Consumers’ preference for environmentally sustainable practices, experiential travel, and a significant spend on self-care are the latest trends in global tourism market, noted experts at the 12th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM). During a seminar on ‘Evolution in Tourism Trends’ at KTM 2024 at the Sagara-Samudrika Convention Centre in Willingdon Island in Kochi, they opined that efficiency and personalization matter the most to travellers. Commenting on the emerging trends, Dipak Deva, Managing Director, SITA, said sustainable travel products will influence choices of tourists, whose spending on self-care in tourism sector is projected to quadruple by 2027. According to him,…
Author: Disha Ghosh
Maintaining its trusted partnership with the Thai government, VFS Global, the outsourcing and technology services provider for governments and diplomatic missions globally, has once again secured the contract to handle visa applications for Thailand from India. The company will cater to travellers from India across visa categories through visa application centres and drop off centres as per the jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Embassy in Delhi and Royal Thai Consulate General in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai. VFS Global has been working with the Government of Thailand for nearly two decades and has handled over 2.1 million Thai visa applications since…
The Louisiana Office of Tourism, the official tourism promotional agency for the state of Louisiana, USA, organised its first mission to India from in Mumbai and New Delhi. The objective of this mission was to increase destination awareness amongst the travel and media on the diverse range of tourism offerings available for potential Indian visitors. The mission was led by Billy Nungesser, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana state, and Doug Bourgeois, Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Louisiana Office of Tourism, along with Louisiana’s partners Visit Lake Charles, New Orleans & Company, and Mississippi River Country. Visitor numbers from India to the USA…
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Office of Tourism announced it is opening a new office in New Delhi, India to attract more overseas visitors to Illinois. The official travel authority for the state of Illinois in the USA announced the appointment of Sartha Global Marketing LLP as its partner in India for marketing and promotional activities. Sartha will develop and implement comprehensive travel trade and public relations programs to inspire Indian travellers to explore the state and its unique experiences including luxury, culinary, architecture, outdoor experiences and cultural attractions. Daniel Thomas, Deputy Director of the Illinois…
SKIL has promoted Ramanpreet Singh to the post of Chief Growth Officer. This announcement reflects the company’s commitment to nurturing exceptional talent and acknowledges the remarkable contributions Singh has made over the last 7 years. His tenure at SKIL has been marked by extraordinary achievements, particularly within the MICE & Events segment, where his visionary leadership and strategic acumen have driven unprecedented growth over the last 18 months. He has been instrumental in executing large-scale events with finesse, consistently delivering outstanding results and client delight that have solidified SKIL’s reputation in the industry. His ability to lead with both insight…
Goh Choon Phong, CEO, Singapore Airlines (SIA), will be joining the board of Indian airlines Air India, post its merger with Vistara (a joint venture between Tata Group and SIA) on November 12. PB Balaji, who serves as the Group CFO, Tata Motors, too will be joining the Air India board, as per reports. The board at Air India will approve these appointments only after the Ministry of Civil Aviation green signals Singapore Airline’s investment, which as highlighted in an ET report, would give the carrier 25.1 percent stake in the airline. Hamish Maxwell, who previously led flight operations for…
The tourism sector in Sikkim has suffered a loss of INR 500 crore due to the repeated closures of National Highway 10, the state’s lifeline, following the Teesta flash floods in October 2023. This in addition to the damage suffered by the surrounding areas in the neighbouring states. As a result, tourism stakeholders in Sikkim are calling for urgent action to protect the Teesta River, highlighting its crucial role in sustaining the region’s tourism industry. The Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN) has adopted the slogan “Save Teesta-Save NH 10-Save Tourism” to emphasise the interconnection between environmental conservation and…
Shankh Aviation Private Limited, spearheaded by entrepreneur Sharvan K.Vishwakarma, is set to launch of its new venture, Shankh Air, from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. With a presence in Infrastructure & Trading, Vishwakarma brings his entrepreneurial prowess to the forefront of the aviation industry. Having applied for NOC with the Aviation Ministry, Shankh Air is set to launch full-service scheduled Air Services later this year with narrow body single aisle New Generation Boeing aircraft, with view to service pan-India connectivity. Shankh Air will be the first schedule airline to launch from Uttar Pradesh. It will hub over Lucknow and Noida to…
Fokker Services Asia, a subsidiary of Fokker Services Group (FSG) has been appointed as an Embraer Authorized Service Center. This milestone was achieved with the signing of the final contract during the Aviation Week MRO Asia Pacific 2024 event held in Singapore. Fokker Services Asia has now been awarded the official certification of Embraer Authorized Service Center to provide maintenance services for the E-Jets first-generation family, with a focus on E190 aircraft. This achievement not only marks a significant step forward in enhancing FSG’s capabilities in the Asia Pacific region, but it also offers Embraer the opportunity to expand and…
With a rapidly changing profile, Indian tourists are now exploring off beat destinations, off peak seasons, more adventure, more luxury as well as local culture which is exactly in line with Switzerland Tourism’s long-term strategy for long-haul destinations. At a recently held press meet organised by Switzerland Tourism, at Martin Maier, Consulate General’s Residence in Mumbai, CEO, Switzerland Tourism, Martin Nydegger; Christian Schoch, Director India, Switzerland Tourism, and Ritu Sharma, Deputy Director and Marketing Head – India, Switzerland Tourism threw light on the diversity of the country across seasons. Traditionally, Indian tourists have preferred summer as their go-to season, especially…
