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An MoU was also signed between OTOAI and Sarova Hotels to seal the contract for the upcoming OTOAI Convention in Kenya.OTOAI has roped in Kenya Airways and Air India as partner airlines for the convention, whereas One Above DMC will be the ground handling partners for the marquee event in Kenya.

Encouraged by the success of the Indian Lighthouse Festival, the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships has identified 75 historical lighthouses with investment opportunities for private partners and develop them as tourism hubs. The festival on September 23, 2023, was held with an objective to commemorate India’s rich maritime history.

These UDAN routes include Itanagar to Delhi, Itanagar to Jorahat, and Itanagar to Rupsi, all of which are set to become operational soon. Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said that in just nine years, the state of Arunachal has seen operationalisation of four new airports, with the New Terminal Building at Tezu expected to further enhance connectivity.

Against a seating capacity of 3,21,554 on flights landing at Mangaluru from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, IndiGo and Air India had 2,80,739 passengers. Arrivals from Mumbai saw the highest traffic with 1,12,973 passengers travelling against a seating capacity of 1,23,836. Pune had the least load factor of 69 per cent with 11,078 travellers against 16,062 seats on offer, it said.

Vistara has been growing its presence in Mumbai, connecting the city to 12 international destinations, including Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Colombo, Dammam, Dhaka, Dubai, Jeddah, London Heathrow, Male, Mauritius, Muscat, and Singapore. The airline aims to position Mumbai as a vital hub for international travel, which aligns with their strategy to offer several new international routes, especially to the Middle East.

The primary objective behind this scheduled temporary closure is to facilitate essential repair and maintenance activities vital for maintaining the airport’s infrastructure at the highest standards. This annual post-monsoon preventive maintenance plan ensures that CSMIA’s facilities are in optimal condition to serve passengers and airline operations. The Mumbai airport had​ issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) six months in advance.

The sector has now recovered 1.5 million of the 1.7 million jobs lost during the pandemic. International visitor spending also saw significant growth, surging over 300 per cent from 2021 to GBP 30 billion. Looking ahead to the next decade, WTTC forecasts that the sector will increase its GDP contribution to GBP 315 billion by 2033 and employ over 5 million people.

As the festive tourist season approaches in India, the impact of this visa suspension on inbound tourism remains a focal point, and all stakeholders are keenly observing how the situation evolves in the coming days. Canada has consistently been one of the leading sources of tourists to India. In 2021, approximately 80,000 Canadian tourists travelled to India.

While major metropolitan areas such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai are leading the surge in travel demand, tier-2 cities like Coimbatore, Jaipur, and Vizag are also witnessing a significant uptick in road travel. Additionally, the insights reveal a consistent trend of higher bookings from Thursday through Sunday, primarily due to the appeal of weekends.

The train was built in 2003 at the Integral Coach Factory and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayeej flagged it off in 2004. As per MTDC, the train received huge response from tourists between 2004 and 2020, but it was stopped due to the corona epidemic in the year 2020-21.

Akasa Air is setting its sights on destinations within the range of a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from India, targeting regions in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Dube also indicated that the airline is on course to announce an order for a three-digit number of aircraft by the end of this year to meet the growing demand for air travel.

In a press conference, Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), informed that the government is closely monitoring the situation and will be reviewing the situation on a regular basis. “Those in Canada who possess valid visas to India or those who have OCIs are free to travel to India,” he added.

In an interview with ETTravelWorld, Harish Khatri, Founder & MD, India Assist shared details on their partnership with Moto GP Bharat, highlighting the event’s potential to connect fans and establish the country as a multisport nation. He also discussed the potential of personalised assistance in the travel industry, highlighting the importance of catering to different types of travellers and the challenges of implementing such a system.

IATO said it will soon announce the venue for the next year’s 39th IATO Annual Convention for which a destination is being finalised. IATO President Rajiv Mehra said that a proposal was submitted to the Odisha Government for organising the annual convention and the same has now been accepted. This will be IATO’s third convention in Odisha.

The Alike Survey results indicate that 40 per cent of respondents cited misleading information regarding destinations, accommodations, or prices as a major deterrent, eroding trust in online holiday brands. Another 26 per cent were dissuaded by past experiences of subpar customer service during travel planning, leaving them feeling unheard and unsupported.

Between January and July 2023, a total of 700 million tourists embarked on international trips, marking a 43 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2022. July emerged as the busiest month, with 145 million international travellers. The UNWTO data indicates that international tourism is well-positioned to reach between 80 per cent and 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023.

Triggering a tense diplomatic standoff earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that India had a role in the killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The advisory was updated after Trudeau said on Tuesday that Ottawa wants New Delhi to address the issue properly, according to CBC News. The Canadian PM added, however, that his country wasn’t trying to provoke India by any means.

Technology is the key to ensuring enhanced guest satisfaction across every stage of the guest’s journey. A guest-centric approach lies at the heart of integrated systems and technology. By connecting various systems, businesses can gain a holistic view of their guests and create seamless interactions throughout their journey. This enables the delivery of personalised experiences that foster loyalty and advocacy.

The 12th-century Hoysala era temples of Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura were officially designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This accolade marks the 42nd UNESCO World Heritage Site in India and the fourth in Karnataka.

Speaking at the Mastercard event in Delhi, the Director General Tourism said they are working to promote local experiences and empower women across India. She also highlighted initiatives to document cultural heritage and curate unique experiences involving local communities while complementing India’s rich diversity of culture, heritage sites, festivals, and cuisine across regions.

As UPI is penetrating deeper in geographies and inclusivity, it is rapidly gaining momentum to revolutionise residents and tourists conduct transactions. Shukla feels that seamless payment infrastructure enables users to make transactions from multiple linked bank accounts on a single mobile application of third-party app providers anywhere at any time.

State Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas emphasised that the Nipah virus situation is well under control, primarily confined to areas within Kozhikode district. He reassured that there is no cause for alarm, stating that Tourism Department officials are in constant communication with travel and hospitality industry stakeholders. In the H1 of 2023, Kerala Tourism recorded a 20.1 percent increase in domestic arrivals.

Santiniketan, a university town over 160 km from Kolkata, was originally an ashram built by Rabindranath Tagore’s father Debendranath Tagore, where anyone, irrespective of caste and creed, could come and meditate on the one Supreme God, according to a description of the landmark on the official website of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

With an aim to capture the India market, the event presented a total of 37 stalls, with participants promoting Indonesia’s cultural wealth and natural marvels. Notably, it drew the participation of approximately 120-140 members from the Indian travel and tourism sector. The roadshow unfolded in Hyderabad on September 11, 2023, followed by Mumbai on September 13 and Ahmedabad on September 15.