: Effective from 18th April 2024, the European Commission has introduced specific regulations governing the issuance of multiple-entry visas to Indian nationals. These rules, part of the newly implemented visa ‘cascade’ regime, offer easier access to visas with extended validity for travellers with an established travel history residing in India. The travel and tourism industry in India welcomed the move and applaued the initiatve take to ease Schengen visa process for Indian travellers.

The mandatory travel insurance requirement by Bhutan government was initially introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure coverage for unforeseen emergencies, particularly related to medical expenses arising from the pandemic. However, with the situation improving and travel restrictions easing, Bhutan has decided to withdraw this mandatory requirement to enhance tourism accessibility.

The company informed that it has received final SEBI Observations for their proposed IPO. The regulatory body issued its observations on April 15, 2024. The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares totalling up to INR 400 Crore (The Fresh Issue) and an offer for sale of up to 15,635,996 Equity Shares (The Offer for Sale).

According to MakeMyTrip’s recently released India Travel Trends Report, Tier-2 and tier-3 cities are embracing spiritual journeys, with searches for destinations with or around religious spots growing 97 per cent in the last two years. Searches for Ayodhya grew by 585 per cent, Ujjain by 359 per cent and Badrinath by 343 per cent in 2023 as compared to 2022.

Billa has earlier served in the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India as Joint Secretary between 2014 and 2019. Later he moved to UNWTO to serve as Director, Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Development. His last assignment was with Kerala Government as Principal Secretary, Industries & NORKA. Whereas, Verma will now serve as Additional Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, falling under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Bali Health Agency’s Acting Head of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P), Gusti Ayu Raka Susanti, said on Saturday that dengue vaccines were not yet to be a national mandatory but tourists were adviced to get the jabs just to ensure they would remain healthy during traveling, particularly when they entered endemic areas, Xinhua news agency reported.

This partnership with Blue Tokai aligns seamlessly with Royal Enfield’s overarching vision and unwavering commitment to fostering exploration, and authentic motorcycling experiences. “Self-expression is a key pillar of Royal Enfield’s philosophy, and this collaboration serves as a canvas for riders to express their individuality.” The amalgamation of motorcycling thrills and the delight of a carefully curated coffee blend creates a unique and personalised experience for each rider.

At present, Indigo Airlines, Air India, Vistara, Air India Express, Air Asia India, Fly Big and Star Air operate their domestic flights from Terminal 2 but from Sunday, April 21, they will shift their entire domestic operations to Terminal 3. The airport will be deploying Customer Service Associates and signages at strategic decision-making points near airport to guide domestic passengers towards T3, including at the Airport Metro station.

A new hotel in Amsterdam city can only be built if another hotel closes, if the number of sleeping places doesn’t increase, and if the new hotel will be better, for example more sustainable. However, the rule does not apply to new hotels that had already secured a permit in Amsterdam.

Passengers traveling between Delhi and Dubai with Air India starting May 1, 2024, will have the opportunity to experience the luxurious A350 in its striking new livery. Operating as flight AI995/996, the aircraft will depart from Delhi daily at 20:45hrs, landing in Dubai at 22:45hrs. The return journey from Dubai will take off at 00:15hrs and reach Delhi at 04:55hrs the next day, all timings local.

This partnership aims to bolster Travel Trade and PR initiatives, marking a significant step in Japan’s efforts to enhance tourism from India. ​​AllKnown Marketers will spearhead strategic marketing and communications efforts to attract Indian travellers and position Japan as a sought-after destination for experiential journeys. Affiliated with the Japan Tourism Agency, JNTO functions as the government bureau of tourism, with a global network promoting tourism and event services in Japan.

“The Embassy of the Republic of Turkiye announces that Turkish authorities has commenced requiring the “Electronic Airport Transit Visa” (e-ATV) for Indian & Nepalese passport holders traveling to Mexico, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela, transiting via the Istanbul Airport,” it stated. Moreover, the statement further read that Indian and Nepalese passport holders, subjected to the requirement of e-ATV, can get their e-ATV via the website “evisa.gov.tr” starting from April 15, free of charge as per the current practice.

According to Software AG’s Annual APIs and Integration Report, 83 per cent of organisations have already adopted API integration to some extent, with 40 per cent of businesses reporting increased efficiency as a direct result of API implementation. Goyal underlined that flight APIs also play a pivotal role in alleviating distribution costs for global airlines, which are ranked among the top five expenses for the airlines.

Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, airlines including Air India, Vistara, and IndiGo have altered flight paths to avoid Iranian airspace. The Civil Aviation Ministry has advised carriers to conduct their own risk assessments. The geopolitical situation may lead to longer routes, increased fuel costs, and potential airfare hikes for international flights.

New York City is home to the world’s busiest airport system and the number one port of entry for US international travellers. New York City welcomed a total 61.8 million travellers in 2023, marking a recovery of 93 per cent of the City’s record 2019 visitation levels. New York City welcomed 336,000 India travellers – marking full recovery of the market’s pre-pandemic visitation levels.

Last year in October, the association has signed an MoU with MP Tourism to explore the possibility to host convention in 2024. IATO team led by Rajiv Mehra, President, Ravi Gosain, Vice President and Mahendra Pratap Singh, Chairman – IATO Madhya Pradesh Chapter met the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr Mohan Yadav and invited him to inaugurate the event.

While post-Covid revenge travel, especially to international destinations, continues to hit the roof, getting the Schengen visa has become a problem—especially for certain countries. Travel agents say that people who have been rejected or have not found an opening to apply, are forced to lie about their destinations and sometimes go via the Scandinavian countries where slots tend to be more available.

Air India, Vistara, IndiGo e inte and some international airlines are avoiding Iranian airspace and have opted for alternative paths for their flights to the West. With the revised flight paths chosen after taking safety and security into consideration, the duration of some flights has increased by around half an hour.

This strategic addition to IndiGo’s route network aims to strengthen international connectivity by offering seamless and convenient travel options between the thriving capital city of the United Arab Emirates and the vibrant beauty of Chandigarh. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, boasts a range of attractions including the iconic Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Ferrari World, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Yas Island.

​In an advisory, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also urged the Indians residing in Iran and Israel to exercise utmost precautions about their safety and restrict their movements to minimum. “In view of the prevailing situation in the region, all Indians are advised not to travel to Iran or Israel till further notice,” the MEA said.

Aligned with Noida International Airport’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions, Bird Group will deploy electric-powered ground service equipment (GSE). This move is aimed at reducing the airport’s carbon footprint, paving the way for more sustainable and eco-friendly operations. The airport is expected to start operations by end of this year.

Preparations are in full swing to transform the inaugural Navratri festival at the Ayodhya temple, following the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol earlier this year, into a grand and momentous occasion. The event is expected to draw a significant influx of religious tourists from all corners of the country. Varanasi alone saw a record-breaking influx of 95.63 lakhs pilgrims in the month of March.

The launch of this route is strategically aimed at strengthening Air India’s presence in Southeast Asia while catering to the growing demand for travel between India and Vietnam. It also presents an opportunity for Vietnamese travellers to access Air India’s global network, creating seamless connections for passengers from the United States, Canada, UK, and Europe via Delhi.