The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) concluded its elections on today, marking the end of the 2022-2024 term. A new team has taken over the reigns at OTOAI. Newly-Elected Working Committee Members • President: Himanshu Kesari Patil, Kesari Tours and Travels • Vice President: Shravan Bhalla, High Flyer • General Secretary: Sidharth Khanna, Khanna Enterprises (Regd.) • Joint Secretary: Monia Kapoor, Travel O Holidays • Treasurer: Gurdeep Singh Gujral, Gujral Tours and Travels This new leadership team is poised to lead OTOAI with vision, dynamism, and a commitment to fostering growth in the outbound tourism sector. Election Oversight…
Author: Disha Ghosh
South African Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille while addressing the press in Mumbai at The Trident today during her week-long visit to India, announced a slew of changes in the visa process for Indian nationals. She said, “We have undertaken a range of measures to ease visa processing for Indian nationals, removing the additional and unnecessary paperwork. India is a key source market for South Africa, and our aim is to grow visitations from India,” she said. The Rainbow Nation has unveiled the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme to establish a symbiotic relationship with tour operators for processing group visa…
With a view to unlock the potential of Arunachal Pradesh as an adventure tourism destination, the ATOAI (Adventure Tour Operators Association of India) presented a detailed roadmap for the state. The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has accepted this ambitious framework, and unveiled its at the ongoing ATOAI Convention in Tawang today. This plan envisages sustainable development of Arunachal Pradesh, and position the state as a role model for responsible adventure tourism, globally. The report underscores eco-friendly practices, cultural preservation, and community empowerment as key pillars of the strategy. Vision and Mission The initiative envisions Arunachal Pradesh as a model of…
The 16th ATOAI (Adventure Tour Operators Association of India) Convention commenced today in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, focusing on the theme of sustainable tourism development in India’s border regions. Ajeet Bajaj, President, ATOAI; Lt Gen Rakesh Kapoor, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (DCOAS) for Information Systems and Coordination (IS & C) of the Indian Army; Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh; Pasang Dorjee Sona, Tourism Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, and Capt. Swadesh Kumar, Founding President, ATOAI, addressed the gathering. Senior delegates at the convention emphasized the need for responsible tourism practices that safeguard the ecological integrity of these sensitive…
Korean Air is preparing to complete its long-awaited acquisition of a controlling stake in Asiana Airlines next week, finalising a merger between South Korea’s two leading carriers that has been under negotiation for four years. The airline will invest approximately 1.5 trillion won (USD 1.07 billion) through a third-party share issuance by Asiana Airlines. This move will secure Korean Air a 63.9% stake, amounting to 131.57 million new shares, effectively making Asiana its subsidiary. The merger was initially announced in November 2020 and has since received approvals from 13 of 14 international competition authorities. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)…
Expanding its presence in India, Vietjet Thailand is set to commence flights on the Mumbai – Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) route from December 23, 2024. In the early stage, the service between Mumbai and Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) will be operated with a daily flight; flight VZ761 will depart Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) at 00:45 AM and arrive in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi: BKK) at 06:25 AM. The return flight VZ760 will depart Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) at 08:45 PM and land in Mumbai at 11:50 PM (all in local time). Passengers can book the flight tickets with variety of add-on services such as delicious hot…
Paris’ iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen to the public on December 7, 2024, marking the culmination of a five-year restoration project after the devastating 2019 fire. A day earlier, a private inaugural ceremony will feature President Emmanuel Macron and other dignitaries, alongside a liturgical celebration led by the Archbishop of Paris. The reopening festivities will include the symbolic “awakening” of the grand organ and the consecration of the cathedral’s altar during its first Mass. The restoration effort involved over 200 specialised teams working on intricate tasks such as reconstructing the oak roof and spire, cleaning the stonework,…
Domestic air traffic is projected to rise 7-10 per cent to 164-170 million in the current fiscal year, while the aviation industry’s loss is pegged at Rs 2,000-3,000 crore during the same period, according to rating agency Icra. In the first half of 2024-25, Icra said domestic air passenger traffic stood at 79.3 million, marking a 5.3 per cent annual growth that was partly impacted by the severe heat wave and other weather-related disruptions. The international passenger traffic growth for Indian carriers increased and stood at 16.2 per cent in the first half of the current financial year. On Tuesday,…
The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department will host a ‘Heritage Conclave’ in Lucknow on December 7 in an attempt to “unlock the economic and cultural potential of the state’s heritage properties”, officials said. Nearly 250 prominent hoteliers, investors, real estate professionals, and consultants from across the country will attend the event where they will engage with at least 60 members from erstwhile royal families who own some of the region’s most iconic heritage properties. The state government plans to transform the forts, palaces, and mansions into heritage hotels, wedding destinations, wellness centres, resorts, and cultural hubs while preserving their original architecture,…
South Africa is in talks with the Indian government as well as three airlines to introduce direct flights to India to boost tourism, South Africa Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said on Tuesday. Currently, India and South Africa are connected by layover flights by Emirates, Kenya Airways, Air Mauritius, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air Seychelles, RwandAir and Qatar Airways. “We are here to promote South Africa as a tourist destination for Indian travellers and resolve any issues and boost tourism. There is an issue on direct flights between South Africa and India. I will be engaging with three Indian airlines…
