Africa’s Travel Indaba officially opened yesterday with a call for the continent to work collaboratively to drive tourism growth, so as to accelerate the sector’s recovery. At the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, over 634 and 625 buyers took their place at the continent’s premier travel trade show, as it opened its doors after a three-year hiatus. Lindiwe Sisulu, South African Tourism Minister officially opened the trade floor effectively putting into motion 22,000 scheduled meetings between exhibitors and buyers. “Africa’s Travel Indaba is a springboard for the continent to achieve even greater levels of recovery. We are here because…
Author: Disha Ghosh
The Delhi airport was world’s second busiest airport in March in terms of domestic and international flights handled, said Official Airline Guide (OAG), a global travel data provider, in its recent report. “Whilst Atlanta retains its position as largest, Dubai is knocked out of second place this month (March) by Delhi which moves up from third place last month (February),” the OAG’s report mentioned. The Delhi airport was on 23rd place in March 2019 before the pandemic, it added. In March this year, airports in Atlanta in the US, Delhi in India and Dubai in the UAE handled 4.42 million,…
Radisson Hotel Group has appointed Vikram Berry as Director Commercial, South Asia. Based in Gurgaon, India, Berry will lead the implementation of commercial initiatives across our portfolio in South Asia and focus on revenue optimisation for our hotels in the region. With over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Berry is an expert in formulating business strategies, leading high-performance teams and driving sales revenue. Additionally, he would also be responsible for leading efforts toward localising the brand’s commercial strategy for Tier-II, III cities and supporting these hotels in maximising their revenue. Prior to this, Berry was with Taj…
The luxury royal train, Palace on Wheels will resume services from September this year, a senior official said, reports Sachin Saini for Hindustan Times. Dharmendra Rathore, Chairman, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), is expected to soon ink a new agreement with the India Railways after multiple meetings on the topic, said a senior official familiar with the development. The official said the corporation will clear its dues of around INR 42 crore before the Palace on Wheels resumes. The corporation handed over a cheque of INR 5 crore, and another instalment of INR 3 crore is expected to be paid…
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has announced its participation during the 2022 edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in a bid to develop and deepen trade relationships within the Middle East’s travel industry. During the event, visitors to the JTB stand will discover Jamaica’s world-class hotels, rejuvenating spa and wellness offerings, soft adventure activities, as well as gain familiarity with industry updates following Jamaica’s positive participation during Expo 2020. During the show, travel trade professionals will be able to explore leisure travel opportunities and learn more about the destination’s hotels, cruises and restaurants, as well as business incentives in the…
EaseMyTrip aims to launch a currency exchange service, and for this will apply for a Full-Fledged Money Changer License (FFMC) from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It will enable customers to easily convert their currencies to local tenders. Acquiring this license will enable EaseMyTrip to offer to extend its portfolio and offer one of the core services needed for international travel, furthering its mission of developing the company into a complete travel ecosystem. Through the introduction of this service, EaseMyTrip will be able to provide its more than 11 million customers and nearly 60,000 travel agents with currency exchange…
A trio of Star Cruises ships are said to be getting scrapped in the near future, according to industry sources, reports Cruise Industry News. The SuperStar Aquarius, SuperStar Gemini and the Star Pisces have appeared last week on scrap reports as heading to the beach to the be recycled. The three ships are currently located in Malaysia and should be heading toward Alang soon. Clarksons, which is reportedly overseeing the liquidation of the Star Cruises fleet, did not reply for a request for comment or to confirm the deal. Of the trio, the SuperStar Gemini can trace its roots back…
The government has approved the sale of Pawan Hans Ltd along with management control to Star9 Mobility Pvt Ltd — a three-way consortium between Big Charter Private Limited, Maharaja Aviation Private Limited and Almas Global Opportunity Fund SPC, reports The Indian Express. This disinvestment is the second major sale from the government’s aviation portfolio in the last 12 months — Air India went to Tata Group in January this year. Pawan Hans, which currently operates 42 helicopters, is a 51:49 joint-venture between the government and state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corp Ltd. ONGC had earlier decided to offer its entire…
Ranking among the four airlines globally to have made profits during the pandemic, Ethiopian Airlines has formulated ‘Strategic Plan 2035’ to further elevate its standing in the aviation market. Sharing details, Lemma Yadecha Gudeta, Chief Commercial Officer, Ethiopian Airlines, said, “We credit our crew, team members and partners for the support, hard work and dedication to the airline for our achievements. Our Strategic Plan 2035 envisages connecting 209 destinations globally, having a fleet of 207 aircraft, fly 67 million passengers annually, and rank among top 20 airlines globally.”
Singapore Tourism Board is gearing up to welcome tourists from India with renewed vigour after a lull of two years. GB Srithar, Regional Director – India, Middle East & South Asia, Singapore Tourism Board, talks to Disha Shah Ghosh about revising cruise tourism strategy, and the change in opening of new resorts currently under development due to the pandemic-induced stress in the real estate sector. Q. Singapore was a popular destination for cruising for Indian travellers. What revisions are being made to the strategy with limited cruising options currently? With effect from 1 April 2022, fully vaccinated travellers can take…
