Tourism Australia and Air India have signed a three-year marketing agreement to sustain and drive the positive trend in Indian visitor arrivals to Australia as the carrier expands its presence in the market. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Tourism Australia and Air India will explore opportunities to jointly undertake and implement marketing activities to showcase Australia’s world-class appeal and drive future growth in visitation. Phillipa Harrison, Managing Director, of Tourism Australia said, “We have seen tremendous growth in the number of arrivals from India to Australia in recent years and we are keen for arrivals to continue to track…
Author: Disha Ghosh
Indian nationals were the largest group to receive UK visas for Visit, Study and Work categories in the year ending June 2024, said HE Lindy Cameron CB OBE, British High Commissioner to India, at the inauguration of the new state-of-art UK visa application facility operated by VFS Global in Delhi yesterday. UK visa customers from India will now enjoy a smoother process. At VFS Global UK Visa Application Centres (VACs), biometrics will be enrolled first, followed by document scanning for non-digital customers. This change reduces wait times and enhances service under the global UK visa services contract secured by VFS…
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has said that visitor arrivals from India have surged past the one-million-mark, two months earlier than in 2023. This milestone was achieved when Singapore Airlines flight SQ-421 from Mumbai touched down at Changi Airport on October 3, bringing in Singapore’s millionth Indian visitor for 2024. With a 12% increase in Indian visitors from January to October 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, India is Singapore’s third-largest source market for tourism. Markus Tan, Regional Director of STB for India, Middle East, South Asia, and Africa, commented on this significant milestone “Welcoming our one millionth…
Travel distribution platform TBO Tek Ltd has posted a 7 per cent rise in profit after tax (PAT) to INR 60 crore in the September quarter. TBO Tek had reported a PAT of INR 56 crore in the year-ago period. Revenue from operations for the quarter under review was INR 451 crore as compared to INR 352 crore in the September quarter of last year, registering a growth of 28 per cent year-on-year, it said. The company said it witnessed strong growth in the hotel segment, both in India and international markets with hotel sales growing in the business, supported…
Marina Bay Sands has unveiled a new brand vision and campaign as it marks a significant milestone in its USD1.75 billion reinvestment programme, with the completion of the exclusive Paiza Collection across all three hotel towers. This ambitious transformation, designed to elevate every facet of the guest and hospitality experience, was driven by a singular vision to create a destination that transcends imagination. The Paiza Collection–comprising mostly suites and served by Singapore’s largest butler team–forms a key part of Marina Bay Sands’ multi-year transformation towards brand and service elevation, as the integrated resort draws on the world’s best designers and…
Under the directive of the President of Kazakhstan KK Tokayev, a new visa type, the Neo Nomad, has been introduced. This visa targets so-called ‘modern nomads’ — foreign tourists who combine work with travel. According to a statement from the Embassy of Kazakhstan, the new visa policy draws on the international experience of more than 50 countries that have successfully implemented similar programmes after the pandemic. To obtain a Neo-Nomad visa, a foreign citizen must demonstrate a stable income of at least USD 3,000 outside of Kazakhstan. Also, in addition to the basic income requirements, foreign applicants will need to…
Dreamfolks Services Limited has announced the financial results for the second quarter and first half ended September 30, 2024. Its Q2, FY25 Revenue stood at INR. 3,169 million, growing by 12.2%, and its Profit after Tax grew at INR 160 million. Liberatha Kallat, Chairperson and Managing Director, commented on the performance: “We achieved double-digit growth on Revenue and Gross Profit, during the quarter, while in H1FY25, all key financial metrics such as – Revenue, Gross Profit, Adjusted EBITDA, and PAT reported a decent performance. This financial performance is the testament to the strategic initiatives we have undertaken over the past…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the government will soon begin work on a new airport near the ambitious Vadhavan Port project in Maharashtra, valued at INR 76,220 crore. The announcement was made during the launch of the State election campaign for the BJP-led alliance in Dhule district. The plan to construct the airport had been initially demanded by former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, revealed Modi. He assured that the request would be fulfilled as soon as the election code of conduct for the ongoing Maharashtra elections is lifted. The Prime Minister added that the Centre…
SpiceJet has announced plans to launch seaplane operations in 2025, connecting some of India’s most remote and picturesque locations. The announcement was made today by SpiceJet’s Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh, on the occasion of a demonstration seaplane flight from Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada to Srisailam Dam, attended by Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister of Civil Aviation, K. Rammohan Naidu. SpiceJet has partnered in seaplane trials across multiple locations, providing crucial engineering, technical, and logistical support to De Havilland. With rights to operate seaplane services on 20 routes, including Lakshadweep, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and…
Dubai Business Events (DBE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the city’s official convention bureau, hosted the second edition of its MICE Star Awards programme, once again providing a platform to recognise and celebrate the outstanding performance of MICE intermediaries in India. This follows on from the strong response from the industry to the programme earlier this year, with eight intermediaries rewarded for the role they have played in advocating for Dubai and solidifying its position as a leading business events destination. The awards were originally introduced earlier this year as part of DBE’s robust commitment…
